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Post by dj88ryr on Mar 19, 2004 19:40:45 GMT -6
That looks just like my walkthrough, only I cut a swath through a manure pile, but it was the same effect.
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Post by 17kiss on Mar 19, 2004 21:33:10 GMT -6
I hate misses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by trappnman on Mar 20, 2004 7:42:23 GMT -6
I find it ironic that I, of all people, would say- I think you guys are making this harder than it needs to be.
Snow sets aren't a mystery- neither are chaff sets. The only mystery on snow trapping is access and keeping traps unfrozen. If you are talking snow in temps around freezing- why even worry about it- a good trap in dry or waxed dirt will do the job- and if its cold snow and hard freeze- hay is going to freeze up just as quick. Any rain or melting snow makes a hard mat of grass.
Snow of a few inches isn't a problem- heck, in many cases it is an advantage (assuming constant weather). But the point is- if you are trapping from fall INTO the snowy weather- you don't need special sets- you just have to start changing locations a little. Dry dirt with glycol will keep the set functioning til the low teens and with quite a bit of snow on them.
One thing to keep in mind- if you are looking at mounds of manure, hay in heavier snow- trust me, its going to collect drifitng snow and it will take a lot of trial and error to correct things. Better off doing what they do out west- make sets that are snow resistant- flat sets in open areas to reduce drifting- locations that are commonly windswept or have less snow, etc.
A circle cleared of snow with a dirthole or flat set at one end will take canines- perhaps as well as any snow set.
It comes down to this plain and simple- if you are going to trap in cold and snow- you need to plan for it. Get your set locations early- dig your trap beds, even pound your stakes if you are staking.
I'm not saying this set doesn't work- it does- I have made and will continue to make- on bare ground- sets like stef showed- but the limitations and potential problems are to me more trouble than its worth.
Here- if I put out hay- 1 of 2 things would happen 1) in open country- the flats- it would get blown all over or buried in snow or 2) in wooded areas- the deer would be my best friend. (lets not even talk about rabbits and pheasants)
So try the set- its a neat set. like the mound set, etc- but I don't believe it offers any real advantage over any other set.
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Post by dj88ryr on Mar 20, 2004 7:50:14 GMT -6
Good point, I think most trappers, being inherent tinkerers, like to make things more difficult than they need to be. I used the manure pile because it was there, and caught my eye. But I would rather plan ahead and have a bed alreay dug, and use a dirthole or a flat set. I did have some success with the chaff piles, after the beans were harvested, whch was very late this year, here anyway.
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Post by coyote on Mar 20, 2004 8:05:42 GMT -6
Steve,
you mentioned summarizing JC's snow set...
thanks.
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Post by trappnman on Mar 20, 2004 8:35:25 GMT -6
JC uses chunks of wood (either natural or imported) along lanes and trails as winter time scent posts. He gets these chunks in position preseason, then has ihis dog urinate on it a few times and/or gives it a good squirt of urine. The bed is premade to the trap size up against the wood chunk- and covered with a wood cutout. Some dirt, duff is scattered across that. Then, just before a snowfall is predicted, he activates the set by pulling the cutout, setting the trap and squirting the wood with urine. the trap is left uncovered with saranwrap covering it- proving a water barrier and it will then get covered with snow. He uses a drag so as to not destroy the set location. Looked like a winnrer to me
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Post by 17kiss on Mar 20, 2004 8:50:51 GMT -6
the problem with any type of snowset in this area of Pa. is freeze/ thaw. Short of shoveling off set area , I have not found too many sets that would stay in commission.Heck , my big butt could walk on some of the crusts we have had in past couple of years.If lucky enough to have steady temps. most would work.Straw set seems to have merit on bare ground. Once again shoveling. i have tried about everything from tire spin sets on for snow trapping , and with freeze/thaw only bare ground keeps 'em working 24/7. Just my $.32
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Post by trappnman on Mar 20, 2004 9:37:42 GMT -6
the problem with any type of snowset in this area of Pa. is freeze/ thaw
Fer sure!
WAXED DIRT- I gotta get me some......
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Post by Edge on Mar 20, 2004 10:39:52 GMT -6
What *is*waxed dirt anyway?
BWAHAHA!!!
Edge
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Post by 17kiss on Mar 20, 2004 12:00:43 GMT -6
Not just the dirt I am talking about here. Also the snow. Seems to always have a good crust on it within a couple days of falling. Which puts snowsets out of commission quick. The snow thaws during day giving illusion that set is working , night crusts over and out of commission.Have seen many, many times. You know , look at them claw marks , he should have been caught , what's going on? Doesnt take much crust to support canines weight.
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Post by CoonDuke on Mar 20, 2004 13:54:00 GMT -6
I think JCs set has a lot of promise. I am looking forward to giving it a try.
Dry dirt just doesn't work here. It is useless after two or three days. Our freeze/thaw here causes it to "soak up" and freeze. Plus, we get precip every 3 freakin' days. Rain dilutes antifreeze quickly.
If waxed dirt is as bulletproof as everyone says...I think it may be the ticket.
But, even with waxed dirt, preparation needs to be done before the freeze like Steve says.
Stef, Do you just lay the trap on the ground with your "hay" set?
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Post by trappnman on Mar 20, 2004 14:06:44 GMT -6
Even with glycol? I went to using gycol extensively this season- and all in all, was happy with it.
not as happy as I'm going to be with waxed dirt....
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Post by CoonDuke on Mar 20, 2004 14:17:13 GMT -6
Glycol, salt, urea all works if it doesn't get rained or snowed on. Once it get really wet, I think it seeps away or dilutes too much. I could deal with it if we only got rain once a week but that isn't how it works here...at least last season.
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Post by Stef on Mar 20, 2004 14:17:36 GMT -6
17kiss, I'm in that chit from almost the beginning of the season. I know what you mean. Tired of redoing everything so I'll be a waxed dirt man too. Its not 100% bullet proof but won't remake my sets at all locations every single DAY! Like in the past 2 season What the bale set or whatever his name is when you moved to a new farm and the ground is hard like cement and you did not do all your preseason work.... than, its a good alternative in my book. Lot of eye appeal and it works. I had lot of success with this set in the pass on frozen creek and marshes. Stef
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Post by Stef on Mar 20, 2004 14:19:32 GMT -6
Coonduke, in the fall = NO, just dug a not too deep and tight hole, bed the trap as good as I can and cover with hay.
Later, you cannot dig ;D
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Post by 17kiss on Mar 20, 2004 16:24:15 GMT -6
Stef , believe I will give it a try this fall. Sort of do something like that in bean fields. Not as much eye appeal though.
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Post by Stef on Mar 20, 2004 18:20:54 GMT -6
I used this set in the past with a lot of luck in rainy weather in fields where farmer put hay on their strawberry plants for the winter. Its full of hay in fields but where I put my sets, usually there's not a lot of hay near my sets, so it stands out.
Stef
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Post by trappnman on Mar 20, 2004 19:03:32 GMT -6
Jim- Trust me- you need no attraction in bean fields other than the bean field itself. I'll take 100% picked bean locations in a heartbeat.
Add a row of unpicked beans .....
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Post by 17kiss on Mar 20, 2004 19:24:39 GMT -6
Only problem in this area some beanfields end up flooded out. Seems like the trend lately is corn or hay. Need some beans!
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Post by dj88ryr on Mar 20, 2004 19:27:11 GMT -6
The problem with the beans this year, was that they didn't harvest till late December. We got every other field in beans, but the late crop harvest kept the canines on the two tracks.
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