Hi guys my 12 year old and I have been learning from all your posts for a year and finally want to ask some advice on coyotes. First of all how long do you let your sets sit without re luring or baiting? We’ve had 21 traps out with 11 flat sets and 10 dirt holes for only 4 days and caught one on a dirt hole on the 3rd day. Some deer hunter shot it but at least didn’t steal our coyote or the trap. Most of the sets have had coyote tracks super close but they have been cautious to commit which i believe might have something to do with two rookies taking forever to dig and bed traps in frozen ground. Going to run the line again tomorrow and I assume I should leave them alone for a few more checks but really would like to know your thoughts. The other question I want to throw out there is do any of you mark your sets with anything? I marked them on my gps but I now have found out those flat sets just dissapear and my gps gets me in the general area but I already can’t visualize exactly where one trap is from my atv. Oh and I have 2 inches of fresh snow Here in Montana and I don’t know if that makes a difference with the baits and lures? guys you have no idea how much you’ve already helped us so a big thanks!

I never rebait or relure a set but most of my sets aren't out for more than a couple of weeks. Did catch one a couple yrs ago 89 days after luring the set.

Unless there is either a monsoon or a catch that tears up the location, I avoid reluring. Good bait and lure lasts a long time.

If you're on public ground, I'd just avoid marking sets. If you got a phone you can just take pictures of your sets when it's time to pull them if the trap never gets fired. On private land I'll occasionally tie flagging 10-30yatds of the set just so it doesn't distract the animals at the set or let ppl know something is going on right here . If you use survey tape. Only leave enough tail to tie your knot.the stuff gets loud in the wind as it dries in the sun.

Thanks for the response and I am lucky to have a huge private ranch to trap and I thought about taking a small piece of orange electrical tape and wrapping a small piece of it back on itself over a small branch of sage. It’s miles of sage brush That all looks dang near the same. I just set on lots of tracks on the cattle trails. Just hate to lose any hopefully a coyote will be in the one I couldn’t identify in the morning and make it easy.

So if you’re on private land where theft shouldn’t be an issue you could mark them with a piece of flagging or tape and it won’t spook a coyote. I never mark mine just because I trap public land and I’d lose all my gear in a hurry.

I never rebait or re lure a set unless it makes a catch. And usually just bait then because the whole set stinks like lure already once the coyote smears it around while fighting the trap. I rebait so that the coyote will zero in on the spot I want it to be working, and I feel like adding more lure would just be a waste of lure. But I don’t leave sets for a long time. If I haven’t had action on a coyote set in two weeks I pull that sucker and put it somewhere more productive.

Check the sets from as far away as you can, that will help with the coyotes being overly cautious and not committing. Get just close enough so you can see if the trap is sprung or not, then maybe once a week get up close to inspect it and make sure all is well.

For coyotes I like walk through style flat sets, in new areas I use utility style flags to mark sets there are everywhere around here on public try a glow tac on a near by tree don't mark an entire trail, when I question myself to re bait I pull and switch locations, all to often they dig up that hole later proving to me no re bait was needed

On the farms that I trap I'll use flagging tape or a clothe pin with a piece of orange tape on it . I will put my marker about 10 -20 feet from the set and the only reason I go that far is there are a few friends that bowhunt and if they see the marker and get curious there not tromping around my set. And for finding traps if you getting ready to pull and covered with snow a cheap metel detector can make short work of it
J

I also use a piece of flagging 20 steps from the set, so when I get to the flag I take 20 more steps.

You must have short legs, it was only 18 steps for me.

Just a word in case it might apply. Ya mentioned some tracks that did not commit. Make sure ground at set area is firm as surrounding ground. If they feel a sudden soft spot they may back off. Plus traps should be a few inches back for coyote compared to fox

I think your on to something with not having the ground firm. I rode the line today and 1 trail set that my boy did a coyote scratched the ground right before where the loose jaw was and slightly over the pan. Trap was not exposed but it seemed like it stopped and stretched his foot out and tested the ground. I have been worried that the traps the last couple days might be frozen in so sacrificed this set and it did fire. I rebedded the trap and firmed up everything solid especially just outside the trap and a little beyond. Coyote trapping is so humbling!