Hello,
I just purchased my first set of traps, Duke #4's. So from what Youtube videos and forums Ive read, human scent is a touchy subject. Everything I have is new because I couldn't find anything used to start out. So my question is my field bag, hammer, gloves, boots, etc, how do I remove human scent?? I know people use farms and walk in the woods, but where's the line in the sand with human scent? I'd like to make the best sets possible for a beginner, and know I will make mistakes, but would also like to not get but so discouraged starting out. Thanks!!

I don’t think it possible to remove human scent 100%. Just keep it to a minimum.

Welcome to the forum!!! I'm not the most experienced but here's my two cents: For traps you want to dye & wax them (or speed dip if you want to) and that will get rid of the smell. You probably don't need to worry about your hammer unless it's the kind you use for digging your trap bed. Gloves, well, you could wash them with Wildlife Research Center scent killer laundry detergent and that would probably take care of it. Boots, just spray em down with scent killer gold or whatever you use for deer. I have also been wondering what is ok and what will scare critters away when it comes to scent, but I think I've been sort of figuring it out as I go, and honestly I think that might be the best way.
Good luck and tight chains!

and what Crappiekiller said is true too. You're not going to be able to remove it completely

Just degrease your traps and set. They will develop a patina of rust that will make them take dye/dip better in the off season. Don’t handle traps with gloves that you have used to place lure,bait,and urine. Set your traps and have fun. What part of VA are you in?

I personally wouldn’t worry about human scent on the trap. Just try not to get lure on the trap. I would wipe away footprints though.

Oh Goodness. Where to start???

1. It sounds like you’ve never trapped anything. Ever. Get in touch with your state Trapper’s association and see they can line you up with someone who can help you.
2. Just because it’s on YouTube/the internet, doesn’t make it gospel or true. I wash off the grease in a bucket of warm water and Dawn. Just like washing dishes. Rinse. Let dry. This is the basic getting rid of oil and dirt formula. But after that it’s a matter of the time you have; what you want to catch; where you’ll store your equipment, etc.
3. I wouldn’t worry about my hammer being dirty or scented. My go-to methods of catching are to use DPs for coon and skunks, snares for coon, Fox, coyotes, and beavers; 110-330 bodygrips for muskrats, coon, otters and beavers; and 1 1/2 coils set under water at muskrat houses.
4. Everything gets dipped in cold dye or spray painted.
5. I really don’t worry about scent control as I wear vinyl coated gardening gloves except when water trapping. Then I wear rubber/vinyl coated gloves to stay dry.

Seriously, find someone who can SHOW YOU what trapping is all about.

If you have brand new traps just pressure wash them and set them . They need some rust on them to accept dye that you can learn about next year. While setting especially for canines just have all your stuff together and dont linger at the set too long. Use a kneeling pad or a burlap sack get in and get out. Good luck

Dont worry about the kneeling pad or burlap, just something else to lug around. Critters are going to know you have been there no matter what you do. Go trap and enjoy yourself.

….run your new traps through the dishwasher with soap for a cycle… then again with no soap


… set them outside… they will develop a light coat of rust…. At that point wax them

… then you’ll be ready to go

… if your worried about equipment like hammer and sifter … just rinse them off

.. I make sets with rubber coated palm gloves… doubt it helps but is what I’ve always done


… welcome to the forum … learn and share your trapping experiences…. And keep things as heterosexual as possible

what are you trapping with # 4's?

That's what I was wondering too.

These guys gave you a bunch of great information.

Being careful not to contaminate your set by getting bait and lure anywhere but where is supposed to be is key.

Welcome to the club!! In two years you will understand what everyone said. It takes time, keep at it. Try anything. What works for you might not work for someone else......jk

Depending on age that pad maybe a necessity.

I’d just wash the oil off and set, if going for beaver I’ve set them dirty but I don’t recommend that.

I put brand new traps in the dishwasher to degrease them without detergent. They come out dry as a bone without any grease or detergent smell. I then dip them one at a time in hot trap wax and leave them in a while to heat the trap up to the temperature of the hot wax, then pull them out. They need to look like you dipped them in gasoline when you pull them out, If they don't, the wax will end up looking caked with wax. You don't want that. Put the trap back in hot wax for longer before pulling them out.
By the end of the season, the traps that you set will be rusty and ready for excepting the dye and wax for next season.

The only time that you will have trouble with less that 100% scent control will be with a coyote which has been pinched by a trap.
Unless your goal is to catch every last coyote in a certain area, don't worry about that one that won't get within 10 feet of where you have a trap set. Target the uneducated ones.
That ole 3-toe will die of old age and the world will be shud of him soon enough.

Every year, I wash everything down including tools - trap box and boots. With Dawn dish detergent. Air everything out several days or a couple weeks.

Then when you dye your traps , I throw my tools in the dye also and dump the dye in my trap box. The day before setting traps I give my tools and boots a dry dirt bath.

After washing everything with Dawn , Don't touch anything bare handed after that !!.

Htnbuks, you didn't say what you were going to be trapping.

Land trapping - conflicting opinions of human scent ... Human and metal scent is everywhere from backyards to farm pastures to forests. Animals are accustomed to both scents and can smell better than humans can. Others say scent must be eliminated period or at least minimized. Only your experience can determine which camp you'll be in.

Traps - remove grease and oil by whatever method you find works best for you. You can put bare traps in the ground and they'll work. Here in the north we get freeze and thaw conditions so it's common to use some kind of antifreeze, so traps are best protected from oxidation. I personally use paint, but speed dip and dye/wax all work to protect traps. If using any kind of wax, remember, wax gathers surrounding scents from wherever they are stored including human scents.
Cable restraints, I paint to preserve and camo. Some use boiling in baking soda to give a dull finish; but I don't like removing all the oil out of the interior of the cable.
Best I can advise is try to minimize scent But I don't go out of my way to eliminate it.

I wear chaps more for protection than scent control, but other very successful trappers have use ground tarps to keep scent down I won't fill the truck and snowmobiles in my trapping boots.

Water trapping - I don't do much. Again I paint my traps to protect them from rust and attempt to camouflage there shapes. Submerged sets underwater in flowing water, I personally believe scent is washed away shortly after the trap is in the water.

All the advise given by others is indeed valid also.
Just my thinking, your mileage will very. The animals will tell you what they want. Set directly on sign and do what you have confidence in!

Coyote

Close to Martinsville

Can you set a #4 on land in Virginia?