You don’t hear about it too often in trapping circles these days, but the water set was a pretty popular one back in the day. I remember my uncle showing me this set when I’d started my trapping education. He’d probably read Arnold’s article on the set in Fur-Fish-Game magazine back when he was a kid, and used it many times on his backwoods traplines. You wouldn’t think foxes would be too excited about stepping in and around water to hunt for food, but hungry foxes will do a lot to get fed. Though it’s unconventional, the water set does have some advantages. The greatest upside is probably the fact that the set keeps working even with snow on the ground and the constant freeze-thaw cycle that messes with us dirt trappers. Short of a deep freeze or torrential downpour, the water set in a spring fed area stays working in most all conditions. Enjoy Walter Arnold’s article on the water set for fox. Who knows, you might find a spot on your line that lends itself perfectly to this old classic.
Water Trapping the Fox
First Published in Fur-Fish-Game October 1949
Walter Arnold
When used in the right type of country, the water set for fox is one of the real money making sets, and furbearers of many species are easy victims. To be sure, there are vast stretches of trapping grounds not adapted to this set, and then again, there are large areas where favorable places will be found for the making of these sets. Where there are plenty of hills, mountains and valleys, especially if there is more or less woodland, one should be able to locate springs, spring brooks, etc. during a season of average waterfall.
Now and then, a place will be found where the water does not run on the surface, but the wet ground will indicate to the expert that it is a spring hole, and a place is dug out around three feet wide and three or four feet long, and deep enough so the water will be about six inches deep. If this is done during the summer a new growth of vegetation and also falling leaves will have the place looking old and natural by trapping time.
Finding the Right Spots
Many trappers complain there are no suitable places for water sets on their traplines when many times it is just a case of their not knowing how and where to find water. Locating the best places is an art in itself, but after some experience, one will not find it such a difficult task. Some of the best springs will be places where the water breaks out of the ground and may run a few feet on the surface and then goes under ground, not to appear again. One must have a nose for water to hunt out such places. It is very easy to overlook such places, and I have traveled trails and old logging roads for years, never suspecting water was handy, and then some day get to chasing around and run into a peach of a water hole that had always been there, near where I had passed many times before.
These small spring holes are most desirable places, as it requires a real flood to put the set out of commission. Very small spring brooks will also stand a lot of rain. If the brook is too small and narrow, a place can be found where a chunk of wood or a couple of rocks, or whatever is handy, can be used to make a small dam to create a pool the right size. This work should be done in most cases a couple or three weeks before the set is to be made, so nature will have a chance to cover up all new signs.
Sets are also made in regular brooks, streams, rivers and even along the shores of ponds. However, the waves are likely to ruin many a set made in rivers or ponds. Then there are streams and rivers coming direct from power plants, and the water will be up a few hours and then down for a few hours. I know something about this nuisance, as I live right beside such a stream which rises about a foot every night, making it bad for any kind of water trapping.
Good springs are where one finds them, and must be made use of at those places, which in a way is unfortunate as many are not in good fox country. Sets in evergreen growth, thickets and swamps are not likely to produce any fox, but if there are fisher in the locality, they are likely to find these sets and the water set is one of the killingest sets made for fisher. They will also take raccoon, mink and if there are bobcats handy there will be one every now and then that will try to snatch the bait. The sets that will take foxes are the ones in open, hardwood growth, sometimes mixed growth, and I prefer the south side of a ridge to the north side. The nearer to farming country one is trapping the more foxes he is likely to take.
Keeping the Water Set Working in Winter
On traplines where the temperature drops to sub zero and there is a deep fall of snow during the winter, the water sets do not work very well. Here in northern Maine we take but few fox in this set after January 1st, and sometimes if the cold and snow comes early, the middle of December will find most of the sets being passed up. Most of the land furbearers do not care to take chances of wetting their feet when it is snapping cold. This along with a two foot snow bank above the set really puts the set on the blink.
A stunt some of us pull if we wish to keep using the set after the snow arrives is to get into the spring brook and wade to the set, and then with a small stick three or four feet long we’ll brush the snow off into the water for a distance of four or five feet along the bank and back from the bank a couple or three feet and on a slant, so that there will be very little snow along the bank. We do a good smooth job and in a day or so and sometimes within an hour, all looks natural. The warm water of the spring will soon melt the snow brushed in. now and then a fox will make a try for the bait in real cold weather under such conditions. It may sound strange to some when I speak of open water in sub-zero weather, but there are many good springs where there will be no ice at 45 below zero. No, the water set is not an all season set in country where the winters furnish plenty of cold and snow, but the sets will be in working order for a long time after the average run of dirt sets have been put out of order.
