Hay sets

[lyonch]

I have been researching this set a lot lately and noticed that some people bed there traps and some don't. I am curious if those of you who have used this set, what you did. I am looking at giving this one a try once the snow flys here. I can see the eye appeal and effectiveness of it even in an open field, but need a few more specifics. There seems to be so many different variations of this set that its almost impossible to mess it up.

[Tim Anderson]

I used to use the small square hay bales and place them in a alphalfa field or bean stubble. By the time i was done with work the ground was frozen so i used two methods for bedding my traps.
I would get some hayledge from the hay loft and put in pails and then use this for bedding and covering the traps. The other method was to take a hachet and just chip out enough frozen soil to get the trap to sit flat and not rock back and fourth. When done it would look like a mound set to help keep the trap dry..I would place two traps on oppisite corners and place a stick with some call lure on top of the bail in the center. One trapp would get a squirt of fox urine just above it on the bail and the other trap would get a piece of bait placed under the corner of the bail... Fox know there areas pretty well and when a hay balil was placed in the middle of a field they would notice it right away.. Incase you run short on hay bails you can use a small size tree branch but will be required to dig a hole to hold it in the up right position. Set a trap there and put a call lure on top of the branch and if need punch a small hole for bait..

[lyonch]

So did you still use a pan cover then before covering the trap? I would think that it would help the catch area a bit on the trap and give a little insurance to a more gurantee fire. Did you always place your stakes ahead of time in the location, run drags, or drive that rebar in the mid of winter?

[Tim Anderson]

I used the screen pan covers and made sure i only used the leafy part of the hay and picked out any big stems that fell in the pan area or between jaws. The stakes where pounded into the frozen soil, 12" stakes were used but if you have coyotes around 2' would be needed. The stakes where placed under the corner of bail along with extra chain.. I willbe makeing a few sets here in a few days and i'll try to get some pic's posted..

[lyonch]

Pics would be great!! I know location is key like it is with everything else, but it seems as though you can put this set in an open field and attract fox that way as well. I think as long as you put it in a visible area it should attract them.

[LeviM]

That sounds like a lot of work, and we all know how hard you work. I think the fox and coyotes are safe!!!!

[Tim Anderson]

Yes the main thing is to have fox around... Its actually an easey set to make and takecare of dureing the winter plus if you get alot of snow you can still find the haybail and youre traps.
In the center of a field or 100 yds out from a grove of trees is a good place to make it..
Since you are already trapping you may have caught a few skunks already, if so place one on top of haybail and after a few good cold nites just take a axe and and give the skunk a good hit in the scent gland area. The skunk can also be used alone as a flat set, with skunk laying on its side place a trap next to the belly and between front and back legs, there is kind of a half moon area where you want the trap to lay in and just use hayledge for bedding..

[Coyotehunter]

Ogorman has a set he talks about............if not hoof beats then his fox book. you can bet the trap in manure as well (dried) and brought to the set location. spread straw over the set. You always want to bed the trap, the straw would be the cover.

[Tim Anderson]

I have not been able to get any straw bales at the moument but did get time to put in two sets. The ground was a little muddy so i just dug out a small bowl for the trap to bed in and filled it with hayledge and bedded the trap and covered.

[Prairie Ghost]

Non targets in your country are going to be a problem with that set and if any thieves catch on you can lose you whole line in a weekend. I think the set has some merit but does have some real downsides.

Tim you can set that close to a visible carcass in MN of that size?

[Tim Anderson]

Tim you can set that close to a visible carcass in MN of that size?

Yes, you can if the carcass is covered with some dirt, grass or cornstalks. As for the haybale set used this time of year i don't see much of a chance of catching non-targeted animals since most are denned up for most of the winter.. Usually later in the winter i would run out of dry dirt or could'nt keep it dry and haveing the sets freeze in also..With the haybale set used in conjuction with the hayledge as bedding i can keep my trapps working longer and i don't have to chop a trap bed out of frozen ground... When i got my share of fur out of a section i can load the bale up and pull the traps and just move on to the next best area.. I never had problems with trap theft on a haybale set, too far for them to walk i guess..LOL But it could happen if they wanted them bad enough..
In the second pic. there is a skunk carcass buried on that set to the left..
I had to pull my traps the other day due to going on a hunting trip tommorrow and also because i have two stray dogs that are working the creek and fence lines and i don't want them caught in my traps in the open for others to see.. The dogs willbe delt with shortly when i return from my trip.

[Tbush]

neat stuff never used hay just dry dirt or total snow coverings there is a trick to using snow to bed and cover your traps so it don't get hard

[lyonch]

there is a trick to using snow to bed and cover your traps so it don't get hard

You can't leave a fella hanging like that Tbush Whats the secret I need to know

[1Shooter]

there is a trick to using snow to bed and cover your traps so it don't get hard

You can't leave a fella hanging like that Tbush Whats the secret I need to know

I'm sure you've heard of this before, but I've heard of people sprinkling table salt in the dirt around the set - supposed to help keep it from freezing the ground? Just what I've heard, havn't gotten to try it yet...

[Prairie Ghost]

Tim i was referring to deer liking the hay not non-target furbears.