How cold is cold?

[Thumper]

Not much snow yet, so I still have a few fox sets out. I used 50/50 glycerol and water for antifreeze. The nights have been getting down well below zero with wind chills -20. How cold does it have to get before that doesn't work anymore? Any thoughts or helpful hints.

 :shock:

[Daveinthebush]

at -59 F with a 55 MPH wind you can throw a glass of water into the air and catch the ice cubes on the way down. :eek:

My dog would not even go out to pee in that weather!

[coyotero]

Thumper I used Calcuim Chloride one year back in the early 80's on a fox line.It worked fine until the moisture content got high in the dirt and the sets would eventually freeze up or the fox would be rubbed bad enough that they weren't worth taking.Snow has been my downfall until I learned to snare.

[Mallard]

Good old dry dirt seems to work for me once the temps stay well below freezing. The moisture doesn't condensate on the dirt, and it remains dry for a good period of time. The one thing I found is that this works better once the ground freezes, and doesn't necessarily work during deep freeze periods earlier in the season. I say this because I've had dry dirt collect moisture even when the air temp is well below freezing, but have to think the ground temp was high enough to cause this. Once the ground is forzen, its not a problem. Glycol seems to loose its kick around 15 degrees from my experience, and this is mixed 50/50. never tryed to mix it richer, so can't really say if that would help.

[trappnman]

I've had one night where it got  under 10 degrees.  The next morning I had a few yotes and tested a couple of other sets and found the glycol/dry dirt combo was still in good shape.  I tested maybe 6-8 sets.

 I won't say this will always hold true- but I was pleasantly surprised with the performance on at least 1 morning.

This year I used way too much dry dirt on my fall line- later in the season I started making do with more local dirt and using less of my imported dirt. Trouble is- you need to use a fair amount on each set to do it right. I prefer using a full ice cream bucket of dry dirt for the set and pattern- but learned how to make do in most cases with about 1/2 a bucket. Anything less and you have blending problems.  

Speaking of bedding material- has anyone ever used the cheap, unscented cat litter? I have been thinking of this for several weeks and then read a post about a trapper using waxed gravel on yotes with good results.  I would think the cat litter would have a lot going for it- I would be using it in stable, below freezing temps.

[georgiaboy]

i dont know if the good lord meant for people to live where it gets "below-zero" or anywhere near it.i live about 45 minutes north of the florida line and it is supposed to get down to 29 degrees tonight and everybody is about to freeze to death!

[Thumper]

Hey Georgiaboy, come and play up here sometime (Northern WI). A NICE winter day is 20 degrees! I was outside scouting for trails all morning, temp here is 8. You'll get used to it after a few winters. Good luck to ya'.

 :-D

[coyotero]

Thumper  I hear you, it got up to 22 degrees today,darn got the lawnchairs back out,thought about some tanning oil.So far we have way more snow and wind then normal,I got cabin fever already.Hey Wacky,why don't you send me something to skin?I'd feel way more productive.Beaver through the ice isn't my thing but I may have to break down.Keep your powder dry and your eye on the skyline.

[Wackyquacker]

T-man doesn't cat litter absorb moisture?...or where you thinking of waxing it?  I believe most cat litter is a clay type dirt, at least the stuff they ship out of here is.