Yep. I can build apartment complex backing and catch cats. Read about moving grass clumps etc for coyotes. Never worked to good for me either.

I cant remember what the biologists call it but coyotes are scared of new stuff. I tried making a pet out of a pup I dug out of a den. Bottle fed it. Eyes had not opened. Kept it in the house for awhile. I recommend you dont try it. Real bad idea. Before it got where you could not really trust it and it was still in the house, my wife rearranged the furniture in the living room. That pup would not go in there for about 3 days. Then for a couple days it would run full speed through it into my bedroom. Took about a week for it to settle down.

Somehow they know if something has been moved.

I have read about something like that as well wasn’t trapping related was just some random studies on coyotes I came across on the internet. I like using rocks logs and such I bring in from someplace else but I will place them out while preseason scouting areas and this gives the objects time to sit and weather into the locations and the animals to get use to them.
Some may go straight to a freshly placed rock for they have a curious side and some may do as you explained and avoid with caution. I see it like how some people react to different things some would hear a bang and go looking to see what caused it and some would be worried and go the opposite direction in fear of what may have caused it.

Neophobia

Agree with you, Savell

That's some interesting and good info Danny!

Interesting stuff and I don't doubt it .... but it does not explain first night catches. What about farmers plowing a field up or a hunter shot deer laying in the grass or a skunk caught in trap spraying? Lots of holes in neophobia for ALL coyotes but I have read the same stuff on how some coyotes react.

I've never had any consistency catching coyotes at an object that I've moved to a set location. I've tried about everything....rocks, burnt stump pieces, burnt blocks of wood, bleached skulls and bones, or the visible pvc pipe. Now, grey fox and bobcats are attracted to these objects like steel to a magnet.

Natural objects have worked better for me....especially a partially rotten tree/log that has fell out onto edge of road or field or a bushy tree top that has fell onto edge of road or field that you can drive around. Those have been deadly set locations for me....and I never pass them up. Usually a dirthole dug under the log or bushy top.

But, due to the way I normally set up a property, trap about 10 or 12 days and pull, I don't have time to set out objects beforehand to let the coyotes adjust.

I have caught coyotes off some odd objects over the years....but the coyotes were already visiting them when I set the property......a Mt Dew can on side of logging road, a styrofoam plate pitched out by loggers, a short piece of tire tread. Tracks showed that coyotes were stopping and sniffing or urinating on these items. It is a no-brainer to bed/blend a trap at these objects.

I never have moved something ahead of trapping season. Lots of times I am going in cold. I don't doubt that works. I don't think holes spook them. Ever watch a kid when your out fishing or hunting? Even adults. When they see a hole they go check it out. Coyotes and most other animals do too. Its not the same as moving a clump of grass or rock or log or animal skull. They want to know who was digging and why.

There's no reason to use the words all or always when talking about coyote behavior. Pretty regular for me to make first night catches but I've also watched over 200 videos of coyotes working test sets and vast majority are quite spooky and cautious working a set the first couple of nights, a lot of leaning way out for one sniff then run.

I have learned that setting in their “safe zone or area” will elicit the reaction you describe Seth. In my experience going too deep into where they hang out during the day results in the reaction you describe. I can’t remember who wrote articles on thinking of coyote territory as large circles or areas where they “feel” safe and aren’t messed with much. Sticking to the outer circles or territorial boundaries, they are more willing to investigate. They are in hunt mode or territory mode. Think travel ways and or boundaries. It takes experience chasing them to understand where these areas are, but comes instinctive after awhile. Where do you see a lot of activity thats on the edge of vast remote areas that are hard too get to? Turds and tracks equal sets. I believe Mark June had articles on a five gallon bucket. I observed the behavior being true.

I've often wondered since we have a lot of coyotes and a lot of food for them here in KS if that doesn't relate to smaller home ranges and the them knowing theirs areas better thus contributing to them being a bit more spooky about new objects compared to other areas

June's bucket set was surprisingly similar idea to the government study that used I believe a traffic cone. That's surprising isn't it.

Limbs fall daily down here cause I’m constantly moving them. Y’all’s coyotes would probably die here of paranoia if they’re that scared of anything new. Heck, a good rainstorm will change the look of a road. Blocking and mowing changes the look of the landscape. Heck our hog camera is on a stand with a battery box and we get pics of them eating peanuts that weren’t there the day before.
Granted this is all private property and some of our “backing” has been out for years, yet still catch every year. Most of these are at crossroads where we have either found tracks or made catches. A new “smell” draws them in if they aren’t already using the backing. Now what’s really strange, but not really, there are only certain times of the year certain spots will catch. I have a spot for about 10 months out of the year you will not find a track or even get a pic. For 2 months it’s a guaranteed spot for at least 2 coyotes. Best was 4 in 2 weeks. I’m sure it has to do with prey or lack of prey, but still sorta weird.

A fallen limb versus a fallen limb with an odd smell to it are two different things
Same thing with people saying coyotes aren't afraid of rusty steel
Add a strange odor near that rusty steel and it's a whole different thing
JMO of course

I think wetdog is onto something, coyotes know their areas well, but they can't possibly keep up with every changing thing....But throw a new odor in with some new feature and they start getting skittish.

Mentioned earlier in the thread that I like to set the burn circle, and also make a grass clump urine post set nearby for the suspicous ones....Never transplant the grass clump but use an existing one, don't dig the trap bed, but use a boot heel to smash one in the ground, and always cover the trap with nearby vegetation, never fresh dirt.

Natural, blended, and a undisturbed as possible trap bed with urine from a previously caught local coyotes bladder works best for a sleeper set, IMO.

Haha, I want your dirt to be about to use a boot heal to place a trap.

Lol, come on up I'll load you up. ....You can use a sledge hammer in that Georgia clay, and I wont tell!

A chisel works better down here.

Dang, 16 lb sledge then!