Finally quit deer hunting and got the traps in the ground. I've had a number of dig ups and triggers, but only 1 red caught yesterday. Today I had one dug up and one triggered. Both had scat next to them. Is this due to contaminated traps or bad bedding?

I use Formula 1, always have and have typically had success.

Something went aray on your scent control. Do you wax them? I know big debate on what works /don't. But they definatly can smell your trap if everyone trap is being dug out.

Thats what I was thinking. I did have new gloves this year (new type), I may go back. They arent waxed. I never wax.

Check your bedding. Most people don't bed the traps nas good as they think they do.

I would say it's your f1 treatment, if it's wobbly trap, pack bedding material under spring levers and jaws, I use my scratching tool to Tamp it firm

Don't over think it. They are only doing what they are programmed to do. They have no idea what a trap is.

haha
I know I'm def guilty of over thinking it. But its still weird they're digging around instead of stepping on it

They are investigating an odor or something unexpectedly moving under their foot. If they are digging at all your sets, I suspect odor.

F1 is all I use and I have never had a trap dug up. If there is an odor issue are your traps stored in clean containers separate from lure odors.
Im thinking you possibly have not bedded the traps correctly or have a contamination issue somehow.

Don't beat yourself up, it's possible you dug something up and sifted it over the trap. If it continues to be a problem bring in some clean dirt with you when you do the remake.

Every time something digs a trap the first thing I hear is contamination, scent control, some smell that made them do it. I don't even change traps that have blood on them and still don't have dug traps. I am a firm believer that a paranoia of ells takes your mind off the most important thing and that is solid bedding. Just my honest opinion.

Usually it's a coon, skunk or rabbit digging in the soft dirt, I think skunks can sense the hollow spot under the pan maybe,
Then coyote comes to visit and leaves tracks, sometimes a coyote has experience with lures and others getting caught, I seem to have more diggers near other trappers that are new or they only do the same stuff year after year, alot of times it's female doing it

"never" had a trap dug up before this year? there are not very many canine trappers that can make that statement i think....coons and skunks dig because they like the soft dirt in their fingers and are odd little things...coyotes dig if they feel it move, or if theres bait or lure on the trap. human scent etc i dont believe makes them want to dig

Diggin don't mean nothing to me. Dig the bed a bit deeper and pack the jaws. Guide tighter. If they didn't get pinched they will be back. Use the turd for backing. Not a matter of if, but when you catch it.

When I test scents I will put in a pipe or dig a hole and then dig up the soil in front and sift it so I can see what tracks and foot placement is there. I can't tell you how many times the fox coon and skunks will dig the loose soil where there is nothing. when a animal buries a scrap of something the soil over the scrap will be loose. I think some will just dig loose soil just to check things out. IMHO

Lots of good ideas here... I am a firm believer in keeping fox traps odor free. Clean, dye, wax them and use a dedicated pair of gloves for setting fox traps.

good advice above even hanging traps in a barn or tree can lead to mice squirrels and barn cats crawling on them peeing and licking or your F1 could have been contaminated by previous traps

Thanks guys. I'll take a look at what I'm doing once this rain passes.