This is my first year trapping. I am 54 and have been in the outdoors and hunting woods, religiously, since i was 8. I have been reading on here, watching everything I can and doing quite a bit of research. My main focus is for predator control on properties that I deer and turkey hunt but I am setting up to process the furs as well.

Here is something that doesn't seem to make sense to me. I keep hearing and reading the importance of a scent free set (or at least trying to keep the scent to a minimum. I know from deer hunting there is no way to do that 100%). I then read how trap sets that make a catch are so great at catching again. I hear stories of canines or coons digging up traps that they smell that are contaminated with scent. If this is true how do you handle the scent left on a trap that has made a catch. I would imagine that a trap that makes a target or non-target catch would be loaded with scent. Would this scent make them dig? how do you guys handle this? Or am I over thinking?

Check your mail box.

Near as I can tell its a game of wits. You don't want foreign scents. You want local scents. Another animal peeing and masking over your set while caught is like a giant billboard screaming something happened here come sniff all about it. So you have to ponder for a moment. Am I a local or foreign scent? Which will lead you to realize you don't want to have your personal smell all over the place. Just to be safe. Jmho

You dont want YOUR scent on your traps.
If you make a catch, the whole catch circle and your trap will smell like that caught animal. If you then reset that trap within that catch circle, your traps smell will completely blend in with the surrounding area (catch circle). That smell from the previous catch, along with the visual of the catch circle, is a major attractor. BUT, if you take that same "dirty" trap and bed it in a new location, now that traps smell will stand out and can cause you problems.

You don’t want bait or lure scent on your trap, just in the hole or pipe or whatever you use for holding it. As stated above, once you make a catch the animal scent left behind will cause others to investigate even further.

The traps are great at catching again if reset in THAT SAME catch circle. If you want to reset that trap in a new location, you would want to "de-scent" that trap by boiling, then rewaxing, dying, dipping, etc.

I didn't consider that the trap would have the scent of the entire catch circle. That makes very good scents (pun intended). Thank you.

No problem. I hope you have a great 1st season! With coyotes, you can't get discouraged. You will end up thinking you have them figured out, then they will make you feel stupid. You just have to keep after them.

i have been married for 30 years. I really know what you are talking about.

Human odor is not something you can hide you can do the best you can but it’s still there. Most coyotes that dig up sets IMO is not human odor related. It’s bedding or a coyote being a coyote. A educated coyote is not one that Is digging or scratching at a set. I can generally kill him or her. A bad one is one who leaves the country

Be practical but don’t lock yourself in a plastic box coyotes can smell plastic to Go. Learn you’re locations. Lerarn you’re sets watchcoyotes interact with those sets and learn

I've been married almost 14 years now. We're in the same boat!

And do not wear your trapping boots to the gas station when pumping gas. That is a smell that will make them boogy on down the trail.

Keep the stink of your equipment used for sets. Keep your body clean and the clothes you wear. If it bothers you it'll bother them. Lot better things to pay attention to, you will never convince a yote you weren't there. I work around fiberglass resin and solvents daily, you'd think they'd never work my sets but they do, the first encounter. All I do is change clothes and boots when I get home then off to the races.

Read what TravC posted until it sinks in..

Great question. Lots of things can go wrong when making a set. TravisC said it well. Don’t over think it, but don’t take it for granted. One of the things that has been stressed to me is the time spent at the set. Less time less odor. You can get caught up by worrying about scent. I have been guilty of that many times. Keep bait and lure separate from your traps and trap set gloves. Clean waxed traps are better than new oily or old rusty traps. Coyotes can be a pain in the butt, just do the best ya can and have fun. Good luck

Setting traps, pounding stakes, etc. is hard work and when that bead of sweat rolls off your forehead into your trap bed....

Different gloves for remakes. All scent from catch circle will be on those gloves and your boots. Bait, Lure, urine and the critters scents are all spread over catch area. Keep the traps as clean as possible and roll to the next. Wipe off all from jaws with a wad of grass after a catch and set it again. Good luck!

I am pretty conscious of scent in my bow hunting for whitetail. I never wear my hunting clothes into a diner or to a gas station but if I have to I clean them. I imagine if I take a similar approach I should be ok based on the responses here. I appreciate the feedback and advice. Thanks