I have been using waxed dirt this season due to the freeze/thaw conditions in my area and I have noticed that the top layer I sift over my waxed dirt dries out while the surrounding dirt stays moist. So the problem I have is where my trap sits stands out and I haven't been catching lately. Is there something that is causing this from my error or do I need to sift more dirt over my sets? I am using just enough to cover the waxed dirt. Any help is greatly appreciated!

How long have you been using it without catches ?

Any avoidance?

I've been using it for about two weeks now and I have had a couple sets where they wouldn't step on the dry dirt I mentioned before.

Never had it happen, I guess shift more dirt on the set or blend further out with your waxed dirt if you think that's the reason .

I've gone to spreading the wax dirt around the set more to make it look like it came out of the hole.

I cover mine with a dusting of on site dirt to blend it to the area~

Not sure what your conditions are but if it doesn’t look out of place blend some chaff or grass clippings, leaves , pine needles or any other natural materials you can find.

I went out and sifted some more of the natural dirt over the affected traps so hopefully that helps out and I will try spreading some waxed dirt around my sets with the natural dirt when I am setting this weekend. Thank you all for the help!

I am using waxed dirt for the first time this year, and did some tests. To much natural dirt over the waxed dirt resulted in a frozen disk of dirt over the waxed dirt and a trap that wouldn't fire.

That cover dirt has to be desert dry so it won't freeze, never sift wet dirt/snow over a set. If it's drifting snow that should work for a while if you don't mess with it! I brush the snow off my cat traps with the back of my gloves like a whisk broom and redo them (Make sure they are not froze down) every other check if snow is involved.

It's a common problem I hear of guys imo and only that most guys are too cheap or whatever reason they may have but ,
But here you for whatever it's worth probably what you pay for it. Lol
If native soil is there blend a bit over trap then thicker if needed outside set or just grass chipping to blend on flat sets, using wax dirt do your trap and blend out from there 3ft. Seems to work not much is needed ,you yourself your eye is drawn to a spot that sticks out true? So is there's.next most guys do not dig a trap bed the right way using wax dirt that have complaint s about it.the size of trap only and deep if need a bit small pound out bed to fit trap. Wax dirt in bottom, trap bedded , a half inch to 3/4of a inch of wax dirt over. Now you got the only soft spot in the set everything around set is hard or frozen ground .blend out it out add bait or lure and go and wait. And catching them in snow is even better because it covers everything up not good for freeze and thaw here one this morning