As soon as 18” of snow hit us in PA, my line has gone quiet.
I’m after canines (and coons once they become active again) and I know all of these animals are in the area.
I’m setting in the best locations I can - based on topography/habitat and what little sign that this much fluffy snow can show (tons of deer tracks).
I’m running about 1/4 scent post sets, 1/4 hay sets, 1/4 buried bait sets, and 1/4 dirt hole sets. I have about 18 sets out.
I do my best to control my scent and cover my tracks in the snow.
I’m bedding my traps solid and keeping them working in these cold conditions.
But, I’m not seeing predator tracks at my sets and they’re not working my sets from want I can tell.
Any help is appreciated.
I’m working really hard at this and enjoying the process, but starting to get discouraged as the season gets closer to the end.
Trapping in the snow seems hard.

Well, critters can't walk in that much snow without leaving sign. You said you aren't seeing much. You can't catch what's not there. So where are they? Maybe the deep snow has changed their travel routes? Perhaps they've found a large dead critter they're feeding off of and staying near to it? It sounds like you need to spend some time figuring out just where the critters you're after are... since they don't sound to be where your traps are.

My inexperience may show there, but it seems difficult to discern the difference between types of tracks in 18” of snow that’s constantly drifting. With an abundance of tracks, it all blends together as well.

When you do locate a trail come in from the side of it preferably when it walks past a log/stump/bush dig out under a foot hole in the snow slide the pan under the hole no need to cover in that much snow. Put out a roadkill deer carcass if it’s allowed and wait until they hit it.

I know just what your talking about Pennatrapper.
I can be in an area with tons of coyote sign and then get dumped on with deep snow and it seems they disappear .
If I get small snow storms with just a few inches of snow there are tracks everywhere. I hate trapping in deep snow

yotetrapper couldnt of said it any better you cant catch whats not there most intersections and hay fields where you would normally catch critters into late fall i avoid and head into the transitions of thicket pine and swamp
the snow doesnt lie and unlike coon canines have to eat and the mice and voles are somewhat protected with deep snow i would head for rabbit country im sure you will find where the canines our hunting them we also use 2 to 3 traps per set this time of year and it helps to go big with your trap selection
its breeding season here in WNY there all paired up with the yearling males chasing so when you are making sets keep that in mind you will want to lean hard on matrix gland lures
go to mr Jamisons web site he has exactly what you need for this time of year

I would go down low, in the swamps and frozen creeks. Get out of the wind blown fields and wood edges. The frozen creeks are like major highways and easy travel for all the critters. They can run a creek fairly easy, cover a lot of ground through thick areas and test the wind for food.

I agree with NJtrapper....creeklines are where the critters will travel at least here.
Check for sign and set it. Experiment... try setting the tracks, place traps in the paw prints in a light plastic baggie.
Run a long chain and grapple hook to reduce tracking the place up...no attractors just trails sets.
Good luck!

I’m in northeast PA & my line has gone completely dead as well. I can’t make out tracks because of how deep the snow has been but truly nothing has moved in two weeks besides the deer. I used yesterday’s wind to get a bunch of scents floating about & look forward to the warming up this week. Hold steady, this warmer weather should bring them back alive.

Tuff time to be trapping for anyone so don't get discouraged!

welcome to winter trapping it is tough, that's part of the reason you full time trappers move south in the winter, look for deer trails, most animals will travel in the same trails in deep snow coyote and wolf will walk in the same tracks , the freeze thaw it is hard to keep a foot hold working , if you can hang cables that works best,

Thanks for all the advice. I’m going to ramp up my focus on the swamps, creeks, and other lowland cover. I’m not sure if other states are different, but in my area we have so many deer that there are deer tracks everywhere. No defined trails, just a mess of tracks and torn up snow. Not sure how productive blind sets can be when this is the case.

you need more snow , to narrow down their paths

barrel set or culvert set work good,


these can keep a trap working in winter

Try to find places deer would be reluctant to go like pinch points and downfalls that block the deers travel route.

Cat tail swamps and any place you see tweety birds. Some are right down at farm yards now, out of the wind. Mostly low as everyone has said. They are there and they are leaving tracks where they are. Set where they are. BUT for me it is just too cold and windy. We have had a whole year of wind. Walking around you will feel warmer places that are protected from the wind......jk