How careful does a guy have to be about trap wax and waxed dirt taking on scent while in storage? i was just wondering what you guys thought about it and/or what do you do?

I store mine in sealed 30 gallon barrels, and put some sage in on top and than put lid on. I store mine along sides inside fur shed. (The barrels)

I store mine in 5 gallon buckets with lids in the garage along with all my traps that are waxed in old coolers.

Just take a few precautions, like keeping it away from obvious stank. I store mine in those black 55 gal drums, and leave the lid on loose so it will get some air and not mold. I transport it in open top twenty gal cans that I got somewhere years ago! I'm talking in the truck, and use directly out of there. Most people that start trapping, have a trap dug by a coon, immediately blame a contaminated trap or covering. I use dirty traps (ones that have caught fur) all season, and just cover the trap a little more, and don't have dug traps, unless a coon gets in the notion! Dirt trapping coons can be a pain, but I catch lots of them that way, but they hit that loose dirt at the pattern and are compelled to dig at it. I find an uncovered trap works better for coon, and just lightly blend it. They don't dig at it like when they hit loose dirt!

I'm more concerned about moisture getting the waxed dirt than odors. I store mine in the garage connected to the house in 35 gallon plastic trash cans with 1x1s under the containers and the lids loose. X2 on the dang coons

I store the remainder of my dirt in 5 gallon buckets with the lids cracked in the off season, i agree with you guys that odor isn't the biggest issue what it comes to a set. I personally don't think that you will ever fool a coyote into believing you were never there, just have to have everything packed tight and an bait/lure that you have confidence in to changing the focus to making them work the set like you intend them to is key. Its just nice hearing what everyone else does, never know when a guy might pick up on a couple ideas!

That bears repeating.

I use canning wax, so not sure about trap wax, but, paraffin wax does not absorb odors. That is why it is used to seal bottles and such.

Scents can be introduced when the wax is melted and my wax smells a lot like walnuts with a hint of sumac. I don't worry even a tiny bit over that, those scents are common in nature and critters are not put off by them.

tjm are you using the walnuts and sumac together ? If so do you think it darkens your traps more than walnuts alone ?

Golf ball, it all depends on time of year, spring will be maples leaves half grown, late summer will be sumac berries, late fall get walnut hulls from the hulling plant. They all work well to remove/convert rust and color comes out what ever it is brown/blue/black, it always gets darker with wax. But my wax is 20-30 years in the pot and has acquired a good-strong smell over time. I don't notice the maple leaves having a strong odor. Any tannin source should work.
Point being I don't get too upset if wax or trap has a bit of stink.

I store all my wax in a garage away from petroleum smells and power equipment - all my waxed dirt is kept in 5 GAL sealable buckets stored in my wood shed 70 yrds from another building - I keep all my clean traps there all kept in totes with straw - I try not to mess around with smells regarding anything associated with traps, tools, bedding(peat/dirt) - my reasoning is simple - I may only get one crack at an animal so I want to increase my odds