Good news and bad news.

Took Pawnee and Zag's advice. Found flat rock in a perfect spot. Put turd from another area and put a couple drops fresh pee on it. Set two traps blended good. Had one trap scratched down hinge point of jaws. The good news is he barely missed stepping on the pan of second trap, so he doesn't know it's there. Very large tracks so I'm assuming old male.

What now? Do I leave as is ? Do I leave set alone thinking he'll come back and get caught next time? Or add another scent to get him back?

sounds like you need a set where you put trap in the ground, blended well, and then cover it with a bush. go back 2-4 days later, remove the bush and lure it somehow without stepping on the ground. i remember Charles Dobbins doing this in a story, but he was on horse back and lured it from leaning out of the saddle.

I did that with a pee post set and caught a mangy pup lol.. I am horse back most days

old pocket watch in a dirt hole? yeah thats all i got lol

BS Lol

Got more MO on suspect. Hay/ground duff got dug every where chaff was piled up. Looked to be from outside of set. Don't think he would enter it. Where I left a light layer(trail in and over traps no digging).

Compass set....light scratching at a couple holes but again wouldn't go into set it appears.

One remake.... digging at several piles of loose dirt but trap was covered in some wheat stubble and he didn't find it..

So what I'm thinking he digs in loose stuff until he find a trap. But based off the turd on a rock set once he finds one trap game is over. Won't enter a big spread out set like Compass or hay/ground tuff set.

Solution
More trail sets in grass to cover with grass. And as Boone and maybe others suggested an obvious dirt hole backed with a trap covered with just grass. Think he recognizes a set for what it is and is more intrested in finding the one trap than working the bait or lure. Few snares out but with cattle everywhere I'm very limited. He got lucky at the turd set but his luck will run out one of these times.

I remember an article by Major Boddicker, where he got a wise one using half urine and half blood. Mixed together. Can’t remember if it was a dirt hole or flat set

On the mound set, I have found that it really helps to bring the big mound to a point, kinda like a tear drop. I like to drive a pipe in the point and then maybe lightly cover it with duff. The point is obviously trap side. I REALLY like two traps here bc they seem to ALWAYS come from the side. So instead of putting a trap directly off the from of the point, I place a trap on both the left and right of the point. You can even make another smaller mound in front to give it a walkthrough effect. By giving them one point to focus on, and using the pipe to keep the bait/lure separate from the duff, you are more likely to get him to play your game by your rules.
Matt

2 trap coyote!

Update.
Caught the eleventh coyote here close to the house. It's been a week and a half since I caught one in this area. Big female. Didn't look real old but had some wear on here teeth for sure. Hadn't got dug for awhile. I think I was setting enough steel in front of her she was getting shy. I'd seen her several times but never got a good shot at her. This is how the set that caught her came about. It was originally a trail set in tall grass where a fence met the road. Caught a jackrabbit about a week ago in it. Wired jackrabbit to corner post up high about 10 foot from trail and remade trail in grass. Couple days later bobcat found rabbit and ate half before landing in trap. Remade trail again and thought between cat and rabbit smell and rabbit fur everywhere it might work. 3 days later big female coyote. If no more digging in area I think the winner is Wetdog with suggestion of putting attractor up high.

You are certainly going the right direction by giving the Coyote something to focus on and play with. Then be real discreet and subtle with other sets. A lightly sprayed hidden urine post back a ways. A couple blind sets. A very subtle flat set with no lure or bait, just an old bone.

And add a very obvious set with a chunk of bait but without a trap or pan cover. Let it dig and find only a reward to lower its guard. In the old days, my grandfather put up signs that said “No trespassing, bear traps in use”. Effective with no traps needed. Do the reverse on your digger - free digging at no risk.

And definitely try the Zagman’s scatological suggestion from which I quote: “THEN place your turd.” Following the plain meaning of his writing - the message is clear! Sorry Mark, I had to pick on you in the semantics department.

Marry Christmas to all.

