Have made my way through 2 different coyote videos, dirt holes and it's variations and the flat set fix. Getting ready to go out first part of next week and put in sets on new property and was just wondering if those of that blend them in, age them as they called on videos, noticed a difference? I'm going to try both blended and not and see if it makes a difference for me. Just looking for some opinions from you guys.

Keep notes on your results
Notes are priceless as you gather more and more
Never stop learning

I seem to have much better luck with flat sets if blended in.

I blend all my sets where the trap is, but if it is a dirthole set I will place the dirt clogs that I dug up and put them near the set for eye appeal.

All my sets get blended for coyotes, Kept records for years. the bare ground seems to get avoided espeacially with flats. I don't blend heavy but enough so the trap bed isn't obvious. Stubble, twigs and small stones for guides.

I have always try to blend everyfhing in. Other than a stepdown dirthole
Justin

when I make a set with a trap sized pattern I blend. When I make a set with a large pattern don't.
I think some animals avoid stepping In a trap sized pattern.

Like the previous posts, I blend all flat sets and about half my dirt holes.
I need to better on the note taking.

Blend all flat sets, sometimes so well I walk past them lol. I use mostly step down or trench dirt hole sets and just try to keep dirt pattern as "natural" looking as I can.

Blend, blend, blend. Eye appeal can still be used if desired.

A flat set, p-post etc I'd blend completely, a big hole set would look mighty odd blended, a mouse hole blend- in essence what The Beav said.

Blend it brutha!

I even plug all my dirt holes and I just about always blend the set. The key Is to keep everything looking as natural as possible. To my way of thinking a open dirt hole isn't natural. I know we catch lots of critters this way but It's not natural in the scheme of things.

never seen a woodchuck or chipmunk or skunk that plugged it's hole, never seen a fox blend in a spot it dug in; fact is I have never seen a natural hole of any kind that was blended in around it.

Now you tell me all those holes over all those years weren't natural?

Same thing here. Blend in a flat set, but a dirt hole , I make with a BT-45 auger. I want my dirt hole Large, Deep, and Messy. Throw dirt everywhere. I never plug a big hole, but will often throw a cotton ball with lure down the hole .

What ever works for you.

I have spent 1000s of hours in the field and have yet to see many natural holes that look like trapper dug dirt holes. I once watched a flick where It showed a fox burying a scrap of food. It scratched out a small trench and then packed the dirt back around It with It's nose.



I dig a dirt hole bait It and plug It with a grass wad. I pile my dirt to the left of the mouth of the dirt hole. Then I set my trap 8" back and 6" to the right of the hole and It's perfectly blended. I feel there are lots of pattern shy critters and I'm going to give them a natural place to put It's foot.
I also place my lure stick about 2" to the right of the plugged hole. And I place my urine about 24" in front of the set. I just don't want to have the critters total attention directed on the plugged hole. I just feel they become more at ease as they check out the other scents near by.

It seems to work for me.

Pretty cool.

That is what I have seen as well.
Thanks for sharing that

The Beav - That is almost a perfect description of the JL Dirt Hole in the Master Wolfer book by James Lucero. I just read the book again the other night and it is one of my favorite books.