Sign of Change?

[Deleted]

Coyotes in my local have shown very little enthusiasm toward "scented" sets since early December, which seemed almost a month earlier then past experience dictates.   That's part of the reason I shifted more to my trail sets early this year as well which has always kept me catching coyote as it did this season.  This lack of enthusiasm has always been a temporary thing before the coyotes make a turn-around and resume finding scented sets more interesting again.  Maybe this morning with these 3 there there is a change on the horizon.  As of today this property has given-up 6 coyotes to trail sets and 4 to scented sets.

youtu.be/Xla3NchxDKU

[Aaron.F]

I usually assume and somewhat based on experience that coyotes aren't very attracted to scents from late November until late December. I kind of assumed it was all the harassment they encountered durig gun deer season that made them jittery.

[Deleted]

Immediately after firearm deer season(11/30) my coyotes have always been as respective to scented sets as when I started on 11/1 but NOT THIS YEAR!  In other years they would quit being reseptive to scent sets about the middle of December, about the end of muzzleloader season and wouldn't resume interest in scented sets until around mid-January.  Normally this would be a non-issue unless I didn't have any snow depth to speak of so I'd have a higher % of scented sets out then I normally would at that time with a snow depth.

I've had more properties this year where the resident coyotes (their territory) showed little to no interest in scented sets right off the bat, whereas other properties the entire family would jump into the sets.  Bang-bang-bang-etc!  I'm very much in belief that there are so many more folks trying to trap coyotes in my area that there is a building eversion to scented sets occuring.  I mean, who knows what's happening or who's trapping 2-5 miles away on the same family unit except by the word-of-mouth that reaches me and usually that's not until AFTER trapping season is long done.

OR, it could just be as simple as this El Nino weather!  Every coyote is fatter then fat and several I've had to degrease the skirts after fleshing which I've never had to do before!

[Aaron.F]

I am not finding near the coyote sign around this year. I agree that there are more people trying to trap around than we realize. It is fairly rare for me to catch an adult coyote in a dirt hole set. I still make them because I love the eye appeal, but I always back them up with a flat set of some sort. I agree all the coyotes I have caught are very fat, but that is usually the case around here regardless of weather.

[Deleted]

If there is a "classic" flat set, I don't make them.  I make what I call a "walk-thru" set and it's my staple set for some years but it could be construded to be a flat set.  That set is very similar to the one Steve makes in his video.  Just in the past two years have I actually started reusing the deep, step-dwon dirt hole set.  The walk-thru I use has caught 4x the coyotes caught in the deep, step-down over the years of record-keeping and knocks the hell out of the adults as it does the pups.  As you stated, not so with the step-down, almost entirely pups!

Two years ago I decided I needed to figure out WHY there was such a difference between the two sets because I really felt I needed another set to add to my locations.  Even though my trapping was cut way short last season, records show that the majority of my catches last year AND this year from deep, step-downs is higher then my "walk-thrus"!  

The heavy fat I'm seeing this year is not normal for my area.  

[Deleted]

She is really rubbed badly for this time of year in my local.  Remember I mentioned during the video the type of country I'm in so she's a real  "brush puppy" and then there's the crazy warm weather this year.  Don't know but they are what they are when you catch'em!  This video gives a pretty reasonable idea of a tiny slice of my trapping territory.  I didn't have the GoPro with me the other day when I caught the other coyote that I pointed out it's catch circle on this video.  Every set on this property is a trail set and Monday I'll make some adjustments/additions.

I also eluded to the soaked sand freezing rock hard, so like last night it got down into the upper 20's so it froze down close to 1".  All of those sets have taken 2 rain events in the past 5 days but the peat was "dusty" yesterday when I had to remake the deer sprung traps.

I hope folks are enjoying seeing my territory!
youtu.be/TjGQ4jHLf7w

[Deleted]

Dec 25, 2015 20:50:16 GMT -6 Aaron.F said:

I agree all the coyotes I have caught are very fat, but that is usually the case around here regardless of weather.

Today's coyote and the one from 2 days ago off that same property had very little fat (which is normal/about playing card thickness) rather then the vast majority of others this year that had a serious layer of white fat between the membrane and leather.  I much rather flesh the fatties that's for sure! 

[Aaron.F]

I am absolutely jealous of the amount of sign you have that location. I just don't have much sign around here, I think my population is way down. I assume that you are top dressing your peat with with the local sand, correct? Thanks for posting the video.

[Deleted]

Dec 26, 2015 20:59:33 GMT -6 Aaron.F said:

I am absolutely jealous of the amount of sign you have that location. I just don't have much sign around here, I think my population is way down. I assume that you are top dressing your peat with with the local sand, correct? Thanks for posting the video.

