I'm looking for some pointers for my dirt hole sets for coyotes. I missed a few last year and not sure what happened. I've been placing the trap about 9" away from the dirt hole. I've also used a good backing behind the hole (cow bones, natural patches of grass, etc.) I'm thinking it might be trap placement?
Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

Check out John Graham’s method of placing the trap closer to the bait hole with the trap between the bait hole and a cow patty on the other side of the trap. It doubles as a dirt hole set and a walk thru set. If the cow stuff isn’t available use something else. I tried it this year and had success with it.

If you ask 20 trappers about trap placement you may get 20 answers. As I understand it, a coyote sniffs a dirt hole with his front feet about 4" from the hole. I think the key is to put a bait in the hole that coyote can smell but cannot see so will work the set, tromping his feet around until he hits the trap pan. There needs to be a backing tall enough to cause him to work front side of set but low enough that he can easily see over it to ease his fear of possible surprise attack.

Subtle guiding with small sticks, grass, etc? Offset the trap to one side rather than center? Keep after em! Trial and error is frustrating, but it's all good learning.

Furvor is spot on about 20 different answers! 9” is fine. I offset mine right or left 2”-3”. Keep it simple. Not my set but like mine.

Have a backing, after bedding the trap stick a pencil sized stick in the ground at an angle, foot guide
Right next to jaw of trap, left side of the trap

I use the dirt clods that I get from digging the trap bed to guide the foot placement like said above, use what you have and make that trap pan area the best place to step. That said I have seen froze down sets that looked like a yote did the Lord of the Dance on the trap pan, it might be another issue so go through your process and review every step.

I went with about 9" from hole and caught several the past years but this season I'm setting the trap closer and seems I'm having better results. May just be luck though

It's always best if no little children are around when that or a pebble i missed caused a foul up

I don’t have a “set” distance. Whatever feels right at that particular set. Some might be right at the set, some may be 12” from the set. Most are definitely not in front of it, generally way off to one side or the other. Sounds crazy, but some dirt holes don’t even have a trap in front, they’ll have a well blended trap behind them.
I’m still learning, but I’d encourage any new trapper to use trail cams on some sets or even during the off season and see how the coyotes actually approach vs how you think they approach. I’ll set my cameras on a 3 shot burst with a 10 second delay. You can really observe what has been said that critters “won’t” do, lol. It’s as fun as trapping.

If the yote “seeing” what’s in the hole could the degree of angle of the hole have to do with trap set back. Please think about it. I have tried it with students in Trapper Ed classes. Works for me.

Yep the angle of the hole will play a part In trap placement.

Make two holes in sandy or muddy ground , make one with the hole almost strait up and down or 80* . Make the other hole about 45* angle , I bet you will find a track along side of the strait or 80* hole and about 9” out on the 45* hole . I’m also willing to bet if you put something in the hole good enough to make a coyote dig , the track will be to the left of the hole .

Set it on a spot that is slightly higher than around it if you can, water runs off better.
Use scratching tool to dig deep scratches on the sides of trap, in a triangle angle from hole to past the trap bed, makes it look like an animal scratched around, and helps drain water away