Coyote will work the hole from the back side. Step down sets work better. I've even gone to using 2 holes just far enough apart to get the trap bedded between the two holes. Works pretty well.

A person like me that has more traps than time to check them, the second trap at a set has helped catch more fur, especially later in the season with snow and such.

TJM, I think the coyotes find the hole by sight and smell and spend the majority of their time waiting behind it for the occupant to come out. A step-down set with the hole horizontal, or nearly so, does force the canine to get in front of it to take a peek. Two schools of thought and both work

I have a trench set out now and have one trap in the trench and another on the back side(toward me) of the dirt pile from making the trench. Caught one cat by the back foot and waiting for another to come around again.

Locklear makes the dirt hole facing the travel way in the traditional up wind location and places the trap behind the backing/hole because that is where the animal will go once they recognize/see the hole while going by. It also depends how you lure the set. If your lure is down the hole the canine might not smell it from behind but if you lure the set by placing the lure on the lip of the hole, as some do, they can smell it from different directions from the hole. Most wind currents don't blow the same direction all night depending on where your location is, i.e. creek bottom versus side of ridge where the thermal winds currents change from morning to evening.

There are also theories of how an odor travels on the wind currents and how the molecules of the odor are displaced on objects in its path. The wind may be blowing from north to south today and leave lure molecules on ground objects south/down wind of the set and tomorrow be blowing west to east and then would leave lure molecules on ground objects east of the set. So many different variables to consider.

I know they work other places but in my area I have had zero luck with step down sets.

I use the 2 hole set also.What I do is have them about 12" apart ,I also put 2 different baits and then lure between the holes and a shot of urine and put dog fur in the hole after to cover the bait and then bed the trap 18" back from the holes on center. it is normal if the trap is sprung that something is in it.You very rear have it sprung.unless there is many deer around. I had talk with Clit last year at the FTA and he gave his demo on K-9 and talk about set the trap 18" from the hole because alot of times the coyote will not go really close to the hole.

If the the animal can leave the trail and circle the set close enough to get in that rear trap; the set is at a poor location.
Now think about this and study about it for a few days- but Why do you make a hole if not to conceal the bait/lure and direct the animal into the trap?
If I want to distribute the scent in many directions, I put it about 4' high and 10' away from the set. if I want to catch an animal I put the scent/bait in a place that can only be approached from one single place/direction- this takes a couple minutes of planning, maybe, but if you chose to set an open in all directions bait with zero guidance, then I would suggest ten or twenty traps arranged in a complete circle, because if the animal approaches from some direction than the "front" you can not guess what direction that will be. Setting the trap at the "rear" of the hole simply means the hole has no "front" because you made it frontless on purpose. That is a wasted hole. It tells the target "go any where, I don't care to trap you".
Coyotes, fox and bobcats are not mink, they do not investigate holes just because they see a hole, at least not in my patch- this country is chock full of abandoned woodchuck holes and armadillo holes and holes and holes, and very often more holes; these stupid animals here never got to watch any videos either so they never learned that they are are supposed to reason like humans. The only reason I ever make a hole is to use as a guide and a cache. But iI have no videos to watch and none to sell either.
The best hole I have used is mouse sized either on a bank/slope or under something like a stump,rock, bale, etc.- with all those big holes I have I have never found a cat or coyote track near any of them.

This is how mine are set at a dirt hole. Both traps are on one anchor so they're only going to catch one animal. I only rigged these up because I have more traps than I have areas to set them.









Numbers don't lie! I catch a lot of coyotes, fox, bobcats and coons in these sets.

Think how many you’d catch with one trap in front of two holes instead of one. I can see it for $1000 cats that come once every two weeks. A $50 coyote that comes by every couple days in my opinion you’re handicapping yourself or you’ve missed the art of simple guiding.

$1,000 cats!.... Wow! I'm sorry but I'm laughing my head off at the notion of a $50 coyote! The last ones I sold green about 4 years ago were $10! I haven't skinned one since.

I'm in South Alabama WadeRyan. Our fur isn't anywhere near worth those prices. I trap to control predator numbers.

I honestly don't think my method is better than anyone else's. When I teach others I always tell them my way isn't right or wrong, it's just what works for me.

That’s my point exactly. You’re not catching a $1000 cat so you’re wasting a trap. With double the sets you’d be controlling more predators. You said yourself numbers don’t lie. It’s simple math.

You didn't read my original post!

I have more traps than I have places to set them so I'm not wasting anything.

These work for me. The OP asked for opinions and I gave mine.

I've have encountered a new (for me) situation at part of my trapline . I have 4 dirthole sets spread out along a 2 track about 1/2 mile long. I have already caught 2 bobcats and a coon. The sets were intended for coyotes. The landowner had trail cameras out for seer season but that's over with here and he pulled his cameras. He had fox, coyote, bobcat, and coon pictures from that trail.
In the last week 3 of those 4 dirtholes have had traps uncovered (not dug out) and the screen pan covers pulled off. Because of vegetation surrounding the sets and no snow, I've not been able to see any tracks to identify which critter is the culprit. Today I set up two trail cameras at two of the set locations in order to positively identify which animal is the digger. Regardless of what it is, I think I will put in a well-blended second trap, set back from the one in front of the hole, at all 4 locations in hopes of catching whatever it is. This will be interesting.

Hope you get 'em mifox!

North40R...man I wish I had that type of soil to trap in!

Well guess I should have read these responses a few days ago, lol.
Here’s the scenario, 2 track road, back half of dead rabbit in a hole with the cottontail sticking out, grass covering the hole from aerial predators but visible to anything walking the road. Trap placed out front bedded Zaggerman style about 10” or so back.

So...anyone want to guess what happened?

My guess is the culprit walked the trail, saw/smelled the rabbit, and...you guessed it. That sucker came in from the back side of the grass and made off with a free meal, all the while my trap sat out front unmolested!!

Always learning...

I get at a few grey fox every year that refuse to work the set from the front. They just will not do it. I try blocking heavier and it makes no difference. They just end up climbing on the backing to work the hole and usually end up kicking something on to the trap bed and setting off the trap. There are just some critters that have been educated to holes and work them differently.

I plan on setting up a few cameras on sets to learn more on guiding and trap placement.

I know it's not a k9 but I do use the 2 trap system when its needed