I keep getting calls to come in snare coyotes but the issue there are a lot of deer in these areas this time of the year. I seriously mean a lot of deer. The coyotes are running the deer trails and I hate hanging cable on them. I need a solution. A snare that I can use that if a deer accidently gets caught it will not take much for them to get out but good enough to use on our northern coyotes. I am partial to 1x19 5/64's cable. Any ideas??

Deer stops or break-away s-hooks?

Used to wire a tree branch across the trail at a 45 degree angle down to the ground. Coyotes go under, deer jump over. Theoretically

Sounds like you need break aways on your snares I use 285# bads and they release most of the deer and hold most all of the coyotes. Nothing is 100%. I have used a leaning stick to guide deer around the snares and use a little lower loop (11" loop - 10" off the ground) in heavily deer traveled trails. I'd never put a stick straight across a trail, deer will duck under about as often as jumping over. As you say there are a lot of deer and if you do what you can to avoid it and accidentally still catch one,,,, well you know.

I have been looking at both deer stops and breakaways. the snow is going to get deeper here the way it sounds so everything is going to be running the trails. I hate handing snares in deer yards but I am afraid I am missing out on some good opportunities.

With choke springs I use 150# bad, 180# doesn't open Everytime

Deer stops and breakaways won't help a neck caught deer.Breakaways work very well on foot catches.

Yes they run Deer Trails but they also have lots of Trails of their own especially in snow, I would look for the Coyote Trails first then go to deer trails if you need to.

And on your Deer Trails, a deer stop won't help you on a neck catch

Deer trails= no snares for me

Jump sticks = yoy deer ducking under the snares

Breakaways work but not all the time

I use breakaways on my power rams and they work but not 100%

Walk the deer trails you will find where the coyotes are entering and exiting their trails. You can pick them off on those

X20
Deer stops are made to release deer legs. I would bet you would be lucky to have one in ten BADs that will hold a coyote, release a neck snared deer. A lot of the BADs are very inconsistent according to the testing ND did. Stick across the deer trails act as dive sticks, especially on fawns Use foot holds, is you best bet.

This ^^^^^^^^^ snare off trail leave main trails alone or foot hold the main ones.
Lots of good solid advice in this thread

I use breakaways on all my snares now as trying to reliece a deer from a snare sucks! Haven't lost a coyote yet.

first off, its illegal to set a snare in a deer trail in this state.

Your solution is to visit your local butcher and obtain a pile of intestines, preferably sheep. Cut them into 2 inch pieces and at good places in the trail, put a few pieces down, and make your own off trail that the deer will not be using.
A flag fluttering on the new path will add to the enhancement to draw the coyote in.

Prime locations are bends in trails that you can set up on both sides, locations that pass under evergreens. (You have to be aware heavy snow will lay on these snares until cleared.) and bunny trails through willows. Any tangle that keeps the deer on the trail and the yote will go through.

By all means use breakaways, but get your choke poles up as a coyote will pop a 50 pound breakaway. Do not overlook skunk as a lure this time of year either to draw in coyotes.
You do not need a grand avenue, just a hole in the trail the coyotes will get off the expressway.
Take advantage of the situation as those does will appreciate it when their fawns are not eaten by these predators when they drop in June.

Really a lot of Gre!t tips here

LOL, how do know if its a deer trail? If the coyotes are using it, its a coyote trail, if the deer go down a coyote trail how is that your fault. Crazy regulation.

150# of force doesn't matter if leg or neck

ADC,,,I guess youd have to ask the warden who's writing the ticket. he'll be the one deciding what kind of trail it is. its not hard to tell a hard packed deer trail from where a couple, or few, coyotes have passed.

I know but "technically" what if a coyote came through first, isn't it a coyote trail that deer use as opposed to a deer trail that coyotes use?

Sounds like they are just like the Iowa DNR they want the coyotes killed but god forbid you hurt "their" precious deer. Well,,, they are theirs until you hit one with your car then the deer is your problem.

Anyway, sorry to get the post off-topic.

It sounds like if the OP wants to catch coyotes in snares, and he's going to get upset if he gets an incidental deer, he'll have to make the coyotes go where the deer aren't going or find those few trails coyotes use that deer don't. Like I said earlier nothing is 100%.

that's the argument youd use while the wardens writing you a ticket. after that, your choices are paying a big fine, or using that same argument before a judge, and taking your chances in court. who needs that?

this discussion is about setting on an "existing" trail. a hard packed deer trail, is a deer trail. it wasn't coyotes hooves that packed the snow down to the ground. once that trail is packed down hard, everything will be using it. its still a deer trail, regardless of what travels it after the deer made it. this is how the warden will interpret it.

as said above, set where the coyotes enter/leave the deer trails. you can create a trail across the deer trail and set that. use skunk based LDC lure, placed 6 feet over head. try to stay on the up wind side of the main trail (deer trail).

between foot snared deer, neck snared deer, snares knocked down by deer, and all the other trash that runs these hard packed trails, for me, its just not worth the trouble to set them. an artificial trail, heavily scented up high, is more productive.

if theres a deer track under your snare loop, the warden can call it a deer trail, and ticket you. and most will. its just not worth the trouble.