peat moss

[trappnman]

not saying its 100% the best to use, but have gotten to the point where I think I've got it all figured out. Used it quite extensively this year, and had minimal if any digging or refusals because of it.

Tried it years ago, and didn't like it. my method then was what I read- use the minimal amount and cover with dirt.

2 things- one, lots of digging and refusals- and if you can cover up the peat with enough dirt that you can't see the peat- its no longer going to be a functioning trap in freezing conditions.

So I went the opposite direction- lots and lots of peat, and minimal dirt.

I've had some ask how I use it, and here is how-

I dig a deep bed, and pour in a cone shaped pile of of peat. The trap is then "screwed down" into the peat, and twisted slightly to get the edges of the springs against dirt. If needed, I'll take a small clod of site dirt, and add that to the edge of the spring. Beds the trap solid enough, and still won't freeze down. Bedding in non compressible peat, is no different nor harder than using pure dry dirt (which is also incompressible).

I then cover the trap with peat, and add peat to the entire extended pattern. So that if a coyote is concerned about it, hes forced to come over it long before the trap and hole.

I then take a couple of handfuls of peat and dry dirt, put it in sifter and sift quickly over the entire extended pattern, leaving the whole thing a mottled mix of peat, site dirt and dry dirt.

so it doesn't blow away, its all over the set pattern, and it won't freeze.

so my thought in peat is don't skimp, don't try to cover it all up- instead, use it like you own all the peat in the world!

Comments?

[MRussell]

Steve I still consider myself an ammeteur wolfer.I have used peat moss on several sets. I do agree with what you have posted. Don't be afraid to use it liberally in bedding and covering the set. After all they now something is there anyway.

[thebeav2]

I only tried peat moss once . It had a real bad moldy smell and there was no way I was using that stuff at any of my sets. I might have just got a bad batch but I never went back.
It's dry waxed dirt for me. No smell and It does a better job of getting your trap bedded solid.
Does Dry peat moss soak up water? Does water tend to pool In your trap beds after a rain or melting snow? Waxed dirt sheds water like a ducks back.

[trappnman]

Does Dry peat moss soak up water? Does water tend to pool In your trap beds after a rain or melting snow?

no and no

as far as bad smell- never smelled any like that- it has a woodsy smell to me

[mustelameister]

www.waynesthisandthat.com/peatmoss.htm

[thebeav2]

So If It becomes a bit moist then It attracts more moisture.

I assume that since peat repels water and If your trap bed Is made up of nothing but peat moss the water would run right through It and settle In the trap bed. Or are you saying during a heavy rain or melting snow the peat repels all the moisture. When the moisture Is repealed where does It go? Since the peat Is hard to compact and It leaves a uneven surface at the trap site water must be trapped In these pockets or run right through It.

I just can't see me getting a rock solid bedding job by using peat as a bedding material.

[trappnman]

solid enough- I don't find peat any harder than pure dry dirt to bed a trap. It didn;t take to long with working with peat, to determine the shape and size of the trap bed, and twisting the trap, beds it solid enough its not tippy, and thats my criteria

if you get day after day after day of heavy rain, I'm sure it would attract water, but it is amazing on how long the peat does shed water- the very top surface might freeze, but very much at the surface. and i nreal heavt rains, and then deep freezing conditions, you just have to remove the very top of the peat- the moisture even in heavy rain, doesn't penatrate very far in the worst of times and don't you sometimes have to remove the top surface of waxed dirt under similar conditions.

I had 3/4 of an inch of rain, then down to teens several nights and every time I tested a set, it was good to go.

The concern over peat isn't that it doesnt work as a freeze proofing item, its more that canines often refuse to work the tiny beds and patterns many use when working with peat.

my point is only is you are going to use it, use lots of it.

[seldom]

I think the biggest testimony of peat's ability to not absorb water and remain freeze-proof is purchase bales stored outside in freezing temps. Commonsense tlos you to inspect the bales for dryness of contents on the outside of the pallet so there's no chance for insulating. If you do that, you'll quickly find that any bale with moisture will have frozen peat on the bottom of the bale! Not on the top part of the bale nor is the bale a frozen cubes of peat. Any moisture trapped in the peat during processing and packaging apparently precipitates downward through the peat to the bottom of the bale where it freezes! If you can't find a completely dry(no frozen area) bale and purchase a bale that has a frozen bottom, the peat above the frozen area will be bone dry!!!!

