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Post by dj88ryr on Jan 21, 2004 13:36:31 GMT -6
I am going to make a half dozen or so for this time next year, they sound just perfect, especially with the lure holder built right in.
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Post by pacoontrapper on Jan 21, 2004 16:09:29 GMT -6
I use an ax to make my beds, takes less than a minute and isnt too hard. I look for old fallen branches or partially rotted stumps for backing. Digging under these isnt too hard because the ground usually doesnt freeze solid. The only hard part is finding them and being on location.
In wide open farmland where sets like these arent practical, I have good luck with bale sets.
First thing I do is chop out the ground with my ax and bed the trap ( I use peat moss). Then I place the haybale (always a rotten one I wouldnt feed) about 6 inches from pan of the trap. Then dig a small hole at the base of the bale against the ground about 8 or so inches back grab and grab a small tuff of grass and lure it and stick it in the back of the hole and the set is complete.
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Post by WVBill on Jan 24, 2004 19:18:50 GMT -6
I finally ran across this thread. Sorry kiss you had to keep everyone updated. Folks let me tell you. I have never been so wore out in my life. Next year they will be pre-dug or I wont set them. The ground was frozen down hard. I had good success with peat moss earlier in the year but I am having second thoughts. I really believe they are more cautious with it. I have to try waxed dirt again. I will put peat down first then cover it with waxed dirt. The peat is the s**t keeping traps from freezing but I believe it has oders. We have not gotten above freezing for the past three weeks more than one day. Been averaging around low teens at night and around thirty during the day. I have had one trap freeze up and that was because I tried putting it in a smaller bed and did not get peat all the way around it. 17 did show me a neat step down set that I will use next year alot more than my cereal bowl set. I can see the potential and how it cuts down on misses. When we were riding along I was bragging on how I cut down on my non targets and especially skunks since I changed my placement techniques two years ago. Had not caught a skunk since and grinners had dropped by about 50 percent. Well here is one of his infamous step downs. It was 11 degrees and windy. I think the wind chill was 5 below. Not really what I wanted to mess with on a cold morning. Here is this morning catch in another step down. This is a WV weather mans inch. By my ruler it was 5 and it was still snowing. Wish I could convince my wife on the inch stuff. I saw plenty of sign this morning but are not working my sets. Kind of hard with all the snow. Going to need some of Stefs XLDC and Cach for next year. By the way, 17 the guy told me he had some more stakes to sell me for 50 cents a piece . I told him 25 and I will buy 200 because I am going to give them to a guy in PA for a present. Needless to say they will be reworked after season. Later, Bill
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Post by mike692 on Jan 24, 2004 19:52:24 GMT -6
Nice coon Bill.
I have used peat moss as well with success. But, sometimes I have animals that refuse to work a set where peatmoss is used. It's not enough to make me stop using it though. I WILL have some waxed dirt for next season.
Do you think they refuse to work the sets made with peat moss because there are no peat bogs in Pennsylvania? ;D
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Post by 17kiss on Jan 24, 2004 20:23:33 GMT -6
Gee , Bill arent you the considerate one? nice coon. Maybe tomorrow after snow blends things it will be a little diff. who knows . I am about to give up on dirtholes late season. Got any springs close by? ;D
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Post by WVBill on Jan 25, 2004 11:04:30 GMT -6
Well........ When we thought all hope was lost. This big guy was taken at a fence 4-way where there is water about 50yds away. This is the 6th fox at this location this year. The only thing I did different was I added urine on a nearby fence post. I noticed yesterday in the fresh snow that the fox were crossing near the pond. Well......... He did the same last night but the urine brought him off his course. He circled the fence post a couple of times and went directly to the set. Gotcha It was definetly a cold remake. Also notice the condensation blowing across the fields. It was -5 this morning and he was very aggressive. Caught him in 1.5 duke. There was a little damage but this was due to not being quite a pad catch and his aggressiveness. NO Rubbing yet. There is still hope for a couple more. This is where he is now. Not my best job. I messed his ears up. But considering I did him outside and was in a hurry and the first one I have had in to do in awhile was not too awful bad. Here are a couple of snap shops of another beautiful sunrise over the eastern panhandle of WV. This was taken in one of the farm fields at one of my sets. 17 the fox was taken on the farm that I had the coon sets in the barn. Bill
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Post by WVBill on Jan 26, 2004 7:59:18 GMT -6
And.......... another one this morning. Yes it can be done. With alot of hard work.
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