Trap placement on coyotes.........

[Traveler]

I remember years and years ago being taught to use a trap placement that put a coyote coming between the jaws instead of over.This is the method I've used for over 40 years.

However I've seen guys bed a trap with the dog either pointing at the hole,or the weak jaw in that position.


Has anybody used both methods and see any difference between the two? Thanks for any replies.

[trappnman]

I personally don't think it matters all that much, since a coyote steps into a trap.

I do think in animals like mink, it does matter because they "crawl" onto a trap.

[jax]

well said trapperman

[krj]

Always between. Never over!!!

Ever caught a coyote by the elbo or forearm? I have. It wont happen if the jaw placement is not correct.

[trappnman]

that's assuming every coyote is coming in from directly in front of the hole and trap.

How many do? tracks in snow, show many if not most, working from the side- the ones you see tracks of didn't commit, but the ones that did, might well have still been working it form the side.

how do you place the trap at flat sets? a true flat set, is going to allow approach from a multitude of sides.........sure guide, but guiding on flat sets, doesn't predispose angle of approach, only final foot placement.

and walkthroughs- a walkthrough is designed to take him no matter what angle or direction he works the set- which is why backfoot catches are common in walkthroughs.

I've caught a few by elbows- but having a higher % of such is more type of trap- a bigger #4 or #5 four coiled laminated trap, will give you more of those. And still on the elbow theme- at what angle, do such catches become improbable? just cause one is elbow caught, doesn't mean he came straight in- chances are very good, he did not, that he approached at an angle.

here is another way of looking at it- how many coyotes have you caught, that have the foot at a 90 degree angle to the jaws?

I have caught zero- and if it happens its a rarity for anyone, and thats simply because of mechanical physics- eventually, the foot turns so that the foot is in line with the jaws.

so a fair question that can be asked, is slippage in the foot vs jaws causing any losses? not many- but maybe a few that are just barely caught in a "slow trap" (mud, ice, snow, etc)- as the foot starts to turn and they pull.....?

maybe as many as caught by an elbow?

so to me, its a wash. Could it give you another coyote or two? maybe.....maybe not. I have never noticed any more snapped traps do to rolling (or elbows or hocks) in traps turned one way, vs another, or at any angle.

and yes, I understand the concept of "I don't want to lose any"...and often argue this with a friend-

do this and your catch will increase by 10%, do this and 10%-

as I told him- its the same as weather proofing an old house-

replace windows and save 15%, re insulate and save 20%, new doors save 15%...until if you did them all, YOU would be getting money back each month.......

the moral of course is that its all based on singular activities. as you add each item, the cumulative effects of the previous items, reduce the "savings" considerably.

Same with trapping. In the old Silver Bullet arguments, Wiley made a point about super cleanliness. That he would concede, that being super clean- fresh gloves at each set, not wearing trapping boots in truck & keep them in pine boughs between stops, never kneeling, don't breathe on set and on and on-

MIGHT give you an extra coyote or 2 a year- but his response was for all the dickering and doodling around, he'd give up that coyote, and just set more traps with that time.

not that setting a trap this way or that way in the bed, is doodling per se insofar as wasting time or effort, but I think its so insignificant a factor in total numbers of coyotes taken in a year, that its not worth worrying about.

A #4 or #5 that's fully modified, is going to pretty much take any coyote that is able to fire the trap, no matter how he comes in on it.

I do place 90% or more of my traps at hole so the direct approach, is between the jaws. It just "fits" better that way.

but on flat sets and walkthroughs, the layout determines the position of the trap

[Stef]

but on flat sets and walkthroughs, the layout determines the position of the trap

Exactly... And that is the best tip I have found to be successful with flat sets and coyotes at least in the North East. ( never trap in the West so...)

[Traveler]

Very good post Tman.I've took a look at old sets after traps was pulled with a light snow on and found at least 50% of coyotes approaching from the side.Why this is I don't know other than that was the direction of travel when he found the set.In some cases I'm sure the wind played a role coming to the down wide side.Especially when tracks in the snow showed them circling the set to start with.

This past season I had a dog coyote in a dirt hole and lost the female in the backup flat set.As best as I could tell,she missed the trap on the initial approach.Like the lure well enough to get down and chin rub and I got ahold of her somewhere above the elbow.This was in a totally modified Bridger no.2.Maybe a no.3 would have had enough jaw spread to have hung on to her,who knows.This was my best educated guess based on sign.

This was what got me to think about misses vs trap placement.While I always try to never have a missed coyote,it's gonna happen.Sometimes I don't think this is always the trappers fault , but simply a bad break.Stuff happens.

[cmr2]

I just "throw them in" when seting the layout is how I set it
The terrain, clump of grass, the rock, log is how I bed the trap
Don't put much thought in to it or go for a text book set , stake, bed, cover/blend , punchhole/ flat , bait- lure/ urine- lure and move on to next set,
Not saying there's rite or wrong but it works for me and I catch more than I care to skin some days , but K-9's give me the most fun