There seems to have been a lot of interest in hay sets on this forum lately, and I was jus wondering if anybody else shares my general opinion that they are mostly gimmick sets and are not nearly as effective as the old stand-bys like dirt holes and flat sets.

I've caught a canine and a cat or two at hay-type sets, too, but I have several dislikes about them: they require the use of hay, for one thing, and they present the critter with a large "target area" for stepping in, thus lessening the chance of the animal finding the pan of the trap. But mainly they violate the K.I.S.S. rule big time.

Maybe up north, where freeazing ground is a big problem, they're more effective. But down here in God's Country, mostly I think hay sets are silly. A dirt-hole or flat set using a hay bale as an attractor or backing is okay, but the spreading of hay and setting traps in it just seems like a big dose of misplaced effort.

Am I wrong?

Yep.

Care to elaborate?

It's sorta hard to make dirt hole in the dead of winter...

I personally like the hay set. I guess mine is modified a bit and use natural grasses piled up or a hay bale that is old. I usually catch several cats using this on a field edge where it will really stand out. Just my opinion for what its worth. I'm sure I wouldn't care for it..... if I actually had to carry hay to the area.

Actually, it's not, if you have a good digger and some dry dirt. You gotta give me a better reason than THAT.

I got a big hammer and a big steel pipe.

I think I'm gonna start my own hay set thread. I feel left out.






JK.

My hays sets are made at hay bales the farmers have left out in the fields. Predators hunt these because mice live in them.I've actually seen fox sleeping on top of them. I've lived and trapped in both the north and the south, and have to say they are more effective in the north but I've have had good success here in NC also.

Seems to me that trappers are constantly trying t re-invent the wheel.

We are all guilty of it, but I think the newer trappers are most prone to be searching for that Silver Bullet, especially at times like this, when the weather isn't cooperating and the catch starts to drop off, we tend to start looking for that set, lure, or bait that will work a miracle. Somebody mentions the success they are having with the hay set, the PVC set or the blue bucket and people begin to hope that is the answer.

The hay set, PVC, campfire and others are good change ups, and the hay set has taken a lot of canines, but our bread and butter is the variations of the dirt hole, scent post, pockets, and blind sets.

Some gimmicks do work, but not as consistently and under as wide a range of weather conditions as the old stand bys.

I forgot to mention the tin foil on the pan set.

I agree hay sets are not the best set out there seems to be a lazy set to me thats just my opinion then again what ever works for ya is a good set

Jim, I am by no means a good trapper. But, with the equipment I have right now, it is very hard to make dirt holes in frozen ground. The hay set seems to be easyer in the winter while there is two feet of snow on the ground.

Nope.

Yep. Easier. But not better. Don't let me get you down, Buster. I'm just an old fart set in his ways.

I'd have already quit trapping for the year, if I had two feet of snow. We've got five inches here, and I'm thinking it's a catastrophe.

i belive most people use the hey set specificaly for during cold weather and it helps stop freeze downs as a new trapper i colected dry dirt not relizing it needed to be sifted or something because now its frozen solid into my buckets

If trapping was easy Girl Scouts would quit selling cookies and start trapping.

2 feet of snow can make it interesting, but there are sets you can use in the snow that are just as effective. Freshly dug dirt on snow has great eye appeal. Coyotes and fox will follow a worn trail in the snow rather than trying to blaze their own.

Live and learn I guess...

The two key phrases in bold contradict one another. There in lies your problem.
DRY Dirt won't freeze because it contains NO moisture.
If it's frozen solid, It contained moisture and therefore wasn't DRY.
Next summer, DRY your dirt and it will NOT freeze in your buckets.
I hope this helps you to understand your problem.

Not a waste of time, put many a nice reds on the boards! you can put a hay set faster than you could dig a bed this time a year around here.

No actually it is Jim. If there's heavy soil and two feet of frost, it's can be very hard to make a decent hole and trap bed. Plus, any wind and the hole gets drifted over with snow. Canines will inspect any mound of duffle in a field that's pure white, so there is a lot of visual attraction there as well. The set has a lot of upside here in Minnesota in the winter.

I don't even know what a hay set is, figured it was a variation of some type flat set ive been using for years anyway.

Ever use the pine straw set? lol.