Yes sir same. I’m going to give polyfill another try. My soil is full of clay and not usable during the rainy season. So I plan on bringing in sandy soil as I did late last winter. When I tried the fiberfill it was with the soil out of the trap bed. So I’m thinking power bed, fiber fill under pan with the sandy soil might just be the answer.

Consider using pipe wrap insulation cut to size under the pan. I was having problems with rodents digging up polyfill and the insulation was recommended and the mice seem to leave it alone. Seems to also work better for me in our freeze/thaw wet conditions here.

I keep a bag of dirt sand mixed in the truck. It dries out almost to a powder form. Great for even covering sets that get a little washed out after a heavy rain.

Thanks guys ! Y’all have given me some great ideas !

I use that stuff and It works for me. Make sure you air It out good before using. To me It seems to have a slight odor.

If you just jam the cover material over the dog notch instead of cutting a slot you won't have critters pulling your pan cover material off the trap. The dog goes over the pan cover material and holds It down. And if you cut your material long enough so It lays under the dogged jaw when the trap is set that will also help.

When you buy a new bag do you take it out the new bag and air it out. Or just transfer to a smaller bag and use it.

I’m still on the first bag, lol. I just pull out a little piece and roll it in my hand, stretch it out a little and shove it under a pan. I’ll reuse it after a catch unless it scattered in pieces around the circle. Then I just smear some bait in it and throw it down a hole. I have yet to have a trap not fire from mud/sand getting under the pan using polyfil.

We are referring to this…correct?

I have not used it yet was thinking about trying it. So you use it straight out the bag ,no airing out?

I use coffee filters just cromple em up first.

I wash it and then leave it in a creek for a few days before drying it out.

I use straight out of the bag and never had an issue.

I'm a cheapskate and use a green leaf. They're available everywhere.

If its there long enough it eventually wilts over the sides of the pan and dries into a form fitted pan cover. Poke weed works well as does English ivy.

PS…all my comments are for Southern trappers where all we worry about is clay hardening up like cement and if this will actually be the year we have a Winter. And hope the gnats will all mysteriously disappear. And the yellow flys and horsefly’s fly north for the Summer. And the snakes and gators decide it’s too hot all hole up year round. And ants all commit suicide. And the humidity never gets above 30%!!

Here I use wax paper because of freezing ground. Coffee filters absorb moisture and I don't need that.

Mullein leaves make fantastic pan covers.

I've had good luck with pipe wrap insulation under the pan and waxed sand over the top. Also use a little ot the waxed sand under the trap to help keep moisture from coming up.

I have been trapping coyotes for fifty years, I have tried and used everything mentioned in above posts, the one thing I have found to work consistently in my world is pipe wrap insulation that just needs to be cut for length and your in business. AFTER you place the entire trap in a wallyworld plastic sack and fold slack under trap. I sometimes in control work need to keep a set operational for a week or more--- this is the only thing I have found that works for me consistently and I have no trouble with diggers or scent . This only works with coil spring traps not long springs. If a trap has fired-- easy to see from a distance with field glasses as well. Cheap, easy and effective. Waxed dirt with it makes it almost foolproof.

LS wolfer that is very interesting! I’ve never heard of anyone doing that! So you put the whole trap in s plastic grocery bag. I would think the bag between the jaw and the foot would create a situation for pull outs but if you’ve tested it I guess not. I might give that a try in some of my more challenging set locations.