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Post by myotee on Dec 26, 2011 6:50:46 GMT -6
I'd lke to hear the advantage(s) of using dry, sifted peat to bed traps in freezing weather compared to using dry,sifted dirt. Thanks.
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Post by stickbowhntr on Dec 26, 2011 6:54:44 GMT -6
Peat don't absorb water !
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Post by trappnman on Dec 26, 2011 7:12:41 GMT -6
in freezing weather, conditions that are below feezing and its going to stay that way, I'll take dry dirt every time.
peat comes into play on those up and down days, where its above freezing during the day, and below at night.
one knock on peat some say is it doesn't "pack" , but dry dirt doesn't "pack" either. Just made your bed as smal las you can, so trpa fits tight, and then use clods etc at edges of springs, etc to make trap stable if needed, then cover.
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Post by Nightwish (Catpaw) on Dec 26, 2011 17:20:44 GMT -6
peat is lighter...and will not turn to mud/muck with rain....
I have seen my sets produce even after 1-2" of rain...
Not with dry dirt...
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Post by foxman on Dec 26, 2011 18:33:13 GMT -6
nightwish, you still exist!? aint seen you on here in some time.
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Post by Stef on Dec 26, 2011 18:50:07 GMT -6
It will float  |
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Post by trappnman on Dec 26, 2011 20:49:48 GMT -6
its absorbant when moist or wet- when bone dry, its actually very moisture proof
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Post by seldom on Dec 26, 2011 21:15:49 GMT -6
its absorbant when moist or wet- when bone dry, its actually very moisture proof Absolutely! The Canadian bales I buy from Lowes or Home Depot and ensure it's dry is very, very moisture resistant. I've been using it for years and I've never seen it freeze after a 1"+ soaking rain and then a hard freeze. The thin dirt cover will crust but when that's lifted off like a big cookie the peat underneath is powder dry!!! Because of my weather swings when I start canine trapping, I've been using peat from day 1 until I'm finished in January for some years now. I've found that I don't need any antifreeze or salt whatsoever. A good foundation of peat, the trap bedded, and a good covering of peat. Depending on time of year is whether I use a top dressing of dry dirt or snow and my traps never fail to fire with the conditions described! |
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Post by Stef on Dec 26, 2011 23:26:03 GMT -6
I think they were or are using it to "suck" oil on top of the water.
I prefer waxed sand.
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Post by musher on Dec 27, 2011 6:15:13 GMT -6
Stef: Do you prefer waxed sand even under the snow?
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Post by Stef on Dec 27, 2011 9:33:20 GMT -6
No.
If snow is deep... I just use the snow.
Other than that, I'll clear the setting area from snow and make a regular dirt set using waxed sand.
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Post by musher on Dec 27, 2011 10:27:12 GMT -6
I'm just back from setting 8 wolf snares. They came by yesterday and dug up where I had my dirtholes in 2 locations. Of course the traps are were picked up about 10 gays ago.
I was going to reset with peat moss and snow. However with the "up to 40 cm." they are announcing I decided not to. Too much hassle. The snares will have to do.
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Post by Stef on Dec 27, 2011 11:08:08 GMT -6
Leaving checking a few traps before the big snow.
Weird... On the other side of the St-Lawrence... 15mm of rain!!!
I would have take the rain instead of the white gold.
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Post by myotee on Dec 27, 2011 11:30:55 GMT -6
its absorbant when moist or wet- when bone dry, its actually very moisture proof Absolutely! The Canadian bales I buy from Lowes or Home Depot and ensure it's dry is very, very moisture resistant. I've been using it for years and I've never seen it freeze after a 1"+ soaking rain and then a hard freeze. The thin dirt cover will crust but when that's lifted off like a big cookie the peat underneath is powder dry!!! Because of my weather swings when I start canine trapping, I've been using peat from day 1 until I'm finished in January for some years now. I've found that I don't need any antifreeze or salt whatsoever. A good foundation of peat, the trap bedded, and a good covering of peat. Depending on time of year is whether I use a top dressing of dry dirt or snow and my traps never fail to fire with the conditions described! I find all of that incredible...simply because of my ignorance of using peat. I'd appreciate some more details. Is the peat pulverized/ground up? I can got get peat moss by the truckload a few miles from home but it has green stems/leaves on top. Water runs right through it? That's amazing. I assumed it would suck up water like a sponge. I use peat moss to keep nightcralwers in, and if it gets too dry I mist water on it and it sucks it right up. To have something that will not absorb water and not require antifreeze(salt) sounds like just what I am looking for. What do you mean by "bale." I am thinking something the size of a bale of hay. The bags of peat I saw a Lowe's were rather small. Can the peat available at Lowe's be used "as is" or is there something you need to do to it before use on the line? Thanks for all of the help!!! |
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Post by musher on Dec 27, 2011 12:09:05 GMT -6
The water does not run through it. The water is shed off of it.
You pass it through your sifter to remove the big stuff.
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Post by seldom on Dec 27, 2011 13:10:33 GMT -6
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Post by myotee on Dec 27, 2011 16:13:04 GMT -6
Thank you very much. That clears up the confusion.  |
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Griz
Demoman...
Posts: 240
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Post by Griz on Dec 29, 2011 18:48:37 GMT -6
When peat moss or peat (peat is partially decomposed peat moss) is dry it is hydrophobic (repels water), but it sucks up oil. Hence dry peat moss or peat is used to clean up oil spills. However, once peat moss or peat gets some moisture in it (slowly over time) it becomes hydroscopic and sucks up water (many times its own weight).
Thus, to use peat or peat moss on the trapline, one must dry it out thoroughly (easiest in the summer) and use it dry. If the peat or peat moss is allowed to pick up moisture before it is used on the line, it then becomes a soggy mess when it rains and will freeze solid.
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Post by ChrisM on Dec 29, 2011 20:34:36 GMT -6
So does that mean that you have to replace it after a shower or snow melt, since it would now be moist, and thus soak up like a sponge on the next shower or thaw?
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Post by trappnman on Dec 30, 2011 7:00:13 GMT -6
yes and no-
when its "packed" into a bed, or at least compressed, the peat is able to withstand quite a bit of rain before starting to absorb moisture, unlike dry dirt, which almost instantly stars drawing moisture down into it.
After a rain, dry dirt I find needs to be 100% replaced, but with peat, all you need to replace is the very top layer, which can get a thin crust. and most of that crust, is caused by the top dressing of dirt most (or at least me) put over or mix with the top layer of peat.
I've had sets where the bed is under water, pull the trap, and dry peat floats to the surface. griz is right in saying SLOWLY over time, it absorbs water but slowly and over time, are the key words.
and its not a constant wicking, meaning that if you get a bit of rain, and the top layer gets wet, its not going to be a continously wicking process, like dry dirt, where once wet, the whole mass draws the mositure down.
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