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.

Nothing is moving!

I would LOVE to believe that, but don’t canines have to eat regularly in the winter to survive? I think they have to move.

Never not seen coyotes "move", unless right in the midst of a storm. It just in their DNA to travel country

Right. Can you add to the original post?

Try clearing a larger area around where your traps are set. You didnt say if you have been clearing the snow. Much more challenging to get a critter to step in the right spot while at a set when there is snow cover. Also if it is very cold and deep snow they might now be smelling your lures and baits from much distance away.

From my experience, that amount of snow changes their travel patterns considerably. They won't be traveling the same locations as they would with minimal amounts of snow. Look for sign in different areas than normal. Thicker cover where plenty of prey will be taking cover, like river or creek bottoms. Areas close to feedlots, large deer herds, and dead piles.

If your on location of where the critters are you are going to have to change up your attractors or if possible go to blind sets. I dont have experience setting in that kind of snow. Maybe a large chunk of natural bait. Sometimes larger quantities can definitely provoke more intrest. My guess is (if your on location) one, they have previously checked of your bait or lure without getting caught and it no longer has interest or two they are somewhat onto the game and see the sets as potential danger. Either way you are going to have to find a bait and or lure that has more attraction or ultimately go to blind sets if possible. All this is predicated on the idea your on location and the coyotes know your sets are there.

The coyotes will often change their travel to areas where they don't have to buck as much snow, heavy timber cover, packed trails, etc. Also I have poor luck getting canines to work sets that are dug out in snow like that. I would either make sets where there wasn't much snow (tree wells, etc.) or set the traps in the snow. Also try (I know it's difficult) to not leave obvious line of boot tracks up to the set. Try and set while standing in a beaten deer trail, tire tracks, snowmobile tracks, etc. Speaking of that. If you are setting in an area where only you are going to be traveling, a trap set in the center of a tire rut or snowmobile track is great in such conditions.

Obviously you must set where the coyotes are, not just where conditions are ideal to make sets.

I've often seen coyotes quit moving for a day or so when you get a fresh deep snow, but then they have to eat and they will move, but they may change their routes

Weather changes movement of all animals, especially snow. Their feeding patterns change and plus now canines are in their breeding cycle. Here there is a time I wish for snow but it isn't till late December. I go from foothold trapping to snares.

^^^This.^^^
Also check out Pines stands & frozen cricks.

Something else comes to mine...
Maybe a nearby farmer dragged a dead cow to his back pasture??

once the snow gets deeper you will find coyotes will hang around previous baitpiles and deer a lot more they also will travel trails more

Find the thickest stuff you can and find some tracks and hang CRs.

Like others said (keep in mind I have only been trapping 9 years so not a ton of experience), this season for instance I had regular coyote activity on a ranch I trap in the mountains. We got 15" of snow in 7 or 8 days. Zero coyote activity. Then as it warmed up or the wind blew the snow away, they coyotes moved back in. I wasn't seeing any tracks from coyotes because they were not there and had changed their routes to easier walking

You’ll figure it out, keep at it and patience is key. After snow comes, everything changes. If you get a decent amount of snow in winter, your fall scouting ain’t worth much. I hate trapping coyote & wolf when there’s not much snow, the weathers nicer, but the deep white stuff makes life so much easier.

What do you like about trapping in the snow? Besides being able to see tracks, are there any other advantages you find?

It is fast and easy to bed traps in snow. And if it is snowing when you are setting the blending is done for you, better than you ever could. Seeing the tracks is great. As Shakey says, travel patterns change, and if you are planning on trapping in deeper snow and it doesn't come, that can be a pain. (ask me how I know after our lack of winter this year) Also in some areas you can access more ground faster and easier with snow. Other areas it is the opposite of course.

Of course snow sets usually end up requiring a lot of maintenance because they either melt out, freeze/thaw or get too much snow over them. This is a major downfall of trapping in it

BC2 pretty much explained it. However, it depends on what kind of winter conditions you normally get in your area. The trappers on the eastern edge/side of the Rockies get some crazy fluctuations in temps and types of precipitation. I'm pretty lucky where it should stay around -10ish on average all winter, but we do get the odd really warm spell that'll screw things up. I had an adult wolf step right on a No BS last week. The crust on top was able to support it's weight, plus I believe it was pretty close to the dead zone on the pan. It's ready to go now though....lol.
Bedding in snow is as easy as it gets. Once you break up the snow, it hardens after a few minutes. I settle and wiggle the trap in the crystalized snow and give it a final wiggle when I leave. It's nice to slide an undisturbed slab of snow over the trap with a small shovel, or better yet, set while it's snowing. With wolf I can usually get away with dusting about 1/4" of snow over the set as they're heavy enough to break it after it hardens, a fox will usually walk right over it though.