Hello everyone, been having a bit of a time with getting yotes to commit and really work a dirt hole which had me thinking of how unnatural it looked if I was trying to imitate a coyote burying something. Got to watching some videos of dogs burying bones, etc. they more so make a tiny crater and push dirt over it with their nose. I guess my question is has anyone tried or had success truly imitating what a coyote would do if he were to bury something. If not do you believe they could smell a bait/lure completely covered with a thin layer of dirt and just a little pee next to it? Thanks in advance, just had me curious

The good old, buried bait set. Dig a hole place the bait in it and bed your trap over the bait and blend in the trap. Place some subtle guides to move the foot to where you want it to go and your good to go. You will catch some coyotes but you're also going to have traps dug up and sprung traps with no catch. But it does work.

Don’t limit yourself to just the dirt hole sets look into the flat sets mix things up.

OP, I think one of James Lucero sets would resemble what you are talking about. If you do an internet search you might be able to find how to order his book.

I’ve done what you’re saying. It didn’t improve my catch ratio. I’ve just settled on a regular old dh for about 85% of my sets. Use something attractive, put them on location, and call it good.

Thank you everyone for answering my questions, just something I was curious about. I’ve caught a pile of bobcats and 1 coyote and have seen 0 sign since in almost 4 weeks. I’ll keep chugging along until I can get it figured out

Just looking at this pic.....why did you make the set that far away from the natural edge?

You, no doubt, caught a cat, but I prefer to make sets at the edges....where that grass meets the sandy opening.....not that far out into the opening. I would have utilized that grass as my set backing so there is a less likely chance of critter approaching from the rear.

Also, if you aren't seeing any sign...then there are no critters.

to me it sounds like your not on location for coyotes or there is no coyotes around lol if your catching cats in your sets your at least doing something right lots of times coyotes will not come off there travel way to far to inspect something and most people use to much lure

Don’t over complicate the set and use gland lure without urine imo

I knew a cat was walking through that spot based on trail cam pics during deer season. Put one trap out on that property and caught him the first night. Typically I’m setting old clear cut logging roads. Had a pile of yotes on camera during deer season they just seemed to have disappeared

Still running 4 to 5 cameras and haven’t had a pic of one in several weeks. Had traps out over a month so will probably move them to another property this upcoming weekend!

Those coyotes where probably working carcus piles and hunting cripples during deer season.they have probably since moved on to better hunting grounds

Cameras are fun,but not a verry efficient way of finding sign

Yup, now they are interested in scent and turds at s flat set, I catch a lot on flat set.
I probably set 2-3 flats for every dirt hole

I will disagree 100% on that. Put an old bleached out cow skull where that cat is and EVERY animal will check it out. As for catching coyotes if they aren't around you can't catch them.

Good information here. I always cringe a little when talking coyote sign and the first sentence in someone's reply has the word camera in it. If that's ur primary scouting tool your not seeing all the picture.

Interesting…how do you find coyote sign on grass roads or pine needles with no scat? Just assume you’re predator free? And don’t say trails, lol, there’s a deer trail every 10-15yds down here.

There are certain ways coyotes traverse terain.if there is no sign but its an area where coyotes should be traveling through,put out some sets.if there are coyotes to be caught i would rather catch them with a trap than a camera lol.

This coyote is caught out in the middle of a 100 acre pasture.no tracks or scat anywhere around.why did i set there?I knew how the coyotes would traverse that terain.caught several in the re makes also. No place to put a camera neither lol