Been one of those years, pinched 7 coyotes so far, missed within an inch on at least another 7-10 coyotes and had a couple pull out. Rick Olson said its not a bad luck year but a year of learning like every other year. I did learn you need to make them step somewhere and not just wait for luck. But, after learning that with a couple inches of fresh snow its hard for them to see the small guides. Been frustrating thats for sure.

X2

Well I`ll ask you if your using the biggest trap your allowed to.I know everybody says the 550 is the greatest coyote trap but once you get some snow everything changes.I like the duke #4 with the Paws-I- Trip pan on them.

Don't feel too bad, it's part of trapping. You'll never bat 1000 when trapping. Not sure how i missed this one, but I did.

At least y’all have snow to know. We just guess or think they just aren’t there.

You’re not alone. I had 5 sets in one day that missed by less than two inches. Last check I had two sets that just got destroyed, they stepped on everything EXCEPT the pan. Just one of those things.

The animal will tell you were to put the trap IF you pay attention. I moved a trap yesterday = from a 2 days of pattern misses And Caught 1 of my 7 coyotes today. To be honest. I think lots of people get to up Set with pattern misses. Del Kramer was 1 of the best trappers of his time. When I took lessons from James Lucero He said Del Kramer when asked = Where does the coyote step? Del responded = The coyote steps everywhere with a good lure. So why get hung up with the perfect 9 inch back and 2 inch offset idea?

I too need some instruction or discussion. I ran my first canine line of any real volume for the first time in about 15 years. I had 23 traps in 16 locations for 7 days. I got one yote. We did not have snow then but I could see the disturbances near the trap bed. I use a variation of a walk through (this year all in sod with grass clumps and dried dirt sifted over the trap and a small amount of grass rubbed over. These sets used to catch me quite a few reds and I have been expanding the pattern a bit to try and adjust to the size difference but I am not connecting very well. To me if I crowd them too much they stay further back, if I expand the pattern a bit I get those close but no cigar signs. Traps are bedded okay in my opinion. I do get quite a few deer snaps and did catch grinners and a skunk. Traps are 1.75 Victors with shock springs. I did have 3 cases where the animal, (looked like fox size tracks) dug the hole our under the grass from the side. I caught the coyote in sets just like I described. The distance between the two grass piles I would guess is 12-16 inches with the trap in the middle with lure down a small hole under one pile and urine on the other. I don't use any bait this year.

Bryce