I am wondering if anyone has ever tried to put a coyote trap onto a slide wire to get the animal out of sight. I have a 300 foot square patch of grass in the corner of two roads that has nothing but 18" high grass in it. I put a trap on the corner farthest from the roads on the edge of the field and caught 4 coyotes and a skunk in the same set. The land owner was getting calls every time because people who drove by could see them and would call. I would like to know if about putting the trap on a slide wire to at least get the animal out into the grass where they might be able to hide. I generally don't make sets like this because of just this problem but coyote sign was all over and the land owner had seen several there as well. If anyone has tried this with success or not, I can use all the information I can get. I am thinking of using 10-12 feet of 1/8" cable with a standard "L" lock used for beaver trapping and 18" cable stakes at each end. I might even build my own heavier duty lock. FYI my traps are MB-550s with a JC Conner shock spring attached to the end of the standard chain and an extra MB Crunch proof swivel on the end.

Thanks,
Schmattz

I personally have not caught anything using one but I know many people use them with good results

yessir, folks been using them for decades

Cable works but chain is better, the drowner locks designed for both work well. Make sure its tight and its not obstructed. Run it to a low spot, they'll just lay down and hide.

Yes. Or another option(maybe/might) be to transplant a bush to block view from roadway.

Slide locks are simple to make if you have a vise, hacksaw, drill, hammer to bend them and a file to smooth edges. Smaller hole for cable and larger hole to fasten trap.

Looking at your listed catch numbers, unless you want to catch mink and skunk in coyote traps, adding pan tension to keep small critters out can save you some work.

Schmattz, yes, I've "slid" coyotes and bobcats out of sight. It's worked very well. As Lee Steinmeyer points out, it take a bit more time to set up, but it flat out works. Most of my slide cable's are 30' in length and are 1/8" 7x7. Getting the cable taught is important; (it doesn't have to be banjo tight, but you don't want it sloppy loose) and making sure the end where the coyote will end up is secure. Remember a coyote will test your set up.
I've also found if you can slide them IN TO cover has several advantages.

Give it a try, you'll grin when you roll up and see your results.

Thank you guys for the responses. I was concerned about the slide getting tangled in the grass or the slide cable kinking before the animal gets to the end of it. Will it work for more than one animal or is it a one and replace type of deal?

To your comments, There is no low spot or cover to slide them into other than the 18" high grass. I am hoping that they will lay down to keep hid. I think that transplanting brush would draw more attention than the animal being there. The country is wide open for a mile around.
Also, I run about 3 lbs. of pan tension. When you get 15+ lb skunks, they still set off the trap. I get a couple a year that wont go into a 5 gallon pail. I keep it lighter because I have missed some fox with heaver tension. I am different than most, I trap to remove unwanted animals and to protect wanted ones. The fur just pays for the gas and fun. Every skunk and coon I take is at least one nest of ducks, pheasants, or turkeys that is going to make it. Every yote is a deer or two that is being lost.

Thanks for the help. I am thinking that I may want to go longer than 10 feet to keep the catch circle farther away for the set.
Schmattz

why not a heavy duty drag when they head for the woods, they should be well hidden?

I haven't caught any coyotes using them yet, but have slid a few fox and coon down over a bank out of sight.

Just my 2 cents from using them, I'd sure want more than 10'. Coyotes can be tough on the slide cable, not from fraying, but from kinking the cable. May take you a bit to slide/reset your slide/lock on a remake if not too kinked up just an FYI.

Here is an untried idea to reduce cable kinking: Drive a tangle stake near end of slide (assuming local regulations allow entanglement).

I thought about a tangle stake but I decided that I didn't want the trap chain to tangle because then you loose swivel points and the shock spring not working. I figure if they make it all the way to the end of the cable that all the kinking would be right at the very end of the cable. So what if the next one doesn't make it to the very end of the cable because of the previous kinks. It should be within the last couple inches. After a few catches, if kinking becomes a problem, the cable could be cut off and restaked.

By the way. Drags are not an option here unless there is snow and even then I still won't use them. I don't want them to tangle up in the open field either. There are no trees within a mile of this spot and is typical of my area.

Thanks,
Schmattz

My experience is a coyote will start bouncing in a trap that close to the road every time a vehicle drives by.
Is there any chance you can backtrack the coyote travel routes and make sets father from the road.?
OR can you hang snares in the tall grass?
I'll be interested to see how you solve this problem. Good Luck

I put a few uncrimped stops on terminal end. After catch and cable is bent, move stops above bend and crimp last one making a new place for lock to stop. Repeat after next catch.
Or like you say, cut and restake. IME they will kink it.

Another thing that worked. I saw tractor guy moving round bales. I had him place a few where I could hide the catch from the road.

I don't do these often, just sometimes for THE spot. Many times it was a coon trail.

Use a lethal set like a ram.

This 2 cents has helped me hide many in farmland Nebraska: if using cable, use a heavy duty swivel at the terminal end between the anchor (whatever you chose) and the cable. It will help with the twisting and kinking of the cable. Slide a stick or a short 2X4 under the end to keep the cable up able to rotate freely for as long as possible. If using disposables, slip it under the last few inches above ground so your lock stops before it hits the connection. My Take.

IMO that's pretty low chance.IF your stake is against the slide wire/cable AND your swivels are close to the trap

I use 7x19 1/8” cable with biter camlocks for my drowner locks, and kinked cable is no longer a problem for me. I also make them 15-20 feet long and adjustable with a stop hammered on 18-24” from the end. They’ll fit any situation, and they’d make excellent sliders.


In my honest opinion, dry land entanglement stakes will be asking for broken bones and big problems. I want as much swiveling as I can get

#3 chain stakes and a Bauer lock works great

"and kinked cable is no longer a problem for me"

Being from an unfriendly snare state, I had never seen such a thing.
Going to try a few of these, thanks Axil.

What size for 1/8?
I could assume, but why not just ask.