Hey everybody I'm running herters #2's in my dirtholes folling them with rabbit pieces and using fox gland lure and "mighty mouse", I don't have a sifter so I'm hand grating dirt and using Gras and leaves for cover, traps are bedded very well... but I've gotten a dig up and a pull out in the same trap two days in a row. I've got coyote and racoon tracks all around the set, bait still there and honestly not a pot of commotion around the set, my sticks I used as guides are still standing. What am I doing wrong? I need to get these yotes fast, they are actively hunting mine and my neighbors pets.

It is worth noting my traps are neither waxed or dyed. I'm working on a strict budget and out of a 1 bedroom apartment so I tend to be pretty limited. I'm going to try and get some k9 extreme jrs soon with the hopes that will help. Really hoping I can get some sagely wisdom, but "hey kid you're a dummy" is acceptable too as long as it comes with help! Haha

A sifter is a must. I don’t want to think about the number of times I’ve missed fur because a little tiny rock held the jaws open.

So the dig ups and the pull outs are probably two separate issues. If your traps are strong then the pullouts were likely because of pan tension being too light. Tighten pan tension to 2-3 pounds and that’ll help get good deep catches.

The diggers are caused by one of three things, either your trap isn’t bedded properly and wiggles when the critter steps on the jaw/levers, the dirt around your trap where you dug out the bed is noticeably looser and softer than surrounding soil, or there is a foreign odor on your trap that the animal wants to investigate.

Do you handle your traps and bait with the same gloves?

Any deer in the area. A lot of times if the trap is sprung and chain is pulled tight with no disturbance it could be deer. Other options are coon or coyote barely got pinch when digging at trap and pulled out first time it hit end of chain or they just sprung it after digging it up. Unless the traps you have now have very weak springs I'm not sure different kind of traps are going to fix the problem. Normally you have to change up the trap position to catch a digger and even then that hasn't always worked for me. Maybe try a flat set..... probably going to have to change it up some some how. I'd buy or make a sifter before I'd spend the $ on some K9 extremes. I've had less diggers if I cover my trap a little deeper than normal. Good luck.

I thank everyone for the answers, I think pan tension may be to blame. I will be fixing that in the morning.

My pan tention on my foot hold for coyotes is as hard as I can make it. I what that foot DOWN when the trap goes off, not tickling the pan with a few hairs......jk

I have left a dug trap there, and bedded another back a little and offset. I've also reset the dug trap, and set another one right beside it. If I rebed the dug trap, I do it pretty sloppy, and blend the new one VERY well.

coon are diggers

For such instances i generally re-make the set & put a second set in close by. This set will be a 'step down' or a 'trench' set. Both of these are great for coyote, or any animal

I agree with Bob on the trap dug out. Personally I think the #1 reason is it’s not bedded solid all the way out to the trap edges. #2 if you contaminate the cover dirt with bait/lure smell over the trap while sifting it in or packing it the quarry may scratch at that first working it’s way into the bait and thus wiggling your trap up.
May have just been me but when I learned to trap foxes seemed to be more adept at popping my traps out. Coyotes just avoided the set all together if detected. Right or wrong that’s how I saw it.

Osky

I thought if I wanted to catch the local fox I would need to lighten my tension a good bit... I think my over thinking is to blame.

X2

I have about 2.5 pounds on all my traps and I never miss fox because of pan tension. I wouldn’t go over 3 pounds if you’re trying to catch fox. But it sounds like your pan tension is very light, and if so, that is causing your pull outs.

You mentioned that youre traps are not dyed or waxed. 1, this is ok. However, if they are developing new rust, the orange looking stuff this can be a big problem as it has quite an odor when they do this. Old set in rust isnt neccesarily an issue. Other than that Im with the other guys on the bedding. Good luck and hang in there.Dont get too discouraged.

Hi Del Gue,

Read the following and it will help. Getting out and trying is a great start. It is exciting to become a trapper and you will learn

https://www.lenonlures.com/pages/th...enon-wolf-coyote-fox-and-bobcat-trapping

My pan tension needs fixing. I'm doing nothing bud educating the locals.

The good news is it’s an easy fix. Now, I would very strongly suggest cleaning and waxing your traps. You don’t really need to dye them, but every day your traps are in the ground unwaxed they get more and more rusty and eventually they’ll be useless. If you keep them waxed up they’ll be usable for the rest of your life, but if not you’ll be replacing them pretty quickly.