Priefert head gate pics for Bigfoot

[greybeard]

Mine is the auto catch but I'm not smart enough to figure out how to set it, I guess. I have a lever and some holes in a piece of flat stock but doesn't look like much of a design. I would use it if I trusted it, but when I am alone, I don't want to take the chance of turning something out that I managed to get up by myself. Is anyone actually using this auto catch feature on this unit with success?

I have the 91 head gate but I think all the Prefiert autos work the same way.
Just looking at it, it doesn't seem like it would work, but the gates 'want' to close, and it's the friction from the tension of the gates that hold the trigger in place. The handle of the trigger is designed such that as soon as the animal bumps or spreads the gates open just a hair, the gate tension on the trigger is relieved and the orange trigger handle stuck out on that flat bar a few inches is enough 'counterweight' to cause the trigger pin to flop out to the front and the gates shut on the cow's neck. I suppose ya could make it even more sensitive by adding a little weight out on the orange handle, but I never had but one run thru it without tripping it and that was when I first got it and because I had set the trigger pin all the way in the hole like they show in the video. A really simple design that works pretty good for as few moving parts as it has.
You could just stand there, and bump the gate handle up a bit with the palm of your hand and that will release the trigger too, but that kinda defeats the purpose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkMxfzvx6J8