Most of the tracks in the video you see are deer tracks because the place is loaded with them BUT there is a family of coyote using that property on what appears to be a 5 night rotation.  Also, as I mentioned the previous catch site in passing on the video the familymunit really did a lot of in-out tracks to the catch circle.  The next two nights it was all deer checking the catch circle out AND spring my traps.  .  I believe there is a family of 5 minus 1(2 night's ago catch). The coyote I caught in the video didn't have any companions and every time it had come through on it's own track it had been alone.  Also, it's time in the trap didn't draw any others so I really doubt it was part of the resident family.  Very distinctive difference between the commotion of the catch 2 nights ago and last night's.

This property and it's family group makes 3 families or the best I can decipher are a cohesive group on the properties I trap.  All of my other properties have either given up only a single coyote or none at all.  Terrible!  The reason why I switched to my trail sets!

Yes, I'm top dressing which is standard procedure for me except it's a lot thinner(3/16") then it was in November(3/4").  So regardless of the rain and then hard freezing, the coyotes can breack through the thin crust and my traps then can also come up through without a problem.  

Over the years of using peat I noticed I could get bales that were very fine and others very fibirous.  I presift everything through 1/4" screen but nevertheless, if I got a lot of rain such as I've been getting , the fibirous peat would soon soak-up moisture and then freeze.  Not hard as the sand I showed in the video but very crusty and in some instances over the year I'd experienced, prevent the traps from functioning properly.  This year I did some serious experimenting with screen sizes when I was presifting at home.  I proved the finer sifting/screening used would not soak-up moisture.  I even used a window screen to sift a bunch which then only gives up a powder, this is the very best peat to use in my opinion.  The next best is to use a 1/8" screen for presifting and it proved to be a very acceptable trade-off.

I mentioned having 1/2 my traps deer-sprung on that property night before.  This was after almost 2" of rain in 5 days and when I opened the trap beds to rebed the traps, my powdered peat after 2" of rain was literally blowing away!  The more fibirous peat I'd been using would have been wet AND probably would have been frozen to crust last night!!

[trappnman]

I can't comment on coyotes not responding to scent during December, as I have trapped few coyotes during that month.

but I will comment on the subject of others trapping. Unless those trappers or trappers are good coyote trappers, and are simply eliminating a good portion of the coyotes before they get to you, unless they are trapping the same location as you, I don't think it matters much.

and I say that, because imo, most of those sets won't spook a coyote anymore than me making a coon set near my coyote sets. Because the difference is going to be apples and oranges in several ways- how its lured, how its presented, and where its presented.

look at it this way- what's the best advice in how to catch a "trap" shy coyote? IMO once again, it is to MOVE to a different location within that coyotes range. Consider this- when I was collaring coyotes, I re-caught a half doz (and know of a couple more caught by other trappers) coyotes, coyotes that were in about a stressful situation as could be- caught, having people come up to it, catch it, measure it, give quick physical, attach collar (whole thing taking 15-20 minutes)- and out of a small sample size of 35-36 whatever it was- catching 1/4 of them again? Hard to believe that a bad set, spooked them enough to avoid any lured sets in future

As someone that has swung from all flat sets to all dirtholes and everywhere in between, the only conclusion I have regarding success rates of either- is that dirt holes produce quicker.

as far as peat- I don't top dress any more- I cover the entire pattern with a mottled final covering (if you can even call it a covering) because I truly feel that covering up the peat entirely leads to digging and trap avoidance. I want the smell and feel of the peat to be apparent as the set is approached.

I never have sifted any on the peat I've used throughout the years- I get it from Menards, and its already presifted as far as I can tell and very, very few sticks or clumps, which I just toss out on site. We had a very wet year, and several times had dirtholes covered in water for multiple days- and a surprising lot of the peat was still bone dry after being submerged

[Deleted]

The single common denominator with what I believe is "trap-wise", "hole-wise", or "scent-wise" is that it's ALWAYS exhibited with a group or family of coyotes.  Seldom do I see this reaction with a single animal.  It would also be different if EVERY property that was being used by a family would react the same but that's not the case.  I can have a family/group on a property and quickly(within 5 nights) catch what appears, by sign, to be most of the family using scent sets BUT I may have a very similar scenario 2-3 miles away and observe the complete opposite reaction.  

A reaction of complete avoidance which is always (as best I can read sign) initiated by an adult and directed at a set or catch 1 coyote and either the rest leave OR as on the pit property just plain avoid the set locations by shifting away during their hunting or the location where they enter and exit the property.  The shifting my only be 100-200 yds but shift they do whereas other groups involved as I just described will just continue to visit the set location until caught or scared-off. 

As for this "time of year" lack of interest, is that there comes a time of year, a short period(several weeks), where it's painfully obvious there is no interest.  No hesitation in passing, no scratching, no uninating or crapping, just a trot by.

By the way, this "wise" stuff has really only become an issue of increasing tendency the past 4 years.  Also I should note that when I started foothold trapping coyote 10 years ago I was the only person doing so and now have trappers and property owners trapping or attempting to trap coyote in the same sections as me and from what I'm being told, most are starting trapping 2 weeks before me.


I'm talking about two very different phenomenons in this post that I don't believe are related to each other.

