I’m new to trapping just getting started. Season is already in here but waiting until after deer season to start. Just got trapping supplies and have a few questions. I plan on degreasing my traps and then Boiling in water with baking soda to eliminate any smells. After that I plan to just wax them use them, Is there any reason to rust them and then Dye them if they are brand new? Was planning on skipping dyeing them first season and letting them get rusty while in the ground?


Also is there any way to search this forum for specific topics or do you just have to click back through all the pages and look?

I'd go spray them off at the nearest car wash and set them...you'll be told you won't catch every animal that way but if you're just starting out I doubt you care.

You're on the right track. Let nature do the rusting. The only time I don't like using shiny new traps is when they're exposed like on a muskrat float. Not that muskrats care but I hope it's less obvious from a distance for thieves.

As far as searching this site goes...

Thanks for the help. The search doesn’t show up if your not logged in and I couldn’t find it. I just didn’t want to post questions on things that have been answered a bunch in older post.

NO, wax and set them after cleaning them.
here's many other opinions
https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/forums/13/1/trap-preparation-archives

If you'll go to the Archives, they are set up first by Land or Water and then by target species.

Who is mentoring you locally?
Here’s what helped me shorten my learning curve by decades. Join your state trapping assn, Google it. Then contact officers off their site and ask for a mentor to ride along with. Learn the laws in YOUR state. This gets you in the info loop of FREE trappers ed classes and meets and fur sales/pick ups, and conventions. Then attend ALL YOU CAN, this shows folks you are serious and will be a good student. It sure helped open many doors for me and it could for you as well. ALSO, get several different trapping supply catalogs, like MTP, Sterling Fur, FandT, PCS, Schmitt enterprises, Southeastern outdoor supplies, rpoutdoors, etc etc, THEN circle gear you need, and give the catalogs to loved ones to buy your Birthday and Christmas and July 4 and Anniversary gifts. Explain to them, you want their money to go towards what you will use and need, as opposed to another sweater hanging in your closet. WORKS GREAT in our family.

Wash them. Let them dry. Put a nail or something to prop jaws open a scooch. Spray paint with the cheapest dark colored, oil based paint you can find. Or use a cold dip, the type you mix with white gas. Or the stuff put out by Steck or Sterling. Let dry and air out for about a week. Either hot wax or dip in something like Full Metal Jacket. Let dry. Use.

Full Metal Jacket doesn’t work for traps sitting in water. I understand the Steck and Sterling dips don’t need waxing.

In my humble opinion, you want them clean, protected in some way and in the ground. Color doesn’t matter if they’re going to be buried.