Post by Steve Gappa on Jul 5, 2004 8:24:08 GMT -6
Reprinted from 2005 T & PC Yearbook..
Visuals…The forgotten part of canine trapping?
By Steve Gappa
When talking visuals in canine especially coyote trapping, we are talking about two different types of visuals. One type is simply in set construction- blending and using natural features to guide coyotes at sets. And most coyote trappers are familiar with this concept. But there is another way of using visuals at a coyote set, that is something of an “open secret” among coyote trappers. Trappers that have been around coyotes all their life, have learned the value of using visuals both to attract and distract coyotes and good visuals have a direct bearing on how or even IF a coyote works your sets.
I have to admit, until a few years ago, I didn’t use any added visuals at the set. In fact, I didn’t even think much about it, until a few years ago when I was visiting with Scott Huber, a very good coyote man from South Dakota. I was explaining my thoughts on flat sets, and mentioned that I liked flat sets to be invisible- to not even know they are there. Scott looked at me with a puzzled look and said “So all you are counting on then is your lure?” Well, it was 400 miles to home, and I thought about that statement quite a bit. And yes, all I WAS counting on was the lure itself to bring in the coyotes to most sets- almost 100% in fact.
It was in this period of my coyote trapping curve that I was enamored of flat sets (still am as far as that goes) and had figured out how to use natural features like weed lines, field changes, fences, etc to act as directional guides to have the coyote come in where I wanted hm to. Set on location, I blended these sets and found out what “spooked” coyotes and what encouraged coyotes. Color of dirt, colors of grass, texture- the whole range of blending concerns. Trial and error had taught me that if something looked out of place, the coyote would work the sets where HE wanted to- unfortunately, seldom a place where I had the trap set. I too had alos figured out point of interest visuals- what would make a coyote change his course to investigate- and how to use those features. But still- in my flat sets I sought the invisible look. Add to this that the trap I was using were 1.75s, and you can see how guiding became even more important. I started wondering- was I missing coyotes because I didn’t use visuals?
The trouble with the invisible set with a small trap- everything has to be perfect- you have to be able to keep that coyotes mind on the lure, on the presentation- if not, with subtle or really no backings- if the coyote avoids the pattern, there is nothing to stop him from working it from the side or back.
Knowing this….and keeping Scott’s thought in mind….I started thinking about and using more visuals. It was trial and error of course, but have found a few methods that work well for me in conjunction with “subtle” flat sets.
I knew that cow bones were a popular brought in visual with many trappers, and since I had access to some dump sites, I decided to see what I could find. Didn’t really find a lot of the T-bones I had heard about, but did find a bunch of clean, dry bleached cow rib-bones. A rib-bone is maybe 14-16 inches long, curved like a boomerang, flat on one end and a knob on the other. All and all I thought to myself- a fine looking bone for a coyote visual- so I picked up a bunch to try out. My first experimentation was to stand them up like a post set, by the trap. I’d lure the bone and make a post type flat set. This worked- sometimes. But more often than not, I found as many coyote trappers before me have found out- coyotes tend to take those bones and run off with them. My first solution was to pound the bone in deeper- and that worked insofar as it stopped the stealing of the bone, but now I had another problem. A straight up bone with a subtle flat set tight to one side- I found it was impossible to control direction. Again-Duh!…but it was new to me. So now what? I still wanted to use the bone, so found that layed on its side with the curve up, slightly leaning it forward- I could control direction and I could control how coyotes worked the set. Problem solved- but I no longer had a sublte flat set. I had a bone set- not much different from when I occasionally made a hole set up against a skull.
About this time, still experimenting with the horizontal bone, I had a wise guy coyote that was digging at the sides, walking everywhere but on the pattern. The weather and soil consistency was such that it was almost impossible (well, apparently for me it WAS impossible) to blend in a pattern- and I was getting constant refusals at the one set. I even changed traps, a rarity for me- to no avail. Finally, in desperation, where he dug over here- I made a pattern. Where the tracks came in from the side- I made a pattern. Heck, I made 4-5 patterns around that set. My thoughts- if you want to be spooky- then by gosh I’ll give you a reason to BE spooky. That night no action, next night- young male.
So I began to think - maybe I was on to something with that “you want to be spooky, I’ll give you a reason to be spooky” thought. And then, I had one of those personal revelations we all have that bump our skill level up a notch- why not make that coyote spooky AWAY from the set? That opened up a whole list of possibilities for me.
I began by placing the bones away from the set. Since I wasn’t going to put any lure or urine on the bone, I again went to putting them upright with the flat base pounded into the ground. This position gave the bone plenty of eye appeal and yet by itself it didn’t spook the coyotes. It might have made them wary- but not really spooked. I would then place 1 or 2 flat sets within 15-25 feet of the bone. On flat areas, my usual method was to make a pair of flat sets, then put the bone between the sets. This way, any coyote coming in to the bone will circle it and encounter one or the other of the sets. On hilly areas or “hidden” areas- I can often place the trap back around a corner or behind brush- and put the bone out in the open area. This still draws in a coyote- yet a caught coyote won’t be seen be prying eyes. I’ve tried other methods with the bones, and other types of bones too as a matter of fact. Skull bones work- and look neat and make you “feel like a coyote trapper”, but for my purpose of being a long range visual draw, the ribbones seemed to stand out and were noticed more.
