From hiking a leg to pee on it?

…. I get a few like that as well … could be hiking a leg …. Or could be just missed on initial approach and happened to get them just walking around

Judging from the picture you provided i reckon that coyote has evaded several other trappers and learned to walk backwards to avoid standard sets. Were you by chance using a compass set with several lures in several holes to outsmart that rascal?

Or from squatting to poop on it.

I have often found old fox poop at my sets pulled months earlier. I'd guess coyotes do it too sometimes.

…. Caught cats by the back foot as well …. Pretty sure they weren’t hiking a leg

Possibly doing a scratch back toward the odor as they often do to mark something.

This one was back foot caught I just figured figured the boy may have set the trap a bit far back fron the hole. This was one of his first 3 he caught all on his own.

No clue Danny. I get quite a few by the back foot but I run mostly two sets at each location and one is always a post set. But I’ve got them at dirtholes sets by back foot too. Who knows.
Jim
I just figured they were hiking a back leg up. I run about half my sets as post sets no bait just pee or gland lure.
But I do get a few back leg catches at dirtholes too:so no clue why.

I have no idea but I will take a coyote by any foot it wants to put in one of my traps

Think I had a female by the back foot once, decided she was squatting to mark and got in the trap

I get maybe 10% (a guess) by a back foot. Maybe 25% (another guess) cats by a back foot. Likely every reason suggested so far is a reason for it. Have caught a few coyotes by the elbow. Figure they were sneaking up on the set.

It happens, don't over think it

Many times a coyote is not interested in what you offer to him / her on the initial visitation. But they do mark and claim it to be theirs and would be back again at a later time if you wouldnt have caught them when they were marking it. That is why we usually catch them by a hind foot at say a dirt hole set that we offered them some food related attraction.

I don’t get very many back foot catches, but always wondered how it happens. I normally just throw out a bunch of dirt hole sets all the same while fur trapping coyotes. Damage control I pull out a bunch of tricks.

wws

One thing is certain. They are ugly this early

I have no idea why but placement maybe the answer.

Mabye when he dropped his leg it just landed on the pan ?