Trap bedding?

D

defoxer

New member
Ok, I'll be starting my first fox line in a month and I'm told this is one of the basics. However, I need help on how to bed a trap. All the books and articles I've read do not describe how to bed a trap, they just say "bed the trap solidly."

Say I'm making a dirt hole set, do I drive the trap stake in the bottom of the trap bed? What do I do with all the extra chain? How do you get the trap so soildly bedded that it dosn't move? I'll be using coil-spring traps in sandy soil. Thanks!
 
Defoxer yes just pound the stake into the bottom of the bed and coil up extra chain under loose jaw of trap for added stability. I like to make my beds bowl shaped and then lay your trap in and start packing dirt/sand etc under and around the frame of the trap and jaws, keep packing and stuffing until soild. Cover your trap, I like 1/2" of covering not a light covering, and then pack inside the jaws,know where your pan is and put your hands together index finger to index finger and thumb to thumb and pack inside the jaws tightly.

Firm up the bed area outside of the trap and your done add a few small guides by the loose jaw and if your on location and use good baits and lures you'll catch fox. Also make sure to stake trap very solid as you never know when a coyote will work the set over a fox!!! I always pull on any set stake to make sure it is coyote worthy as they will fight a trap much more than any fox. I trap coyotes and have very few fox so my setup is for coyotes and you want that stake as solid as a rock, or your going to end up with pulled traps from coyotes sooner or later. In sand double staking or earth anchors would be a must unless your have a very solid base under the sand a ways. 18"-28" of chain will help with stake pulling as well, depending on what type of trap your using.
 
Thanks! Thant was a good description.

How do you keep dirt from getting under the pan? (I'm assuming dirt under the pan would be a bad thing because it wouldn't go off, right?)

Do you ever get caught in the trap? Packing dirt around the pan and jaws seems like a recipie for disaster. Ouch!
 
I use coffee filters for pan covers they work great and have used them for years.Some guys like to put poly fill/insulation under the pans, I don't like anything under the pan and have had issues with rats and mice digging to get to the polyfill or insulation. I run all sterling mj600 and #3 Bridger offset modifieds and the 4-6 cup size work great, even with a smaller trap they will work. 300 for 2.00 can't beat them as they conform to the pan and bio degrade.If your running 1.5's or 1.75's you can get a box of 1,000 hamburger patty papers for 8.00-10.00 and they work well also.

The more traps you set,bed, etc the more second nature it all becomes and once in a great while you may get pinched but by having your hands as I try to explain will keep you from getting pinched.f the trap where to go off your hands are on the levers. Run pan tension!!! 2 lbs is great for fox and I run all my coyote traps at 3lbs and have caught many fox. In my mind the biggest reason for toe catches is not having sufficent pan tension and too light a covering over traps.
 
I use hamburger patty papers. you can get them in a pack of a thousand for a couple bucks

make sure that you can not move the trap or "rock" the trap with a little tap from your finger. foxs assume the area where the trap is solid so if they feel something move then they get weary.
 
I dig the bed bigger than the trap, line it with coal shale or dry dirt, after driving the earth anchor in. I lay the coyote sized stop shock spring under the loose jaw. I put the steel screen pan cover on the trap, then sift some shale or dirt on the trap. When it is nearly covered, spread your hand out to hold the spring levers down in the dirt. Then tamp the dirt in under each jaw and spring lever with a scratching tool, I always use one at the set to make scratches and tamp the trap solid.
Then finish covering the trap with the sifted dirt, sift dirt from location to make the final blend.T.20
 
I pack the jaws and levers with my fingers as described by ADC. When I feel I have the trap bedded well I take my thumb and push firmly on the trap all the way around to see if I find a spot that gives. I want the trap solid. If an area moves when I push then I'll pack more dirt in that area. I believe this is one of the most important items in set construction. After adding final covering I will add a couple small sticks, dirt clumps etc. to help make the critter step on the pan.
 
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sift dirt from location to make the final blend


Here's another little tip, gather up some ant hill dirt to carry with ya ( make sure they're vacated )
Lots of times up here in the east you run into soil that dont like to sift through your screen, simply break out your ant hill dirt to cover and carry off the remaining soil that you dug up and didnt use.
I like the wax paper myself.
 
I use the #3 Bridger on nearly all sets, the #2's I have are for pastures with cows in them. You could probably cut a screen to fit any trap.T.20
 
What I was looking for in this question was this, I have never found screen to be an advanatage with traps size 2 or smaller at all in relation to a coyotes foot. I use #3 bridgers and sterling mj600's for coyotes, with pan tension and the foot in relation to the pan size and centering I haven't found enough differance to hassle with cutting screen or added exspense.I have found guiding to be just as good or better for paw contact over screen.
 
I don't trap anymore, but here is a bit of trivia for ya. I used to bed my traps and pack inside the jaws with my fingers. Then one day as I was finishing up a set with a #3 Victor longspring, I pushed down on the jaws a little too hard when checking to be sure the trap didn't move if a coyote should step on the jaw instead of the pan. This was an old Victor that my Dad used back in the 1950's. It didn't have offset jaws, and I had not yet laminated the jaws to make em easier on coyote feet. When the trap went off, it cut a nice chunk out of my left thumb. I ended up with a wound about 1/4" wide and 3/4" long. Really neat looking wound too. A trained surgeon coul not make a smoother cut than the old Victor did. I stopped packing between the jaws with my fingers after that. The handle of my old claw hammer worked just fine.

Here in western Iowa, I used fiber glass insulation under the pan with no problems. I know that in some area's there is a problem with little critters digging in trap bed to get to the insulation, but I just didn't experience that. I tried hamburger patty papers for pan covers for awhile, but I got tired of the wind blowing them away before I could get some dirt on top of the buggers.
 
Quote:
I have never found screen to be an advanatage with traps size 2 or smaller at all in relation to a coyotes foot.



I was using window screen, and was primarily using #2's (Victor) and a few #1 1/2 for fox, coon and possibly bobcat. I would say #2 are on the small size for coyotes.
 
I agree 100% as I believe a good coyote trap has a jaw spread of 6"- 6 1/2" and a pan that is centered and works well with the avg coyotes foot. With that said, many coyote trappers and some good ones in my book prefer a #2 sized trap and also the #3 Montana is basicly a #2 in dimension.I know those that use screen, I just haven't seen where buying it and cutting many of them has proven to be a far better deal for coyotes, than using coffee filters and guiding there foot to the right spot.

I know a few "big namers" make claim to the added kill area of the pan by using stiff screen, but just don't see any advantage to it. Then again many of these guys are selling screen LOL. Rich I to have had problems with rats,mice and other critters and polyfill or insulation under the pan and digging, I tried each 1 year and wouldn't in my area go back to it.To many small critters with the need for the materials I guess. Digging was a big problem, I don't see that with coffee filters or waxed paper.
 
We stretch saran wrap tightly around the whole trap and then seat it solidly in the ground and cover the plastic with about 1/4" of sifted dirt & grass ect. The traps never freeze down and fire every time. The saran-wrap never slows the trap down especially when it's cold. Godsdog.
 
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