Fox problem

[two j farm]

I keep all my live traps outside, so they smell like outside.
Kept in a building they will smell like what ever else you keep in the building...exhast, oil, laundry soap..Whatever. i have never caught a fox in a live trap.
I have caught quite a few in leg holds and those i wax. I dont get trapping wax, i use parifin.
To our poster,,i wish you luck with your fox. A secure coop and run is your best defense. The hot wire is a good idea but will not work on all preditors.
Hawks fly over it and a weasel goes under unharmed.
If there is a flaw in your setup, the next preditor will find it and show you where you failed.
I have lived this senerio over and over again.
Everything eats chicken!

Thanks I have never had anything in the coop but a possum a few years back. Im losing my birds when they free range, but now that I have lost one no more free ranging for awhile.

 

[two j farm]

im in LA too and just shot a possum in the coop night before last. Thank goodness no one was injured or taken. I like the elec fence but im also wantn to learn to trap because i back up to an overgrown old horse pasture and the predators run deep. @A_Fowl_Guy id love to learn more if you have the time you could PM me to keep from hi-jacking this thread unless two j doesnt mind?

I don't mind. I'd love to hear more too

 

[Howard E]

Sure, go nuts if you think it helps, I was just sitting here trying to reason through it in mind, and thought you might have just been carrying the waxing prep over from coil and long spring trap to cage traps because of a misunderstanding, or a misunderstanding of someone else who taught you, or something else.

But anyway the typical reason to wax coil spring and long spring traps is they are bedded in the ground and/or placed under water, so the wax helps prolong the life of the trap, particularly the springs, and maybe to a lesser extent if keeps the trap pans and dogs firing well.

I think in the boiling, dying and waxing process of trap prep, the boiling is what really removes the scent.

To elaborate on what OhZark suggests, new metal traps, such as coil springs, some DP's, body grips, etc. typically leave the factory as bare metal, and to keep them from rusting while in shipping and storage are dipped in light oil before being shipped from the factory.. New traps are then boiled to remove the oil.....and then after boiled, to keep the mechanisms on these bare metal (carbon steel) traps from rusting, are then dipped in hot melted wax...(and left in hot wax long enough to heat up so when you remove it and hang it over the pot, all the excess wax drips off leaving a very thin coat over the entirety of it). Some will also dye them first before waxing. But the main purpose of the wax is as a rust preventative.....surface rust on the trap itself and inside the trigger mechanisms. With no rust, they fire quicker and smoother.

Most live traps are made from galvanized steel and wire and thus are not boiled to remove oil, are not prone to rusting and don't need to be waxed. Some DP traps, like the Dukes, are powder coated at the factory and don't need to be boiled or waxed either.

For years, folks have been buying live traps, setting them the same day and catching varmints in them, so not sure the scent issue is valid.

PS: For removing the oil from new traps, instead of boiling them in a big pot of water, I use Purple Power degreaser sold in the automotive section at Walmart. Put new trap in bottom of a 5 gallon plastic bucket, cover with 50:50 mix of PP straight from the jug and then add boiling water. Let soak about 10 to 15 minutes, remove and rinse with a garden hose.

We now return to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[Howard E]

BTW, for those wanting to try their hand at using the various metal foot hold traps, dp's, etc, an alternative to the traditional boiling and use of hot dip into trap wax, a speedy alternative that should work for most BYC members is to take a new trap and give it the initial dunk and and rinse in Purple Power to get the worst of the grease / oil off, then run them through your home dishwasher......normal hot wash cycle and use the dry feature too.

Then simply dunk them in this stuff......

https://www.homedepot.com/p/ZEP-1-G...PIPHorizontal2_rr-_-100619264-_-202860171-_-N

No heating, no boiling, no nothing......just pour some out into a cheap 1 gallon plastic bucket....give the traps a quick dunk of a few seconds, then slowly pull them up.....and hang them up on an outside fence to dry......maybe 24 hours or so. You are then good to go.

 

[Gamefowl22]

To elaborate on what OhZark suggests, new metal traps, such as coil springs, some DP's, body grips, etc. typically leave the factory as bare metal, and to keep them from rusting while in shipping and storage are dipped in light oil before being shipped from the factory.. New traps are then boiled to remove the oil.....and then after boiled, to keep the mechanisms on these bare metal (carbon steel) traps from rusting, are then dipped in hot melted wax...(and left in hot wax long enough to heat up so when you remove it and hang it over the pot, all the excess wax drips off leaving a very thin coat over the entirety of it). Some will also dye them first before waxing. But the main purpose of the wax is as a rust preventative.....surface rust on the trap itself and inside the trigger mechanisms. With no rust, they fire quicker and smoother.

Most live traps are made from galvanized steel and wire and thus are not boiled to remove oil, are not prone to rusting and don't need to be waxed. Some DP traps, like the Dukes, are powder coated at the factory and don't need to be boiled or waxed either.

For years, folks have been buying live traps, setting them the same day and catching varmints in them, so not sure the scent issue is valid.

