Have a dead pile that has some very good coyote trails across the open where I couldn’t drop in snares. Any tips and advice for dropping footholds on those trails? They are pretty packed down. How would you bed a trap in that situation?

Come in from the side with your trap already set, on a drag, metal grapple is best. Punch a hole in the trail with a tool or just use your hand. Make the bed deep enough so the trap sets below the surface of the trail. Cover with wax paper or put it in a produce bag. Take a spatula or something and skim some light surface snow and place over the trap. It's okay to still have a bit of a grey outline under the snow rather than buried too deep. The least disturbance possible is the goal. Come to the trail from behind a bush or grass or something if possible. Bury the chain and grapple under the trap if the snow is deep enough or leave it where you stand to make the set.

Pray for 1/2'' of fresh snow 5 minutes after you're done lol.

Also 2 traps is better than 1 and this is a good curveball for snare wary coyotes.

les has it figured out,hopefully he'll chime in as i'd like to hear his technique also.

oldtimers put a wood shingle under the trap but that was before produce bags

The bag is to prevent the trap from freezing down? Is it necessary if temps are not getting above freezing?

I rarely have snow here in MO that last, but I still blind trail set for coyotes and manage to snag one every now and then. A light powdery snow over a fresh set is a definite plus. What I do where I am is look for a root, a log, rock, anything that already exist in the trail and determine which direction the coyote is traveling. I want the log (what I usually find) to block the view of the trap on the other side, or any disturbance I made getting it in, until the coyote is right up on it. I use leaves tucked under the pan to blend in the trap. I rarely bed it. A blind trail set can take a lot of fur, on a well used trail. Not just coyotes. Spots between several close growing trees, that a trail runs through, or brush, anything that constricts the trail is also a good spot. I'll add a stepping stick of my own in those areas. I don't like a plain stick though. I want a couple limbs coming out close together (forked stick) so that one is laying on the ground, but the other is up 4"-6". This seems to make them step about right, especially if we get a few inches of snow, plus deer generally step out a little further than other stuff, so you don't have as many deer step-ins. I love the blind trail set. Coyotes are definitely my favorite to catch on-purpose in them.

I have dug in from the side and placed the trap under the foot hole in the snow no dirt or pan cover needed the hole is your friend there.

Sounds good

Say your trail runs north south. Place the trap so the lever are north south or east west?

Levers always go with direction of expected travel
A turd on one spring lever on a dirt set is a decent foot guide

Only listen to drasselt if you in the mood to skin lol