Zimmer, you brought up a few good points in this last post about storage. I personally have no other option than to store in my garage. But understand that my garage is a man cave, and not where I keep vehicles and/or gas any longer. Of course there are smells there, as with anywhere else. Especially a skunk smell that I just can't seal up. That stuffs some potent stuff.

I'm buying a plastic food grade 55 gal drum today which has a lid and ring to it. Would that be sufficient to safely store my waxed dirt in to keep it from foreign scents, etc...?

I store mine in plastic 32 gallon trash cans with lids. Set on 1x2s to keep the container off the ground or cement, and leave the lids loose so it can breath so any condensation can evaporate, to inhibit mold. I store in my garage/man cave/trap shed. No gas allowed.

Thanks Trapper, that's what I wanted to know. So definitely making sure that it can breathe is key.

Yes sir, you don't want trapped moisture.. I lost 50 gallons due to mold 5 years ago.. Thanks to Yoteguts I won't do that again.. It can be stored outside under an overhang but you really need to keep an eye on moisture of any kind..

As a new guy, I'm now getting intimidated by this. It's do this, don't do that, watch out for this, but while you're doing that watch out for that.

I mean buying 10 lbs of wax and hopefully getting dirt fairly cheap will far outweigh the cost of $40/5 gallon bucket that my local guy sells it for.

Get online to get the 40 percent off Hobby lobby coupon. 16 and change for a 10 pound block. It goes further than the flake too.. I get over 200 gallons with 90 pounds off wax.

The 40% coupon cannot be used on sale items, only regular priced items.

Correct, one item per day.

trappergbus speaks truth about trapped moisture. TheBig1; the learning is why many of us stick with trapping. I've trapped on and off for more than 40 yrs - learned more in the past 8 than the entire previous 32. I'm still learning. As for advise, I say listen, apply, and learn. Compared to back in the day the learning curve is a fraction of what it used to be...I like the advise but I love taking the advise, working it out through experience.


Regarding storing dirt/bedding; call me paranoid but I have to have circulating fresh air - no odors of any sort. IMO chancing any kind of odor in the waxed dirt...ultimately in the trap bed risks getting attention and that's exactly what I don't want - I want the K9's attention on the attractant.

Zimmer, how do you go about storing your dirt and yet keeping it dry and moisture free?

very simple, let the dry dirt breath - I put the lid on my 5 GAL. Lowes buckets but I don't snap them tight. Me storing dry dirt is temporary - I want to process into waxed dirt ASAP - once waxed it goes back into the buckets and stored in my wood shed...again, lids loose on buckets. I've followed this process for yrs and it works for me

Thanks Zimmer, I'll give it a try. I don't have very many traps so I might only do 20 to 30 gallons of dirt.

If I were to store it in a 30 gallon garbage can instead of 5 gallon buckets, would I want to do anything different? Or should you not store in that fashion?

You want the container full so if your not making 30 gallons store in 5 gallon buckets filled. Your not paranoid Zimm, if that's' what gives you confidence don't change.. Your correct, you want ALL the focus on the attraction. I've stored both ways inside and out away from any odors. never noticed a difference. I get more attention to the trap bed when I uses fresh dug dirt at the set..

I'll just buy some extra buckets for this year and do it that way. It's easier to just throw a bucket into the back of your truck than it is to fill the bucket first.

Another stupid question. Should I wash the buckets with baking soda after I buy them and before I place the dirt in them?

I do, who knows what stuff they were exposed to LOL...

LOL Ok. I know that these are tedious questions but there's so much to know. This is an example, there's so much to know and so many little details such as washing the bucket first with baking soda just to throw dirt into the bucket.

Confidence is a big deal..

This is one of the keys to being good at what ever you do in life

My only caveat about things is not having been taught something. Once I see someone do something, or have someone instruct me as I do it, or after I do something the first time there’s no looking back.

Don't overthink it, ounce you learn from others then you'll find you own system. Listen to the animals, just because someone says this is the best way it may not be for you. Make every set the best you can and on location. You will be fine..