One of the great challenges of living in the Bay State is the overabundance of regulation. Ever since 1993 or so, trapping has been limited to box or cage traps for most applications.

I would like to thin out the coyote population in southern Worcester County and I would be limited to using cage traps. Could anyone here give me advice on the following:

1. Who makes the best cage trap for this application?

2.I have seen some collapsable cage traps. Are they sturdy enough for a coyote? I like the idea for portability but if they aren't sturdy enough, it would be a waste of money.

3.What are some specialized techniques for trapping these wary creatures?

4. What are some good baits or lures for such a situation?

Thank you for your time.

1.no one
2.no
3.rifle
4.asprin

I have only sean it done ONCE....not a ptoductive way to get them

I have caged very few here in southern MS, and these are off of hunting clubs. I have a pic of one of my cages I have caught them in, but it is almost impossible to get a yote to wonder into one. I had mine set up for fox. Only once a few years ago during the summer I ran some Coyote Cages, and only caught one. that was a big trap, live bait cage,and alot of time and as Vinke said, ASPRIN.

Coyotes are reputed to be awfully cagey (pun intended) for cage trapping. I expect we will see that urban coyotes become easier to cage trap as they become more comfortable with man made stuff, tight spots (digging around behind dumpsters, etc.). I'm hardly qualified to trap them with footholds and snares, much less cage traps...

I have no qualifications as a coyote trapper either...but a member on here by the name of Yancy is very qualified as a cage trapper. I thought he posted on here not too long ago that he has caught three coyotes in cages in ~10 years of using cage traps for bobcats.

Maybe Yancy could chime in?


Clark

You are right Guy's Coyotes are mostly cage shy, and will not normally go within ten feet of the cage, but the couple that we have caught have been stealing the Ranchers Chickens, Gunies. and Rabbits. Right out of the pens, so they were not "Cagey" of the cages. and the ones we got we have no Ideal how long they had been in the cage, But the rancher said his dogs woke him up one night at 3AM he checked on them and they were barking at a coyote in a cage I had set by the windmill, he went back to the house to get his gun, [1/4 mile] and when he returned the Coyote had tore the 12x18x36 cage wire up and was gone, This Coyote is in a 10x18x36 cage and could not manuver very good. Yancy

I am no expert on this either, but I do know someone that does fair at getting them in live traps but his traps are huge 3-4'tall and 3' wide and about the same long so I do know that it can be done to an extent and the only bait he uses is live chickens this leads me to believe the bigger the cage the less weiry they are?

It is a waste of your time and resources.
Find yourself a more trapper friendly state, and take you tax dollars elsewhere.
Waugh!
45/70,

There was a study done on cage trapping Coyotes.

That being trying to actually catch coyotes.... not just incidentals by trappers that have a lot of traps out for cats. Shoot I have even caught coyotes in my coon cages before, only that was not my target, but tuna and marshmellows sure worked good on those fellas.

Back to the study, it was conducted in Mass. and I think it was completed over a 4 year period. They messured on trap night as

1) trap out for one night

So if you had 10 traps set for 1) night that would be 10 trap nights, or if you had one trap out for 3 nights that would be 3 traps nights.

After 4000 trap nights they had caught 7 coyotes. 4 Juvies and 3 adults, only one of the adults they actually caught twice in the same cage and pronounced her a mentally challenged canine. So they only caught 1 adult coyote in 4000 trap nights.

since most seasons are only about 90 days long....

If you ran and rebaited 45 cage traps every night for the whole season you would catch 1 coyote.... and I will lay a wager that it will be mangy one.... But Hey Good Luck.


.

Ok Barkstone, back over to the ADC forum now...Ha! All kiddin' aside, Barkstone brings a very strong point to light and that is that trying to "cage trap" a coyote, is not a very good way to go about it. The collarum snare, if you could use those would be a fair choice. Maybe a extra large trap with a live rooster in a bait compartment....Worth a shot but don't quite your day job. Do keep us posted. Always want to hear if it works.

I appreciate the information you people have given me. One day, I plan to move out of this damned state. I am looking at New Hampshire in a few years but for now, the Bay State is home.

I suspect that the antis knew that cage trapping coyotes was a very futile effort. They really ruined a great outdoor experience a decade ago.

It is possible to catch coyotes in cage traps. I bet those that did the study did not take the time to make each and every cage look like something other than a cage... And I would bet they used "normal" bait...
I have caught two in cage traps in the last two years, with 3 traps out for a total of 7 nights. They were all camoed up well, one was even dug into the ground a bit and covered with cardbboard and mud to make a "den"...
movement in the "bait" with apropriate scent and noise was used.
Oh, I would not say it was even worth all the trouble, as I can vouch that curiosity DOES kill cats... I released something like 8 or 9 cats in that time. 2 coons (not released)and 1 dog, released... a LOT of hard work, but it is possible...

Well, I wouldn't want to stake my rep on it! Give me a snare and I'll have you a song dog!