My friend has followed along with me on the trap line for 2 or 3 years and I finally talked him into completing the Trappers Ed course. I helped him pick out some traps, baits, lures, and set making equipment. I have been trapping for about 10 years and am by no means an expert.

He asked me to to come along for a ride to check out a 300 ac property he has permission to trap. I helped him pick locations and even put a few sets in for him. He wanted to set for predators. By the end of the day yesterday we had put out 16 MB 550s in 8 locations on this 300 ac property. He set roughly 10 traps and I set 6 just to help him get done in time to bow hunt. Most sets were dirt hole sets, with a few flat sets, a hay set, and a scent post set.

This morning he went to check traps and found he had caught a red fox, a coyote, a Bobcat, and a Coon. All in less than 24 hours! The Fox, Coyote, and bobcat were in sets he made right next to the sets I made. He did not use any type of gloves and did not have a kneeling pad, and wore old tennis shoes. I wore rubber boots, rubber gloves and was much more aware of my scent, and how solidly the trap was bedded. How can this be??? Beginners luck.

I was very happy for my friend and even ran over on my lunch break to help him release the bobcat because he does not have a cat tag this year. He now thinks trapping is easy, reality will soon set in. I think we have another addicted trapper on our hands.

If you put someone on great locations, it's not hard to catch animals.

As for the scent control, most of that is junk.

best thing you can do is start off strong it gets them into it and from there they are able to see those good locations always in their heads as they will compare everywhere to that location

I am hopelessly addicted to trapping, but I’m not that good at it. I read as much is I can on the subject from about 7 different magazines, watch some good people on you tube, and talk to everyone who has anything to say about it. I just never seems to work out for me. I have stumbled across a few animals over the years but would not say that I know locations well, helping him really helped my confidence that all the reading and watching is working. Love trapping.

Same here but you have to keep at it and enjoy the successes as well as the failures. Not everybody can be a rock star.

The Fox, Coyote, and bobcat were in sets he made right next to the sets I made.

My guess is, your friend was setting downwind from you.
Good catch any way.

I'm with this. Unless you live in a vast wilderness where animals don't encounter humans the scent deal is way too overdone by the majority of trappers. I spray paint my traps, don't do any kind of waxing, wear the boots I had on at the gas station, and go kill coyotes on the first night. The rest you've mentioned are even less weary of scent.

A critter's nose tells him how long you've been gone.

They smell hunters, farmers, ranchers, loggers, foresters, etc everyday.

Keep setting where you see critter sign.....easy as that.

That was my thought "Who had the predominant wind?"

X2 my thought as well