Post by backwoodsman68 on Aug 6, 2010 23:52:49 GMT -5
My firewood set is just a quick way of doing/making a dirthole. I like 3'-6' of chain, a piece of firewood aired out about 8"-12" across by 18"-24" long or so. Thinner it is longer you want it and vice versa. Theres no set dimensions but you want it heavy and bulky enough a yote etc can run too far with it. Ive found 8"-10" thick to be about right unless the ground is soft and I can bury a little of the bottom of the firewood in the set. If the backing/log is too tall the smarter fox and yote may avoid it. I use a heavy eye bolt in the wood to hold the trap chain. The firewood drag doubles as your backing. I just dig a standard dirthole most times right up tight to the firewood log. I like to hide the chain under the log. Its a pretty simple set. One word of warning, if you spray any lure or urine on the wood let it air out a season or so before you burn it in a house or at a weiner roast etc, trust me. If Im setting a baitpile on bare ground and fairly quickly to the day I put it out I like to make standard dirtholes and maybe a cubby or two sometimes a cache set or two also. I try to stay far enough away to eliminate non-target catch's. Maybe 8-10yards minimum. If theres snow where you can see the action and trails then I'll set the trails also plus a few dirtholes and cubby's. I like cubbys at these type of sets to try and nail the grey fox, coons, possum and skunks etc and "save" the dirtholes for reds and yotes. I gangset my baitpiles. Sometimes I'll have 15 to 20 traps in a 100 yard square. With the competition we have around here in "decent" price fur years you only get one shot at most critters. If your just "skimming the cream" so to speak it works better to gangset'em and thin'em quick and move on. Good Luck