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#550668 - 01/30/08 12:40 PM What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground????
bobcatmatt bobcatmatt trapper Registered: 12/23/06 Posts: 679 Loc: Tyler Co., West Virginia	I've got frozen ground to about 4 inches right now. I thought about buying one of those Pulaski Axes like Jones uses, but for 36.00 to run a week or 10 days, I can't talk myself into it. Anyone use just a standard mattock or pick axe? If not what do you use? Matt
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#550757 - 01/30/08 01:42 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground???? [Re: bobcatmatt]
huntngolf huntngolf trapper Registered: 11/14/07 Posts: 864 Loc: lancaster/ny	Mind you I only put in a few sets but was using back of standard hammer and it worked pretty well.
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#550764 - 01/30/08 01:48 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground???? [Re: huntngolf]
TrapperJake TrapperJake trapper Registered: 12/23/06 Posts: 699 Loc: SW Illinois - 25	A shingle hammer is what I use. Back side is a sharp hatchet, other is a hammer head. Jake Edited by TrapperJake (01/30/08 01:50 PM) Edit Reason: added pic _________________________ "Take MEEEEE, Bill Tyler!!!"
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#550796 - 01/30/08 02:11 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground???? [Re: TrapperJake]
Woofman Woofman trapper Registered: 01/23/07 Posts: 769 Loc: Connecticut	I bought a 4-lb steel mallot with a wooden handle, and welded a piece of 1/8 inch thick, 1 inch wide steel to one end so it overhung about 2 inches. It worked great on the first set until I hit a big rock and the steel bent. Then I un-bended it, and on the second set the wooden handle broke. You can go this way, but I wouldn't recommend it for more than one set.
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#550920 - 01/30/08 03:25 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground???? [Re: Woofman]
possum5676 possum5676 trapper Registered: 01/02/07 Posts: 936 Loc: kansas	just buy a full length axe type axe lol, sharpen it good and not with no stone lol, get a good long lasting edge on it with a grinder, be careful at ist or a glancing blow will put ya in the hospital, safety glasses are a real good idea, i thought i lost my other front tooth this winter when a frozen chunk popped me in the mouth, hurt so bad i had to go to the truck to look in the mirror to see if was still there as ahnds were cold and stiff, it was but it was loose for a time. _________________________ none
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#551015 - 01/30/08 04:01 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground???? [Re: possum5676]
MT Mtn Trapper MT Mtn Trapper trapper Registered: 02/12/07 Posts: 827 Loc: Kalispell, Montana	I went to Home Depot and found a small mattock/pick combo. It weighs about 3 lbs. and has a mattock blade on one end and a triangular pick blade on the other. It's got a fiberglass handle with a rubber grip surface. It works slick for me. Not a bad investment for about $15. Remember when you're chipping away at frozen ground to have some kind of eye protection. Frozen ground and rock particles hurt the face and can damage the eyes. _________________________ Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum MFCA Member "Proactive or reactive . . . a choice every trappers association must make in today's world". - Muskrat
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#551017 - 01/30/08 04:02 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground???? [Re: possum5676]
Woofman Woofman trapper Registered: 01/23/07 Posts: 769 Loc: Connecticut	Someone posted a while back that he just pounded a depression in the frozen ground with a hammer. Worth a try.
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#551049 - 01/30/08 04:19 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground???? [Re: Woofman]
schweg2 schweg2 trapper Registered: 12/23/06 Posts: 237 Loc: NW WI... 33	Originally Posted By: Woofman I bought a 4-lb steel mallot with a wooden handle, and welded a piece of 1/8 inch thick, 1 inch wide steel to one end so it overhung about 2 inches. It worked great on the first set until I hit a big rock and the steel bent. Then I un-bended it, and on the second set the wooden handle broke. You can go this way, but I wouldn't recommend it for more than one set. Use a piece of leafspring instead and you wont have the problem of it bending...works great
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#551164 - 01/30/08 05:12 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground???? [Re: schweg2]
barredrock barredrock trapper Registered: 12/03/07 Posts: 97 Loc: Hiawatha kansas	adze
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#551211 - 01/30/08 05:26 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground???? [Re: barredrock]
V3N V3N trapper Registered: 12/28/06 Posts: 400 Loc: Indiana	The same construction pick I use to pull stakes. _________________________ From Dave Barry's 25 things I learned in 50 years: "There's a fine line between a hobby and a mental illness."