Traps and Drags
Select traps with a large pan and a wide jaw spread. The pan rivet should be tightened up so that squirrels, blue jays, etc., will not spring the traps. Number 2 and 3 traps are the popular sizes, and if bobcats are present, very strong traps should be used. The #2 Victor coil spring trap is not as large as some prefer, but is used a great deal as it has tremendous holding power. Now again, if bobcats or even fisher are likely to get into the sets, a three foot wooden clog should be used instead of a grapple. Many of us have learned this the hard way. A big ‘cat will go tearing through the woods dragging a grapple almost as fast as he would without the trap. I know because I have seen them do it. If one is in the section where only fox and coon will be taken, then the grapple is okay, and much more convenient. When a clog is used, the chain should be fastened to the middle. When making sets near roads or trails, best results will usually be had from those made to the west of the road, as prevailing winds carry the odor of the bait and scent and attract the attention of passing furbearers.
Clothing and Tools
In selecting equipment, much consideration should be given to waterproof footwear. Light weight rubber boots are used by many, but if one is going to travel fifteen or twenty miles a day he soon tires of this cumbersome outfit. I believe that the majority of water trappers now use the lightweight all rubber boots, in the sixteen or fourteen inch sizes. If one shops around a bit, these will be found in very light weight. They are easy to travel in and comfortable on the feet. One will soon learn to work around the deep water with them without wetting the feet once in a week.
A digging tool is also necessary, and some use a mason trowel, but the handle is so short that the back of the hand is likely to come in contact with grass or other things around the set. The short handle can be taken out and a twelve inch one put in. One side of the blade should be ground down to a cutting edge to cut sods, etc. A fine digging tool for water or land sets is made by making a strong, miniature shovel from an old hoe. Heat the shank and straighten it out, cut a piece from each side of the blade, leaving a blade about two inches wide. Grind this to a cutting edge. Cut the handle off so it will be about thirteen inches over all, or the length you desire. This will be the connection between the trapper and his sets and for that reason must be kept clean and free from undesirable odors. It will do no harm to scour the blade each morning by shoving it into the bottom of a brook or spring and working it up and down a few times. This too may be carried in a clean canvas case or in the hand.
The Bait Jar
A scent fold is also handy for keeping scent bottles all together in a small, convenient bundle. Bait may be carried in a clean wooden box or a glass jar. A screw cap quart or two quart jar is converted into one of the best bait containers as follows. Remove the glass from the inside of the cap and punch a hole through the center of the cap. Obtain a small iron rod about 1/8”, threaded on one end about 2 ½” or more. Place a nut on this and screw it down as far as it will go and then drill a hole through a thermos bottle cork (half of the cork is sufficient) and push this down over the rod and against the nut. Now push the rod up through the jar cap so this cork will come up firm against the inside of the cap. Slip another cork down over the rod so it comes down firm against the top of the cap and then put on another nut and screw it down tight. Now the main part of the rod can be cut off at the desired length so that the end can be made into a hook and sharpened. You want this rod and hook to fit down into the jar and reach within about an inch of the bottom of the jar when the cover is screwed on. When a rubber is used under the cap and this has been properly made, there will be no leakage from the jar when it is carried in the pack, and the bait hook is always where it will not come in contact with human odor.
A carrying case for this jar is made by fitting a piece of heavy canvas loosely around the jar and sewing it up. Also sew in a round bottom, or if desired, a wooden bottom may be tacked in. A small strap of the proper length is fastened to both sides at the top, which enables the trapper to carry the case over the shoulder like a haversack. A scent fold will fit in on top of the jar if allowance has been made which all makes up a handy and useful outfit for nearly any type of trapping.
Scent Control
When around the place where the set is being made, do not allow the hands, body or breath to come in contact with bushes, grass or other objects. In making the set, use care that the water does not drip from the hands to the ground. If there are small branches and bushes that block the way in the immediate vicinity then give up the idea of completing the set at that time. Cut away such growth that hinders progress, leaving as few fresh signs as possible. Usually in two weeks’ time nature will have smoothed over the disturbances.
Making the Set
To make a set, step into the water several rods above or below where it is to be made and wade ito it. The trap is all set and carried in one hand, with the trowel or digging tool in the other hand. If it is a spring with no surface outlet, keep in as wet ground as possible until water is reached. If there is no wet ground then walk on a straight line, as a hunter might be going, and past the head or foot of the spring hole. Step into the spring and make the set, then step out and continue on, so that the scent of the tracks will appear like someone had walked past the spring. One should not tread around on the ground at the spring. When a fox finds where someone has tread around, he gets suspicious.
