What you learn after you think you know it all is what makes you a competent trapper.

Putting the work and time in, (paying your dues).
Some guys make it look easy but it's definitely not easy.

Hard work and push yourself to make those extra sets even when you want to call it a day.

Going on my 2nd season here in Oregon. I had a goal of 10 coyotes and id of been thrilled, ended up with 41 and 5 bobs. I did a lot of research, read everything I could find, watched YouTube, gave me an idea of what I was getting into. The best thing that helped me hands down though were two locals that have trapped for years. One came to help me set my first line, showed me how to make different sets (mostly dirtholes) talked location a lot, how much bait/lure to use and how to skin and flesh. That first coyote I got looked like swiss cheese lol The other fella I went with a few times on his lines. What an eye opener, access to about 80,000 acres and runs around 150 footholds. Nothing fancy, no secrets, lots of steel and location location location. I was shocked to see how fast he'd punch a hole, bed the trap, throw some bait down the hole and moves onto the next within minutes. Combined these two catch and put up over 500 yotes a season. Like some of the other guys said up above, finding a mentor or two will put you in the fast lane for the learning curve and make you more confident. Just my 2 cents worth, tight chains.

Bud, I’ve been trapping coyotes for almost 18 years, and without fail every time I get confident and think I know what I’m doing a coyote comes along, makes me look like a fool and knocks me down a couple pegs lol.

I guess it took me about 5 years before I was confident that I could catch coyotes with any regularity. But the other replies are spot on. The day I go check traps and don’t learn something is the day I’ll die. Coyotes always got new tricks up their sleeves, and trust me when I say if you mess up they will make sure you know it lol.

Been trapping since 1968
Coyotes are like 6 point bull elk
If you think they are as smart as you,,, you will catch and kill more of them.
Location location location are key,,, and a whole lot of hard work.
Only way to get better is to spend alot of time with them, doing something well over and over.
Best to you

I've been told that coyotes are creatures of habit, makes it seem like it'd be easy. Not the case. Sometimes when I hang a snare and think everything is perfect the animal is a couple steps ahead, but another set that I'm not so confident in will connect.
It's a fun challenge and at the end of the day for me it's only a hobby so I won't get too discouraged.

This is an interesting thread for a new guy. I’ve only been trapping since January. I’ve trapped coyotes, beavers, coons and possums so far but I’d say for me, I’m confident that I am somewhat a threat to coyotes now. I’ve made lots of mistakes and I should be a much greater threat this time next year and again five years from now. If one trap set for 24 hours is a “unit”, I went exactly my first 100 units without any luck for coyotes. Since January I’ve managed to catch six coyotes with five of them being in hot weather. I had set a goal of five for 2020, but am now hoping for ten. I would like to believe that right now I’m operating mostly on persistence, and that experience will make me much more efficient.

Beavers have been my second toughest animal to trap, but I’ve targeted two and caught two with a 330 conibear. Coons and possums seem to come pretty easy, but my biggest, oldest coons were mostly caught in footholds.

I may not be the best trapper the world has ever seen, but I’m having as much fun as anyone ever has while trying!

Nice job on the coyotes. I'm not getting rich trapping either, but it is a ton of fun. How many traps on average did you have with the 100 units?

Just six. I work on a deer hunting plantation and the owner ordered a kit for me to try. I’ve still never seen anyone set a trap in person except for myself. I’m sure I wouldn’t have started trapping at all without being requested to. All my education was YouTube, this site, and GON forum. I prepared the traps on advice from a friend in middle GA. He told me waxing wasn’t necessary and to just dye them, “the rustier the better”. None of those sets ever worked! Granted, looking back most of them were not in great locations. I bought three more traps from my closest supplier, waxed them, set them around my house and caught my first coyote that night.

I’m sure thankful I was “forced” into trapping!

BTW, those first six In the kit were Duke #2. I don’t use them anymore. I only count the #3 and MB 550s as coyote traps.

You'll learn more from misses than catches, take advantage of snow. Snow is the best teacher! I've been trappin yotes since the mid 80s, I still get humbled. the yotes will show you where and how. Prepare to be humbled.. Always ask yourself why! Learn to bed traps SOLID.. Master all the different set types, keep your mind open.. Gang setting flat works!

Awesome, thanks!

That’s great! Trapping at work is something I could get use to! I’ve also only got 6 traps so hopefully I can get a coyote or two.

This November will be my 50th year of trapping, most of which has been as a full time ADC trapper.
I'm still learning.

I started trapping around 1993-94, haven’t trapped every year, but I’ve always owned a coon dog of some sort. Just spending time in nature is a great teacher. When I was a kid some of my favorite memories were waking up early after a fresh snow and following a set of tracks.
You’ll find the den trees for the coons, the hideouts for the rabbits, what kind of critters are living in the brushpile, the salient objects that a coyote is drawn to, etc etc etc.
I read a lot of books and buy a lot of DVDs. Seems like there’s a little something to be learned from everyone.
The biggest thing is putting traps in front of as many different family groups as possible. I don’t know that I’ll ever stop trying to learn lol

Best advice to ya is to join your trap assoc. and attend meetings & rendezvous' . They always have demos on diff animals. You can learn lots by talking to other trappers at these. A great video is "EASTERN STYLE PROFESSIONAL FOX TRAPPING" by BOB JAMESON. Get it. It is a must watch.

You need to know the animal to consistently catch it. Pay attention to the animal. They will teach you all you need to know.