This set got worked last night. I believe my mistake was having the trap too far away from the dirt holes. Center of pan is about where the red X is. Bait was in the right hole.

I remade the set, and the center of the pan is now about 7.5" from the center of the holes the "+". Put bait in the left hole and lure in right and blended everything back in.

As you guys have been telling me, the coyotes will teach me.

Looks like it. Put a small stone or stick where you don't want them to step. Steer them in the right direction.

little rocks have a tendency to be moved.

i like to use little pungie sticks stuck straight up.

I would suggest burying, the left hole!

Slide the last track over too the right hole! Bed your trap pan directly under the track. Bingo!!!

Keep your baits / lures in the hole or Very close. Good Luck. Thanks for letting us tag along on your trapline.

That happens to us all.I know it is frustrating. The ole coyote will keep you thinking.

X2 don't over think it. Wait till it snows, then they will really drive you nuts!

bison 88 is correct.......wait till snow and you'll be like a sailor swearing like mad. they have humbled me so much once the snow comes. just stay after it and leave sets alone as long as you can. bed solid and wait.

You learn more from your misses than you do from your catches!!!

I would have left it alone, maybe added a very small dirt clod. Like others said get rid of the left hole. I'm enjoying following along your trapping adventures. Keep us posted, you're doing great.

Thanks everyone for all the great advice and tips. I am trying to soak it all in and get better as I go.

Get a lever IN the hole!


The further away from your focal point the more misses you’re going to have. It just gets to be more and more real estate you don’t have covered.

I am a firm believer in if you can't tell where the critter should step to fire the trap, neither can they. If I have a miss after that initial bedding i drop something in the track where they stepped.

You might Read Tom Miranda’s coyote trapping book

The debate of trap placement at a set will go on long after I’m dead. There is no right answer for all situations.

On any given night the wind could be just a little more out of the east than normal, making the coyote’s approach angle just off the side of the trap.

I have also seen on one of my a trail cameras videos where a coyote was coming in to one of my sets. He heard something in the distance and pulled his head up and took a step away from the sound and just missed my pan. It was just enough to change his angle of approach. This is a game on inches and the coyote’s range is multiple miles in my area.

One thing I don’t hear a lot about when talking specifically about misses is placing multiple sets at a location. If the coyote works one set and misses the pan I think he is more likely to work the next set with confidence that night and possibly get caught. So I try to have a backup set at every good location.

I have gotten mostly away from multiple sets at one location and my catch rate seems to have improved. My theory is its to much stimulation for the more cautious ones.

One thing not mentioned here is how hard the coyote worked the set. The ONLY advantage of a double dirt hole set is more foot movement. It didn't happen here. The more a coyote works a set the less critical trap placement is. Another thing is if a coyote really likes the bait/lure its going to stick his nose right up to the hole making it more predictable where his foot will b on a properly made set. If his foot is going to be within 4 inches of the hole it doesn't take much guiding.