If you have an ant hill on location, this is a good set for diggers , dig a deep narrow trench halfway through tapered up so the back is about 4 '' higher put a fresh turd in the back of the trench with a trap that has caught a coyote bedded directly in front of the dropping, now bed a clean trap at the trench opening. Raise the loose Jaw of the dirty trap so the coyote can see it ant hill sand is easy to work with in the frozen ground. If you can't find a fresh dropping remove some from a fresh carcass or use a fresh cut out coyote vent thats what I prefer.
Good luck Rich

Those bring twice as much money!

Caught #12 here at the house this morning.

Got a dusting of snow Saturday so after chores Sunday I made a few rounds looking for sign. The few sets I had out I could check from road so I never get close to them but with snow I went up to them to read sign. Looked like only one coyote had been through the neighborhood. Big tracks like those of my enemy. First set I checked was one of Pawnee's Poor boy sets I'd put in about 4 days previously. Droppings from another area with a slight bit of gland lure ( a version of a Kuykendall formulation I make) underneath with droppings from 10 foot away placed across from rock. Large tracks circling about 10 foot out. Came across dirt I had discarded from bedding trap and rock 15 foot from set and dug at pile a little bit.
Second area I had a double dirt hole at end of pond dam and pee post on center of dam. Passed down wind of dirt hole without any break in stride. Pee post was good size rock that I poked a small hole beside with driver and put a small clump of grass about size of thumb sticking up about 3 inches in then hammered hole tight on grass clump then added small squirt of urine I collected myself to grass. Had a good amount of large tracks circling set close and some digging from side at the base of grass were I made the hole for grass. He didn't mess with trap so I knew it didn't know it was there. I had an idea he'd be back.
This morning big male with big feet was caught by 2 toes waiting on me.
Not a gummer but definitely a short tooth older dog. Feeling pretty good this was my trouble maker.

Will add, the more coyotes I watch on trail cameras and the few sets I've done with just good urine I collect myself, the more impressed I am with it as a stand alone attractor. If coyotes are cheap again next year I might do some learning and put a lot more sets in with just urine. Scent posts and dirt holes....???

Sure sounds like that was your culprit. Congrats! Im guessing it was probably a little bittersweet now that the chase is over…

Yes sir, Ed Medvetz gave me that High lure idea on one of our loooonng phone conversations.
I've also caught some hard to catch yotes with Herb Lenons digger set from his 5 page booklet. Set your favorite set along a trail with no trap.
Place a blind set in the trail on each side of set, 6-8 feet away.
It's worked for me.
I can't wait to get back afterem in 6 weeks or so. Why can't bones heal faster. Lol

I'd kind of given up on catching him (or at least this year). I saw him I believe high tailing it across open field about 300 yds off road Sunday morning and kind said to myself "I guess u win". A little respect for the feller but I'm glad I don't have to deal with him again. But I'm sure there will be others. I learned a good amount of valuable information on this thread from some good trappers, trying new sets suggested here and going after him that I will use in the future.

Adjusted my trapping this year with low fur prices but had a good year for learning. Highest catch rate I've ever had if you dont count the last two weeks or so I've spent trying to catch these last two or three. Think I a was around 1 coyote per day per 12 or 13 traps set. Normally around 1 to 20 or so. Probably about done for the year other than some skunk Trapping in February and testing some powered foot snares I've finally finally finished designing and building. Want to test their functionality a little bit before I build a bunch for next year.

If the dog is working your sets then bait lure combo is good. try using two traps at whatever set you use including blind trail sets spaced out 12-14 inches spaced out on trail. Mafia set. But no Matter what you do if it moves it will get uncovered. Bed em firm you'll gettem
.

Yes sir, I found your comment on adjusting your trapping interesting. I did the same last winter and my catch rate went way up. I dropped back from my usual 70+ sets to 25-30 and stacked they up like firewood! From the day I made my first sets to the day I pulled them I never got skunked one morning. I’ll have to look at my notes but I think I ran my coyote line for just over 30 days. I started thinking towards the end that the good Lord was throwing me a bone and was getting ready to call me home. Lol

Enjoyed this thread. Learned some good stuff.
I wish it didn’t rain here every three days or so, then i could try just urine alone at some sets.