[Dieseldemutis]

My dad went to check my traps. He said he came up to my second set a nice red was ontop of the sent diggin around he said he thaught he was trapped. He said the fox ran he checked the trap and it was frozen in the dirt hole.

 

[Alpine Shooter]

Get some dirt from under old house trailers, and add fine salt.

 

[montana bound]

Here's what I do with all my land sets. I buy a roll of butchers paper, it is waxed on one side. I dig out a large trap bed and put down a sheet of paper several inches bigger then the trap.place trap on paper and make set with very dry dirt(I have a huge pile from when they dug our basement that I take from)The butchers paper acts as a barrier and keeps moister from the ground from leaking into your dry dirt and making it freeze when temps drop.
It should keep your sets operational for several days of freeze and thaw

 

[Dieseldemutis]

Here's what I do with all my land sets. I buy a roll of butchers paper, it is waxed on one side. I dig out a large trap bed and put down a sheet of paper several inches bigger then the trap.place trap on paper and make set with very dry dirt(I have a huge pile from when they dug our basement that I take from)The butchers paper acts as a barrier and keeps moister from the ground from leaking into your dry dirt and making it freeze when temps drop.
It should keep your sets operational for several days of freeze and thaw

Ok Ill try that it should also work with a hay set im guessing.

 

[montana bound]

Yes it should.

 

[Lugnut]

My dad went to check my traps. He said he came up to my second set a nice red was ontop of the sent diggin around he said he thaught he was trapped. He said the fox ran he checked the trap and it was frozen in the dirt hole.

PEAT MOSS!

 

[Furdog]

I put waxed paper under the trap and dried peat moss over the trap. Sprinkle a little dried dirt over top to blend. I gave up on trying to put peat under the trap, a pain getting it to bed solid.

 

[TrapperDan30]

buckwheat hulls

 

[Redq23]

1/2-3/4 inch of peat moss. Bed your trap good. Use nails to stablize if you have to. Than 1/4-1/2 inch of peat moss on top. Its not easy to bed in peat moss but if you work at it a lil you can get it.

 

[panaxman]

hay set

 

[Roaddawg]

Ya, I agree.... Use PEAT MOSS!

 

[montana bound]

Please enlighten me on the use of peat moss.
While helping a nurseryman many years ago we used peat moss in all plantings because it absorbs and holds water.
How does it stop a trap from freeing because my wife's flower boxes on the front porch are hard as cement with all the frozen peat moss in them.
I would really like to know

 

[pawsonpan]

Anything will freeze if it has water standing in it. Staight peat or buckwheat hulls tend to let the water drain through and remain dry and loose.

If the ground remains frozen, keeping traps working is no problem, as long as you cover them with some kind of dry material. It's the freeze/thaw cycle that will mess things up.
Chopped hay works well, too.

 

[montana bound]

That's what I thought, thats the reason I line my sets with the wax paper to keep the water away from the dry trap covering . So weather you use Pete moss , dirt or hulls as a cover for the set I believe the lining of wax paper will give anyone a better chance of keeping the set free of ice.
Give it a try , it has helped me alot.

 

[Dieseldemutis]

Ok thanks Ill fix my traps tomorrow with some wax paper because my dad had to cut the chain on the double because the steak wouldnt come out of the ground for anything.

 

[StinkysFolly]

I have used peat moss. Still freezes. I would say it's better than the dirt in the ground. The one thing that makes me wonder, It says right on the package that it helps retain moisture. Well, that would mean that moisture will freeze. Duh. I use the existing dirt to bed it. And peat on top. Of course this is my first year and havent had any luck.

 

[Fairchild #17]

I've been using some dried grass clippings that I gathered and bagged in the summer heat, just to try something a little different.
Line the bed with grass, pack grass all around the trap, and cover with grass. I toss a handful down the dirthole to make it look as if a nest was dug out and spread some around outside the pattern as well. It has a pleasant dried grass odor that I'm sure holds some attraction on its own.

And yes, you can use my nail method to bed rock solid even in a handful of dried grass, LOL

 

[Fairchild #17]

Ok thanks Ill fix my traps tomorrow with some wax paper because my dad had to cut the chain on the double because the steak wouldnt come out of the ground for anything.

Lock a pair of vice grips on the stake and start twisting, they will come right out.

 

[Dieseldemutis]

Ok thanks Ill fix my traps tomorrow with some wax paper because my dad had to cut the chain on the double because the steak wouldnt come out of the ground for anything.

Lock a pair of vice grips on the stake and start twisting, they will come right out.

Yea he didnt feel like going back to the truck to get any I guess but thanks. I went out today dug out some bowls and lined it with wax paper staked the trap down and put a peice of wax paper ontop and made a hay set. So hopefully I go tomorrow and there not frozen in the morning lol.

 

[TrapperRon2]

Waxed Dirt is the simplest to use.