Will it looks these dirt hole sets can bet set different ways. I sure have seen a lot of photos of late with levers running up and down with the bait / lure hole at the top of the bedded trap. I can sleep better now. Ha ha.
I guess I made the right choice not trying for medical school. Ha ha ha. MD

There’s no “wrong” way.

As long as it’s 11.6728 inches back and 3.891267 inches to the left.




I set a dirt hole with the lever IN in the hole. And I always make sure to make the lever that’s IN the hole lower. That way if an animal reaches right in to grab/pull/dig in the hole, it won’t catch that lever and disrupt the trap.


And, I’ve caught a handful like this over the years that were caught because of the way the trap was oriented.

Some guys think this is a sign they were rolling. Maybe. But I’ve only ever done it at dirt holes, so I think this is a coyote that’s reaching down the hole than resting down on its elbow.

I've heard theories that sometimes they feel up to the set but on those types of catches I lean more towards rolling unless it's a hair triggered trap. Kinda hard to put a lot of pressure on the trap with a foreleg and elbow id they are just crawling.

I had trail camera video that spanned over 20 minutes of a coyote working a set in just that fashion.

She had clearly been getting her butt kicked over and over.

She’d start “working” the set 6-8 feet back, come inching forward flat on her belly and elbows, just like a dog that’s coming back to make friends with ya after you got after it.

She did this for 20 minutes, every time getting a little closer.

She easily could have ended up caught by the arm or elbow.



But I still think the majority of those goofy catches are a coyote reaching, not rolling.

If it was rolling, I’d see those catches at flat sets and I don’t ever recall having an elbow or arm at a flat set. Always hole sets. And I make a LOT more flat sets than I do hole sets and still don’t see it.

I too had a video of a coyote crawling up to a set. I was testing fresh coyote glands.

Usually not something for a k9 to roll on with a flat set... Dirt holes it's usually easier for said k9 to drag bait out of the hole or mice to do so.

I dint know how you make ur flat sets but if you use any lure or bait there is something for them to roll on

Unless you're sloppy with your bait and lure(dont open lure/bait bottles over your trap bed), the shouldnt be anything outside of wherever you put the bait/lure.

And if your hole is deep enough, it should be near impossible or completely impossible for a critter to get anything out to actually roll on.

Right answer
by Yes sir

Good trick to do around here without a gas auger. I finally broke down and got an SDS drill last year to make holes in our concrete like drought condiition clay here. NOrmally either make my holes small or try to use rocks or other things lodged into the hole to prevent bait stealing and keeping the interest up in yotes.
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WIth lures or baits that cause rolling, which used to be looked like as a bad thing years ago, you either want to make sure it stays where they cant get it, catch em before they can get it, or set it at shoulder right for the target critter so they are rubbing on it instead of rolling on it. Or bed your traps really deep or step down type sets.