I am working on the final portion of my hog trap. I am stuck on the final setup of the door. I am going with a spring loaded hinged standard swinging door. I had planned to have a 2.5' opening with a 3' long door. Is that a good ratio I have the freedom to make it larger or smaller.


What is holding me up the most is the logistics/specifics of the exact type of spring to use and the best way to setup a trigger system to let the door close strong. Any suggestions?

I have elaborate systems on some of my traps, but honestly I have one trap that never fails me and it has a 3'x3.5' door, that has a garage door spring (smaller one) on it to slam it shut and is held up by a stick with two pieces of twine that are at about 1030 and 130 o clock towards the back of the trap. It is a round trap. I put a pile of corn between the twine and put a little throught trap and thru door. When they root, they set it off. Catch mutiples all the time.

Do you have any pics?

I installed hinged saloon doors on my trap. I prop the doors open with a rotating pipe at the top tied off to the back of the trap with thin wire. Both doors have small garage type springs that slam the doors shut when tripped. They close on a "tuning fork" design pin that I can pull out and open the doors completely outwards. When the doors are resting on the pin, pigs on the inside can't get their snouts on the door jam to open. But any hog can push from the outside and easily open the doors inward. Best catch had 11 hogs waiting on me.



Materials cost me <$125 and few days welding...I can get closer pics of the spring mechanism is needed. I have caught all kinds of critters with this round design....

I got the door all welded up. Will use a garage door style spring. Going to go with the prop and tie it off in the back corners. And then bait between it which should get the pig to trigger it.

If I can ever get out there before dark I'll try to post pictures and instructions.

Have only $58 in it but I had leftover panels so it is definitely a budget trap build.

Dogo, that looks nice! I just finished building one with the same exact metal spool. I built mine with a simple root style door. If you wouldn't mind, could you take some pictures of your trigger mechanism and your "tuning fork"? I am assuming you attached the springs to the corner of the doors and the arch of the door entrance? Very cool design!

BTW, I can't believe you caught 11 of them in there! That is amazing!!!

This may or may not help but here's how my doors are triggered.
I prop them open with about a 12" stick between the door and the closing surface (spring tension holds the stick in place).

Small pigs will get in and when a larger one (wider than 12") enters, the stick drops out and the door closes behind them.

i use trampoline springs. i put different hooks to adjust the tension.






i put a rod at the top with a wire/string attached that pulls out and releases the door.

I dont have any pics on my computer, but when i go check it later, I can snap a few if needed.