Ok, some may question this post and that’s ok. I’m hoping that “wannabe” trappers like myself will “learn” quicker than it’s taken me. Now don’t think I’ve learned it all, I’m learning every day, but I see my trapping improving in part to reading on this site with an “open” mind.

Now what’s the confession? I’ve read a lot of posts in the past with jealousy and almost contempt. I hope Steeltraps doesn’t mind me using his name, but I’ve kept up with ALL his posts and kept thinking to myself, “Not every coyote is educated!! You don’t need to do all this!!” On top of that I’ve tried every lure out there and thinking back now, they probably all work, but I decided to try some of the lures he’s been using. When I asked about how to get them a member on here contacted me and told me he had some that didn’t work for him and he’d sell them to me…and he WAY undersold, but I sure do appreciate it.

I started this year a “new” trapper. I decided I’m going to go at it like every critter out there is educated and I have to be on top of my game to catch them. Not only did I decide it, my son did as well mainly because I’ve been preaching it to him.

We started doing what most of y’all already do and has been put out a thousand times.

Minimal lure and urine use.
Blending traps in to where if we don’t mark them some way, we can’t even find them.
Getting in and out quick.
Using WAY more flat sets.
And most importantly, leaving sets alone!!!
In the past if I put a set in and got a pic or saw tracks and didn’t have a coyote caught, I’d tweak the set or add more lure or urine or something to make him investigate. All I was doing was driving that critter away.

As I posted in another post, I’m in a high fence area. I only set on actual sign. I put some sets in Sunday afternoon after quail hunting and got a pic of a coyote strolling by that very evening. Nothing.
The next night I got another pic…nothing again. My old self said something ain’t right, go look. The new self said there’s a camera there and you made some dang good sets, DON’T even ride down there, so I didn’t.
Last night the coyote comes in again. For some unknown reason, this time he decided to investigate and got caught. Had I listened to my old self I’d probably be tweaking again had he not been caught. But reading and applying what I’m reading is paying off.
On top of that, my son is doing the same and has everyone at his work place so impressed all he does now is trap, lol. He was rebellious like me and said I catch critters anyways the way we’d been doing it, but now even he has seen the light and his manger and landowner thinks he walks on water.

So what’s this about? Don’t be jealous of others success. Don’t be afraid to actually listen. Don’t be afraid to change your ways. Don’t be afraid to try something you’ve never tried. Heck my son thought I was crazy using a coyotes butthole as a “lure”…a Grey thought enough of it to check it out and get caught. When someone says a “drop” of lure will do, it will. Be CONFIDENT on every set you make enough to KNOW in time it will produce. So thanks Steeltraps and Swamp and others for advice. It’s finally starting to sink in, lol.

"Don’t be afraid to actually listen. Don’t be afraid to change your ways."

I think this is the most important part of all of it as well as the confidence factor. Funny thing for me is I have done the exact opposite of you. Went to far more DHs using quality bait and urine and my catch has increased and I have built a lot of confidence. I also am messing with my sets a lot less. To the point where Im checking from a distance and after 4-5 days of no catch I will get close and see that the trap has been exposed or set off. I remake the set and go back to checking from a distance.

Never stop learning and adapting to find what works for you at any given time is my goal these days.

I still use dirholes…just do them differently. I bed my trap first, then take a drill and drill a hole and “trench” it with the drill beside the trap. My son has been doing the same and it connects.
Here’s a pic of a set.


The trap is in the “bare” spot to the right. Based on what I’ve “seen” I see a lot of rat tunnel ls and holes like this so that’s why I did it.
Now here’s the result.




I just think it’s easier and more natural for my area. And it works for both K9’s and felines. I’m pretty sure I saw it on here as well.

Wanna Be
Good post

Mac

Your never done learning. With more time on the line comes more confidence. With more confidence the light bulb comes on. You learn to read the land and the critters on it.

I believe Ole Seldom done some video testing using a coyote heiny butt . Good write up WB . I agree since following this site I have learned from a lot of guys here that were willing to share their knowledge.

Nothing wrong with your post at all. A lot of folks on here are definitely worth listening to, they have far more experience than a lot of us.

I have been trapping for the better part of 10 years and still learn something new every day.

You guys. Have got it right. Keep on learning. 35 years and I am still learning about coyotes. Know. I have to learn about taking coyote trapping jobs where I have to sleep on army cot!!! LoL!!!

That’s better than the truck…maybe. As long as you got hot water and the roof doesn’t leak it shouldn’t be too bad. My first question during the warm months would be about AC!!!

No way my body could handle that army cot. I hope it pays real good!¡

Years ago. I got to a job. Owner had just returned from = Panama. The country. He blabed on about. How the humidity was down there in June. Showed me a = shed and a hammock = Said you will be sleeping here Not in the lodge. Its for clients. I quit that job. LoL!!!

It does. AND they will throw in a Axis Deer for my Daughter. IF she gets time to come down !!

Hey...that axis is a good part of the deal!

