Hello all, I’m trapping coyotes on a piece of property that we share with rabbit hunters. Because of this, I’ve been pulling my traps out for a couple days then resetting. I don’t want to catch a beagle, but It’s a real pain! Does anyone else have a similar issue and just cover their traps with plywood or something? Would be easier than pulling and resetting.... I’m wondering if this will have negative effects on the sets. Any thoughts? I may have posted this earlier but would like to get more conversation going on this to find the most efficient way to deal with it. I’m limited on time and have only 12 sets in but am going to double that this week.
Thanks,
Jeff

Covering works, but surely marks where the trap is. Do you know and trust the Beagler's? Makes a dandy place for snakes to hide out, so be careful.

Oh yeah, the hunters are friends of mine. Not worried about theft, just more concerned about educating a potential catch.

Old disc blades work well for covering traps.

I think in my state they are still considered set traps so we still legally have check them every 24 hrs. So you might check your laws concerning this. Not sure if it will affect your catch rates though.

I’d rather cover and check them still than pull and reset. Good advice though...Thank you.

Get some asphalt singles. Cut them In half and lay them over your sets.

In WI even If the trap Is sprung It needs to be checked every day. Makes no sense at all.

I have a bunch of shingles! Perfect!

just set them off I don't seam to get any ill effects by that but you definitely need to make sure they are bedded good I caught a skunk in one early this season and left it staked laying on the ground set off of course a yote actually crapped on it two weeks later I reset it and had a yote two checks later! Good smells will over ride their fear most times. To them that empty trap is no different than that t-post they brushed up against earlier that day.Or the old disk they was hunting rabbits around that mourning. I honestly don't think yotes know what a trap is.Its the smell of human left at the set in my opinion that a deal breaker. But they have to eat and mate.

I hunted a smallish military installation for a few years, several years ago (about 5k acres). It was hunted heavily with beagles every weekend. I never caught one and they never messed with my sets. In fact I watched a couple trot through an intersection where I had several sets and they paid them absolutely no attention. They must have known something was there just couldn't care less. If I was in that situation, I would limit my sets to dirt holes and my traps to laminated, offset #2's or smaller and keep trapping.

I had outfitters that guided quail hunters on some sections that I trapped in Kansas. Once or twice a month I would opt to cover the sets with some heavy bark that I had found in areas that worked out nicely for two days or so of hunting with bird dogs. The outfitters would call when they had a party of hunters a couple of days before the hunt. Worked out well.

It made more sense to cover them then to pull or set them off each time this happened. It was that or not being able to trap those areas. They were too good to pass up for cats and coyote.

If you make an agreement its always a good idea to honor your word so you are welcomed back again. I have used brush and branches also at times but it takes much more time to round up suitable material at times in some areas it isn't fool proof.

I have used cut pieces of plywood I have used locally for years when needed in such cases. However shingle pieces would work well if covered well to keep them fairly secure.

Have been in this situation too. I used 5 gallon bucket lids with drilled out holes...drove landscaping nails through the holes to secure them. Worked slick.
The first year attempt at covering sets with hunting dogs...I used heavy plastic sheets... visquine...I pinned them down with landscaping nails. I noticed at catch circles I had hunting dog prints on the plastic sheeting. I went to the 5 gallon bucket lids after that.

ive had coyotes dig out sets that i had sprung and left in trap bed. You can cover them and that will help so you dont have to remake them but dont be afraid to fire them and leave them where they are.

Thanks for all the advice!!

Old grates from grills work too.