Peat vs wax dirt ??

[Traveler]

How well do you think peat will preform compared to wax dirt ? Looking at all angles......refusals,cost ,weather fighter etc. etc.

[David Kuhlmann]

No comparison!!!
Peat is LOT'S cheaper & SO much lighter to carry in & goes ALOT farther than waxed dirt..... Until it get's down below 15, i wouldn't think of waisting that heavy expensive waxed dirt!!!

[bobwendt]

probably the waxed dirt works better , but you need 5 grand worth vs 10 bucks of peat. lol, and the triple axle dump truck to carry it vs a 1/2 a bread bag weighing 4 oz for 2 sets. keeps the guys selling wax in biz tho. and the week off work in the summer to make the wax dirt thing ,and I just go down to the garden store and buy my peat in ,oh, 3 minutes maybe. you all need to do my part in keeping the economy going beings I`m not, well, at least the wax economy . trhe best bet is just move to nevada and to heck with wax or peat.

[Stef]

The cheapest way to make it and my favorite so far "cost wise and performance"... its waxed sand.

¼ pound granulated wax per 1 gallon of dirt.

around 25¢/50¢ per gallon.

Sand = free

[mr. finch]

do you get many refusels due to peat moss?i have never used it but am thinking about it. how does it hold up under wet conditions? with it not looking much like the rest of the ground do you need to spread it out more ?

[redcoyote]

warcraft1975 said:

do you get many refusels due to peat moss?i have never used it but am thinking about it. how does it hold up under wet conditions? with it not looking much like the rest of the ground do you need to spread it out more ?

i am going with peat 95% of the time now here in the armpit of America. ;D its cheap. water wicks away,stays fluffy after rain, and doesn't freeze as bad.

i think the key is to use it liberally. i get rid of soil in a 2' area and replace with layer of peat. i get few refusals, but they come back!remakes are simple too!

was top dressing some with dry dirt for a while but switched to pure peat set and did great. any land set for now on will be peat only unless a dry spell hits

only downside is packing it around. i drive to all sets so not a problem. although peat is lighter than packing sand or dirt.

[Steve Gappa]

I used peat years ago, and didn't like it- but..

my skills are better now, and I think redcoyotes idea of the broad pattern, makes sense. Can't seem to find the bales here, but am planning on looking harder this spring/summer.

might well have bene operator error first time around.... ;D

[walkercoonhunter(Aaron L.)]

this year is the first year i didnt use 100%peat...i mixed it 75% peat and 25% ant hill dirt...worked very well...packed better than straight peat...but the down side was it didnt repel water as good and you had the mud affect somewhat.....next year i will go back to 100% peat just to cut out the hassle of getting the anthill dirt and mixing....i dont have a problem with blow off because i use step downs....

[pastortrapper]

I've never used peat. Could someone explain a bit about making a set using peat? Do you put it down before you put the trap in, etc. And, if you buy a stock of it during the Summer is there any way you need to care for it till season?

Scott

[Zagman]

Wish I could get the confidence in the stuff.....not only worried about fickle coyotes, just as worried about the bullet-proofness of it all......

Redcoyote.....you actually dig a two-foot circle at every set? Can you explain that a little further, how much sod ground you have, etc?

Thanks

MZ

[shagnasty]

100% peat, but fox are stupid and easy.

[walkercoonhunter(Aaron L.)]

pastortrapper if its freezing weather out you dust your trap bed b4 trap goes in...this not letting the trap freeze fast...if non freezing temps just dig your bed and cover as usual....it is a little different to work with because it dosent "pack" as tight as top soil....i just cover my trap cup my hand press over the whole trap and lightly cover again....as far as storage i sift my peat to get the clumps and sticks out of it dump it into a 55 gallon drum and when full put lid on and store till the season...i have to drums full sifted right now ready to go for next year.....

[ohiyotee]

www.premierhort.com/eProMix/Gardening/RetailerLocator/fRetailerLocator.htm

premier peatmoss dealer locator.

www.fafard.com/index.asp?p=1105

Fafard peatmoss locator , also they have this number !-800-peat-moss

greg

[ohiyotee]

Buy pure peat moss because the mixes have pearlite in them which is white, but more importantly they contain a wetting agent and you certainly do not want that. I would also recommend the 3.8 bales as they are the best buy. greg

[seldom]

Peat absolutely saved my bacon this year.

Started out top dressing with dirt but quickly went 100% in the heavy rain. As BW has mentioned before, if you're in clay with dirt holes interesting things are going to happen. A good heavy rain in clay your and your dirt hole will resemble a big root beer float!! ;D

[redcoyote]

i use the peat in a standard dirt hole set. i dig trap bed as normal,but take off maybe an inch of surrounding area. about 2' diameter. fill in with peat. then place peat,trap, and peat again. i dont worry about packing just keep trap solid as possible. i could not catch a cold with peat just over trap, too obvious and unnatural. the big pattern relieves there suspicion i guess. its cheap so i use it liberally at set. there is enough left at set after catch to usually remake with without having to get more out...so saves me time.

i get mine at home depot, lowes, and even walmart has it during the summer. the big chains keep it around all year so buy it when i need, dont store. the stuff i get never needs sifted either.it has some chunks but brush them off trap by hand. i like rougher pattern than fine sifted.

i use no trap pan cover either, just polly under pan. if you leave slight depression and play the wind with a good backing, it doesn't blow away. my backing serves as a wind break too. keep the lure or bait holes dry and can trap thru any rain storm. keep traps out of low areas or wet spots... look for slight rises in terrain to help with drainage issues. anything to make life easier in wet climates.

hard to explain exactly, but hope this helps!

[NEPISIGUIT]

Very good info on your method of sets red coyote, I have hit all the pitfalls you mentioned until learning to do things right. Enjoy using peat especially early November. Later waxed sand has its good points but a pain to carry around. Time for snares.

[paysho]

Do someone ever have refusal on wolf set with peat?

[Woodsmoke]

Have used both, and both will work.

My preference is waxed dirt. Bob pointed out it's weaknesses, and he is correct in them, but having used both I prefer the waxed dirt hands down.

Why?

It beds like dirt, it looks like dirt, it smells like dirt (to me), and as Zagman said - it's bullet proof. I did without this year, and hopefully will never have to again.

[foxtrapperpat]

i like wax sand its packs tight around the trap