Post by jbg123 on Apr 8, 2008 15:56:01 GMT -6
I was told this topic was on this forum, so I thought I would address it. I have used polyfill for about 13 years. I'm sure that there were other people using it before me, but I never heard much about it. I remember using it at a demo in PA. back in 1987, and asked the crowd if anyone had ever used it, and nobody raised their hand. Alot of people were using and advocating insulation, and various foam "pan plugs" at the time. I had already tried them, and had discarded the idea of any being worthwhile using. Poly Fil works great, especially on the traps with a dog. I used some on dogless Montgomerys, and had to be very careful about getting too much under the pan shank area, where it went throught the base plate, as it jammed there at times. Not always the poly fill itself, but any debris or rock, etc. that clung to it. I was taught to use screen on the dogless right from the start, and liked the performance of it better. I do, however still use a little poly fill in one scenario. I sometimes use a very small amount under my pan in really silty sand type areas, such as under some cat rocks. Without it, I have seen where the finer sand will filter through screen, and possibly keep the pan from dropping. I have seen this on dog type traps also. I have had alot of very good trappers that were also dogless fans tell me the same thing over and over. SO, when we sat down to write the paper with the pan leveling instructions, etc., we recomended the use of stiff screen the PROPER size. The 5 1/4" X 6 1/2" size comes from years of using them. It is a simple matter of slightly cupping the screen in your hand at one end, and sliding it under the free jaw, over the pan, and then letting the corners lock under the corners of the lock down jaw. I have used them both with, and without the pan notch.
If you can get by with Poly Fill with dogless traps, by all means, use it. Maybe we will reprint the sheet and mention to use it, but warn people about the problems they could incur.
I can't say that I have EVER had a problem with dug up traps, where I could attribute it to the use of Poly Fill. I have found it to be very water reisitant also. I always advocate using it so only about 1/8" of it is sticking out around the edge of the pan, and that seems to keep the loose ends sticking up and creating problems with birds and rodents.
It definately has its place in trapping, In my opinion
Thanks, John Graham co-owner Montana Trap Co.
If you can get by with Poly Fill with dogless traps, by all means, use it. Maybe we will reprint the sheet and mention to use it, but warn people about the problems they could incur.
I can't say that I have EVER had a problem with dug up traps, where I could attribute it to the use of Poly Fill. I have found it to be very water reisitant also. I always advocate using it so only about 1/8" of it is sticking out around the edge of the pan, and that seems to keep the loose ends sticking up and creating problems with birds and rodents.
It definately has its place in trapping, In my opinion
Thanks, John Graham co-owner Montana Trap Co.