Koro Traps have come out with a new trigger pan design for their rodent traps. At WCS we did a comparison overview of the new design vs the old design. Watch the video below or keep reading.
The new design no longer has a bar that goes over the strike bar to lock the strike bar in the set position via the pan. Instead, they incorporated a notch in trigger/dog system that the strike bar sits in. Originally the design of the trap was to have animals enter from the side instead of the front. However, over time people gravitated towards having the animal enter from the front. It has a wider opening and naturally works. In addition, the old style with the bar had the potential to throw the animal out of the trap when the trap was set off because the trigger bar would be pushed forward by the strike bar as it closed. The new design helps eliminate that issue.
The trap still has the same good safety system and tie-down cable as the old system as well. It still has the same high-quality durable design and construction standard you expect from Koro.
We at WCS used to modify all our Koro Rodent traps we used in the field to incorporate a similar style trigger. So over the next few months, we will be testing the new design as well. Look for an update in the upcoming months. From our initial examination of the trigger, it does feel a bit heavier, meaning it does seem to take a bit more pressure to set off. However, it can be fine-tuned by using a file and adjusting the notch. The old style set off on average around 1/2 of a pound. The new trigger averages around 1.5 lbs of pressure when using Sullivan's pan tension tester. If you decide to adjust it, just make sure you don't file too much off as you can not add the metal back on and the trap may lose its ability to be set. You can also extend the pan out slightly to allow for more leverage as another option.
This trap is a lethal trap for rodents and should be handled with care. Remember to check all local laws before using the trap to make sure you are following them in your area.
Tip: When setting the trap use a box that reduces the potential of non-target animals entering the trap. You can achieve this by installing an entrance reducing hole where the animal enters.
We at WCS hope that this new design will work well and save us a lot of work!