Since I trap NJ, we can only use snares to catch coyotes. I'd say I know what I'm doing with snaring red fox, caught 32 the last year and so far this year combined. Only access I have to snare coyotes is this piece of public land that has about 100 yards of power lines trails. I know the coyotes are there, I've seen them bow hunting. I have about a dozen snares out all in the thick power line grass. I get pig lungs from local butchers as bait too. What am I doing wrong? Anything helps! My snares are about 14 in off the ground and blended well. Usually I'd say just give it time, but its been 2 years and I just cant connect.

Are the coyotes visiting your bait piles?
Are you sure the coyotes are using the area now ?

I'm positive the coyotes are still using the area, however I don't have a camera so I'm not sure if they are hitting my bait. I'm definite that the foxes and birds are hitting it though.

How many coyote snares do you have out ?

12

Sounds like your snares are not where the coyotes are traveling. Take two baits and put them on the same trail, 30 yards apart then put 1 snare in the trail between the baits. Better bait than pig lungs is a pile of deer guts. Ain't a coyote in NJ that has not fed on gut piles almost daily (or at least weekly) since September. They expect human smell and contamination (rubber gloves, papertowels, etc.) around deer guts. If you get some of this (shield your eyes Newt) you will see exactly what is happening (this is from yesterday). Eric

Location , Location, If you have snow go hiking and do some tracking... set the snares in thier tracks and wait. If its a good location you will connect.

Hey Eric we had some of that white stuff not too long ago. 18" too,thats a lot. I holed up for a week before it went away.
WHAT IS IT ?

Are you getting any nock downs? I run mine a little lower about 10 inches off. Try to find some mud or sand you can see tracks in, if no snow. Sometimes the snow just makes you want to pull your hair out, if your seeing tracks they will take that path again sometime or another. I've had snares lock up from rain and the lock sticks just enough not to fire causing the coyote to back out, so make sure you check them every so often.

Hey Newt your PM box is full

908...you saw the fox snared near your pole didnt you?

Just my advice...stop trying to get those dogs doing something they arent already doing.

Lower your snares. Theyre too high. A coyote could have walked under the ones I saw.

Just my 2cents

Haha I was thinking he must be up in your neck of the woods with those fox numbers,LOL

Lol he is..I found his stuff while I was setting that piece. I only stayed for two or three checks and pulled. The dogs are there. Mostly fox.

If he's reading this...look North of where your coyote snares are set. There's a faint trail that parallels the power line just inside the line cut. Not the gravel one..on the opposite side of the power lines. it weaves through the grass maybe ten yards into the cut the whole length of the state piece. That one is a canine trail. Beef up your drags. You wont find a coyote anchored the way you are.
1x19 3/32 shines bad..get some of Newt's dip. The shine is what initially got my attention.

I'd set loop 12" off ground

Yes I remember seeing that fox you had caught in the drainage ditch, I left a note in the snow saying "nice fox". I'm gunna pull all my snares and dip them and anchor them better now that you mention it. I appreciate your info hopefully I'll be able to snag one this year. I'll keep you posted.

Theyre there.. Good luck. Look where I mentioned. The dogs you want are running parallel, not usually across the line. or up tight. With the ice field in there now I suspect everything is up tight and not in the back where you were.

If that crap melts down and the ice field breaks, push straight back and find the high trail on the river bank. Its useless right now with the ice on the river, but if open water returns they'll be on that high trail again. Youre walking that far already another hundred yards straight back to the river wont kill you lol.

Yeah I’ll have to wait for everything to melt just so I can even pull my snares. Last question, how should I anchor? I usually use 9 gauge wire for my snares to support and anchor so that’s all I have right now. Also have you seen any Muskrat sign in the river? I’d like to take one of them off my bucket list too. All I have is coon and reds on my wall I need to switch it up.

Its now empty

Buy my book

10" loop with the bottom of the loop 10" off the ground is what worked for me. I also dipped my snares and support wire in Formula One to help blend them in with the surroundings. Anchor with Wolf Fangs if there is nothing else available at the set location.

I also never had any success snaring yotes near a bait pile. I got them along trails where they were travelling or near fence cross-unders. Others with more experience obviously are successful using bait piles. I think I was putting them too close to the bait and the yotes were travelling too slowly. In any case the same principle applies - you've got to put the snare in their path of travel and make it invisible to them.