Trap and snare dye!

[mark-edmonton]

Going into my 3rd season. I was wondering if it makes a difference of you dye or not. I haven't so far!

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by mark-edmonton

Going into my 3rd season. I was wondering if it makes a difference of you dye or not. I haven't so far!

It depends.


I presume you are talking about leg hold traps and sets for Coyote and Fox.
Dye and wax is not necessary for most other species and only absolutely necessary for Coyote and Fox that have been educated.

One can catch Coyote and fox with untreated traps but one also runs a risk of educating a few if they smell the steel and dig it out, which they will sometimes do.

Dye has less effect then wax, but both have a function.

Snares are a different matter.
Although both dye and wax can be helpful, they are less so on a snare then on a trap.

The biggest factor when considering dying snares is reflection of light.
A shiny object will get noticed. A dull one not so much.

And wax may be a good idea in warmer weather but it becomes useless in mid winter cold and can even work against you by altering the snares ability to close.
Too much can cause delayed closure and a light application can make a snare too sensitive.

I wax and dye all my Coyote and Fox traps and dull my snares by submerging them in a beaver pond for a week.

[McLeod Valley]

Good write up keg , I never do anything with my foot holds , in the off season , gang them up in the pines away from the house , and my snares get soaked in my high iron well water mixed with baking soda for about a week. when I take them out of the pot and dry them they have a dull greyish brown look , and blend in with the bush good.

[mark-edmonton]

I trap around fort mcmurray. Boreal forest no fields. But a few fresh cut blocks that I thought would be good to produce fox and coyote. Never gotten yote yet. Picked up some leg holds a few weeks ago. And was just wondering what my best plan of action should be. Any tips on trapping in cut blocks?

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by mark-edmonton

I trap around fort mcmurray. Boreal forest no fields. But a few fresh cut blocks that I thought would be good to produce fox and coyote. Never gotten yote yet. Picked up some leg holds a few weeks ago. And was just wondering what my best plan of action should be. Any tips on trapping in cut blocks?

Early in the season, a dirt hole set along side an old haul road should produce quite well.

Later, when the snow gets deeper, a trail set or a modified dirt hole set should produce some nice catches.

A trick my old man taught me, wait till there is a storm moving in, then make your sets. Fresh snow or a rain shower will do more to age a set and eliminate excess scent, then anything you can do.

For your dirt hole sets a good stinky bait is a must.
I've tried a number over the years, including store bought bait.

For me nothing beats well fermented beaver meat.

[mark-edmonton]

Unfortunately no early season for me. My access is across the athabasca so I need to wait til freeze up. What would a modified dirt set in snow look like

[McLeod Valley]

Originally Posted by mark-edmonton

Unfortunately no early season for me. My access is across the athabasca so I need to wait til freeze up. What would a modified dirt set in snow look like

You need a jet boat !!! I just bought one off a fellow member here , now I can trap the 34 miles of river on the trap line ,,, parts of which have never been trapped before, starting on some beaver sets in a couple days .

[mark-edmonton]

Ya that and an Argo. Most of my trails are skeg before freeze up

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by mark-edmonton

Unfortunately no early season for me. My access is across the athabasca so I need to wait til freeze up. What would a modified dirt set in snow look like

When the snow gets too deep for a dirt hole set, I make a set using the snow instead of dirt.

I poke the stink bait into the snow kinda under a large rock, stump or other backing so the Coyote can't approach it from behind.
Then I pack down the snow in front of the bait and place a trap on the packed snow. Then I cover the trap with sifter snow.

This can also be done using a snow bank left by a snowplow, as backing.
But the snowbank must be at least a foot high and relatively hard.

Everything else is the same as a dirt hole set.

One thing to note. I do not anchor my traps. I only use drags, either the hook type or a stout dry but not rotten spruce pole.