Coyote pull outs/miss fires??

G

GOOSEBILLY

New member
I caught a nice coyote and a skunk over they weekend which really got me happy. The coyote was held on a MB450 on the front pad. Dirt hole sets is what I am using. I had a bridger 1.65 reg, that was fired twice and the MB450 once since then. The traps are only died and not waxed. Do I need to go bigger with more coyotes around than I had thought, and does waxing speed up. Does anyone have a favorite trap or mods they are willing to share. I don't have too much equipment for modifying so a pre modified trap is something I'm thinking. I don't want to educate animals anymore. Thought I was scouting fox earlier in the year, but it seems it could be coyotes. This is the 2nd year that the coyotes can be heard calling at night. Never before was that the case. Last winter all we called in hunting was fox in the area, but the coyotes could have been that much smarter and avoided the tactics.
 
For coyote I prefer the #3 Bridger. I baseplate mine for strength. I four coil them, seems to speed them up, and I laminate the jaws for more contact surface. I use very little pan tension so the coyote is commited when the trap fires hoping for a good pad catch. I am sure the 1.75 would hold a coyote most of the time but as hard as it is to get him to step into one I prefer the #3 to up my odds. Also I see no difference in trap speed with waxed or unwaxed traps.
 
I prefer wax but I don't think that is your problem. I also don't think trap size is giving you any trouble. If an animal steps on the pan, and your trap is tuned properly, his foot should be in the jaws regardless of the size.
I agree with Bricklayer that the #3 Bridger provides alot larger target area and is a better coyote trap than a 1.75. But if you have a tuned 1.75 with good springs the coyote should break the trap before pulling out.
I would guess you're traps are either not tuned properly or you are getting dug. I like a couple pounds of tension and the pan filed down so little movement is required once the tension is met. I also like to have my trap below ground level so that the animal is stepping down onto the pan.
If you feel good that your traps are tuned then you are probably getting dug. If a canine feels the trap move or smells something he may dig at it. Since he is just quickly tapping at the trap, he won't be solidly caught.
Hope you work it out, good luck.
 
Plus one on getting dug. sounds like you have a few older smart dogs in the area. I went threw that years ago when my dad when he first started yote traping. The only difference is the yote would dig it up and crap on the trap. And you could hear the yote every morning when we checked them scolding us on the hill. Just to add to everything. Now that will piss a guy off. Finally a good friend of dads showed him about the good ol snares. First morning we checked the snares No yote barking at us no trap dug. went to the snares and there was a big old yote with a neck tie. Never had another trap dug up and craped on after that. Those babys as you no are very smart critters. Pan tention is also as said another big issue along with a good bed so there is no trap movement what so ever. Hope you get him good luck. We used #3 four coils victors off set jaws.
 
I feel that it is tuned good. The traps are bedded and recessed a bit, so a very slight step down is needed. There really isn't much trapping pressure if any at all in the area. Deerhunterjj, funny you mentioned scolding, cause a coyote was bouncing around looking at me while driving down the hay field fence line checking the line in the morning before light. I have been researching every possible problem I could be having, being I have very little experience. I think more experience this year is going to bo the ticket though. Can't set stares until December here in Minnesota. Last year I didn't start until snow was on the ground and had to back pack everything into the areas due to the drifts. Thank you for the info everyone, any more is greatly appreciated.
 
1. bed the trap "solid"
2. make sure the trap has "zero" pan creep b/f it fires

you have enough trap.... good luck
 
Not sure at all now whats out there now. This morning I had a cat, then gray fox with a skunk sitting next to him (don't know why), then a skunk, and last an opposum. None of the rest of the traps were fired or touched. I think it is a matter of bedding the traps good and not using really sticky dirt to bed them. Then use very dry dirt for sifting. Got a nice coon last night that was so big he couldn't even move in the live trap. In need to figure out next how to dispatch these skunks without them letting lose. Getting off subject now, but thank you to all for the input.
 
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