Been strugglen with pan covers and educating vermin. My traps are rock solid but when they step on jaws there toe and claws flex or move screen. Early season before freeze thaw I use dirt and no problems. Been trying to keep screen under jaws while bedding but fight the big flex over pan. Dont want the hassle of wax dirt and know that would be good solution. Someone post pic of rubber band over levers to hold down screen allowing the use of peatmoss and grass clippings. Do you feel rubber band odor would be a issue?

Been using the rubber band use for many years now. No issues with odor that I can see.

Can you show me what you mean when using it to hold the screen?

What kind of screen are you using? I’m guessing the thin stuff if it bows up. I got mine from Keg’s Creek and NO BS and that stuff doesn’t bow up at all.

https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/6969262/mb-550-custom-steel-screen-pan-cover
Hope this works.

I am trying where screen will be under jaw. My screen came from HD and is medium stiff.

…. I know it’s not your question but polyfill works with less hassle

Make your screens bigger and tuck em under the loose jaw and you wont need the rubber bands.

I'm assuming your just lightly covering the screen with grass clippings or ground duff like what's done in the pipe dream set and using the screen to hold it up so it looks like a flat level place to step? If this is the case my question would be how do you know they are accidentally moving the screen when they step on the jaws instead of knowing something is up and intentionally moving the screen? Similar action as when u are using dirt and have a digger. If it's the latter and they are on to u, the rubber band isn't going to fix the problem. I've tried the pipe dream style of covering traps and understand in certain weather conditions it's a good option, but here in my area it will sure enough decrease your catch rate compared to using dirt and adequately freeze proofing your set for the given conditions. But I might not be understanding your situation and problem so this might not apply to the op

Im out of wax dirt and dont want the hassle of making more. To many people talking about polyfill freezing and dont need anything inside trap that can freeze.

Thats what I do but still bows up and have tried shaping screen not working.

Might not work in some areas, but with inches of rain in the forecast it’s the only set working…provided it’s like the pipe dream set way of bedding. Stiff screen lays flat, if it’s not stiff it will buckle.
If your screen is moving, then you don’t have stiff enough screen or have it under the jaws correctly. Caught plenty of critters with screen during those Spring rains.

Iv delt with racoon diggers and dont seem the same. What appears is paw goes straight down on jaw and couple toes fall through ID of trap. Dont know if screen moving or toes inside trap never hitting solid ground spook then. That is usually all I see is one jaw step and center of screen showing because less material there. I agree hard to beat good wax dirt set but I need to work this out. And also going to start placing set deeper and adding more peat, grass clippings. Also loose much eye appeal with this set not seeing dough out dirt. Makes for locating set difficult.

It needs to extend last the jaws. On nondigless traps punching the dog through the screen helps keeps that side down.

If all your worried about is stuff getting under the pan and not the kill area expansion...I use blue shop towels.

Oh another thing...if you're having the screen popping up when the animals stepping on the edges, you don't have enough dirt/peat on top.

Thats what Im thinking. Was trying to keep thin incase getting water logged. Had 14" snow with 1" ice. Ground under snow must insulate because it is mud in low spots. Now high of 13Fand not sure when will be able to reset. guys from MO not use to dealing with these conditions.

Welcome to my world

Check out this video from Dale Billingsley on wire screen covers.

https://youtu.be/ULboofLjBmQ?si=JK_wQ2ry96m4AAzF

[video:youtube]https://youtu.be/kEYrW3OoFp4?si=rvJ3erEXA_WzGxqa[/video]

Skip to about 4:30. Takes a little work, but I like to tinker, and they work really well for me. This is a tip I got from Hern on Tman.

I like Dales videos and have seen. Im running Bridger dogless and MB550s and about how setting screen under jaw. Not able to find screen as stiff as he uses but next order will try the NO BS screen.