I'm new to this, so I'm hesitant to post my experience. I had some sets out behind my house that I went back and checked every day. I caught a coyote on the first night and a couple coons and possums over the first week. After that everything went dead for two weeks, I wasn't even getting my coon sets touched. We pulled everything except three sets that I can check with binoculars, from about 300 yards. Last week i caught a red fox and a coyote on those sets, and the line is easier to maintain because I don't have to go back there every day. Take it for what it's worth but I believe checking from a distance pays off, even if I have to run fewer traps in an area.