[Deleted]

Here are two "after-the-fact" videos I made the end of last March on an 80 that I trapped very unsuccessfully!  I trapped it the 1st time during the winter of 2013 off my sled, the 2nd time was the fall of 2014, the 1st two weeks of November, and I tried to trap it this year the 1st 8 days of December.  All years results were the same as were the reactions of the family of coyotes, which is the most important aspect of the whole deal, they're reaction stayed the same for 3 years.  The properties on all 4 sides were off-limits so if I was to trap the coyotes using this 80 there was no recourse.  The mud this year was so bad that I almost got the quad stuck in 4x4 about where the fox catch circle is.  I couldn't set the bridge this year because deer hunters had trailered in a hunting shack which sat on the trailer which was buried to the axles in front of the bridge!  Pretty much ruled out setting that location.   I also couldn't access the parts of the field and ditch so I could try figure out the WHY that eluded me the previous 2 years.  When I think of this particular property, also comes to mind 1080's parting words!

Another glimpse of a different location compared to where I normally trap as this is a field different then the diary farm and I don't trap many frigin plowed fields.

youtu.be/SbOIgduYUms
youtu.be/-LVkO9WZ7Oc

[Aaron.F]

Good videos, they are classic examples of coyotes are where coyotes are and not where I want them to be or "where they should be". This is something I still struggle with on a daily basis. I would have definitely thought that every canine in the area would have used that crossover and I would have set accordingly.

A question I have is where you caught the fox, why did you set up more in the middle of the field and not the edge? I ask because I would not generally set that far away from the edge.

[Deleted]

Dec 27, 2015 19:14:21 GMT -6 Aaron.F said:

 I would have definitely thought that every canine in the area would have used that crossover and I would have set accordingly.

A question I have is where you caught the fox, why did you set up more in the middle of the field and not the edge? I ask because I would not generally set that far away from the edge.

The coyote were running the edge of the ditch on the opposite side from where I caught the fox, the east side.  BUT, the few coyote that used the crossover at the time I was there only used it traveling in a westerly direction and fanned out across the field immediately.  Now I had two sets along the west side of the ditch and out about 4'-6' because the prevailing NW winds.  The set where I caught the fox is only maybe 30' out from the crossover and the 2nd, a little further and was a deep, step-down dirt hole.  The remake became a walk-thru as seen on the video.  Both set locations were upwind of the crossover and offered me a sandier soil in which to set versus the clay closer to the crossover.  

None of thesets I had that year OR this year caused the coyote any reaction, positive or negative, they just acted as though neither me or my sets were there!  No scratching, no crapping, no hesitation, no circling, no nothing, just trip on by.  This would be a totally different deal if I wasn't spanking the coyotes 2-3 miles away each of those 3 years on a couple of other properties using the same sets and scents.

That rock was a funny deal.  It stood out like a neon sign at about 150yds with the naked eye but not well at all with the camera as the video shows or doesn't show..  I don't use piss posts but when I saw that rock AND it was obvious the coyote were traveling the ditch/field edge maybe 15' away AND as on the west side of the ditch, the coyote were fanning out across the field in no pattern I could detect, I figured OH-Boy here's an opportunity!  You know, the big deal about eye-catching black blocks, stand-out sticks, weeds, and such.   Well there wasn't a track within 10' of that rock but I set it up anyway.  Heck, nothing to lose and that was correct, I lost noting but some lure, piss and time is all but didn't gain even a look-see from the coyote.

Last year the field was very wet but this year was worse so I couldn't even run the quad up the west fence line to set the two trails.

I'd only had the GoPro for a weeknor two when I made those videos and I was trying to get the settings right and they weren't compared to the videos I'm making now.  I was going to delete the previous two posts because when I reread them they sounded sort of off-beat but since you've ask a question, I'll leave them alone.  I made them for this type of discussion so I'm glad you ask the question Aaron!

[bobbrennan1]

Has that field been beans all 3 years you have trapped it? Also were the beans off when you trapped there?

[Deleted]

Dec 28, 2015 10:58:26 GMT -6 bobbrennan1 said:

Has that field been beans all 3 years you have trapped it? Also were the beans off when you trapped there?

No, it was corn(I trapped it in Jan off sled), beans(extremely wet-combine stuck so never plowed that fall), and this year corn(plowed but became very wet when I set 12/1)

Yes, the beans were long off before I trapped it.

The ditch showed sign that it was not really a travelway between woods as I had 1st thought 3 years ago but also was brush-choked and held rabbits.  That still doesn't explain the way the coyotes would follow the ditch a short ways cross it at random and just take off in what appeared to be in a random direction.  It became a observation that it made little difference to the coyotes whether they used the cross-over of just randomly crossed the ditch, they still just fanned-out and across the field they'ed go.

As I scouted the field's perimeter I found the same thing, that there was no real point of exit EXCEPT more left the field at the two trails I showed on the video.  So that is why I was looking forward to setting those 2 trails if I could have reached them tjis year.

[slik1]

very nice discussion. keep up the good work----------Greg