I'm still pretty new to this and am self taught on everything I have learned (read it and see pictures and give it a go). I trap up in Wyoming and I was wondering how important it is to remove human tracks from the set area when trapping in the snow? I do most of my trapping on public lands and as such I end up walking a pretty long ways so packing a bigger broom to smooth out tracks seems like extra stuff to pack. However if it is something that could possible make a difference then I am willing to come up with a way to make it work. Any thoughts?

I've never worried about it and have never noticed where it hindered my catch. I have actually had coyotes follow by tracks and get snared. But then I do not dance around the location when I make a set.

In my opinion, I don't think it matters that much. Sometimes they will follow your tracks in the snow, most of the time if you have wind they will get drifted in anyhow. I just get rid of tracks right around the set and don't worry about the rest.

I use a tree branch from an evergreen to get rid of the steps only really close to the set. If there’s a lot of snow I sift snow on the closest tracks. Heck, I see dogs follow my tracks on occasion. Sometimes I make fake dog prints with the axe handle with last track over the pan.

Hobbs if its a fluffy snow a snow hoop( that's what I call it) will remove tracks around a set rather quickly.

This is mine just a pc of #9 wire rapped around the top of a walking stick. Just stick it in your track and move it back and forth as you back away from a set.
As far as trapping on public land. If you are worried about theft, just walk the same footprints leaving your access point. I found that making it look like someone only went trough their one time is about to safest way to go on public land. Hope this helps

Depends on the individual, some follow some spook. I smooth tracks out with a broom and use my tire tracks to cover the rest. Wind and fresh snow fall blends and smooths all out. I want em all! Wetdog that's a great idea with the walking stick, gonna rig one up myself.

This here^^^^^

I have a new piece of property that I am trapping this year (I should say that I have put traps on). BecUse the yotes there are not cooperating at all.

They come about every 10-14 days and they have been quite the challenge. When ther was no snow I couldn't figure out why I wasn't connecting Now when the come, I kid you not, they hit my trail that I walk to check the traps and they do a 180 and go right back in the direction they came from

And like other have said, I have places where they will walk in my trail, those ones get caught!!

Some are more of a challenge than others, simple as that

Good luck to you all!!

Thank you everyone for all the great information. The snow hoop is a great idea.

I sweep them out for canines.Most of the coyotes here don't like tracks,especially fresh ones.One of the old time books showed a diagram of a snow hoop.It was triangular in shape,rather than round.I made one like that using a long mop handle and heavy,galvanized wire and it worked well.I used galvanized because it's stiffer.These days I just use a broom.It also acts as a kneeling pad and works well for blending sets,snow or bare ground.And of course,it's there for sweeping snow off the truck before heading out.

For cats,I don't worry about my tracks.They may even be a plus but the broom still is needed to sweep off sets.It sometimes doubles as a walking stick though there are better forms of those.I keep meaning to design a broom/catch pole/walking stick but haven't got there yet.

Taximan I believe it was Hawbakers book I read about the snow hoop. North star method I believe. I gave the book to a young fellow who was very interested in learning to trap. On the bottom of my walking stick is a 3" brass screw with the head ground off. That helps me find a snowed in trap without digging up a big spot. Just push it to the ground around where you think the trap should be.lol you will know by the sound when you find it. Saves making a big mess around the set. I like your idea of the all in one tool. I'm working on one. I have an extendable pole with interchangeable heads. I have the catch pole figured out, just working on a device to set and retrieve traps from above. Would save some time setting mink and rat traps from bridges.

When I walk in to spots I drag the broom behind me to disguise tracks and most will follow. But deep boot depressions not so much. Russ Carmans old book "winter fox trapping" got me started in the right direction on snow trapping sets and using truck tire tracks to make sets from. Back in the day most the fox guys around here quit when the snow flew. Not me, I was just gettin started.

I don’t feel good leaving a set with tracks, I use a flat shovel and then drive my mule over them, works for me !

I just go in from the side of tracks and sweep out with a whisk broom as I back up for 20ft or so. If I don't sweep them out I won't catch usually.

On this road I put in a trap at a established urine post. I walk in a straight line cut in, bed trap, brush out and get back in my tracks. Then I drive over. Skinnin the next day.

I just use a broom.It also acts as a kneeling pad and works well for blending sets,snow or bare ground.And of course,it's there for sweeping snow off the truck before heading out.
BINGO
x2
multi tool

I use anything I can. Either my kneeling pad, or my catch pole, or any stick from the area. Just wipe the track out and move the leaves around a bit and it looks pretty normal. Sometimes you have grass that is pretty stubborn and I use the kneeling pad for that.

I’ve found that a leaf rake is very easy to use on snow and it holds little foreign odor like a broom might ! The back of the rake works good in fluffy snow !

Great book. I loved it too. Great if you can drive by sets!

I really like the leaf rake idea - cut or sift or float or cover. A broom gets plugged and frozen up with snow and a snow shovel either floats on top or digs too deep. Although the leaf rake will not work to clean off the truck. I’ll stay with Taximan’s broom for that task.

Lol , no the rake ain’t worth a hoot for getting snow off the truck! I’ve used it many times in the past for getting rid of too much snow over the trap. Works pretty good to reduce 5 or 6” of fresh snow down to about two inches. Did not work well this morning on the new ice we just got !