PS: For removing the oil from new traps, instead of boiling them in a big pot of water, I use Purple Power degreaser sold in the automotive section at Walmart. Put new trap in bottom of a 5 gallon plastic bucket, cover with 50:50 mix of PP straight from the jug and then add boiling water. Let soak about 10 to 15 minutes, remove and rinse with a garden hose.

We now return to your regularly scheduled programming.

How often do you have to redo the traps after making a catch?

 

[OhZark Biddies]

On using the ZEP product, I've never used it, but the HD link lists the scent as "ammonical" which suggests ammonia an ammonia smell... so I'm probably out right there....

The list of ingredients, can be found here:
https://www.zep.com/product/zepcommercial/high-traffic-floor-finish

Key Ingredients:
DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL METHYL ETHER
dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether 2-(2-ETHOXYETHOXY)-ETHANOL
diethylene glycol monoethyl ether
ethoxydiglycol

...based on those ingredients I think I'd be a bit concerned about corrosiveness too.

I've had enough dig ups from canines because I got sloppy with scent on my gloves/hands... I wouldn't want anything extra scent wise. I suppose for coons, etc, it'd be fine, but for fox and coyote, I think I'd be concerned.

But I prep traps with a friend, and the boil/dye/wax process, is a nice relaxing chore and provides a time to discuss trapping, inspect equipment, plan, etc.... so I'm not really looking for any alternatives to the traditional logwood dye and trap wax.... so maybe the zep is a solution looking for a problem sort of thing for me... it might be something that works for others?

 

[Howard E]

The ZEP floor wax product is said to be identical to the Full Metal Jacket dip sold by all the trapping supply houses and on Amazon. And $16 to $17 per gallon at Lowes or HD vs. $26 to $27, plus shipping from those places. Dips, like the FMJ are easy to use and effective, and considering the number of guys using it and folks selling it, it must work for them.

I don't have or use coil spring traps, so not a concern of mine. On DP's, etc, coons don't seem to object to my handling of the trash can where I store the cat food, so not too concerned about those.

For traditional guys like you, guys who have the experience and prefer to dye and use a traditional wax on their traps (and know how to do it), I would not attempt to talk you out of it. But for at lot of BYC folks who don't trap on a regular basis, it may be the better option. Certainly a cheaper and easier option. Put both options out there and let them decide?

 

[OhZark Biddies]

The ZEP floor wax product is said to be identical to the Full Metal Jacket dip ..... But for at lot of BYC folks who don't trap on a regular basis, it may be the better option. Certainly a cheaper and easier option. Put both options out there and let them decide?

ahhh, I got ya ....

Yeah FMJ is generally used for foothold and conibear/kill traps for water trapping (and I guess dog proofs) ...

I don't wax kill traps (makes them slippery and even more dangerous than they already are) ... and I don't use dog proofs....

So I think you're probably right in that this would be a good option for those situations.

edit: maybe I'll try it for my kill traps if I do any water trapping next year

 

[Gamefowl22]

I’ll take that as a “ I have no idea since I’ve never once used them”.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

....Put both options out there and let them decide?

So I posted earlier quickly, just as I scooted out the door, and then was on the road for several hours mulling this over for part of the time...

This tangent we’re off on now, arose because of a trap prep recommendation that just didn’t hold square with the logic of why...

The more I think about the non trapping chicken keeper treating dog proofs or foot holds with FMJ of ZEP ... or even wax... the more I wonder: Why?

I think all of this thought of prep treatment of traps is getting carried forward without understanding the reasoning these practices became “traditional”.

The short of it is that the chicken keeper wanting to put a stop to predation issues just isn’t exposing their equipment to the elements enough to warrant wax, zep, fmj, or anything else. These treatments are to protect the investment of steel mostly, and maybe to some extent to keep them firing well... in for example freezing conditions, etc.

My recommendation to the average non trapping chicken keeper is the same as your own.... build a coop and run that precludes chicken eaters from chicken eating.

But we both know that folks won’t do this... so they’ll turn to traps...

so for these folks I say buy this ( thinking out loud ... feed back welcome):
- a game camera
- one large cage style live trap
- 2 dog proof canister type traps
- two 1-1/2 sized coil spring traps
- two 1-3/4 sized coil spring traps ( if coyotes are an issue)

And then prep the DPs and coil springs as such:

1- wash traps with Hot soapy water
2- rinse in hot hot water
3- Spray with vinager to “break” the surface
4- let set for a few days to rust a bit
5- rinse ( or not)
6- hang in a shed and wait for chicken eater to show

I really dont think much more is required, if we’re thinking about recommendations for the non-trapping chicken keeper as far as trap prep and predator readiness

I’ve got some thoughts about “stupid simple” sets, using the equipment list mentioned above to catch common chicken eaters...but maybe for now we just think about trap prep.

I don’t think we’d cause much “havoc” if we asked Gamefowl22 to comment about what the basic chicken keeper trap prep recommendation would be also? But maybe that’s not his style? I’m not here to kiss his backside... but I suspect he might have some good thoughts and suggestions... even if helping the uninformed isn’t his thing.

Ultimately, I think there is likely some basic info that can be delivered to the brand new chicken keeper that has not been done so far... and maybe put a rest to some of the misinformation