I have had no luck with my "dirt hole" sets in the snow. I have even had some tracks go with in 2 feet of my set. It didn't even slow down, it just kept on going.
THis is what I have been doing. I have been taking my axe handle and making a little hole on the side of my snow machine trail. The hole is about 1.5 to 1.25 inches wide. From there I bed the trap. I use a drag system and put wax paper on the top and bottom of the trap. I cover the trap with snow and blend it in as good as I can. Then put a little loud skunk based lure in the hole and drive off. I don't get off of the snow machine. Should I put a little meat in the hole? A feather in the hole? Should I rought up the area and show a little dirt like something was tring to dig it up? Any info would be great.

Last yr. I was making snow dirt holes next to a beaver pond that was loaded with yote tracks. I dug down to bare dirt in the snow and polled some of the dirt out onto the snow to make it look "freshly dug" . I placed fresh beaver quarters into the fake hole under the snow and left it at that. My holes were probably 4 to 6" in dia. and I tried to make them in the deepest snow I could find on the hillside. Within 2 days I pulled 4 yotes out of these sets.

When I was up there in North Pole, I'd collect dry dirt during the summer. Come trapping season, I'd make snow hole sets, but bed the traps in dry dirt. These were most effective in the shade because the sun would heat up the dirt, melt the snow in the day and freeze my traps down at night. The dirt seemed to be a big attractor for the canines. Dean Wilson, buying fur at the Klondike Motel in Fairbanks then, said I was the only "Dirt Trapper" he knew at the time. Since then I saw an article written by someone about using dry dirt and making these kind of sets up there - lol.

How much snow do you have Woodelf?

Are the critters running your trail?

I have had some success with snow/dirt hole sets but have better results with scent post sets in deep snow conditions. Generally the snow is too deep here in Upper Michigan to make the hole sets appear natural enough. Anytime one places sets covered in snow the traps must by extremely clean and deoderized. Snow is way more porous than dirt and allows the trap odor to easily escape. For example, I generally trap the deep snow months at and near cedar swamps so I add cedar boughs to my trap boiling solution and a subtle amount of cedar oil to my trap wax. Traps are then placed at the set wrapped completely in crumpled waxed paper and covered with snow. A trap prepared like this gets 10 times better response than a normally prepared trap, proving the trap odor is the main deterent. That in my opinion is the reason why you are likely getting 100% walk-bys Woodelf. Also, I suggest a milder urine gland type lure at such sets, skunk musk is just too unnatural and overwhelming.
If anyone wants free information on making post sets in deep snow, drop me an e-mail asalenon@yahoo.com and I'll reply with the info. Ace

White17. They are running my trail is some spots. They will take it for 100 yards or so then go off of the trail.We have about we have 8 to 12 inches of snow. Asa thanks for the info. I have tried to keep my traps order free, but I did sent some with my bare hands. Also I think that I might have got some lure scent on them from just being in the box. Should I reboil them and rewax them? Also does anyone wax there chains for the drag. I was thinking about waxing the first 5 feet or so.

I just dig away all the snow with a shovel and make my dirt hole. The bigger the tear up the better. If the ground Is frozen then It's snares.
One thing I have found Is that when i use this method I like to just walk right on through after making the set. If I walk In make the set and turn around and walk back out on the same track I get canines hanging up. But not so bad when I just walk through.

Yes clean those traps up and wax the chains too. I think I'd do as Ace suggests and try some urine posts. Also, dump that skunk. Those guys aren't use to smelling that in the wild. It's ok for a long distance call lure for marten though. I think I'd also try sweeping a large area clear of snow and make a traditional dirt hole if you can get some dry dirt.

You don't have enough snow for a buried bait set yet. Can you snare the areas where they leave the trail ?

Are you talking about foxes here ?

a subtle amount of cedar oil to my trap wax.

Hmmm, thats a good idea. I had some speed dip leach into my wax this year and really screwed things up. I could see where putting in the proper amount of the "right kind" of smell could be beneficial.

Woodelf: Drags and chain must be dyed and waxed too along with the trap.

Calvin: Never tried it myself but Speed dip has been reported bad news from many top trappers in my area whether it be used on traps in the dirt or the snow.
Ace

White from the tracks they look like fox. They are to small to be a yote. As far as snaring the trail where they leave there is really no pattern on how they leave. They just come and go as they please. Looks like I will have to redo all of my traps to descent them again. Also was my chains and drags. I do have other lure that I can use some fox and some back breaker. Also when I reboil them should I just boil them water to get the old wax off or should I reboil them with baking soda and then rewax them? You guys are great thinks for all of the good info.

Maybe a small dab of that Backbreaker would do the job, it would probably be difficult to overwhelm the fox with a beaver castor based lure. Ace