Step by Step Guide for Trap Preparation
For new trappers trap preparation can be a daunting task do to so many different products and methods, while some don’t know they need to do it and skip the who step all together. To help simplify the subject matter of trap preparation I will give step by step directions of how I do it. Please keep in mind that there are many options out there and that the following is just my preferred method. Don’t be afraid to try different options to see what you like the best for your situation.
How to Degrease Traps
A waxed modified Bridger ready for action.
When you first buy new traps from a trapping supply dealer they will come with a coat of oil on them. This oil is from the manufacturing process to protect them from rusting. We will need to remove this oil completely as it has a smell to it that predators will shy away from, and it also won’t allow our dye or paint to stick. There are a few ways to do this. You can either boil them in water with Dawn dish soap until the grease rises to the surface. Another way to remove the factory grease is to spray them with a degreaser and hit them with the pressure washer.
One of the best, but more risky options, is to take the factor grease of a handful of new traps is to place them in the dishwasher and run it like you normally would for dishes. The main thing for this method to be successful is to make sure your wife or mother doesn’t come home before the process is done. After you’ve done either of the methods, you’ll want to hang them so they can dry and form a light coat of surface rust. Once the traps have a light coat of rust for your paint or dye can adhere to you can move to the next step in the process.
How to Remove Rust from Traps
If you get used traps are a are rusty, you’ll need to do a different process. In order to remove excess rust you going to want to mix up a solution in a bucket consisting of one part cheap white vinegar and two parts water. Put your traps in the backets for a couple days. This solution will strip the oil and rust off of the traps and the gunk will rise to the surface. When you pull them out make sure to you rinse them off good to remove all of the vinegar solution from them.
At this point there are two different paths you can take depending on if your trapping canines or if your target coon and/or water trapping. For water traps or traps used for raccoon on dryland, my preferred method is to just spray paint them. You don’t have to worry about sent control so your main goal is to just protect your traps from rusting. Go down to your local hardware store and buy a good can of flat black or brown spray paint. I’ve had my best luck using the Rustoleum brand of paint. The following year I just go through and touch up any traps that got shined up from catches and we’re good to go for another season.
How to Dye Traps
When it comes to predator traps, you’ll want to focus more on scent control so that the coyote and fox won’t dig your traps up. For this I find it hard to beat the classic dye and wax method. The first step is to dye your traps, and all you’ll need is a bag of logwood dye, a pot, and a turkey burner or something similar. If your using closed jawed traps you will want to place a nail between the jaws so that the inside of the jaws will have the dye and wax process done as well. Find a pot big enough to fit a decent number of traps, fill it with water, and get it to a boil. At that point you can dump your dye into it and let it simmer. Each bag of logwood will do up to five gallons. Place your traps in the pot and leaver them in there for an hour or so before pulling them out and hanging them to dry.
Traps Hanging to Dry
How to Wax Traps
For the last step you’ll need to wax your traps which provides protection from rust and makes them odorless for predator trapping. The amount of wax depends on the size of the container being used and the size of your traps. Normally ten pounds of odorless trap wax is a good amount to start with and can be used season after season. Put the wax in a clean scent free pot and turn the heat on low. Wax is flammable so you’ll want to melt it slowly and use common sense. Once the wax is completely melted, use a piece of wire to lower it into the pot. The trap is colder than the hot wax so once submerged a film will solidify on it. Leave the trap in there until this film melts of and the trap is roughly the same temp as the wax. Pull the trap out and let the excess wax drip off of it.
At this point your trap is odorless and should only be handled with clean gloves to prevent contamination. Once the wax is dry you can scrape the wax off the end of the dog and where the dog meets the pan. This will prevent it from firing while you’re trying to set or bed the trap. Getting a face full of dirt is a sure way to lower your moral on the trapline.
Adjusting Trap Pan Tension
You may also want to check your trap pan tension. Some new traps may be good to go out of the box, but others will probably run on the high side and need to be reduced. To achieve this the majority of foothold traps have a brass bolt and nut where the pan pivots on the frame of the trap. You’ll want to loosen this nut just a hair and retest it. Most trapping supply stores sell a tool for this called a Trap Pan Tester which is a better option than using your thumb and guessing, especially for new trappers. The amount of tension you run is personal preference, but most guys run their coyote traps at about three pounds. I link the pans on my muskrat traps to be floppy, and everything else will be somewhere in the middle. The more pan tension you have the deeper of a catch you’ll get. On the flip side, it’s always a day wrecker when you see a coyote print directly on top of your trap pan and you know that it’s no one’s fault but your own for cutting corners and not checking the tension before the season started.
At some point during the process, you will need to attach your trap tags if they’re required by law in your area. Trap tags, normally made out of copper, are engraved or stamped with your identification information. Each state is different on what they require so you’ll want to check with your regulations before ordering them. They can either be attached with tag hooks or wrapped tightly around the chain. Just be sure that there isn’t a chance of them falling off when an animal is in the trap.