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#551225 - 01/30/08 05:29 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground???? [Re: V3N]
Martin Martin trapper Registered: 12/23/06 Posts: 710 Loc: SE Nebraska	I use a hatchet. Not the greatest thing in the world but it works. _________________________
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#551434 - 01/30/08 06:38 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground???? [Re: Martin]
NDlongliner NDlongliner trapper Registered: 12/26/06 Posts: 580 Loc: North Dakota	I went over board and bought a 12 lb. wood splitter. Works great in the frozen ground.
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#551525 - 01/30/08 07:13 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground???? [Re: NDlongliner]
jfromj jfromj trapper Registered: 12/09/07 Posts: 394 Loc: jay, oklahoma	A straight clawed framing hammer.You can pry up the frozen chunks. getting a hole started is the hardest part .ours was froze about the same last week. _________________________ Jay from Jay,OK
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#551580 - 01/30/08 07:28 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground [Re: jfromj]
anton anton trapper Registered: 07/10/07 Posts: 304 Loc: New Hampshire, WMU-K	I use a small garden hatchet... about 5-6$. Ain't broke it yet and all my sets I had to hack in the ground as its froze pretty good here. It also pulls duty chopping up half frozen beaver carcass on the line for bait. I would LOVE to find 1 tool to do the stake pulling (abusive), hammering (6lb mini sledge right now) and digging (my garden hatchet. I may just have my hatchet welded onto my hammer. _________________________ NTA/NRA/NAHC/VFW-LM "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"-Benjamin Franklin
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#551643 - 01/30/08 07:43 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground [Re: anton]
Terry Terry trapper Registered: 12/26/06 Posts: 1339 Loc: White Sulphur Springs, MT	Follow that advice you got about the eye protection. My glasses are all scarred up from frozen chips hitting them. _________________________ I always do part of my share.
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#551796 - 01/30/08 08:32 PM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground [Re: Terry]
Dave Plueger Dave Plueger trapper Registered: 01/10/07 Posts: 677 Loc: Iowa (where the tall corn grow...	I wear a torch face mask. The best tool I have found is a sharp, heavy ice spud but a heavy splitting maul works well too. The only time I have been able to pound in a bed is when the ground is only frozen a few inches. Around here the ground can freeze to a foot or more deep.
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#552120 - 01/31/08 12:19 AM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground [Re: Dave Plueger]
paredneck paredneck trapper Registered: 12/22/07 Posts: 409 Loc: ne pa	I have a flea market hatchett nice buy, steel handle wood grips holds edge great, just chop my bowl grind it with my heel to smooth the lumps done, carry it anyhow for pounding stakes building cubbies making bait outta roadkill rabbits and squirrels and paw removal when skinning. Gotta love the fleamarkets,half my traps and trapping knowledge came from them.
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#552125 - 01/31/08 12:31 AM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground [Re: paredneck]
steelhead steelhead trapper Registered: 08/11/07 Posts: 609 Loc: OH	Jackhammer....... _________________________
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#552147 - 01/31/08 02:11 AM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground???? [Re: Woofman]
Bullneck Bullneck trapper Registered: 06/05/07 Posts: 224 Loc: Lonaconing Md	Originally Posted By: Woofman Someone posted a while back that he just pounded a depression in the frozen ground with a hammer. Worth a try. When I make flat sets I do that even if the ground is not frozen fast way to bed a trap I use a 4 pound hammer with a ripper on the back seem to work
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#552150 - 01/31/08 03:28 AM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground [Re: Bullneck]
MNcooner MNcooner trapper Registered: 10/20/07 Posts: 732 Loc: MN	My teeth. _________________________ 2007 Catch Totals: 7
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#552234 - 01/31/08 07:24 AM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground [Re: MNcooner]
TexA TexA trapper Registered: 12/24/06 Posts: 2079 Loc: Estherville, IA	I found this "Digger" at a local Farm & Home Store. It worked good until I bent the one side pretty bad. I re-inforced it with a piece of 1 x 1 x 3/16th inch angle iron, ground down the ends and now it works pretty good. I cut off a six-inch-piece of a car leaf-spring and welded it onto one side of a 3# hammer. It "DIGS" good, but throws a lot of junk in your face too. Wear Eye Protection...... _________________________ TexA Member Iowa Trappers Association National Trappers Association
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#552254 - 01/31/08 07:43 AM Re: What to use to chop trap beds In Frozen ground [Re: TexA]
trapfurfun trapfurfun trapper Registered: 12/23/06 Posts: 253 Loc: NE Kansas	Dad picked up a pick axe at walmart a few years ago on clearance for like three bucks had him pick one up for me also, did't know what I would use it for but seemed like a good deal. Needless to say that has been the best three dollar I ever spent. pulls stakes, digs holes, and will chip away frozen ground for a dirt hole. _________________________ trapfurfun
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