I crumple up wax paper & then lay it flat. I don't feel it is noisy.

Same here, never had an issue with peat under the pan preventing firing. All my land traps are night-latched so that probably helps.

I always felt the crumpled wax paper lost its body when it got wet in the seams. I like a course dirt and screen for drainage but that’s just my take on why. I’ve seen fine dirt hold moisture on top of the pans like flour and water in the early mornings I try to avoid that. Tom Miranda was big on hamburger papers so they must work and probably less prone to contamination if kept in a jar or container. Screens need a good cleaning and hung out before using them. I like the way screen drapes over a MJ pan like a cupcake cup minus the wrinkles.

Tied buckwheat hulls but you can’t cover them before they blow away here most days. LOL

coffee filters pack easy - never trimmed them, ripped slit for dog and likely not needed. Crumpled up wax paper and just carried roll and ripped piece on site - with it and filters liked bigger piece than trap and sifting always covered excess. Large piece always prevented soil migration from under the pan like I have seen with rain and polyfill.

Poly fill does ok in thicker soils with no freezing moisture. tried the metal screen also before and liked it the least

Cute Wade, lol. I just put them in a book or what not so they get flat, then lay the whole thing over the top of the trap, if your trap is worth a flip it can jump through a coffee filter to make the catch.