Do any of you guys out there still wax traps on an open fire? I always do and it got me thinking today I wonder if the smoke smell could be an issue? Have no particular reason to think it would be but I always dye and wax my traps on an open fire and then put them is bins with sagebrush. Any opinions? How do you guys do it?

I do still and have wondered the same thing, especially when my traps were getting dug up more than I thought they should be. I started bedding better and don't worry about it anymore. With that said I'm usually down to a hot bed of coals before the wax goes on the fire so not much smoke.

I think you worry too much. Smoke is as natural as rain, snow and dirt. Don't sweat it.

^^^^^^^this,x2

I use a turkey cooker, lp gas

Wax has a far greater odor than the smoke in the end. Odorless trap wax doesn't exist. You can smell pretty easily from a distance. If I can smell it, a k9 can a mile away. If you're having digging issues, it could be fresh wax. I've learned to let them air out a couple weeks. I've had digging issues with fresh wax in the past.

I use a propane turkey fryer stove, though. Much easier to regulate the temp.

LP weed torch here under the drum and bricked on the sides to force the flame out the other end so it hits the wax pot, pull the traps out of the dye the heat drys the traps then dip in the wax bucket next to the drum.

I was told a long time ago by trappers who were old then to hang the traps in wood smoke as a deodorant. I did this for some years and caught some foxes.

Calvin Cobb in his snaring book tells how he smokes his snares, says it will color even stainless cable.