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Trap contamination or just poor pan placement #5861
12/26/06 06:57 PM
12/26/06 06:57 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,638
Bethel, Alaska
fishermann222 Offline OP
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fishermann222  Offline OP
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Bethel, Alaska
Ok I had a really bad day today. Out of my 4 dozen traps out I had fox visit 32, yes 32 of my sets last night. Conditions were PERFECT and I was planning on having alot of fox today. Well something is wrong. they stepped all around my traps, but on not one of my sets did they step on the pan. I even had them step on the jaws on multiple sets.

Do I need to do more "guiding" or do I have possible contimation?

Last edited by fishermann222; 12/26/06 08:11 PM.

I survived the Tman crash of '06
Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: fishermann222] #5868
12/26/06 07:01 PM
12/26/06 07:01 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 28
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shoalcreektrappr Offline
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was the set worked? or did they just check it and leave? if your sets were worked, it sounds like 32 strokes of bad luck. if they were not worked, they are definatley smelling somehting they dont like.

Last edited by shoalcreektrappr; 12/26/06 07:12 PM.
Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: shoalcreektrappr] #5896
12/26/06 07:16 PM
12/26/06 07:16 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,638
Bethel, Alaska
fishermann222 Offline OP
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Bethel, Alaska
I am not using dirthole sets, I am using walk throughs, and some snow holes. Many had lots and lots of tracks all over it, not just one set of tracks in and out. I am still baffled


I survived the Tman crash of '06
Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: fishermann222] #6165
12/26/06 08:56 PM
12/26/06 08:56 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,638
Bethel, Alaska
fishermann222 Offline OP
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fishermann222  Offline OP
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Bethel, Alaska
TTT


I survived the Tman crash of '06
Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: fishermann222] #6392
12/26/06 10:08 PM
12/26/06 10:08 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 28
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shoalcreektrappr Offline
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this is out of my league fishermann, i have absolutley no experiance trapping the snow. sounds to me like they just got lucky. 32 times lucky. the odds of that dont make much sense though does it. a person would have thought you would have hooked at least one. especially with that much traffic. good luck on tommorrows run.
shoal.

Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: shoalcreektrappr] #6409
12/26/06 10:15 PM
12/26/06 10:15 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,638
Bethel, Alaska
fishermann222 Offline OP
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Bethel, Alaska
because it happened so many times I just think luck does not have much to do with it, I think I maybe got something contaminated yesterday when i redid all my traps. It just happened too many times for it to be a coincidence I think. But because they stepped on the jaws I just don't know. I am baffled


I survived the Tman crash of '06
Re: Trap contamination or just poor pan placement [Re: fishermann222] #6443
12/26/06 10:29 PM
12/26/06 10:29 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 374
virginia
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furslinger Offline
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virginia
did you use the same trap placement in all the sets?

Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: fishermann222] #6455
12/26/06 10:32 PM
12/26/06 10:32 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,301
Waterville Minnesota
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mudtracker Offline
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Waterville Minnesota
Hey fishman I went to double setting my k9 sets a while back just because of that phenomenon. If I guided more they just didn't work em so I just slipped in another trap even if this cuts down the number of sets it should up the catch ratio. If the traps were contaminated I'd think the fox would of hung up or rolled on them.


WHO MADE THIS MESS ALL OVER MY FLOOR THE MUDTRACKER WAS HERE HE HE HE
Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: mudtracker] #6472
12/26/06 10:39 PM
12/26/06 10:39 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,638
Bethel, Alaska
fishermann222 Offline OP
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Bethel, Alaska
Yep I was thinking of doing that also mudtracker. Making a V dug out in the snow to force them in, and then place a trap at the top of each end.

Currently my trap is placed in front of my bait, which is covered up with snow with some grass or tundra behind it. It worked AWESOME last year, but they are catching on.


I survived the Tman crash of '06
Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: fishermann222] #6544
12/26/06 11:16 PM
12/26/06 11:16 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,301
Waterville Minnesota
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mudtracker Offline
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yep fishman you got evolution working right there on your island last year you caught all the ahem "aggressive" fox. Now you have to deal with the shyer or smarter foxes. \:\)

Scent post sets?

Gland lure?


WHO MADE THIS MESS ALL OVER MY FLOOR THE MUDTRACKER WAS HERE HE HE HE
Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: mudtracker] #6674
12/27/06 12:29 AM
12/27/06 12:29 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,740
Brooklyn, Iowa 45 years old st...
K
k9. Offline
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Brooklyn, Iowa 45 years old st...
If contaminated they would be digging you up or avoiding you completely. Fox just are not that smart.

Are you using too much dirt cover over your trap?

