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Thread: Beginner Questions

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
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    9

    Default Beginner Questions

    I have gotten back into trapping after a couple years. Have always caught coons and possums easily but these dirt hole sets are testing my patience. I have caught one bobcat, my first ever desired catch in a leg hold, in four days which encouraged me alot. I missed a coyote by a few inches and I have had other unidentifiable activity in my dirt holes. I got all my info from watching youtube and reading on this forum but I still have plenty of unanswered questions. I am running bridger traps with hiawatha valley bait and voodoo lure and fox urine on dirt hole sets.

    What do yall do when it rains like it has been? My dirt holes were filled to the brim the saturday morning and I rebaited and relured this morning.

    How and where do you store bait, lure, and urine in the off season? I had it in three ziplocks in my shed for a week but could still smell it easily when I went in there.

    I have read some people talk about cat sets, is this different than a regular dirt hole set and how so?

    I am trapping to help turkey and deer populations where I hunt and also just because I think its a dying art that I want to be able to pass on one day.

    Thanks for any tips
    "When you have shot one bird flying you have shot all birds flying. They are all different and they fly in different ways but the sensation is the same and the last one is as good as the first." Hemingway

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
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    13,499

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    Wax dirt. Make your own and thank me later
    "They are who we thought they were"

    You can dress a fat chick up, but you cant fix stupid

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
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    I usually pull mine if there's gonna be multiple days of rain.
    2013 Spring Turkey Champs

  4. #4
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    Jun 2010
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    Moncks Corner
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    I do like youngun15 and usually pull/trip traps if there is going to be several days of rain. I haven't tried it myself, but I have read up on the pipe dream set when it is going to rain. Instead of digging a dirt hole, drive a pvc pipe at 20-30 degree angle and put lure in it. It keeps rain off.

    As for keeping lure in offseason, I keep mine in an air tight dogfood container. The one with the screw on lid. Try not to keep it in a hot area like a shed.

  5. #5
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    Nov 2014
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    I've gotten to where all I use is pipe setup and wax dirt. Wax dirt has changed the way I trap
    "They are who we thought they were"

    You can dress a fat chick up, but you cant fix stupid

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
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    9

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    Visor can you explain wax dirt and how to make it please
    "When you have shot one bird flying you have shot all birds flying. They are all different and they fly in different ways but the sensation is the same and the last one is as good as the first." Hemingway

  7. #7
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    Nov 2014
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    Exactly how it sounds. This guys video is the best I've found. I've had 3 inches on sets with wax dirt and when I pull my set the dirt underneath my top sifted layer in dusty dry.

    "They are who we thought they were"

    You can dress a fat chick up, but you cant fix stupid

  8. #8
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    Nov 2014
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    Watch till the end. You can also by it pre made from f+t post
    "They are who we thought they were"

    You can dress a fat chick up, but you cant fix stupid

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    Summerville
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    As far as storing it...

    During the season I keep mine in a 5 gal bucket and a sealed lid. After the season I chunk it and start over next year. You obviously don’t have to do that but it’s worth it to me. Other wise the only recommendation for storage is cool and dry.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    Summerville
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    I like the eye appeal of a dirt hole set but there’s been plenty of luck with plain flat sets.

    Also...when CCLerory chimes in...listen to him. The rest of us are amateurs.

  11. #11
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    Yep. Ricky is a pro
    "They are who we thought they were"

    You can dress a fat chick up, but you cant fix stupid

  12. #12
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    Oct 2014
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    I pull my traps if it’s going to rain a lot. Waxed dirt and peat moss will keep your traps working but it’s about impossible to get a firmly bedded trap. Once it rains it seems to loosen up the bed even more. It will keep your set dry though. You can set one off after like 3-4 inches of rain and dust will fly. The coyotes always find it and take one swipe at it. Coons will dig your traps up and flip them. A coyote will paw one little line to let you know he knows it’s there. They do mine like that a lot after rains.

    I haven’t had any luck with that Hiawatha valley. It smells like skunk assholes. I like fresher smelling meat based baits.

  13. #13
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    Jan 2019
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    Reeltight, can you explain a flat set?
    "When you have shot one bird flying you have shot all birds flying. They are all different and they fly in different ways but the sensation is the same and the last one is as good as the first." Hemingway

  14. #14
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    Jan 2011
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    Flat set is a dirt hole without a dirt hole. Basically. Good for road beds and travel paths
    2013 Spring Turkey Champs

  15. #15
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    Mar 2005
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    Rain can be quite humbling and make you want to pull your line. I totally get it, but you really need to understand coyotes don’t stop hunting or moving, in fact I look forward to line checks right after a rain. They move hard in my experience when the rain breaks. In constant wet conditions like the ones we’ve had the last 3 weeks instead of sifting dirt over my traps I bed my trap as usual, then use sifted peat moss (weather proofs your trap) and finally I sift grass clippings I keep from my summer cuttings over the trap. The grass is super fine and blends in perfect and allows that trap to hunt without getting washed out. Regarding dirt holes and them filling up, put the bait above the water line. Be it a broken stick, pipe set, old tire,soda can,bottle etc. it doesn’t matter. Your trap is under water, don’t worry.....as long as your attractant is above water and the dog can smell it, if he wants it he will work the set until he gets hung. I’ve caught plenty of them in 3-4 inches of water. Good luck.




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

    I wish I could breathe life back in him, if I could I'd hunt him again tomorrow. - Ben Rodgers Lee

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  16. #16
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    Ricky do you keep your peat moss inside the jaws? I've tried peat moss for several years but never caught anything other than coons. Seems like most of my traps with peat moss get dug up. Only thing I can think of is that it stays fluffy and if the dog feels that under his feet he's gonna dig it up. My thought is if I were to maybe keep it inside the jaws then if he stepped on it, it would be too late and he'd be caught. Just haven't went back and tried it since using wax dirt
    "They are who we thought they were"

    You can dress a fat chick up, but you cant fix stupid

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheVisorGuy View Post
    Ricky do you keep your peat moss inside the jaws? I've tried peat moss for several years but never caught anything other than coons. Seems like most of my traps with peat moss get dug up. Only thing I can think of is that it stays fluffy and if the dog feels that under his feet he's gonna dig it up. My thought is if I were to maybe keep it inside the jaws then if he stepped on it, it would be too late and he'd be caught. Just haven't went back and tried it since using wax dirt
    Yep, peat is all we use use. I started out trying everything recommended and we've found peat moss to be the best over everything. It'll stay dry through submerged water and we've never had a problem with digging.

    I wish I could breathe life back in him, if I could I'd hunt him again tomorrow. - Ben Rodgers Lee

    www.springallurecustomcalls.com

    https://www.facebook.com/springallure.customcalls/

  18. #18
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    4 more this morning, all after the rain.




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

    I wish I could breathe life back in him, if I could I'd hunt him again tomorrow. - Ben Rodgers Lee

    www.springallurecustomcalls.com

    https://www.facebook.com/springallure.customcalls/

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
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    I have not really been concerned with the trap in the rain, mainly just unsure of how the rain effects scent and bait. I caught a fox this morning and had another fox trigger a trap and get away and a coyote step in the wrong spot. I will try the peat moss for sure. I have seen some use it mixed with sand etc.

    What poundage do y’all set your pan tension at?
    "When you have shot one bird flying you have shot all birds flying. They are all different and they fly in different ways but the sensation is the same and the last one is as good as the first." Hemingway

  20. #20
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    Nov 2014
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    Just under 3lbs for me. But I'd rather not catch a bunch of coons and foxes
    "They are who we thought they were"

    You can dress a fat chick up, but you cant fix stupid

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