New type of trap set - need feed back

[Fur Man]

I am looking to shake up my trap line. I have trapped for many years and I have done the same thing over and over again and it's starting to be like a job instead of being fun any more.
 I have all aways gone to the water for my trapping and done very well and caught big numbers of coon and mink.  But this year I looking to stay dry and go after Fox and Yotes.
 I sell some fur at NAFA and in there yearly magazine that have a set that looks good for my area ( norther Iowa )   The freeze - Proof Fox Set  Has anyone seen this set or heard of it .
  The set is a hole that is dug down about 7'' to 8''  the size of the trap and you put hardware cloth (wire mesh) half way down and you bed your trap off that. Then you dig a bait hole above the trap in the hole.
  In the past I have tried some dirt holes and the rains come or the freezing weather set in and puts me out of business.
 In theory it seems that would be a good set that will can last though the rain if you bed the trap down in the right material - waxed dirt - the water will run though the bed and the wire into the bottom of the hole and the set will keep on working Salt and dirt will keep the set from freezing up.
Also it seens that it would be harder for a fox to dig up the set . And i could pre dig all the holes and the wire in before season.
 Some feed back would be great because if i do this set I will jump in with both feet and put in 50 to 75 sets this fall.  
 
Thanks for any input !!!

[hillbill]

makes sense way yu explained it, do yu bend the hardware cloth into a kind of a box shape to keep it elevated off the bottom of the hole? yu might make a wooden box and mock up the set in it an d then set it in yur chest type deep freeze to see just how freeze proof it is?

[Fur Man]

The set seems to be like a step down set but i wounder how many fox will comment to stepping down in the hole to smell the bait or will they just simply bend down and take a smell and be on there way.  If anyone has some thoughts on this type of set please speak up .

[danny clifton]

Looks to me like it would take forever to make. If the ground is staying froze just chop out a trap bed with a big 26 ounce straight claw hammer. Bed the trap in dry dirt from under an overpass or bridge. If its still freezing and thawing put some salt in the dry dirt. I toss some dry dirt in the bed. Mash in the set trap. Pour some salt in. cover the trap with dry dirt. add another layer of salt. then cover with dry dirt and blend etc. By the time it gets cold enough the salt wont work the ground will stay froze and all you need is the dry dirt. Rebedding is a must after melting snow or rain. When you bed with salt wax your traps. Else they will rust horribly.This is fast and works.

[Fur Man]

The hard ware cloth (wire) is cut round the shape of the hole but bigger and when you put it in hole it will grab the dirt and hold it in place About 1/2 waydown the hole. Then you bed your trap off of that. When you are done it looks like the trap should be 2'' to 3'' down the hole and the bait or lure hole right above the trap in the hole.

[Newt]

That would work "IF" you could make water freeze from the bottom up.
But the hole would just fill with water and the top would frezze over.So all you would have is a trap frooze down with water under it.

I just go South. LOL

[lynx/cat-trapper]

I dunno....it MIGH be OK if all you set are 5 or 6 traps...the wire will "trampoline"....the wax dirt is DRY and WILL sift thru the wire leaving holes etc...AND the trap cant be bedded on the wire....why not just take a stake...drive a hole UNDER the trap in the trap bed for a drain for smaller amounts of water???
later
lynx

[Wackyquacker]

When you figure how to prevemt these problems after heavy rains and saturated soil conditions please publish it.  

The waxed dirt in comdo with drainage is as good as I've found and it is along way from fool proof.  I would seek out locations that promote drainage and offer protection from rain, if you have such in your area.  Combined with the above suggestions you probably have as good as it gets.

[lynx/cat-trapper]

SOOOOO...wqhey duk....it's OBVIOUS from your previous posts RE: this post ...that you HAVE copy/pasted your response..FROM someone else...this is OBVIOUS from your  normal..LACK of intellegent postings and general LACK of knowledge of ANYTHING!!! Stupid duck...  Some ducks are alive...ONLY because it's against the law to kill em!!!... .....the duck says ONE thing with words of more than 5 letters...and we KNOW he's getting help... :-D