Wanna Be. All joking a side. You are doing well. As stated earlier. Learning is the key. I believe evelotion of aTrapper is also important. I KNOW beleive things that I didnt 5 years ago. Sometimes whats true in Georgia is different in Texas or vs versa Willingness to evolve is key. I know guys that just say they know enough to catch coyotes and thats all they care to learn. Sad. Some people after a few years and few hundred coyotes think they know enough. I fell. I can NEVER know enough about my advissary. Keep up the good work and keep learning and trying new things

Without a doubt I have learned a ton from reading Trapperman. Threads like Steeltraps, Tejas and many many others(I hate naming names becauses I dont want to offend anyone by leaving them out) have taught me a more than they know. I hope everyone absorbs the information on this sight.
A key statement for me that I learned, I dont remember who said it but it stuck, was the analogy of womens perfume. When luring a set I dont want it to be over powering (like old church ladies perfume that you can smell coming) but a hint of perfume that triggers your brain to see where it coming from. Well something along those lines. Basically, I go with the Flintstone's appoach "a-dab-will-do-ya" now and it has been working.
I also went away from so many dirt holes to simple flat sets.
I am with you, Wannabe, have faith in your set and let it soak to work.
Thanks for the confession and Thanks to all for the contributions.

As a general rule there are baits, lures and ingredients out there that the more you use the more aggressive a coyote will work your set and there's baits, lures and ingredients out there that the more you use the less attractive they are. I've found the ones mentioned last to be less consistent in catching K9s compared to the afore mentioned ones as a general rule.

I believe it was Steel traps that posted pics of a big hole he buried the head of a deer down as an example. And I believe this was in an area where coyotes are highly pressured and won't work a dirt hole. In the pics it looked like they would work a dirthole to me. Now that is an extreme example but if you want another punch a hole and pour a quart of used frying oil down it. The reason they will dig huge holes in these examples is because they liked what was down there and they could detect a large enough amount of it it to make it worth there effort to try for it. Put a few ounces of rotten muskrat glands down a deep hole and tell me less is always better. I have a theory based on a lot of testing why if you use to much of some things it will actually deter them from working the set but it's always better if one finds there own answers
I will add that there probably are certain situations particularly if your after an especially cautious coyote where less may be better with any lure but the the large majority of us aren't trapping in this situation. And at flat sets there are some formulations that I will use less of, not because less gets a stronger response but because too much will get them rolling .
I like a formulation that if they get a good whiff of it they want more of it not lose intrest.
Just my 2 cents
The large amount idea is also one of the reasons I believe some guys find more success using strictly a natural bait. Generally speaking if your using just plain deer scraps or rabbit or something similar your probably using it in volume

All I know is it’s either the actual lure or the fact that I’ve adopted the less is more theory this year, but catches are way up for both my son and I. He FaceTimed this morning with his 3rd coyote in the same set in the last 4 days. All he’s doing is a remake and the same lure on a stick. He figured since it worked the first time it’ll work again. Granted there’s already plenty of coyote smell there, but like he said, he’s never had luck with remakes.
It may be wrong but I’ve always associated lure as scent and how scent affects me. For example, I may be riding through our little town and smell the hamburgers from DQ and think that’s not what I want today. I may go a little farther and catch a whiff of KFC and while it does smell good, it’s still doesn’t make me pull in. I go a little farther and catch a hint of BBQ and I’m turning my turn signal on.
Now tomorrow it may be that DQ burger calling my name.
All I know is I DON’T catch every coyote that walks by on the first pass. The coyote yesterday walked that same route for 2 nights prior and didn’t even pay attention. That third night it walked directly to it.
On bait in pipes or dirt holes I am very generous. The bait in the hole that caught the coyote? Wild quail parts with only 1 lure and a shot of urine out in front about a couple of feet. Did the quail or lure draw it in on the 3rd night? Or was it the urine it had paid no attention to before that finally attracted it? I checked the wind every night and it was consistent all three days. I just don’t believe a coyote will commit the first pass every single time. Heck, there was just a discussion on another post about sets sitting for 2,3, and even over 4 weeks before connecting. I just can’t believe it was 28+ days before a coyote walked beside those sets.

I share what I do because it's what I've seen from seeing 1000s of coyote reactions at test sets. Take it however you want but it doesn't change what the coyotes have done.

Yes Sir. I have NEVER that I can remember. Buried a deer head down a hole. I ALWAYS set a trap on anything I do. Playing or test stuff aint my style. I kill every coyote I can. Even if its for fun. So I can honestly say = I always set a trap infront of —— bait. Lure. Urine. Object or so on. But I get it. To each their own. I have never had fur worth more than 5 dollars. So I have not seen a reason to test lure. Plus = we do coyotes 365 a year since I was a teenager. But Yes Sir. You have some interesting test results. SO I dont blame you or anyone else for experimenting. BUT thats not me. Set a trap in front of test = bait lure or what ever and Im in !!!!LOL!!!

I believe TEJAS was the one who buried the deer head.