A pebble here and there or small clump of dirt.Helps if your trap bed right where the trap is is slightly lower then the surrounding area.

John Heart was brought in to put on a wolf trapping workshop here. It’s geared more towards summer predation trapping, but he blocks heavily. He kept saying “I know all you coyote trappers are cringing right now”…lol

I also think doing a good job of blending your trap bed in helps

I would rather have a 2or 3-foot sized trap bed. I don't like small unblended trap beds I don't what to pinpoint that trap.
And large trap beds have lots of eye appeal.

Try a step down set. Some guys hate'm but they have their place.

I don't want any eye appeal on a flat set. If I can see where the trap is, or even that there is a set there when I'm done, I did something wrong. The only eye appeal I have at a flat set is possibly a turd, a white bone like a T-bone might be okay, but I haven't made a T-bone set in a couple years.

Now on a dirthole, eye appeal and fresh dirt could be a good thing.

By eye appeal I mean anything I do, I do look for a rock, tree, bush, etc. that catches my eye to use for my backing or scent post. I am looking for something that will stand out to a canine as a good spot to mark, but I want it there naturally, I don't place it myself.

The older I get the less guiding I use for coyotes. I used to get detailed on guiding, but I started to notice something that changed my mind. If I had to reset and was in a hurry I would bed the trap and get going. I would catch. When I took my time with detailed guiding I would catch.My catch ratio is the same no matter if I guide or not. For me it comes down to making a set that will naturally guide the animal and making a set that the animal wants to work. I look at where I'm at and try to set how I feel the coyote will work the set. If you make a set that has eye appeal to the coyote and use the correct bait/urine/glad/bait for time of year you are setting, I feel you really don't need a lot of guiding as the animal will commit because you are hitting all of the checks in the box. Do I teach guiding, yes! It is another tool a young trapper can use, but in the long run it will not make or break a set.

Seems they're stepping everywhere but on the pan, have not connected yet. Was running into the same issue last season.

Pictures would be awesome if you have them.

Without seeing your sets it’s hard to offer good advice that might help you with your problem Jesse.

Guiding is a poor substitute for well blended sets and good pan placement.

There is quite a difference between multiple misses and outright avoidance.

It’s possible the set pattern is standing out, or your pan placement needs a little adjustment.

Posting up photos of your sets might help us steer you in the right direction.

Good Luck in the coming days!