Just learning and starting out. Been reading a lot and hope to learn how to trap.

Most of my relatives and cousins traps and my grandfather told me stories of trapping during the depression and selling skunk pelts for .25 cents. But I never had much interest in trapping as I spent most of my time archery hunting for deer. Over the years my brother and I were able to purchase a couple parcels of land that were adjacent to our great grandparents home that we inherited. In total about 130 acres in SW PA. It’s great deer hunting with half mile of trout stream frontage. It has been our life’s work and we are very lucky to have been able to price this all together.

But… we are over run with coyote. So much so that the first week of November I watch from my treestand as two coyotes stalked and then ran after a group of deer in one of my food plots as I could do nothing but watch from about 75 yards away. I have game camera pics with four coyote at one time. I have coyote pics at least once a week on every camera. They are everywhere. I wish i could find it but i even had a pic with a coyote carrying a fawns leg. Four years ago we had tons of small game. Rabbits were everywhere like, well, rabbits. Turkeys were all over the place and wasn’t uncommon to have three or four birds gobbling within a couple hundred yards of each other.

Now, deer are so skittish they snort and scatter at almost anything. They are largely nocturnal year round. Turkeys are down to about a dozen on the best estimate I can get from my cameras. Small game is nonexistent. Not even a groundhog. But I see coyote constantly.

So the neighbor up the road traps and is well known around the area. But he’s in his 70s and is slowing down and told me trapping coyote is more effective than hunting them. So here I am! Hope to learn a lot and have fun too.

Welcome!

Welcome to the addiction. lol What part of PA ?

Welcome and good luck!

Welcome, lots of good info on here!

Calling-one on one drives-trapping hit them mangy critters from all angles.Good luck and welcome aboard.

Welcome, the problem you have with coyote
sounds a lot like what other areas have. It was nice when I could really hit groups of them here and get good money for the fur. Sounds like prices are going to drop but that is not going to change my ways of going after them. The people in my area really like the deer so they are willing to take coyote out of the equation any time during the year.

Welcome to the madness ! Trapping coyotes can be maddening the best advice I can give you is get to be friends with the 70 year old trapper . He can teach you hands on and we can’t do that for you. Even if you have to pay him it will cut your learning curve by YEARS and will be worth every penny .

What Golf ball said and consider joining and being active in State trapping org.
Links link at top of this page has info.
You can learn a lot there and it takes time.

There are plenty in SW Pa that will help, Narrowing down to perhaps what County
may help, if comfortable.
Learning trapping "mechanics" is one thing. Learning where to catch them is a whole nother game.
Setting your property heavy, willy-nilly can be a setback IME.

Maybe that neighbor will take you under his wing and give you some pointers

Same exact scenario here! I'm brand new to trapping this year. Always had an interest in trapping, but was a bowhunting nut for the last 20 years and never got around to trying it. After watching my deer, turkey, rabbit, and grouse population get destroyed, last winter I decided it was time to do something about it. I was getting more coyotes on camera than deer. This year, I haven't seen a single yearling doe, and just 1 button buck all season. Quit hunting Nov.1 and committed 100% to trapping. Had some blind magic/luck happen on day 5 and doubled. Other than that, just red fox on the line. It's like they know I'm after them or something...lol. Good luck the rest of the season!

I also have rural property in Pa. Hit those coyotes hard and it will definitely help the deer herd. They key finding the choke points along travel areas. Likely the deer use them too. Trail cams help to verify of course. Much excellent help for you on here. Good luck !!

Since you are a hunter I'd try calling the yotes too.
Like said above get to know your neighbor.
lots of books and videos.
just