When to put the traps back out?

cherokee305

cherokee305

New member
Pulled the traps the other day after a rain and freeze up. Snowing good now and looking at a high for the week of 37 lows in the teens. When should I think about putting traps back out?
 
According to "Trapping North American Furbearers", when the snow stops, or slacks off a lot, you can put them back out. Tromp down the snow around where you're going to make your set so it is pretty firm and solid. Place your set in that packed base and sift snow over the whole thing so it blends in with the surrounding area.

With temps in the high 30's during the day, you may have some problems with slight melt and refreeze.
 
you should have put them back out right before the snow started, used waxed dirt or peat moss, that way, after the snow falls there is NO trace of you being there, and all the critters smells is your bait/lure coming up thru the snow. since they cant see the bait hole, they will work the set longer and get caught, when dealing with snow, you want to either take a snow shovel and clear a big area down to the dirt, or hang snares in your tire tracks as you drive thru the fields. good luck and happy trapping.
 
what is Trapping North American Furbearers?????????? sounds like some idiots to me. the only way you can sift snow and not have it melt is to make sure you shift is as cold as the tempurature of the snow. its almost impossible to sift snow and not have it melt. also if your state has a law that land traps must be covered, you are illegal if the snow melts before you get the set pulled. just something to think about, if you put your set in before the snow falls, and use a freeze proof method, your good to go, during and after the snow is gone
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Originally Posted By: Jeff Erwinwhat is Trapping North American Furbearers?????????? sounds like some idiots to me.

Just a book... written by a guy named S. Stanley Hawbaker way back in 1974. He was a professional trapper and it seems his book is still selling well.

Yes, if you don't let your sifter chill, as in you take it right out of your truck to use it, the snow will not sift well and won't look natural.

There are as many methods of dealing with snow as there are trappers I guess. His is just one suggestion. I don't think I would come out and call someone who made their living at trapping an idiot until I had tried his methods though.
 
I would put them back out right after it stopped snowing. Make sure to use trappers antifreeze or some other product to not let the dirt freeze. I have actually made my own dirt mixed with some wax and that stuff never freezes. You can look it up on some other websites like trapperman.com
 


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