I agree with what you’re thinking on this.

Population affects competition for food, mates and territory.

Pressure affects responses to both increased or decreased exposures.

Preference will decide which type set is used and our favorite set is used more often.

Confidence in what you’re doing is a real thing. If you’re second guessing as the set is made, it won’t be as effective.

For adult coyotes I use flat sets almost exclusively. The number of variations is limited only by your imagination.

Some flats work much better than others for me. I think the look you show them on these types of sets can really help reel them in.

Blind trail sets come in second when I have a coyote or two that has put my flat sets on ignore. I tend to snag a lot of older coyotes with blinds.

It is amazing how effective they can be when placed correctly according to what the current recon mission had to offer. Off the radar coyotes never see that blind set coming 200 yards down the trail from a series of gang sets they know is there.


Rarely do I use toy, post, or hole sets anymore.

I think the post set has the potential to work well on pressured ground, but I need to really up my game to be more effective with it.

I have a short list LOL, Flat sets
Blind sets

Scent posts are just a variation of the flat set determined by the scent I use. Some with backings some without. Grab and dies and toys for some. Variation is key. The possibilities are endless.

80% flat sets,15% trench hole and 5% blind sets are what I use.

You Betcha' G !

For me, the flat and blind set is without a doubt the most deadly on adult coyotes.

I’ll go out on a limb and say that a good percentage of trappers don't venture far past the hole set when it comes to Wile E.

Learning how to be more effective with a variety of looks as well as knowing when to make a change or adjustment will boost any trapper’s numbers on the line.

It is all about keeping your population of coyotes guessing. Visual variation is just one of many effective ways to accomplish that task.

This coyote hit a string of three flat sets several times before he finally slipped up.




Adjustments were made and the contestant was caught.


Male – Flat Set – MB Fox Urine – Winter Wolf

Here’s a set of sheds that were picked up recently. A lot of points were broken off during the rut.

One main beam measured over 29 inches.The rack will tape out well over 200.

Those are a bunch of good reasons for killing every coyote I can.




Some folks say you can’t eat the antlers.

It’s a good thing blackstrap comes with them.

That's just one more reason to trap Wile E.

Those look good enough to eat,can't eat antlers,but they sure look good on the wall.

May not can eat antlers, but the money you can make off of them will put more food in the pantry

Up here I have decided antlers just dissolve into the ground within about 2 days as we never find many

My focus is on a pair that have been lurking around the back yard, trying to get a chicken dinner

Good morning guys, Tejas I’m going to throw you a curveball today...considering that you and most others use a version of a flat set for adults...basically no holes used, I can only theorize that a hole set might just be your answer for a change up to hit the predators with next season. What say you? Considering that coyotes are born in a series of holes, some their prey that they hunt are born in holes, etc...I just can’t see where a version of a hole set wouldn’t be effective even on the wised up adults...SOME OF THE TIME. Now an olfactory attractor doesn’t have to be used at the set per say but there are a variety of ways to incorporate holes into catching even the older adults. Just my take on this topic

One dirt hole variation that works for the wise guys for me is a shallow trench deal with a prize in the bottom. I make it look like were a fox or a coyote dug up a mouse or vole.

Gary consider having a longer time frame on your line with good weather/ soil conditions to work with...the different variations of sets that could be made/ tested on coyotes? With these fur prices it may turn into that...population control instead of fur trapping.

I see where you are going with this. MChewk. I agree that what’s old could once again be new.

When you take into consideration the versatility and effectiveness of the flat set it’s hard to go back to punching holes.

When you compare the pros and cons of the two I can’t help but wonder why trappers don’t use more flats.

I will give your suggestion an honest try next year after the pressure has been on for a while.

While we are on the subject of hole sets we might as well discuss some of the the different variations and their effectiveness.

What has been your best and worst producing dirt hole set over the years?

My worst producing hole set is the standard open pattern type with one hole. Short trench set with the trap blended and a pile of dirt to the upwind side is the best. Sorta like Seldom's disco set. But is it worth the extra time to dig or drill a hole or trench? Another is an elevated poke hole in a clump of grass or a stump. I know what your sayin Mike but this is lake effect country, I seldom get 2 days without rain or snow.

In a perfect world Gary...lol
Let me give a for instance...on having more time....back in the late 90s when coyotes were thick here...I remember not be able to find two traps due to deep snow. Season ended so I let the landowner know the situation. This particular field had already produced over 10 coons and possums and 15 coyotes. It was a hot location near a rail road tracks with a nearby creek. A week later snow melted a bit and the farmer called telling me that I had a double on coyotes. 17 coyotes out of a smallish field...how many more could have been caught with 30 - 60 days of additional time. And that was terrible conditions.
I say the longer those traps sit set the better. Throw in soul conditions where you can see tracks and keep traps working and a guy could put a real hurtin’ on the population....until a new group migrates in..lol

Big dirt holes are the worst producing for me. Small wobble hole or double wobble hole made with metal trap stake works the best for me.

Here are a few set and location photos from the 17-18 season. I was still punching holes and using backing at the time.

These three inch hole sets guard opposite sides of a dry creek bed. The set photo is followed by a location pic.


Coyotes showed me right out of the gate that the bigger the hole the harder it is to guard.

With that in mind I started to crowd the lip as close as I could when using this look.








I've found that when you make a set on the side of an embankment it can really alter the way a coyote works the set.

This was an attempt to guard the added real estate of the bigger presentation.

Under most circumstances I usually make any hole set on flat ground.




I would normally be only inches from the edge of the road. Using the bank set me back several yards.

This set is at a junction that has produced a lot of coyotes.





They avoided this offering like the plague when other hole sets in the area were hammering.


Big holes were consistently my lowest producer of any of the variations no matter where the set was made.

Keep in mind they still caught coyotes; they just didn’t perform as well as other looks.

The holes that are made into an abrupt bank don’t seem to work very well for me. Especially if the coyotes can’t see over it easily. I think it does help if the hole is more of a slot dug into the face.

The wobble holes that are covered with a low object; cow pies, flat rocks, flattened rusty cans, etc,; seem to be the best for older coyotes. Is this basically a flat set variation?