Been lurking and reading everything I can find on this site but just joined yesterday. I'm a passionate turkey hunter so I started trapping egg eaters three years ago. Started using leg holds two years ago and have learned a lot from reading stuff on here as well as a couple of workshops put on by SCDNR. I've been lucky enough to get to hang out with a professional trapper for 3 or 4 days the last 2 years also.

Now that the introduction is out of the way here is my question.

There is a cow pasture on the property I can trap as soon as deer season is over on January 1st. I can't put traps in the pasture itself. There is the pasture edge, a waist high fence the length of the pasture. Parrellel to the fence is a 8-10 wide strip of grass then a 2 track farm road also running parrellel to everything, then woods.

There is about a hundred yard stretch where there are 3 spots where something is crawling under the fence. The ground is to hard for any tracks so I'm only guessing it's a coyote or bobcat. How would y'all set up. Traps next to each trail. In the trail or off to the side? We aren't allowed to use snares for land sets in SC so it would have to be leg holds.

Thank you

I woulld try blind sets in the trails first. If you got plenty of traps, do mafia sets(two traps with a turd or stick between the two traps) blind set in the trail. Then look to whee they are going or coming from and try baited/lured sets between that and the fence

I'd try a bit of everything.Blind sets in the trails,dirthole sets,and flat sets.

Back up from the crossing a bit and set the trails to it . I would consider using drags so not to blow out the area when you make a catch. You can also start now by digging a hole and adding some table scraps and used cooking oil for pre baiting. Set up a camera to see what is using the crossing. If you can setup the farm rd 2 track that would be a good place all canines like to travel roads..

Do you have any trail cameras? I would make sure what you are targeting is what is using the trails. No snow so a trail camera might be helpful.

Welcome aboard

Thanks guys.

I put out a couple of pre-bait stations to see if I can get a better idea of what's making the crossings. Don't have any trail cameras. Also I'm hoping it's coyotes but if it's coons or possums eliminating them will help the turkey population. I'm still new enough at this that catching anything is still a thrill for me.

Foot holds.
I would imagine everything is using the trails. Just guessing but I would set the edge of the road for K9s and cats, DPs directly on the trail and a camera at the crawl under to verify targets. Obviously if your running bait stations then you will have a handle on the local residents.