Just a hobby trapper having fun. Anyway, 3 days ago I had to re-work all my sets due to a frozen 3” crust of snow from rain then freeze. Just for fun I thawed out a couple of deer livers and put them in a mesh bag and dragged them making a trail to my set. Then dragged them around the set but not over the trap bed. Threw some liver chunks into the hole with a squirt of RF urine. Anyway, had this female this morning but I could see with my binoculars how many of those sets had coyotes work the trail, then circled the set last night but the coyotes didn’t commit. I could see that this set up excited them and feel they’ll soon start connecting.
Just something fun to experiment with as our season is coming to an end in 12 days.

I forgot to add that we had an inch of snow the night I did this.

Congrats and good tip.
I caught a young female last week with the same set minus dragging the liver around.

I have been using trailing scents for most of my trapping life as I learned their value early on. They have many uses besides the method that you described. Some fellas don't use this simple trick enough, it sure does pay off.

I run scent trails to lead animals to a more secure location when it is too visible from a road or house etc. Over a bank, behind hay bales, into any more secure area out of sight. You get tired of theives so this method can help stop many of those situations before you tempt someone.

I always carry a few pints with me and have it ready when needed. I have a customer that is all he uses for predators.

Out of sight out of mind as they say.

Archeryguy
Good post. Thanks for sharing. As for being just a hobby trapper, I have followed a lot of your post and it always
seems to me you have a pretty good idea what you are doing.
There have always been more hobby trappers that hot shoe professionals.
'
Mac

Thanks Mac!

How many sets were circled but not worked?

I could only get a close look with my binoculars from logging roads that were higher than the sets. 1 had the coyote and two others clearly showed a lot of interest but no commitment. On two others I could see where they followed the trail I laid down toward the sets but could not see the actual set. The coyotes were very active last night hitting bait stations that are just about cleaned up. It was calm and very cold with this mornings temp sitting at 4 degrees. This was only the third check on these sets. This is deep woods, heavily forested with almost zero human activity on this property other than me checking sets with an atv from old logging roads.

Pints of what?

His trailing scent I believe.

Deer liver works well, dirt holes or pipe dream type sets. If I have any blood in the bait jar when I'm using liver for a dirt hole I always dribble a few drops of blood at the edge of the hole.

I've been told years ago there was an add in FFG (I think it was) where for $1 you could request a letter from the guy who placed the add with a "TOP SECRET" way to greatly increase your catches. You send them a $1 and get back a letter simply stating "drag your bait". Probably made him, and the trappers who sent the dollar, a few bucks.

I'd be interested in hearing the results since the trial. My experience seems like the first time they visit the set is your best shot at catching them unless you just say the next catch is the same one that walked past last time.

James Mast and John Ehn often spoke of + and in LOTS of the old coyote and Wolf book = about = trappers dragging a bait. Horse cow burrow or other down the trail. Then stop. Cut off a peice. For bait set trap and repeat. Lots of old timers did this

Yes Sir, Picked up an adult male 2 mornings later. Then a frozen crust from rain and snow traps inoperable but almost all visited, Honestly, most wouldn't commit to the set even though the traps was froze in anyway and 1 stepped on pan and dug the bait dug out but he never broke through the crust. Started with 8 traps, caught 2. Pulled the line as the season is just about over. I'll mess with it again next year.