Anyone can catch a racoon when setting a DP in center of heavy used trail. Im talking about the less than ideal locations and what to do to increase the odds of catching a nest raiders attention.
#1 I always cover DP with something to keep mice from stealing bait. Iv seen the mice lick oil residue completely out leaving no scent.
#2 If I set high bank I will throw or squirt trail of food or trailing scent down into creek.
#3 if working wide draws with many parallel trails i will set a central one. Then leave a trail of fish oil to all the other trails. Don't want to know how many racoons cut my trailing scent and keep walking straight.
#4 If trapping property line will give a squirt of trailing scent across fence onto neighboring property.
#5 This has worked couple time but no guaranty. Had places where racoons had no set trails and kinda wide open. Hung a piece of white trash bag 24" off ground and set trap under. Worked just like bobcat sets.
#6 Osage fence rows I have better luck setting trails going from trunk to trunk in center rather than outside edges even if corn is planted up to trees.
Would love to hear your tricks to more efficient trapping.

When I’m looking to catch whatever comes along I generally add more traps. Try to cover all options.

We had a dry season this year in Arkansas so the coons were not running creeks as they were dry. I put DP's in locations i would not normally set trying to thin out the coons for the turkeys. Dog food in the trap and welch's grape jelly about 4 feet high smeared on a nearby tree. The older the jelly got (i kept in non refrigerated) the better it worked. I set them randomly along my k9 route on the deer club by the house. Caught more coons this year than i have in the last five years.

I only have so many DP traps so I find im moving every 3 days. Dp have made me lazy and only been using foot hold in spots I can dig a flashy hole on steep banks fast.

Dry creeks make tuffer to find good sets locations. You setting field edges and ridge tops?

Terrain changes was what I set. Fence lines between pine plantations and oak trees. Four wheeler trails. Near any deer feeders I could find.

Back when I was running and training hounds I kept a few locations baited up for coon. A bucket or drum dug into a bank at an angle so that it would hold water then filled with corn and allowed to sour. A packet of grape koolaid and some sugar to sweeten the deal. Always good for starting pups or a first night catch if I needed a live one for a drop.
Soured keeps out the deer but not hogs.

Doing NWCO work I rely on baiting heavy to get these dumpster diving coons attention.

Check your legalities on open bait though.

I have found that where ever the food is you will find animals that are trying to eat it.....find the food and more often then not you find the animal