# Traps freezing



## Trophyhunter (Feb 28, 2006)

what ways do you guys use to keep traps from freezing in when the weather gets cold? I see some products like antifreeze and some wax stuff. What do you guys use?


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## frostbite (Dec 22, 2004)

I used trappers anti-freeze last year. It's hard on the traps. gonna make myself some waxed dirt this summer.


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## Long Spurs (Mar 29, 2005)

I use evaporated salt. Sprinkle some in the bed and I sift it in my dirt when covering the trap. You can more that likely pick some up at your feed mill. I buy it in 40 lbs. bags for 6 or 7 bucks. If your local mill dosesn't have it try your local taxidermist, its the same salt they use.


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## wild bill (Apr 20, 2001)

after using some waxed dirt that was given to me i will be making a bunch of it this summer. worked great for me. i also used glycol this year and it worked good too.


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## frostbite (Dec 22, 2004)

Hi Wildbill!!
What did you like the best as far as ease of use? I'm sure if you have sets way back in the glycol would be easier to hall.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Good ant hill dirt will not freeze! The reason being the ants impart a waxy texture to it when they chew up the vegetation when adding it to the mound. The dirt will not absorb water so it remains dry and can not freeze.

When looking for ant hills the ones in the grassy areas are the best one as there are few twigs in them. I just saw an acre spot just west of Howard City that had at least 20 hills in it. For some reason that part of the state has lots of ant hills. I always had to search and search for them over here.


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## mhodnettjr (Jan 30, 2005)

I am lucky enough to have hundreds of anthills about a half mile from my house. the "duff" worked perfectly in keeping the trap beds dry. however when the snow comes and the freeze / thaw starts to happen. there is really nothing that you can do.


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## Trophyhunter (Feb 28, 2006)

I found my biggest problem comes when it snows an inch, melts then gets cold and freezes, had bait picked out of my dirt hole sets and the trap couldn't fire because the ground was like concrete.

Are ant hills those big mounds of dirt with grass growing out of it, and you wonder who the heck dumped a 5 gallon of dirt in the middle of no where?


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

That is what they are. 

A real good one only has grass growing on the edges. With snow on the ground they show up real good. This is the time to gather the dirt as the colony is dormant.

Just scrape the very top off and then gather what is below. You can't go to deep or you will end up with ant eggs that will hatch come warm weather. I had a fur shed full of ants one summer when I got to deep into a couple of hills.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

I had access to able supply of popcorn salt which is very fine. I never had any problem with freeze up.


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## MisterEd (Jan 16, 2006)

Get about a pick-up load (more or less depending on the length of line you plan on running) of clean fine dirt or sand and sift all the lumps, stones, etc. out while spreading it out on a piece of plywood in your trap shed about 50 gallons at a time. Let it dry popcorn dry stirring it a bit after a day or two. When you have a batch popcorn dry (your 50 gallons) mix in pure glycerine until the whole batch is slightly damp. This will be your trap setting dirt anytime the weather threatens to freeze things up. I got my glycerine by the gallon from a chemical supply place in Grand Rapids. It is inert and therefore they can UPS it to you. The glycerine in the dirt doesn't allow water to infiltrate for about two weeks or more and old Reynard can't smell it. No moisture gets at your traps through glycerine dirt so they are quite well protected. It isn't real cheap so you have to weigh the cost vs. the fur prices. When I was trapping foxes I got $25 to $80 a pelt. Here is a tip.....road killed house cat in 1" cubes can't be topped in a dirt hole set.


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## Trophyhunter (Feb 28, 2006)

How much is glycerin? and does it dry into the dirt?


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## wild bill (Apr 20, 2001)

frostbite said:


> Hi Wildbill!!
> What did you like the best as far as ease of use? I'm sure if you have sets way back in the glycol would be easier to hall.


yes the glycol in a spray bottle was easy to haul but with the constant rain we had this year it seemed to get washed out and the top of the dirt would freeze unless it was freshened. now the waxed dirt i didnt have any troubles unless it snowed and frooze over with a crust of snow.


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## Liv4Trappin (Feb 22, 2006)

Trophy, I had very good results this season using dry peat moss.Purchased at most flower stores, the moss comes in a 8-10 quart bag.1 bag is about enough for 2-3 trap beds.I tried some with flake antifreeze (salt flake) and some without.Actually had very good luck with both.Even with the thaw and freeze that we had, the moss seemed to stay unfrozen.A couple of times that we had snow overnight and then sun the next day only the very top layer would be damp, but not nearly enough for the trap to become frozen in.Also if moving to a new location, the moss can be scooped out of the bed with clean gloves of course and transfered to the new bed.Just sift a light layer of natural dirt on top to blend a bit.

Mike


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## MisterEd (Jan 16, 2006)

Trophyhunter said:


> How much is glycerin? and does it dry into the dirt?


I did a Google search for Glycerine and this is the Google results page http://www.google.com/search?as_q=glycerine+grand+rapids+gallon&num=10&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=nitro&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=&as_rights=&safe=images

You end up with dirt that feels slightly damp but flows and tamps beautifully. You'll get the feel of it quickly.


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## Trophyhunter (Feb 28, 2006)

Holy mackerel, $99 a gallon???? YIKES


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