As far as solid bedding with peat, I guess it's an individual thing in how folks bed their traps. I have used peat from day-1 for 8 years now and have no trouble bedding my traps so that when I press on the jaws or levers, nothing gives, nothing moves.

[cmr2]

I sprinkle it around a lil so its not all in one spot (bed) , may help but havent had any probs yet

i like to buy them bales after season so they have all summer to dry in the shed ,may be a waste but some of them box stores store it out side ,here theres a nursery that stores it inside all year so i grab it there when i get around to needing it mid season

[Possum]

I hate it, I do use it and it works. You can't bed a trap as good as in dirt. As Steve says, good enough. It's a witch to use in windy weather and I'm a prairie land trapper. I once had a set that got flooded in a heavy rain. I mean completely inundated, several inches of water over the trap. I waded out, stepped on the trap to snap it before pulling it and dry peat floated to the surface.

[hsif11]

Do you guys that use peat run it through your sifters? The peat that i have bought usually has some large woody material that I don't want on site.

[trappnman]

no, never have. I get mine where everyone else does I'm sure- from a nursery or last few years Menards- and its pretty much in a shifted state when I break the bales apart. Occasionally there is a stick to toss out, but even thats rare. THe bag just says "Premier Spagnum Peat Moss". Its a Canadian brand

[seldom]

Yup, I sift every bale. Similar to my style of "clip-n-go" with pogos, With peat it's "grab-n-throw"!

Steve, how do you us peat at your walk-thru?

[trappnman]

It is interesting on how so many sift- haven't ever had to since i started reusing it

I just put it from bag into barrell and from there into set bucket-

I did use a few walkthroughs, but always this year with grass clumps in a triangular pattern that begged for a walk through- again, I just use a lot of peat on the walkways, and tossed about the set. By either sifting a mixture of peat, dry dirt, and site dirt- with peat being 50% or more- or doing same by broadcasting it with mixed handfuls, you get a real nice looking mottled effect that to me looks as natural as anything out there. And you never have a solid layer of dirt to freeze up.

[schweg2]

I do what Steve does except pre-sift it. After you get the hang of bedding in peat it's pretty easy.
Wish I didn't run out already!

[thebeav2]

With a major line and with average catches you must go through bale after bale of peat moss. I'm assuming that It can't be raked up and re used.
It seems to me the average trapper would be a lot farther a head to just save up dry dirt and use It as needed.

[trappnman]

if it never rained or wet snowed, dry dirt is indeed the ticket. Trouble is, when it gets wet, it turns to liquid mud all the way through the set. I used 100% dry dirt for many years, but its a must to remake every set after a rain if its going to freeze.

depending on the year, I go through 150-175 gals of dried gopher dirt and this past year, went through a bale + of peat a week on average. The dirt is free and the cost of peat is realitively cheap compared to the cost and effort of making 150 gals plus of waxed dirt.I think I paid around $8 a bale on sale.

[Aaron.F]

Trappnman, Do you have any pictures of your sets with the amount of peat moss you are describing. I am and have been using peat moss with some success, I would just like to visualize what the pattern looks like that you use.

[trappnman]

I don't.

but picture this- the whole extended pattern is chopped up dirt, grass, etc- the peat covers all of that and more, not pure peat but mottled- more here, less there but over all, the whole set is a mix of peat, dry dirt and site dirt, including behind the backing.

my favorite way is to scatter peat, then put some site dirt into sifter, add peat almost to the top, then add some dry dirt- as it sifts out, it provides that perfect mottled, blended effect.

I do the same on remakes but usually on remakes don't use the sifter, just use handfuls to broadcast over sets.

on a fresh set, I use a ice cream bucket of peat (5 quarts) and about 1/4 to 1/2 that amount of dry dirt. on remakes less peat cause I can use whats there, to give me that mottled look, and I just use fresh in the bed

fyi- for those coon sets that seem to go dead after a few catches and a slicked up catch circle- broadcasting dirt over the circle instantly improves it and makes it "fresh" again