# Foot-Holds in Snow



## NattyB (Jan 5, 2012)

Plan to head upstate for a week with my oldest son (10) during 1st week of February. PA Bobcat hunting season overlaps with Coyote/Fox Cable-Restraint season. Plan to call morning and evening for Cats, set and check snares rest of the day for yotes. Love my foot-holds, but snow and frozen ground is a lot of work.

* I would be very interested in how others bed and cover foot-holds in snow? Do's, Don'ts and any suggestions you might have. If I set that steel I will be targeting coyotes.*


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Though we didn't have yotes when I was running a line I still set some steel in open area's, setting under spruce, pine tree's helps as there is less snow, if on packed trails - snowshoe, ski-do I have cut out a hole just bigger than the trap, set in, covered with a piece of kleenex, sprinkle with dry snow and whatever is around, the changing temps is tough as frost can get on the lock and freeze, ( frozen traps ) keep in mind where the sun may be, use shady area's, the shady side of a log that they would step over, in a lot of powder I would use small sticks as bridging under the trap to stiffen up the movement. I guess I could go on, hope this little bit helps.


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

A fella could write a book on an open question like that.lol.

Most seasoned trappers develop their own style of set'in steel in the snow. It can be a challenge to keep traps run'in in the winter in some areas.

Theres all kinds of ways to bed traps in snow conditions. One of the more tried and trued sets is dried dirt and wax paper or waxed cloth--- but--- theres wheat hulls, waxed dirt, peat moss, plastic bags, buffalo grass, salt--- and the list goes on. A good set location can keep traps operational in winter conditions--- southern exposed hillsides, pine dirt in taller forests or a good wind blown ridge.

Before Colorado became a great cage trap state I always figured, once the snow got to be 6-7 inches deep, the snares came out and and ran the rest of the winter.

awprint:


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

like Cat said, volumes could be and have been written on this subject. When I was layin the steel in Iowa, my favorite snow set was in a wind blown area with less than three inches of snow, a tuft of tall grass or small 12" to 14" long log for a backing. Punch in a dirt hole and dig the trap bed about 1/2" deeper than a normal bed. In the bottom of the bed was 1/2" of insulation called Zonolite, today called vermiculite. Then just enough dry dirt to solidly bed the trap, wax paper for the pan cover. Covered trap with just enough Zonolite to barely cover the trap and a sifted thin layer of dry dirt, enough dirt to keep the insulation material from blowing away. If there was thawing during the daytime, the insulation material wicked the moisture to the bottom of the bed. I also sifted dirt back from the hole/bed in a triangular pattern giving more of a dug appearance. On a snow covered area this setup was like a neon sign to critters. I've taken many coyotes and fox and a few late season raccoon in this set. Also like catcapper, when the snow got 6 inches or more I went solely to snare and kept the traps under the ice for rats and beaver.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Like the guys said, could write a book on the topic, up North snow was measured in feet , isolated areas and roads were rare. The only packed area's were from snowshoes or snow machines, frost down 15 feet, no digging, or hauling dirt, etc., use whatever is available around the area to be set. Every set will be a learning experience.


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## coyotejon (Feb 4, 2010)

Agree that sometimes it's best to put the footholds away and use snares but if you are set on using traps the method I have heard about the most lately is using a produce bag from the grocery store and put the whole trap in it, looks like CC has tried it so maybe he can chime back in. The guys I have talked to said they don't even dig a trap bed, just pound a bed in the snow with a hammer or whatever is handy. Like I said I haven't tried it, we have a couple feet of snow now so I am basically down to snares.


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## NattyB1 (Jan 21, 2012)

Thanks, a guess a lot is set/site specific and there is more than one way to solve the problems.

Normally, I go with dry dirt, peat moss and anti-freeze. This works for me for fox. However Southern PA is a little different from Northern PA. I expect a hard frozen trap bed. Normally down here, the ground isn't that locked tight (trap bedding is not too much of a problem), but the ground will set up some overnight. I was thinking of trying dry dirt bed, wax paper, then sifting/fanning dirt or snow over it.

I suspect it will be a learning curve, but I hope to learn from success rather than failure.


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## Duke330Conibear (Jan 21, 2014)

Sometimes I will drive the stake right below where the trap is gonna go, then bed the trap on top. I will use wax paper over top and then sift dirt overtop. Then throw some of the dirt away from the dirt hole. This gives the appearance that a coyote has been working the area and has been digging. I do hate when those terds flip my trap over though. Anybody had any of them pee on it?


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

IMO--- plastic bags are a last attempt to use to keep traps from freeze'in up when the conditions get to be like hassells weather over in B.C.--- rain, snow, freeze, thaw--- all in a 24 hr. period.

Bags need to be hand crumbled a few times so their loose, like cloth before the trap goes in.

This part is kinda hard to explain--- A trapper needs to use a big enough bag so it can be tucked and fluffed up inside the trap jaws. Between the open trap jaw and the trap pan--- that area needs to have the plastic fluffed up so in can compress easily. Theres probably going to be 1/8 to 1/4 inch of frozen material (dirt) covering the trap. When a critter steps on the pan, the fluffed plastic between the trap jaws and pan should be able to compress and let the thin frozen material on top of the trap crack and break which will help release the trap jaws and not interfere with the closing of the jaws.

