Rib bones and charred wooden blocks

[NEPISIGUIT]

Caught my first coyote in a large step down set with stef,s canine lure and fox urine. disposed of it by the wack on throat method previously described. worked like a charm. About 60 feet from this set i had placed a large cow bone i had found and pounded it into the ground. it was sprayed and lured the same as the step down. Guess what? It was knocked over from behind.
Next crossed the brook went to top of the hill and checked two sets here ,one of them had a charred piece of wood that i used for a backing.THAT was laying out in the field and the sod that i had put for a backing was spread all over the place.The hole was completely dig out from the back.The trap at the front was untouched.Where did i go wrong in these situations

[Steve Gappa]

My honest opinon. is that your trap bed was distinct from the rest of the pattern. I feel most misses caused by working the set from the side, back- are caused by this.

[fishdaddy]

i read an old article written by herb lennon . where he suggested that this can be caused by a dirty trap.

fish.

[NEPISIGUIT]

Steve you stated that in your opinion the trap bed was distinct from the rest of the pattern Not sure what you mean steve. Did you mean that it stood out by being too smooth. I piled a lot of sod pieces into the area over the hole in the stepdown also on the side.I did use a sifter but placed some small pieces of sod as guides within the bed area. Checked today from two days ago- no returns. AS to clean traps i did them all at same time and waxed them. Also caught a coyote a few hundred feet away with the same traps.

[Bubber]

I use to use cow pies as backing for flat sets. Break one slightly and pour some lure into the crack. then Place another on top to shed weather. I was for ever having coyotes come in from behind, work the set, steal the bottom pattie, walk 40 feet away and chew it up. The animals were taking the easiest route. They were more comfortable working from behind than coming in through my guiding like I wanted. That and the cow pies were too easy to take. If they had stayed another 10 seconds they likely would have move to the side and got caught.

Without seeing your sets it is hard to say, but my guess is that it is somthing along these lines. You may have even used too much guiding making them uncomfortable working theset as you planned, or as Steve said, the dirt pattern made him uncomfortable.

[trappnman]

sometimes, after a set has...settled.... when you come up to it, the outline of the trap bed is plain to see...either too smooth, too rough (compared to extended pattern), to dark, light, etc..

A dry pattern, with wet dirt around (or visa versa) I find puts off as certain % of coyotes.

I've always felt that if I could "see" the trap, he can too.

Regarding guiding, I do feel that most times, a coyote will work the set the way he came in- even if he does circle it first. btw- the same thing you noticed with th cow patties, I found happened when I made sets using the ribbone as backing.

[NEPISIGUIT]

Thanks for your commrnts. charlie

[NEPISIGUIT]

Been thinking about the comments that were made to my question.I have a few more questions related to them. IT sounds like when you do make a set you never know how the animal will approach it. Yet when you do make a flat set where a post is used or a charred block HOW CAN YOU SET YOUR TRAP WITHOUT A BACKING? and get the animal to come in the way you want him to.The stepdown set has quite a bit of earth built over the hole and some clumps on both sides, i assume for guides, shown on some posted pics, Is the answer to set one in front and one trap in back? SHOULD THE CHARRED BLOCKS AND RIB BONES BE PLACED AWAY FRON THE SET LOCATION? as attractors only. Could likely ask the question for interestimg answers.( What is your most used set for open fields?) Wonder if there is any concistancy ? Lot of questions but i find this an interesting topic and the coyote an interesting animal.
And his capture even more interesting.

[walkercoonhunter(Aaron L.)]

NEP i dont think it matters which way the animal approaches the set i think the key in the hole charred block or rib bone lies in WHAT SIDE of it you put your lure on...and that would be the side you put your trap on..ever watch a dog walk round a clump of weeds 2 or 3 times then lift his leg? he is finding the exact spot where the other lifted his leg...he wants his urine right on top of the others that way his smell is over the others...now as for the flat set this is why you poke more little holes for your lure...and your right on the guiding..a sod clump,grass clump.corn stalk,heavy stemmed weed,stuff like that can all serve as a guide for as to how(what side)the animal approaches the trap..i nope this helps in some manner but thats the best i understand the flat set...personally im a 100% dirt hole man...

[trappnman]

on flat sets- I do either one of two things, and many times both.

1) I set them in short grass up against tall grass cover- or use a natural barrier such as a fence, plowed field, etc. I do think that the direction a coyote first approaches, determines, in many if not most cases, how he works the set.

2) the second thing I do is use grass clumps. If natural great, if not I don't hesitate a second to cut a couple of weed clumps- use one for a backing, one for a dog guide, and create a walk though between them.

Many times I'll find 2 natural ones close together on a bare spot, and import another for the walk through.

On the rib bone, I used to use it as part of the set. Standing up tended to have the coyotes occasionally grab it with their mouth and play with it- this was if lures, etc. Then I went to pounding them in the ground sideways, with the curve up. This looks pretty neat- a bone curing up for a good visual, then lured at both ends (holes, not the bone) and used as a walk through, usually with a grass clump. It worked pretty well.

But now, I utilize them as 100% visuals- pounding them into the ground between sets or 15-20 feet away from the set.

I do like the stepdown, and use it a lot. I used to use it just in tall grass, and its my set of choice there now- but am using it more and more in situations like picked bean fields. Made on a slight rise facing the travel way- the black dirt and the hole effect can be seen a long, long ways. One set higher up- can in effect cover a lot of ground.

[bubcat]

Why are they side stepping you? could be, could be, could be,... hard telling, not knowing or seeing it. I'm guessing I might try stepping off 50 ft or so, (upwind from where you are) in clean soil, putting in a double dirt hole, and set the trap on the downwind side of holes, dig the holes small, tight, and deep, angled back to the trap, chunk baits to the bottom... make em work it, and see if that didn't change my luck.

It doesn't take 'much" to guide a coyote, but "too much" and they are apt to balk.

Then again, might be a grey fox, and they like to come in from the side half the time as a matter of preference, no matter what you do.
Good luck.

[NEPISIGUIT]

Thanks again, I,LL give your suggestions a try. Can someone tell me what is meant by a walk through set and if it is a set How is it made? I am a slow learning wanna be coyote trapper.

[trappnman]

A walkthrough is just a flat set that offers a pathway through the set.

Take to rocks i nrocky ground. If they are about 10-15 inches apart- and a trap is set between them, you make 2 lure holes- one on each side against the backing... you have created a basic walkthrough.

I actually use rocks in a few areas on coyotes- if the rocks are natural and numerous (PA...LOL) they won't put off a coyote. Around one pond with a lot of branch debris, I use 2 small logs.

But normally- is a crop end with duff as the dog guide, tall/short crass, my favorite grass clumps...all offering the coyote an easy way to smell contrasting lure holes by "walking through" the created pathway.

I posted a pix of one a week or so ago.

[NEPISIGUIT]

THANKS VERY MUCH STEVE. guess i missed the pic. This is a new set for me.

[ryanvo]

I use a t bone at almost all of my flat sets out here there is a piece of sage brush every 2 ft which works great for backing. I place the t bone right in front of the trap makeing a triangle affect lure the back side of it and which it makes a great lure holder also put long distance call lure on the sage brush and it seems to work good. The visuall is also nice to have when you are trapping a 8000 acre pasture makes it easier to find your set. I also use the triangle affect set at dirt holes also