I trap coyotes every summer for my cousin. He raises about 6 acres of cantaloupes and watermelons and the coyotes a murder on his watermelons. This is the tenth year, and every year it seems to get harder. I use flat sets and punch holes with only gland lure, and no urine because of the deer. I use multiple brands of gland lure to mix it up, but this year they aren't responding to the set at all. I trap in the fields and around the fields where I find sign of the yotes entering and exiting. I also use blind sets where I can find funnels they regularly walk. So far the sets have been in 4 nights and nothing but they are still coming in a eating melons. Maybe I am just to impatient this time. Its really hard to get their attention with a set when they are fixated on a large field of melons. Anyone got any suggestions for something new to try? I am actually considering calling at dusk dark and shooting.

Try snareing them.

Get a squirt bottle of the most vile stuff you can find. I’ve been using various mixtures of sour milk, horse hoof tea, lump jaw puss, and the black sludge that oozes out of a summertime dead cow.


Make a couple really well blended flat sets with a dash or urine and/or gland (think subtle). Than, squirt that nasty sludge all over the immediate area of the set(s).

Travis Chilson taught me that and it works when the heat is on.


Summertime coyotes are a different beast. Anyone that says otherwise is full of it.

Do you think beaver tail oil will do it?

I’ve found where they have their established scent posts or brought a dog to find them for you and set those. No gland or urine (aside from what the dog marked).

Might.

Only one way to find out!


You're creating a rolling station, so the louder the better. You're appealing to that response and than with the urine and/or gland giving them a focal point within that response to maybe check out.

I've had tremendous response in front of cameras with beaver tail oil in the summer. But much less response in the winter when I am actually trapping. So for summertime coyotes it should work.

But I don't consider beaver tail oil really loud or obnoxious, kind of a pleasant odor to me. Certainly not like the stuff Boone is using (lump jaw puss is a new one, I had never heard of anyone using that for trapping before) but they will roll in it extensively in the summer. So maybe try it on some sets, and something more obnoxious on others. Let them tell you what they prefer.

At least the beaver tail oil will be something new to their noses.

Can't snare in NC

Owen, if you change smells, I would move the set(s) just a short distance from the original location.
They already know where the old smells are, so a different attractant in the same suspicious spot will likely be ignored as well.

I’ve used straight BTO and caught a few. I’ve done best with Sac Oil as far as beaver smells go.

Keep in mind there should be a horde of melon munchin’ rodents in that field at night.
A fresh rat, or just a rodent smell might just do the trick.

Good Luck!

Those coyotes can eat a lot of melons in a hurry!

How much BTO do you put out at the set? I wonder if sheep's wool soaked in BTO, lightly covered would work. We are so dry that the sheep's wool should help keep the BTO scent working longer by not drying out.

Owen I don’t know that I would saturate sheep’s wool with BTO.A little goes along way. Dip the end of a qtip in the lure. And place at your set.That would work.You need be set on location .All the guys above are Good and know coyotes. They offer up some good info.

Get a small green stick maybe three inches long and split it a little on one end.
Put the end of the strand of wool in the cut to hold it, then wrap it to make a small homemade Q-Tip.

Dip the stick the depth of a pencil eraser in the BTO. It won't take much.

Keep the lure off the dirt and it will last longer.

Place it so the coyote can't just walk up & haul off with it. (Because he will...)

Thanks for all the info. If I don't catch by Monday I will reset and try the BTO and sac oil. The heat is killing this old man.