I ain't got a cement mixer, so I was looking for a way to do it on the grill. Here is my plan :

Heat grill to 300* F. Layer dirt on two stacked cookie sheet pans 1-2 inches deep(the less dirt, the faster). Let the dirt heat until warm, not hot. Add wax and stir every few minutes. Once wax is melted, let it cool. Put dirt in a dry, cool place to store until use.

If I heat my grill to 300 degrees it would smell alot like food cooking. Not a good thing for waxed dirt.

Odors in wax from food or smoke if wood or charcoal wouldn't b good

You can do it on a stovetop or one of the plug in single burners. Just put your dirt in a junk pot (can pick up at the thrift store if your mom doesn't have one she is willing to donate). Stir in wax and stir until it all looks wet, this will take a little while and a little experimentation to get the most efficient temperature without scorching the dirt, but if you don't turn it up too high you can get away with a little higher heat if you stir it regularly. When it is all wet looking pour it out on a tarp or sheet of visqueen and spread it out to cool.

I wouldn't do it on a grill or in an oven that is used to cook food.

I've never used wax dirt and talking with a few trappers around here that have and seeing some out of state trappers coming here with it, wax dirt has the tendency to increase dug traps.I'm sure it has its place but I'd think in Missouri there's other ways to bed traps for winter conditions that will work or work better. I use dry dirt and salt. If ur fighting a lot of rain maybe check out zaggers trap bedding technique. Next year buy some peat moss during summer and dry it out and maybe try that.

I'd be releasing a deer or elk every day here if I was using salt in my trap beds. Dug traps has everything to do with odors, I'm betting either their trap was not the best, or their dirt wasn't stored properly. Done right it has no smell, and if you blend it with dirt from the set over the top there's no color difference either.

It's OK to disagree
U ever smell salt? Odorless by our standards. Yet deer can smell it by ur own admission. Wax has more odor than salt.

Its a Traeger pellet grill but that might be just as bad.

Would a cast iron skillet work?

Wouldn't be my first choice, because it isn't very deep, couldn't do much at a time, and the main thing is that most cast iron has been seasoned with oil for years and I'm not sure that you could ever get that out so it wouldn't contaminate your dirt. I'm sure a new one would work. A cheap, junk stainless pot that you can put a gallon of dirt in and only fill it a little over half full so you have lots of room to stir would be ideal.

Next year you could try the solar method, but that doesn't help you this winter. Cement mixer is ideal for doing lots, I used one and did 60 gallons in a half a day, this year. But I've did a lot on the stove in the past, and during the season when I needed more.

Never mind the cast iron skillet because I found one. Also I am planning now to use a propane burner.

X2

Offhand, isn't the rule not to exceed 200

Well someone said they did that for their oven

Bee's wax and paraffin wax both melt at under 160°F. Water boils at 212°F. No need to going extensive temperatures, only results in scoulded or burnt wax . For safety, ensure your dirt/sand is dry before adding wax to the mix.

If you buy wax from one of the trapping supply vendors you can probably ask them for instructions on the temperature & other methods for how to make wax dirt

Does it need to be stored in a airtight container?