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Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Yes sir] #8341248
02/13/25 04:35 PM
02/13/25 04:35 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Midland, MI.
Seldom Offline
trapper
Seldom  Offline
trapper

Joined: Mar 2007
Midland, MI.
Originally Posted by Yes sir
I use a 3" masonry chisel

THIS^^^^

I also used a 3” masonry chisel and I found it was a little easier if I drilled some 1” holes a couple inches deep with a masonry bit before using the chisel. Lined the bed with waxed sand then pegged the traps rock solid with 2- #14 x 2-7/8” TORX Timber Screws with the extra wide heads so I didn’t have a concern about a stable trap. Over the years I tried a bunch of different methods but this was the very best for me whenever I had to make sets in frozen clay.

Last edited by Seldom; 02/13/25 04:37 PM.

"A few want to know WHY, the majority appear to be satisfied just knowing HOW!"
Youtube Channel- SeldomFales
Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341282
02/13/25 05:37 PM
02/13/25 05:37 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
South Dakota
T
TravC Offline
"MCnasty"
TravC  Offline
"MCnasty"
T

Joined: Mar 2007
South Dakota
Get a hammer drill with a chisel bit and 3 batterys.


There i said it....
Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341296
02/13/25 06:01 PM
02/13/25 06:01 PM
Joined: Jan 2013
sw iowa
Outlaw99 Offline
trapper
Outlaw99  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2013
sw iowa
Milwaukee M18 FUEL SDS Plus Rotary Hammer, Tool Only, 1in. Chuck, 2 Ft./Lbs., 1330 RPM, 4800 BPM, Model# 2912-20

This, with a few chisel bits. 1 concrete drill bit to pre drill for earth anchors, another bigger one for the occasion when I want to dig a dirt hole.

Last edited by Outlaw99; 02/13/25 06:02 PM.

Not everyone likes me, but not everyone matters
Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341349
02/13/25 06:59 PM
02/13/25 06:59 PM
Joined: Nov 2012
Frazee, MN
B
backroadsarcher Offline
trapper
backroadsarcher  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Nov 2012
Frazee, MN
I use a cheap hatchet. But here we know its coming so some trap beds are dug in before we get frozen ground.

Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341475
02/13/25 09:08 PM
02/13/25 09:08 PM
Joined: Oct 2011
Idaho
B
bearcat2 Offline
trapper
bearcat2  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Oct 2011
Idaho
Pulaski. Some guys do use a rotary hammer, I've never tried it, but from what I hear it works fairly well, just keep your mouth closed and eyes squinted (same goes for a Pulaski in frozen clay) because there will be chips of frozen clay flying everywhere. I've never cared for the mess when chipping/chopping out frozen trap beds, but not too much you can do about it. Fill the bed with waxed sand and cover the trap with the same, and then very lightly blend. You can often drive earth anchors in frozen ground (with a lot of swings) but you aren't pulling them until it thaws. Drags or chaining off to a tree works much better.

If you get enough snow to set in, that is much easier. As Tramp says, put wax paper under, bed trap, put wax paper over.

Personally I don't care for any type of antifreeze when setting in frozen ground, coyotes and wolves both seem to avoid that wet spot the antifreeze leaves. Maybe it doesn't bother fox, I've not tried it around them.

Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341482
02/13/25 09:15 PM
02/13/25 09:15 PM
Joined: Jan 2019
North central Iowa
B
Bob_Iowa Offline
trapper
Bob_Iowa  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Jan 2019
North central Iowa
Hammer with a chipping part welded to the back.

Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341488
02/13/25 09:21 PM
02/13/25 09:21 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Rodney,Ohio
SNIPERBBB Offline
trapper
SNIPERBBB  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Rodney,Ohio
Word of caution when chipping out frozen trap beds...eye protection is a good idea.

Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Bob_Iowa] #8341489
02/13/25 09:23 PM
02/13/25 09:23 PM
Joined: Jan 2017
Marion Kansas
Y
Yes sir Offline
trapper
Yes sir  Offline
trapper
Y

Joined: Jan 2017
Marion Kansas
The great thing about a chisel is it's not a big mess with chunks flying everywhere. Just cut the bed exactly the size and depth you want. Less bedding material because u can better control the size of bed. Blends better for same reason and for me it actually seems like less work than othe methods. Got the idea from Jameson when he was out here.

Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341654
02/14/25 12:24 AM
02/14/25 12:24 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Umatilla County, Oregon
C
crossfox21 Offline
trapper
crossfox21  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Jan 2007
Umatilla County, Oregon
Forget digging. Hay sets

Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341668
02/14/25 01:16 AM
02/14/25 01:16 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
49th State
M
mad_mike Online content
trapper
mad_mike  Online Content
trapper
M

Joined: Jan 2008
49th State
Originally Posted by Vinke
How do you do it?

Under special permit I can use conventional sets for trapping coyotes.
The ground I am setting is clay and road bedding that is hard as a rock.

I chipped 5 sets in, but it sucked,,,,, to much work ……

Thought about bringing a torch next time to melt the top couple of inches…

I did experiment with 2 above ground sets, but they consumed a lot of my mixed dirt…

Thanks

Love

Vinke


Step 1. Find a spot that has frozen tracks.
Step 2. Chop a bed deep enough to set your tiny little trap in the lowest spot that you figure the filthy dog will work its feet into. I like chopping it out with a hatchet. Makes my elbow talk to me.
Step 3. Cover the trap with the absolute minimum that you can blend it in with, because it’s either going to snow or freeze your trap out of commission within 3 hours of leaving it, or it’s going to rain and turn everything into grey ice and you won’t get your trap out of there until May, maybe.

Rinse and repeat until success.

Tried waxed sand, waxed paper, waxed grass even. That stuff just freezes into the same unmovable blob as the rest.