(cont' below)
Visuals…The forgotten part of canine trapping?
By Steve Gappa
When talking visuals in canine especially coyote trapping, we are talking about two different types of visuals. One type is simply in set construction- blending and using natural features to guide coyotes at sets. And most coyote trappers are familiar with this concept. But there is another way of using visuals at a coyote set, that is something of an “open secret” among coyote trappers. Trappers that have been around coyotes all their life, have learned the value of using visuals both to attract and distract coyotes and good visuals have a direct bearing on how or even IF a coyote works your sets.
I have to admit, until a few years ago, I didn’t use any added visuals at the set. In fact, I didn’t even think much about it, until a few years ago when I was visiting with Scott Huber, a very good coyote man from South Dakota. I was explaining my thoughts on flat sets, and mentioned that I liked flat sets to be invisible- to not even know they are there. Scott looked at me with a puzzled look and said “So all you are counting on then is your lure?” Well, it was 400 miles to home, and I thought about that statement quite a bit. And yes, all I WAS counting on was the lure itself to bring in the coyotes to most sets- almost 100% in fact.
It was in this period of my coyote trapping curve that I was enamored of flat sets (still am as far as that goes) and had figured out how to use natural features like weed lines, field changes, fences, etc to act as directional guides to have the coyote come in where I wanted hm to. Set on location, I blended these sets and found out what “spooked” coyotes and what encouraged coyotes. Color of dirt, colors of grass, texture- the whole range of blending concerns. Trial and error had taught me that if something looked out of place, the coyote would work the sets where HE wanted to- unfortunately, seldom a place where I had the trap set. I too had alos figured out point of interest visuals- what would make a coyote change his course to investigate- and how to use those features. But still- in my flat sets I sought the invisible look. Add to this that the trap I was using were 1.75s, and you can see how guiding became even more important. I started wondering- was I missing coyotes because I didn’t use visuals?
The trouble with the invisible set with a small trap- everything has to be perfect- you have to be able to keep that coyotes mind on the lure, on the presentation- if not, with subtle or really no backings- if the coyote avoids the pattern, there is nothing to stop him from working it from the side or back.
Knowing this….and keeping Scott’s thought in mind….I started thinking about and using more visuals. It was trial and error of course, but have found a few methods that work well for me in conjunction with “subtle” flat sets.
I knew that cow bones were a popular brought in visual with many trappers, and since I had access to some dump sites, I decided to see what I could find. Didn’t really find a lot of the T-bones I had heard about, but did find a bunch of clean, dry bleached cow rib-bones. A rib-bone is maybe 14-16 inches long, curved like a boomerang, flat on one end and a knob on the other. All and all I thought to myself- a fine looking bone for a coyote visual- so I picked up a bunch to try out. My first experimentation was to stand them up like a post set, by the trap. I’d lure the bone and make a post type flat set. This worked- sometimes. But more often than not, I found as many coyote trappers before me have found out- coyotes tend to take those bones and run off with them. My first solution was to pound the bone in deeper- and that worked insofar as it stopped the stealing of the bone, but now I had another problem. A straight up bone with a subtle flat set tight to one side- I found it was impossible to control direction. Again-Duh!…but it was new to me. So now what? I still wanted to use the bone, so found that layed on its side with the curve up, slightly leaning it forward- I could control direction and I could control how coyotes worked the set. Problem solved- but I no longer had a sublte flat set. I had a bone set- not much different from when I occasionally made a hole set up against a skull.
About this time, still experimenting with the horizontal bone, I had a wise guy coyote that was digging at the sides, walking everywhere but on the pattern. The weather and soil consistency was such that it was almost impossible (well, apparently for me it WAS impossible) to blend in a pattern- and I was getting constant refusals at the one set. I even changed traps, a rarity for me- to no avail. Finally, in desperation, where he dug over here- I made a pattern. Where the tracks came in from the side- I made a pattern. Heck, I made 4-5 patterns around that set. My thoughts- if you want to be spooky- then by gosh I’ll give you a reason to BE spooky. That night no action, next night- young male.
So I began to think - maybe I was on to something with that “you want to be spooky, I’ll give you a reason to be spooky” thought. And then, I had one of those personal revelations we all have that bump our skill level up a notch- why not make that coyote spooky AWAY from the set? That opened up a whole list of possibilities for me.
I began by placing the bones away from the set. Since I wasn’t going to put any lure or urine on the bone, I again went to putting them upright with the flat base pounded into the ground. This position gave the bone plenty of eye appeal and yet by itself it didn’t spook the coyotes. It might have made them wary- but not really spooked. I would then place 1 or 2 flat sets within 15-25 feet of the bone. On flat areas, my usual method was to make a pair of flat sets, then put the bone between the sets. This way, any coyote coming in to the bone will circle it and encounter one or the other of the sets. On hilly areas or “hidden” areas- I can often place the trap back around a corner or behind brush- and put the bone out in the open area. This still draws in a coyote- yet a caught coyote won’t be seen be prying eyes. I’ve tried other methods with the bones, and other types of bones too as a matter of fact. Skull bones work- and look neat and make you “feel like a coyote trapper”, but for my purpose of being a long range visual draw, the ribbones seemed to stand out and were noticed more.
(cont' below)