I assume you snapped one off to assure that it was working as it was set.

Are you using too heavy of pan tension for the lighter fox?

If they were digging you up I would go with the contamination. Something else is going on with the guiding, pan tension, etc.

I would crank my pan tension super light on a few traps and see what happens. You might get some toe catches, but it is one way to start trouble shooting this issue.

Another consideration, is if you have damp dirt over your set, even a little damp, it can be freezing/stiffening just a little with the colder night time temps, allowing your sets to be worked without a catch. Then if you are checking them after sunrise, the sun may be warming it just enough to free things up, giving the appearance of a working set.


Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: k9.] #6741
12/27/06 01:20 AM
12/27/06 01:20 AM
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Posts: 17,770
N.W. Iowa
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Tactical.20 Offline
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N.W. Iowa
Try foot guides, a twig or two at the jaw edge.T.20

Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: Tactical.20] #6761
12/27/06 01:56 AM
12/27/06 01:56 AM
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Posts: 2,735
SW Alaska
otterman Offline
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SW Alaska
Jon use snow and ice chunks tro guide the buggers if they are stepping on your jaws then they are not aware of the trap and just got lucky be careful diggin big trenches and stuff you want things looking natural just like any other gut pile you would be amased at how much you can force them using snow and ice especailly when you have had the freezing thawing weather you had early they are use to the hard chunky stuff and will work around it and stick their feet in the trap. One other thought I have gone almost full circle on traps started trapping fox with #3ls then went to #2s then to 1.5 and am going back to #2s the bigger jaw spread and little bit more pop in the springs will help coming thru the snow just some food for thought as you look for more gear for next year.


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Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: otterman] #6794
12/27/06 03:11 AM
12/27/06 03:11 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,638
Bethel, Alaska
fishermann222 Offline OP
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K9 I have no dirt to work with, I live on the tundra and bed right into the snow. I cover with about an 1/8th inch of snow. As far as pan tension goes as soon as we start getting crusted snow I switch to 0 pan tension so it fires easier, so pan tension is not the problem, they just plain missed the pan. And I can tell usually tell every night whether the set is working or not just by watching the temps and knowing the snow. Last night was just perfect, we had 3 inches of fluffy powder snow so that was the only thing over my trap.

Otterman thanks for the snow chunk advice I will give that a shot after this weather blows over.


I survived the Tman crash of '06
Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: fishermann222] #7905
12/27/06 10:17 PM
12/27/06 10:17 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,740
Brooklyn, Iowa 45 years old st...
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k9. Offline
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Don't have experience with snow covering. I did hear someone last year talking about wrapping a trap in white plastic grocery sacks in deep snow. Anything to that?


Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: k9.] #7913
12/27/06 10:22 PM
12/27/06 10:22 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,638
Bethel, Alaska
fishermann222 Offline OP
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If we have super cold temps I use coffee filters above and under, if we have freeze thaw temps I use wax paper. I have not tried the grocery sack yet.


I survived the Tman crash of '06
Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: fishermann222] #8261
12/28/06 01:09 AM
12/28/06 01:09 AM
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Posts: 304
Price, Utah
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Peterson123 Offline
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thats alot of traps that were visited hope you catch and least a couple of them

Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: Peterson123] #8264
12/28/06 01:13 AM
12/28/06 01:13 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,638
Bethel, Alaska
fishermann222 Offline OP
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Bethel, Alaska
weather is heck here right now, all sets are shot until I can dig out and recover. blizzards with 50+ winds STINK. I did have one in one of the sets today before the blizzard, so must have just been a lucky day for the fox.


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Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: fishermann222] #8288
12/28/06 02:19 AM
12/28/06 02:19 AM
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N.W. Iowa
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Tactical.20 Offline
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N.W. Iowa
I have found when bedding traps in snow it is hard to do it without getting a hard crust. I think that is why Asa or his dad suggested to throw the snow up in the air as far as you can before it lays on the trap, if I understood it right.
I tried taking a thin slab of snow crust and lay it on the trap, so far that has worked for me, but not a lot of number of times to really say whether it is better or not.T.20

Re: Trap contimation or just poor pan placement [Re: Tactical.20] #8293
12/28/06 02:29 AM
12/28/06 02:29 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,638
Bethel, Alaska
fishermann222 Offline OP
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Bethel, Alaska
if you can get a super thin slab it will work. I am still learning how to deal with the different kinds of snow. Snow acts differently at 30 below, 0 and 30 above. You have to do different things for each situation. What works at 0 and 30 above would never work at 30 below, and vice versa.

One thing you should never do is touch the snow iwth your glove, use a tool, i use a large spoon.


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