Treating Cable Devices

Cable devices also need to be treated before the trapping season. Proper treatment:

• Decreases light reflection and visibility.
• Removes offensive odors and adds natural odor.

Follow these steps to treat cable devices.

• Boil in water with baking soda. Use enough water to keep the devices boiling for one hour. Use four tablespoons of baking soda for every 12 sets of cable devices.
• After boiling, add water until the container overflows. The goal is to remove the scum from the surface of the water to avoid re-contaminating the cable devices when you lift them out.
• If you want to give your cable devices a darker appearance, boil them a second time with logwood crystals. Alternatively, re-boil with bark, moss, plant leaves, or spruce needles from your trapping area. These plant materials will give the cables some natural odor.
• Lift the cable devices from the hot water using a strong wire. Let them dry and cool.
• Wear clean, odor-free gloves to hang the devices in a dry place that is free of any human or pet smells.

After a catch, cables can kink and weaken and should be discarded. Always prepare enough cable devices to last the full trapping season.