# Best way to store and keep traps from being contaminated



## Hunter3005 (Dec 23, 2015)

I was just wondering how you guys keep all your K9 traps stored and free from contaminants? I keep mine in wooden boxes I make with a nice tight lid with a seal on them. Was just wondering if you guys had any better ways, always trying to learn better ways at this trapping life I love so much.


----------



## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

Hunter3005 said:


> I was just wondering how you guys keep all your K9 traps stored and free from contaminants? I keep mine in wooden boxes I make with a nice tight lid with a seal on them. Was just wondering if you guys had any better ways, always trying to learn better ways at this trapping life I love so much.


I use those big Brute HDPE garbage cans stored outside in shade. You mentioned you seal your container, well I'm pretty anal about contamination but I do just the opposite. I actually put screws in the top lip of the garbage cans so that when I lock the lids down there is a gap left that allows for air circulation. During the summer, temps and humidity get high and at night things cool. That change of temperature can and will cause condensation to develop and if there's no air movement, mold can grow. I vent all of my waxed dirt and sand storage cans as well for the same reason.

I'll take this topic one step further. There are two types of scent contamination, one is getting something such as lure or bait on your trap and the other is air-borne scent contamination. This topic is about air-borne. So, some odd scent has been in the air around where your traps are stored and it's thought they've now been contaminated because the wax has absorbed the odor. Well, why would it not be thought that when we bury the traps in the ground, the traps don't absorb the odor of the dirt?? I mean, you can't have it both ways! If the wax picks up this odor, why can't it pick up any odor! It's the first scent contamination that is the real problem IMO and experience.


----------



## Hunter3005 (Dec 23, 2015)

Seldom said:


> I use those big Brute HDPE garbage cans stored outside in shade. You mentioned you seal your container, well I'm pretty anal about contamination but I do just the opposite. I actually put screws in the top lip of the garbage cans so that when I lock the lids down there is a gap left that allows for air circulation. During the summer, temps and humidity get high and at night things cool. That change of temperature can and will cause condensation to develop and if there's no air movement, mold can grow. I vent all of my waxed dirt and sand storage cans as well for the same reason.
> 
> I'll take this topic one step further. There are two types of scent contamination, one is getting something such as lure or bait on your trap and the other is air-borne scent contamination. This topic is about air-borne. So, some odd scent has been in the air around where your traps are stored and it's thought they've now been contaminated because the wax has absorbed the odor. Well, why would it not be thought that when we bury the traps in the ground, the traps don't absorb the odor of the dirt?? I mean, you can't have it both ways! If the wax picks up this odor, why can't it pick up any odor! It's the first scent contamination that is the real problem IMO and experience.


Thanks for the response Seldom, makes me look at my setup a little better


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

I am perplexed by the idea of wax absorbing odor. In order for something to absorb something, it needs to contain air pockets that scent can get into. I look at wax as a homogeneous coating that can't be penetrated easily at ambient temperatures. Wax can hold liquids and I believe that it probably can also seal out the majority of air molecules as well.
This is not to say that odors can't be deposited on top of the wax. There is also the possibility of cantaminating the wax while it's in it's liquid state by skunk, grease or oil, etc.

After season I don't worry about the dirty or clean traps, I just throw them in a pile. Once they are boiled in lye, dyed and waxed I like to hang them next to the woods by the house, so the only scent they get on them, is that scent.


----------



## wicklundrh (Mar 18, 2014)

I have a shack out back on my farm (way out back). About 1/2 mile from the house. There is a stair well that goes up. I store all of my waxed traps under this stair well (hanging). Air can get to them but not moisture. Not that I really think it matters because they are waxed. This is far enough away from every day contaminants like tractor exhaust, and anything else.

For unwaxed traps, I do my best to take care of them as quick as possible. IE, this could be from a catch circle, pulling it out for the season and so on. I scrub, wash, air dry for a day or so and then try and re-treat the trap before waxing. Of course, this doesn't always happen. I've often thought of storing them in dry sand. Key word is DRY sand in a box, tub or tote. Never gotten around to trying this method.


----------



## bhugo (Jan 12, 2007)

I put my canine traps in a Rubbermaid tub with some cedar or pine sawdust in the bottom. Just a few handfuls. The tops snap on but are not super tight. I have stored some nicely waxed traps these in my outside shed for 8 years. I just opened them a few days ago. No rust and the traps smell like pine to me. Good to go if I ever set enough to need them. Wood boxes are fine if the lid fits relatively tight. 

Wax can hold an odor. I don't think the container needs to be hermetically sealed, just tight enough to keep air from exchanging easily, especially if you put a natural odor in with them. I have never had problems with dogs digging mine up though so I figure I'm doing ok.

Untaxed traps for raccoon, mink or rats get put in a box at the end of season. When they get rusty enough, I boil them up in logwood and wax them. Body grips don't get the wax just dye.

I have separate wax for my canine traps.


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Where I live and trap, pine trees are few and far between. I wouldn't want my traps smelling like them.


----------



## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

FREEPOP said:


> Where I live and trap, pine trees are few and far between. I wouldn't want my traps smelling like them.


To carry this "contamination" discussion a little further. Yes, I'm sure waxed traps can smell like pine or car exhaust over time BUT I do not believe this type of contamination causes traps to be dug up. It is my expressed opinion that this type of scent contamination is short lived(before the buried trap picks up the odor of the dirt it's buried in) and if anything, will cause avoidance, not digging.

I firmly believe if a trap is uncovered there would be three primary reasons. One is a **** dug in the fresh dirt of the pattern/bed. The second is that a canine(fox are notorious for this) stepped on a jaw and felt the trap move because it wasn't bedded properly. Thirdly, the trapper dribbled lure or bait onto the pattern or touched the trap with lure/bait contaminated hands or gloves.

It's my opinion that if a canine is more interested in the smell of your trap and /or pattern enough to scratch and dig, you've got a low quality lure and/or bait down the hole and you need to find something that'll draw a lot better attention to the hole!!


----------



## bhugo (Jan 12, 2007)

Makes good sense 



Seldom said:


> To carry this "contamination" discussion a little further. Yes, I'm sure waxed traps can smell like pine or car exhaust over time BUT I do not believe this type of contamination causes traps to be dug up. It is my expressed opinion that this type of scent contamination is short lived(before the buried trap picks up the odor of the dirt it's buried in) and if anything, will cause avoidance, not digging.
> 
> I firmly believe if a trap is uncovered there would be three primary reasons. One is a **** dug in the fresh dirt of the pattern/bed. The second is that a canine(fox are notorious for this) stepped on a jaw and felt the trap move because it wasn't bedded properly. Thirdly, the trapper dribbled lure or bait onto the pattern or touched the trap with lure/bait contaminated hands or gloves.
> 
> It's my opinion that if a canine is more interested in the smell of your trap and /or pattern enough to scratch and dig, you've got a low quality lure and/or bait down the hole and you need to find something that'll draw a lot better attention to the hole!!


----------



## 2 Kids And I Trap (Jan 5, 2010)

Storage tub, with a small amount of dry straw/ leaves in the tub. Dry land sets only.


----------



## DFJISH (Mar 30, 2009)

Some of us prep our traps right after the season and store them ready to go. Others wait to prep traps in summer or just before the season opens. I assume you were asking about storing traps that had been dyed and waxed after the season. I have used big plastic tubs(clean, dry, and with lids) and I have also hanged them in my corn crib high enough to stay dry. As posted, there are various ways to store traps to ensure that they stay odor free and dry.


----------

