Trapping Coyotes

Huntin54

Huntin54

New member
I'm going to start trapping for coyotes next year. What is the best setup to use if im going to use leg hold traps? thanks for any info you can give me.
 
I personally use Bridger #2's/offset. I find the jawspread more than adequate for yotes and the occasional fox doesn't get caught too high on the leg. They are also very strong. I'll keep two springs on them until first frost then four. If you're gonna stake use doubles for extra strength. For drags two prongs are lots but use about six feet of chain. If you are going to trap right up till first snow then use a good antifreeze. I like "urea" best.....no corrosive properties and very effective on ice. You can order it at any hardware store. Just my TCW, hope it helps. Quote:


A pine needle fell in the forest. The eagle saw it...the deer heard it...the bear smelled it... the coyote did all three.
 
Good advice. I’ve never used the Bridger #2's/offset. I may get a couple and try them this fall. I normally use 1.75 Oneida Victor Professional, very well built trap. I also like Ratchet Stakes, drive them with a ratchet or a 4 way tire tool, next to impossible to pull up.
 
A dirt hole set works well. Dig a slanted hole about 4” wide and about 6” deep. Place a lure in the hole and set a trap in front. A scent post can also work, spray coyote urine on a stick about 8” up on the stick and place a trap next to it. I personally always use an electronic lure. Place the lure in a tree a couple of feet of the ground set a trap on a natural mound about 15’ to 30' away, coyotes will usually circle the area and try to find a better view point such as on a mound. Electronic lure or not a dirt hole is a very good set.
 
Sorry I didn't talk about making sets. I always gang set...which means two dirt hole sets made with different baits and lures and one scent post. A total of three sets within about forty yards. I like making these sets at Y's in an old woods roads that doesn't get much human traffic or field corners that show a lot of yote traffic. I get a lot of doubles that way.
As far as the actual setup of a dirthole I'll choose a small bank of earth on the side of the road, the inside edge of sunken wheel tracks in a field, or the edge of a large stone. Your hole should be dug at about 45 and 12" max. Make sure you place your bait in before digging your trap bed so you won't contaminate it. PLace your trap about 8" directly in front of the hole and place a large stone(4-5Lbs) another 8" beyond that so you have a line...hole,trap, stone. Put your lure on a piece of cotton and shove it under the edge of the stone. Now you have two areas of interest for the yote and he'll keep walking back and forth until he's caught. Be sure to always wear two different pairs of gloves...one for digging and handling trap and one only for handling baits/lures. A scent post is pretty simple....just shove a stick in the ground against some backing(big stone,log) and bed your trap about 8" away. After the trap is bedded then spray the urine on the post. One more thing that a lot of trappers forget....grab some grass and ball it up and shove in the entrance if the dirthole.....keeps the yote around a little longer. Remember...the longer a coyote stays at your set the more likely he's gonna get caught!
I could rave on for quite a bit longer but I think this should get you started. Have fun!!
 
This has been a good season for me trapping. I have caught 64 coyotes using no bait just coyote pee at my sets. I live where they aren't as plentiful as other places and there's WAY too many tree huggers watching.Some dirt holes, some just a bone or a stick. I even caught a few with a piece of 1 1/4" pvc pipe sticking out of the ground about 5 inches with some pee inside. I've trapped wearing gloves and bare handed. It seemed to make no difference. As far as human scent goes, I make sure not to sneeze on the trap(haha). I even caught one on a lone set,away from all the others, by peeing at it myself...nothing else! I use Victor 1.75 pro traps,laminated.
I always make sure they are smooth in every way. I don't need hurt legs. My anchors are simple bullets on a chain from 1.5 to 2.5 feet long with at least 3 swivels near the trap end. I've heard many ways to set traps and they all seem good. There is no one best way. I seem to have the best catch ratio by putting my trap right behind my bait hole or stick bone etc... not to one side, not 12 inches back, I'm talking 2 inches straight back. I use 1 gallon plastic bags to cut my pan covers out of. I've tried other things but, I like them best,mainly because they survive the rain pretty well...and they're cheap. People buy coys here for their fox pens. I think the best advice for the novice trapper is: Location location location. If you can get where they are walking you'll catch many more than having to call them up. I do use a scent lure sometimes if I need to get them over to the property that I'm on from across the street or something. I use "Black Magic". It works just like it's name. It really gets their attention where all else fails. If you can go out and trap with an experienced trapper to learn, do it! It will save you a whole lot of frustration. I have good pics that I'll post as soon as I figure out how on this site. Oh yeah...you need to know this:Trapping coyote is addictive as H%&#! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 


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