Keep us informed of what works for ya, eh?

Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341680
02/14/25 01:50 AM
02/14/25 01:50 AM
Joined: Dec 2024
North Pole, Alaska
Husky Offline
trapper
Husky  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2024
North Pole, Alaska
I’ve been using trees, brush, and the occasional drag.

Sometimes I’ll chop a hole into the ice and then put a steel bar with a chain tied to the center into the hole to create a T-shape with the bar on the bottom of the hole and the chain extending out to hold the trap in place. I caught a lynx using this type of set on the edge of a frozen pond.

Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341681
02/14/25 01:53 AM
02/14/25 01:53 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Moved to Fbks, Ak.
M
martentrapper Offline
trapper
martentrapper  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Dec 2006
Moved to Fbks, Ak.
Wa. or Az.?

Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341710
02/14/25 05:16 AM
02/14/25 05:16 AM
Joined: Dec 2024
North Pole, Alaska
Husky Offline
trapper
Husky  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2024
North Pole, Alaska
AK! grin

Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341718
02/14/25 06:09 AM
02/14/25 06:09 AM
Joined: Jun 2016
Michigan
T
Trapper Dahlgren Offline
trapper
Trapper Dahlgren  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Jun 2016
Michigan
I gave up, tried it all, nothing works good enough to keep trying, salt the deer set of all my traps, and traps rusted so bad, only set that work some was a hay set

Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: MikeTraps2] #8341723
02/14/25 06:47 AM
02/14/25 06:47 AM
Joined: Jan 2012
Ohio
OhioBoy Offline
trapper
OhioBoy  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2012
Ohio
So how long do you leave a yote set sitting before you get discouraged and move it or give up? I mean do you expect to see something within a couple weeks usually? If you don't you just let it keep going? How long? Maybe its more of a patience game than I realize?

p.s. Mattock tool is supposed to be pretty handy has anyone tried one of those?



Originally Posted by MikeTraps2
I have adapted Major Boddicker's method of using salted sand and the cheapest 1 gallon Ziploc type bags, usually store band. I get sand at Lowe's I just use the play sand, livestock salt 10 part sand to 1 salt.. Either chip out a bed or just find a depression, low spot etc. add salted sand, put trap in bag, I use 4 coiled #3, bed in the sand, cover with the salted sand, I usually blend it in a but, but have caught with no blending.

I had and ADC job last winter, homeowner was checking sets for me. I put in sets, three days later it snowed 12 inches, then 5 days later another 12 inches of snow, then it drop below zero for 10 days. Then a week later it rained and melted. I never remade or relured the sets, and homeowner didn't see nay coyotes on his security cameras (which is why he called me to begin with as he has 2 small dogs). Left sets for 2 more weeks, then caught two coyotes 3 days apart.

I have also chopped out beds, find a hatchet works well for that, then poured in salt or calcium chloride to soften bed and made set the next day after it had softened up.


Last edited by OhioBoy; 02/14/25 08:34 AM.
Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341727
02/14/25 07:04 AM
02/14/25 07:04 AM
Joined: Aug 2013
Firth, Nebraska
jabNE Offline
trapper
jabNE  Offline
trapper

Joined: Aug 2013
Firth, Nebraska
I have an old rail road pick that I use to hack out beds in frozen ground here.
I can drive rebar into frozen ground with a good sledge, once you get a foot or so down they go in easier. Cross stake for when things thaw out they hold better.
I don’t mess with dirt holes in frozen ground.

A bent over cornstalk, trap bedded in from of it, and I smear bait or lure on end of the stalk that is bent over and pointing at the bed.


In bean fields I kick a pile of bean chaffe into a small pile. Bed in front of the pile and bait goes under the pile on trap side.

A piece of wood block with a hole drilled in one end is a good bait or lure holder too.

Jim


Money cannot buy you happiness, but it can buy you a trapping license and that's pretty close.
Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8341790
02/14/25 09:02 AM
02/14/25 09:02 AM
Joined: Jan 2018
Henry Co, IL
3
3togo Offline
trapper
3togo  Offline
trapper
3

Joined: Jan 2018
Henry Co, IL
I use the chisel method, but if you want to invest in the drill/battery/bit method that would work also.

If you go chisel method you can kind of outline the edge of the trap bed first and get just about a perfect fit when placing the trap. I use a 4lb hammer. Antifreeze in the bottom and around edges after placing the trap before covering. If you don't go plastic bag method definitely use some type of antifreeze mix for the covering.

Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8342563
02/15/25 02:31 AM
02/15/25 02:31 AM
Joined: Oct 2011
Idaho
B
bearcat2 Offline
trapper
bearcat2  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Oct 2011
Idaho
Ohioboy,
Maddox and Pulaski are different names for the same tool. My dad always calls them a Maddox so that is what I grew up calling them. But wildland fire fighters and a lot of people who work in the woods call them a Pulaski after the guy who designed them. Worked and been around enough people who call them a Pulaski that I use the two words interchangeably now, often calling them by both names in the same sentence.

Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8342574
02/15/25 06:58 AM
02/15/25 06:58 AM
Joined: Feb 2011
alberta
S
spjones Offline
trapper
spjones  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Feb 2011
alberta
I use a splitting maul to chip out trap beds and pound rebar stakes

Use the grey pipe instead of digging holes

Steel screen pan cover/Wax dirt of course


Last edited by spjones; 02/15/25 07:07 AM.
Re: Frozen ground trappers? [Re: Vinke] #8342593
02/15/25 07:51 AM
02/15/25 07:51 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Northern Illinois
M
MChewk Offline
trapper
MChewk  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Dec 2006
Northern Illinois
Is there snow on the ground? Or do you have grasses, weeds, chaff?

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