At all the water sets, try to find a spot where the shore is dry at the water’s edge. Although a smooth, sloping bank is claimed by many to be essential, it is not necessary. Some of the writer’s most profitable sets have been where there were rocky or rough banks where a fox would have to watch his step in coming down to the trap, sometimes places where he had to step down six or eight inches onto the trap sod Furthermore, a completed set looks more natural in sort of a rough place. If there are other moss covered rocks, chunks of wood, etc. showing, so much the better, as the trap and bait sods will not look foreign to the surroundings. I want to say here that I believe the reason why many have failed to have success with the water set is because they have tried to follow instructions written by someone who never did have much experience, and maybe none with the set. There is a lot of trapping dope written on just plain hearsay.
Now getting back to the making of the set. Use a trowel to dig out a trap bed so that when the trap is placed it will set firm and steady. It should be as close to shore as possible, and the pan close to the tripping point, level with the jaws and just under water. If there is a lot of give to the sod before the trap springs the fox may decide it is unsafe and withdraw.
If grapple is used the grapple and chain may be placed under the trap or out in the spring or brook. However if the set is in water that is likely to freeze solid when cold weather comes, then the grapple, chain and trap should all be close together. Then if a sudden cold snap freezes everything to the bottom, it will be much easier chopping out the whole outfit than if there are three feet of trap, chain and grapple stretched out and frozen into the dirt or sand. When a wooden clog is used, try to make one from a heavy hard wood. In this locality I find that a small beech is about the best. It is strong and also heavy enough so it is not too much of a task to sink it if one wishes. However, many sets are made when the clog just lays out in front of the set with a few wet leaves or a small rock on each end to cover the fresh axe marks. The trap ring is slid over the clog and fastened about midway with a fence staple or a couple of nails.
Trap Covering
Obtain a piece of moss, not so close to the set that a fox will notice where it was taken up, a piece that will fit just within the jaws of the trap and over the pan, presenting the appearance of the top of a rock one half inch or more out of water. Remember, the more natural and firm this trap and sod looks, the more likely a fox will step on it. Work a few water-soaked leaves around the remaining exposed parts of the trap. Sometimes it may be necessary to place a few of these leaves over the pan of the trap before the sod is placed on in order to bring the sod up out of water enough so it will remain dry. However, the sod should never be so high that there is not room for the jaws of the trap to come up over and get a good hold on the foot of the animal that steps on it. The moss should always be of a dry type, and around three quarters of an inch of it over the trap pan. Often there will be found a thin, firm moss on the rocks around the water. Two or three layers of this will usually produce about the right thickness.
There are also trappers who cut sods from closely grazed sheep pasture and carry them in a clean box, these being used with good results. It is also a good idea to cut out some extra sods and place them in dry places along the trapline. This way, after the first snowfall or freeze-up, one does not have to spend hours trying to locate or dig up a good sod. The young trapper may, at first, experience difficulty in distinguishing the dry types of moss from the wet, but experience will soon teach him the difference. Soft, spongy moss that always looks wet should not be used, as it is essential that a firm, dry stepping sod be prepared for Mr. Fox.
Baiting the Set
Just beyond the trap, the bait sod should be placed as close as possible without interfering with the free action of the trap. An inch and a half away from the far end of the trap is okay. A rock or water-soaked piece of wood moved into position, showing about one and a half inches out of water, will answer the purpose. A large, unbroken piece of moss of any kind is draped over this, with the edges hanging down into the water all the way around. This bait sod can be anywhere from three to six inches across it. Sometimes large bunches of water-soaked leaves will be piled up in the water and a bunch of these can be quickly arranged into a bait mound with or without the use of a moss covering. Have no fear that a fox will take the bait from the opposite bank if the bait sod is only seven or eight inches from that bank, such as may be the case in narrow brooks. He will jump the brook to approach the easiest way. If suspicious, he is not likely to make an attempt to reach it from any angle.
The bait is placed in a natural position on the front half of the bait sod. A few drops of scent are placed on the sod behind the bait. Sometimes I place a small piece of dry bark back of the bait to place the scent on, then it does not soak down through and into the water. Many trappers use a rotted bait, which usually serves as both scent and bait. Use good sized baits, something that will really interest the fox. For instance, if you use fresh muskrat for bait, use a whole hind quarter. Make it worthwhile for any hungry animal. There are many kinds of good baits, including rabbit, muskrat, deer liver, fresh fish, flank meat from deer including pieces of the rib bones, beaver, chicken heads, mice, in fact anything that you know foxes are fond of in your locality. Even porcupine is okay if one wishes to go to the bother of skinning out one of these quill pigs.
