How well should a person blend cages to the natural surroundings? I want to be quick and efficient, but I want to do whatever I can to increase my chances of filling my tag, too.

The guys i seen setting cages successfully in Washington when i lived there were spending a good amount of effort i don't know about time get them blended. The biggest concern it seemed to me was on the trap floor. Making the transition from outside to inside the trap seem seemless was the real key. Firm ground all along the bottom of the trap including the pan was key. Outside the trap some did more than others to blend in the trap itself.

It'd be hard to cover my pan. I suppose leaves might be an option.

Check your PM box

Cut some evergreen boughs and cover the trap up. Then you can use EXPOSED bait other wise you can't.

Don't cover the pan just cover the wire floor leading up to the pan. And you don't have to check your PM box.

Some of where I'm trapping doesn't have evergreens, but I could carry in a handful of boughs

I can't say I have done it but I believe you could cover the cage with landscape fabric or burlap.Oi don't think it would matter to cats but you could then cover it with leaves and branches if you wanted to.I would not cover the back with the cloth.I rather have light and air coming through.

I've used burlap and it works well to keep the snow out of the trap. I also use spruce or fir boughs depending on what's handy. A few boughs under the cage keep it from freezing down. I use the tip of the boughs...more needle, less limb. As far as lining the cage, moss works great as does hay or straw. Anchoring the trap like The Beav mentioned can be done with a couple large limbs laid over each side of the trap. I like to leave the back of the cage open as Taximan mentioned. I usually hang a scrap of deer meat or the remains of a grouse near the back of the cage. I hang it with wire. It gives a visual as well as getting the odor up in the air.

We had a pretty nasty winter this years with lots of snow and some rain events tossed in, too. I tested my traps once a week or so and they all (3) functioned flawlessly during the duration of our sixty day season.

I carried in some pine boughs today. If anything, that pine may create eye appeal since there aren't any pines near the trap.

I don't know if it's best, but I have the back of the cages up against a small tree.

I hung a Wyldwing feather in the cage today. Will see if that helps. But the cat has to come back by. I have no idea how many cat are in the area I'm in.