Thanks the mike good idea. Like you I have tried a variety of different ideas. Initially I favored CDobbins remake style two mounds with a small pilot hole at each mound with an attractor. Trap blended in between. It works well but there are always other things to try.
And Golfball yep mud like we have today. Lol
FYI...I have experimented with a lot of materials...I have been using dried lawn clippings, cut up grasses/weeds, hay chaff, straw chaff, and currently soybean chaff in areas that don’t have these chaffs with decent results. Example ...made a large boar coon catch in a corn field and did the remake with soybean chaff. It worked as I had a coyote a week later. I even got desperate one year and bought a 50 lb bag of Floor Dry material from hardware store....it is dried clay pellets. It worked well until it rained. But in cold dry conditions it worked! Dried saw dust works etc. Just keep on thinking and moving forward...

I’ve went back to using dry peat and waxed dirt for a top coat . I’m really liking the no pan cover thing and I’ve had sets go underwater and still work like it was supposed to.
John does your dirt typically stay that nice all season ?

... from an eastern perspective... I rarely make a new set at the catch circle. Thought being it would be a waste of time as most sets are on roads and set heavy enough that a circle shy coyote is likely to encounter a new set anyway during his travels. The only time I will start setting new sets at circles is when the catch and sign falls off ....and by that time most of the sets have caught something. Also in this situation I will set the carcass pile as you’ll usually find any remaining coyotes marking it up

Honestly, that’s one of the few locations where I enjoy the native dirt. I think because it’s so windy it stays dry. Anywhere else is like chipping through ice. I do borrow dirt from that spot quite often.


Wife, I can’t disagree with the coons and skunks. I don’t have possums. I started late this year because of the prime factor so most the coons were just not around despite the unusual warm weather. I’ve got to say that remakes are always surprising me. I had one this morning in a spot I’ve caught a couple but the set had been dead for a month. But I have crop circles all around it. It’s the spot with 3 circles in the picture. The middle circle.

Brother, see above. No, this spot is an exception because of the wind. This spot I don’t even bring a sifter or any antifreeze or peat stuff. Just dig with my hand and plant the trap. Like trapping with Wayne in NM.

Here’s that spot. The river’s edge can’t be travelled because of the rock reef that sticks out into the water. Coyotes have no choice but to travel the road over the reef. Otherwise, they have to go up the draw. Traps are waiting but they never do. I take a dozen or more canines from this spot a season and I have to pass it often.

Dropped pin
https://goo.gl/maps/g5qGNB5jaU1Lqakj8

Man, I am jealous of soil conditions where you can create a trap bed with your hand. I remember just looking at Wayne when he told me that...I can see why he likes to use the double longs in those conditions.

I used to always reset, now I usually pull and reset outside the circle. I find this to usually be much faster than trying to construct a remake. This of course is weather permitting. I'm in the part of the season now where you are not going to easily pull your stakes. Good comment about the snow. Once covered by snow there is much less avoidance. Always a good idea to have multiple sets available for them to choose from!

Wayne uses mostly drags. When she makes a catch, a fresh trap goes in the original trap bed. The “dirty” trap gets set where the caught animal hung up. The area where the coyote hung up holds all kind of attraction.

I have 2 circles this year where I have caught 3 coons and 2 coyotes (same trap, trap bed, etc.). Several circles with 1 or 2 coon and a coyote or fox or both. Most locations have 2-3 traps and its odd that the second trap is not disturbed or maybe has a coon in it. The circles (reworked with a rake) may take a day or two longer to connect than a some "new" sets for me here but I can't make them any better of a draw than what a coyote does when he is hitched for several hours................. the mike

Good golly John you almost became a Canadian,lol.

Hey when Mother Nature gives you a gift like that spot you may as well use it. I had a spot like that when I first started trapping coyotes in 90 . Without that spot I probably would have given up as I had no idea of how to keep a set working through the winter. Some days I still wonder, lol .

Golf ball you might have hung up your traps if you saw what I saw yesterday....light snow in the early am looked like a coyote party was going on....grrrr. Had tracks and kick backs all over my line. I know mating season is starting but I hate getting embarrassed like that.
Traps are pulled in those areas...I will be back with a “bag of tricks” after we get the two storms through our area.

Mike I pulled everything several weeks ago . No more coyotes than I’ve got I can’t see killing them for nothing. Heck the leather was still blue on the 2 I put up. From what I understand our best are only going to bring $15 . I pulled a set that had caught 3 in one trap without moving, that circle will be there a while. Most of my catch circles are in farm dirt and disappear pretty quick, this one is in established blue grass . It should be there until they mow in June.

Mike I would say it’s time to go to flat sets, break out the gland lure and plenty of urine . If they want to pss and scratch give them something pss on .

Yep, you obviously have been there and done that Golfball. That’s part of my plan....hope you have a chance to get back out and hammer a few more.

Mike I get a pretty good kick out of catching coon too so I’m gonna tan a few , maybe make moma some mittens, lol .

Seems like my catch in remakes went up quite noticeably when I wen to bloodless dispatch. I always hated that big blob in the catch circle if head shot, and you would be wearing it with a chest shot. Or the truck or the fur room! lol. I know a number of you fellas use my DR, what is your opinion?

Couldn't agree more Lee.

Started doing that this year, and yes, I’ve noticed a difference.

I think I agree, Lee. It’s been a couple years since I’ve shot coyotes with the exception of the boys coming out with me. I guess the only other exception are doubles and triples where the deathray(s) are occupied.