Over the years I have read that coyote experiments have shown that multiple scents at sets are more of an attractant than a single scent. Concerning commercial lures and baits, other than maybe a solid gland lure, many of them are made up of different ingredients such as bobcat meat mixed with mink glands, skunk sacs, beaver castor and so forth. I just bought a lure that is labeled a call/food lure. Would not these be considered a multiple scent even though it came from the same bottle or jar? Your thoughts.

Ive never done any real testing on the matter but I seem to have better luck with 2 or more different lures, bait, or urine at a set. With that said, there are situations i may only use one odor at a set.

I've seen this discussed multiple times in the past. I have a hard time believing those studies as I've read some of them and it appears as though bias could easily have contributed. Most people that come with me that's the first question they ask what lures I will be using...I usually look at them and ask "lures?" I hardly use lure. Generally it's one bait and quality urine. You could argue some of the bait I use is lure in itself but I don't have multiple bottles in my bag. Streamline it as much as possible. Simple and fast results in more sets. At most I have one bait and one lure in my bag.

If I do use lure it's only one lure. I know that's not the popular opinion. Luckily for us Robert kept that log of his journey last fur season. Just shy of 1000 coyotes and for the most part he used just muskrat and urine. I can't imagine and don't want to skin that many coyotes so I guess I will go against the grain and steer clear of lure.

I believe when most people are teaching that, they are meaning 3 different bottles of lure. I have done a little bit of testing, and I’m a firm believer in multiple scents at a set. I remember listening to an interview with Ron Jones, an ADC trapper from New Jersey. He was a huge proponent of multiple scents as well, and he really broke down how and why it worked. Made a lot of sense.
On the flip side, the Indiana tree farmer claims to use mostly just Bill Nelson formula bait, and winter collected, meat fed urine.
He has made tremendous catches, so there is more than one way to skin a cat.

I've seen Ron (Jonesie on here) talk multiple times about more than one scent. Ron is also in the ADC business. If I was trying to catch every last animal on the place I might have use for it. I just want to catch animals not so much "the" animal. So I've found I have no use for multiple scents just production.

Don't care what the studies say, for me and the populations I work with I get much better responses with multiple lures at multiple sets per location. More steps equal more catches! It's been this way here for 30 years. If I trapped were there is lots more yotes I might see it different. Maybe not..

I consider one bait and urine to be multiple scents. Also trying to catch "the" animal can increase your catch rate if it doesn't slow down your efficiency too much.
I also consider droppings a scent at a set.

A child and a parent going to a buffet. Desert at one end, roast beef at the other end. Most children will head for the desert first, me meat! For seconds the kids want the desert again, me more roast beef. We are all animals.

Anything more than one is multiple so the answer to your question is yes.
A lot of the baits on the market today imo could approach or even exceed 10 different smells. Who knows how many different smells are in the average lure.
Boils down to personal preference.

Yes sir, I agree and I might have mis-read the original question. I like to give them something they want to dig for and they want to eat. Simple as that. I also run 99% dirt holes. I pretty much go against everything the trapping world views as necessary. Leftlane I've learned to avoid going where the non-targets are but the coyotes frequent (we have plenty of the possum, coon, and skunks running around here too).

In regards to catching "the" animal. If it steps on my trap while it's there good deal. If not I don't waste time trying to kill the last one. I really don't like losing so it really irritates me sometimes when I have a coyote digging or scratching from a side or distance. However, I've learned my time is better spent on a new location rather than trying to prove I can kill the last one.

I just put the trap where they are already traveling so I don't have to call them. Focus is down the hole where they have something they want to eat. The rest is history. I am a firm believer in just making things fast, basic, and simple. There's nothing purdy about my sets. Just as boring as they come.

I will say other than me fumbling around my coyotes don't see a lot of trapping pressure. I could see were one might have to change there strategy a bit for coyotes that see a lot of pressure. I think having odors in different locations at a set even if they are only a couple of inches apart has its advantages.

Good information here. A really top shelf lure or bait that a high percentage of coyotes will dig for if is hard to beat when it comes to putting up #s. Ive done enough testing to feel confident in saying not all lures or baits will do this.

When I come back a week after I have to pull and every dirt hole looks like this I take notice and I will run that until every coyote in the county is tired of smelling it. There's a lot of foot traffic there. This particular picture is Marty Smith's Showtime and nothing else from Keg Creek. Every dirthole I encountered that morning looked the same.

The Quest man uses no lure. Although some of his bait may be considered a lure. But for the most part It's a chunk of muskrat down the hole and a shot of GOOD urine.
But he understands LOCATION and that I believe sets him apart from other trappers. And of coarse he doesn't trap marginal target populations. If he trapped here In Dane county WI he would come up short on the count.

Ive done a lot of testing some without traps and some with nonfunctioning traps bedded. I feel confident in saying you will get considerable more foot movement without a trap than with a bedded trap the majority of the time. Just a little food for thought.
Wade it sure looks like Marty's bait is well thought of in your area.

That's another reason I have never been all that fond of just lure. When I ran trail cameras on lured sets without traps which should get more action with your findings than those with traps I've noticed a number of main stream lures would get one sniff, one step, and at times a urination response. That also varied between the different coyotes in how much action the set would get. Now if you have something down a hole they want to eat they will be there till they either get caught or they get it. I know dirtholes can have their disadvantages (it rains, snows, and freezes here during trapping season too). Not only foot movement but time spent at a set would in my mind increase your percentage of catches. I won't deny I used to be the guy that would buy 8 new lures to try every year. If they work for you it's all that matters....I have no use for multiple lures at a set due to simplicity (I don't want to sit there and open up four different bottles)....multiple scents with something they can eat....I am in.

My findings agree with what you saw Wade for the most part. But there are lures that will regularly get strong digging responses but they are hard to find and sometimes easier to make yourself. My opinion is 2 top shelf attractants at slightly different positions at a set gives u an edge. if the attractants only give a mild reaction, multiple scents wouldn't makeup for their short comings.