How to Dye Snares & Traps

Beavers are one species of many furbearing animals trapped each year.

Trappers dye their traps and snares for two reasons: to disguise them so the animals can't see them as easily as they would if they were plain steel or cable, and to erase the factory grease/human scent of the traps and snares. After dyeing the traps and snares, trappers often wear gloves when handling them to keep their scent off. Snares do not require dyeing; simply boiling them in water mixed with baking soda will make them gray and disguise human odor.

Things You'll Need

• 1 lb. logwood dye or a bucket of black walnut hulls
• 3 to 5 gallons water
• 4 tbsp. baking soda (for snares)
• Wire brush
• Large soup pot or stock pot
• Camp stove

Instructions

1. If the traps and snares are new, they will have a slight coating of grease on them, which must be removed. Wash in hot water and detergent and hang them outside to dry.

2. Older traps and brand-new traps need different treatments. Older traps must be cleaned of excess rust and dirt with a wire brush. New traps are slick and must be roughened up so they'll hold the trap dye better. Put new traps outside and let them weather and rust slightly prior to dyeing.

3. Many trappers wire their traps together in order to dye them, placing as many in the pot as it will comfortably hold. This makes it easy to put them in and remove them all at the same time.

4. Set up the camp stove outside and fill the soup pot with cold water. Add either the logwood commercial trap dye or about a bucket of black walnut hulls to the water and bring it to a boil. Put the traps in pot and let the mixture simmer for about an hour. Dyeing outside means no messy dye drips and no odd smells in the kitchen.

5. Remove the traps and hang them to dry. They will be a dull black/dark gray and will smell slightly of the logwood dye or the walnut hull dye.

6. The snares can be coiled a dozen at a time in a soup pot filled with water. Add four tablespoons of baking soda and boil them for an hour. Afterward, keep the snares away from all foreign and human odors. Wear gloves when handling snares.

Tips & Warnings

• Many trappers wax their snares after dyeing. See the resource section for more information.

References

• Trap and Snare Use for Predator Control, Glenn Riley, Mark E. Mapston
• Ohio Department of Natural Resources
• Kansas State University Extension, Use of Snares for Capturing Coyotes

Resources

• Trapperman, Trap Preparation Archive