We have done a lot of experimenting with shorter space saving double door cage traps, pushing the envelope to the limit. Though some double door traps for armadillo have been made as long as 48″, we found that double door cage traps as short as 24 inches would accomplish the same goal without issue. Likewise, we found that double door cage traps as short as 18 inches were more than adequate for skunks and chucks, misses pretty much non-existant.
With beaver we began with a 36 inch double door trap, taking beaver up to 66 pounds. The 36 inch traps never let us down. From there we began using 40, 39 and 38 inch long traps to err on the side of caution. After hundreds of catches, studying and running the numbers it seemed likely that shorter just might work, 34 inch for sure, but maybe even shorter, a really short 32 inch?
This is a picture of a 45 pound beaver taken today in 32 inch long 12×18 double powered door cage trap on the first attempt and in all likelihood a first for a double door trap this short. The trap was set upside down in 30 inches of water on the bottom in a stream channel with the powered doors lifting the beaver up and into the trap. Time will tell if this was a fluke or the norm and just how short double door traps can be made.
