what am i doing wrong?

[multibeard]

If it is one of the older havahart traps, the locking system stinks. The door had to come all the way down before the locking wire would egage.If the critter wasn't all the way in. It would just back up and the door would open up and let it out.

I haven't looked at the newer ones to see if the locks have been improved.

The ones I have use a washer that slides down when the door trips and will not allow the door to be opened back up even if a tail is in the way.