There needs to be ample plastic tucked under the outside of the trap jaw too--- so the plastic dosent interfere (pull against the jaws while their coming up to shut) with the jaws closing.

For those who want to give the bags a try--- remember--- they're gonna slow your steel "way" down.

awprint:


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## NattyB (Jan 5, 2012)

Thanks for the "bag advice". Your explanation makes a lot of sense. My preps might very well be overkill, but I do expect steady 20 degrees to a little lower temps.


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

I don't think your described set in post #7 is over kill NattyB. Your the trapper--- your there and can see the conditions and to know what type of set is gonna work best.

Internet advise is far and wide. What works in the west may not work in the east in freeze'in conditions.

A long, long time ago (dang, this makes me feel old.LOL) I trapped SW.Pa. in Westmoreland county a bit SW of a little town named Apollo one winter. I was set'in just about the same as your over kill set and was clean'in up on reds. A friend of a cousin knew a fella up in the northern part of the state and I was gonna trap a couple weeks there. Brookville,Pa. I layed out the same sets I was use'in in the south, and what a big difference a hundred and some miles make in your state. I couldn't leave a trap more than two days without the frost come'in in from the bottom and freeze'in the jaws down and on some sets I had 2-3 inches of dry dirt. Must have been the way the frost moved in the ground in that area.

I tinkered with the sets a bit to get them up and run'in. I cured the freeze down by put'in about 3/4 to an inch of dry grass in the trap bed to act as insulation against the frost, but still had to use 2 inches of dirt over the grass to keep the trap from wobble'in. I crumbled up some wax paper into a ball and used it under the pan to increase trigger pressure cause danm--- there were a lot of rabbits in that area.

You've trapped enough--- it wont take ya long to figure out this winter trap'in thing. :thumbsup:

Hope you and your son bring in some cat fur too.

Are you allow to trap cats or is it just hunt'in when their in season.

awprint:


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)




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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Styrofoam...


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## squirrelsniper (Apr 14, 2013)

how did you use the styrofoam? that looks like a good winter set.


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## NattyB (Jan 5, 2012)

Thanks AZ. Good advice. That styrofoam...is from a thinking man!


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

squirrelsniper said:


> how did you use the styrofoam? that looks like a good winter set.


 Made a base for a coilspring out of some packing styrofoam, it keeps the trap out of the wet and frozen ground. With a little dry dirt and styrofoam beads mixed together, it worked great when the snow would thaw and freeze... it was before antifreeze flakes...


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

NattyB said:


> Thanks AZ. Good advice. That styrofoam...is from a thinking man!


 Try using some styrofoam from a bean bag, it looks like snow and works fine in some sets...


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Just a word on use'in porous manufactured materials such as bat insulation, Styrofoam, thin sheet plywood/paneling, etc. as a trap base to help as protection from frost/freezing conditions.

These types of products can acquire a number of different "scents" along the way from the manufacturer to the consumer because of their porous nature. Were they handled by oily human hands, dropped on the floor at a loading dock, did fuel vapor make contact with them at a truck stop. After the trapper got them--- were they stored in the house or garage and picked up the scent of last weeks scotch brite air freshener--- how about smokers (nicotine) in the storage area or the transport vehicle.

Just something for folks lay'in steel to think about.

The guys/gals who "consistently" "catch" coyotes and fox will tell ya--- cleanliness is next to godliness at a set.

awprint:


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Me and my father smoked like a chimney... but you are right about sent catcapper, our traps were never handled without trapping gloves. The styrofoam was from China, so it probably smelled like rice and fish...


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

Top shelf advice catcapper!


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## Mick105 (Jan 6, 2012)

Natty, I hope its not too late to reply. What I do is find a small depression, near coyote sign, that i can place the trap in. I crumple up long piece of wax paper then open it up and lay it flat on the ground in the depression. I then take dry dirt and pack it around the trap to stabilize it. I then take the other half of the wax paper and lay it over the trap. I then sift snow over the trap bed until the sifted snow is just about the same height as the surrounding snow. I then add a couple small sticks to guide the paw over the pan. I will do this at flat sets, scent post sets and if I can punch a hole even a dirt hole set. Hope this helps.


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## NattyB1 (Jan 21, 2012)

Thanks Mick...not too late. We plan to head up Sunday afternoon. Supposed to get warm weather for Sat and Sun, possible rain, supposed to get cold again after that. Who knows what it will be like up there, but I did some practice sets in my yard this past week. My first plan was similar to what you're saying. Put down wax paper bed, with bit of dried dirt on top. Spiked traps down W/20P (cleaned) nails, put on wax paper pan cover then finished with more dry dirt. Do have powder antifreeze, but would rather not use it if it stays a dry cold. Trap seemed to fire fine.

...It's really the bedding part that I'm working on. All the years I trapped, I never trapped this late or when the ground was locked solid like it is now.

Will give you guys a follow-up after next week. *Thanks much for the advice.* Really hope to see a dog trying to beat my trap to pieces.


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