REVIEW: Sodbuster won't let you down

The Sodbuster trapping tool available from F&T Fur Harvesters.

By Ned Makim
Hands-On Hunting

Finding good gear to help get your traps in the ground can be a hit and miss affair. Things bend, they break or they just don't work.
I am happy to experiment but I hate things that fail when you need them.
I am also happy to tell you all, the Sodbuster digging tool and hammer won't.
It won't bend, it won't break and it will definitely work.
A lot of my trapping is in trap rock country and the digging is ever easy. It's not that the ground is particularly hard but it is always full of rocks of all sizes.
I previously used an old rabbit trap setter which could be made to work among the rocks but it was a little light for the heavy work including driving my home made pegs deep enough and through enough rock to hold a fox, let alone an annoyed dog.
Of course, you can always carry another, heavier hammer but that just adds to the load and gives you something else to leave behind if you in a hurry and careless.

Enter the Sodbuster.
This thing I awesome. At 1.8kgs (or 4lbs) it is a heavy tool and might not suit everyone. It definitely suits me, however. I like things with a bit of heft about them and the Sodbuster fits that bill perfectly.
It marries a heavy hammer and a piece of thick plate steel with a bevelled leading edge to give you the balance and weight to either dig a decent set hole or drive in pegs properly.
If you trap in sandy or light country the Sodbuster might seem like a bit of overkill but on the rougher blocks it is the go-to tool to get the job one with the minimum of fuss or delay.
In my experience it will lever out rocks or crack them to give you access to a decent set hole, especially if you bang your pegs into the cone directly under your trap to minimise site disturbance.
The handle is padded to reduce transmitted shock when you hit those rocks by the way...
I found my Sodbuster on-line at F&T Fur Harvester's Trading Post. They are only $20 US which makes them less than $25 Aus plus shipping. Check out the site and add a few other bits and pieces and the average freight price per unit comes down.
While I'm at it, I'd like to add that F&T offer incredible service. I've dealt with them a few times and the service has been faultless. They are a trustworthy and well respected organisation and have been available to me for plenty of communication if I needed to know what was happening or when.
I am by no means a significant customer in volume terms but I've always felt like I might be their best customer, if you know what I mean.
Highly recommend the Sodbuster and F&T.
Link to the on-line store is below.

http://www.fntpost.com/?gclid=CJ-IwenI3rkCFUpZpQodBgcAYg