All baits should be free from human odor. The best way to do this is to string the baits onto a piece of stove pipe wire and place in running water. Some claim to rinse the bait for 24 hours, but I do not agree. I try to get the baits in the first place with little odor on them and then rinse off well for a few minutes, maybe a quarter of an hour. In this way, most of the blood is still left in the meat. Then the baits are worked off the wire and into the bait jar without touching them with the hands. I usually dump them right off the wire and into the shallow water. Then with my bait hook I fish them up and place them in the jar. Small fish such as five or six inch chubs or suckers are often the best of bait. However, not all traplines are the same, and one must do a bit of experimenting to find out what is best on his own line.
I do not think anyone has much luck with fox urine or matrix scents in connection with water sets. I never did. But the musk glands from other animals work very well, such as mink musk, beaver castor, muskrat musk and skunk musk. In woods trapping a scent with a dash of skunk’s musk in it always works well in a water set.
Scents and Problem Foxes
When a set requires attention, there is usually some particular spot one will approach to step into the water to wade up to it. Do not tread around in the place. If the pack is left here it is well to hang it up on a limb of a tree if possible. Foxes are crafty and the scent from the pack, combined with a lot of man tracks spattered over a small area within a few rods of a set, spells danger. Walk straight past, no nearer than necessary to make sure everything is all right where sets are made in springs and it is not possible to wade in the water to reach them. This is especially true of sets in places where there is considerable mud but very little water. Plenty of foxes are taken in just such places.
If there has never been any water trapping in a locality, most anyone can go out the first season or so and take quite a few foxes and that trapper may get the idea he knows it all, but what he does not know is that many of the sly ones are getting wise to him and they, in turn, teach their young to fear his works. In a couple or three years, the trapper’s luck is gone and he thinks someone has done something to his scents.
Just to give an example of how sharp a fox can be, here is an experience on my ‘line. I realized that a big fox was hanging around a certain locality, and the second year I came to the conclusion he was watching the mud in the bottom of the small spring brook that led to my set. I could not navigate this without leaving plenty of holes in the mud. They were under water but could be seen. I noticed when snow was on the ground that Mr. Fox would come to the bank but would not go up to the set. The next year I decided to try something different. I went into the big spring at the head of this brook where I had always made my sets, but this time I had a big wolf trap with a nine or ten inch jaw spread. I placed this and a sod on it that filled in between all the jaw spread, large enough for an elephant! Then I made a big bait mound and on it placed a hip leg bone of a deer, which still had a few scraps of meat on it. Then I kept out of the brook. When I looked at the trap I traveled up on the side hill as though I was deer hunting and passed eight or ten rods from the set, but where I could still see it. I do not remember the exact time, but in something like four weeks I had the largest fox I ever caught.
The Fine Details
If birds bother about stealing baits, this can be overcome to some extent by laying a large, wet leaf over each bait, placed so a fox on shore can see the bait under the edge of the leaf. Sets that are easy to approach should be freshened with scent every week or ten days and often the old bait will be dried up and need replacing. Do not throw the discarded baits away near the sets, carry it away and dispose of it where foxes will not find it. However, in many cases the bait will be okay to put back into the bait jar and will freshen up in looks so it can be used again at some other set. This is especially true when one is using a rotted type of bait.
Water sets in natural springs may not require readjustments during the whole season if a catch is not made, but the rising and falling of water in the larger books will keep the trapper busy. A fox trapper who wishes to take foxes every year on the same trapline should keep his mind on his work and figure out, if possible, what consequences are going to be of every little thing that is done on the line. No matter how trivial an action may seem, it can have far reaching effects.
Watch those boots. Most trappers wear their boots around camp or home and they take on all kinds of odors. The first thing to do after starting out on the trapline in the morning is to hop into the first brook or water hole encountered and slosh around and scour off those camp odors. Remember, foxes are traveling all over your locality and run onto your tracks and works everywhere. They recognize the odors at your mink, coon and other sets. They get to know you like dogs learn to know different people, and when they find some of those same odors around a fox set, even though your own human scent may not be present, they know you have been there and they are suspicious.
There are a lot of young, fool foxes that will stand most anything, but there are many of the older ones, the ones we like to catch, that will stand no monkey business.
Enjoy this story? It’s part of a book I’m working on covering the works of legendary trapper Walter Arnold. Email me at [email protected] to reserve a copy of the book!
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