Straight blind sets

With fur prices the way they are I find it hard to drag myself into putting much effort into preparation. I think I'll probably stop at about 45 gallons of waxed dirt and I've got a few bales of peat laying around getting dry for the year. I've always wondered if I could run blind trail sets on a majority if not all of my sets and have a productive year. I guess it is kind of a year for experimentation for me.

Realistically I seem to catch just about every fur bearer we have here on blind sets, and the upkeep is quite low for the sets. Lawn clippings for the majority and occasionally waxed dirt/ peat where the ground is bare. You often see people snaring primarily and doing just fine. Why don't I seem to see more people discussing just blind foot hold sets? I can see ways it could be challenging especially in open farm ground like here in the Midwest finding locations that will produce, but I can also see where it would have benefits. No lure/bait/urine costs. Very little trap maintenance. Wide open traps on coon trails and subtle blending when targeting coyotes.

We had snow on the ground most of this winter and I paid attention. There's locations where multiple coyotes are hitting and targeting coons would be like shooting fish in a barrel. I guess I've never quite had the confidence to put down the bait or urine. Maybe I'll give it a solid go this year there's not much to lose. Thoughts?

I've been reading about the blind sets for coyotes. I'm definitely going to give it a try.

I use a lot of blind sets. I found when setting trails, preseason grooming of the trail is a big advantage. As for open spaces like fields, a worn in set of tire tracks is a good place to start. I run a 10' piece of 1/8" cable in the woods so they hopefully don't tear up the trail so it can be reset. In the fields I use a 6" piece of cable to my earth anchor and a piece of rebar 5' away as a tangle stake. Just what works for me
I guess I set more blind sets than lured or baited.

In some situations blind sets take a lot of maintenance as with high deer population areas. In the right situation blind sets are very productive, especially with lured sets close by. I normally wait till after the white tail rut before I set blinds. Tire tracks are killer, as are deer trails and small game trails.

I could see your points Gary. I guess I really noticed here where the deer were hitting one location, and the coyotes were taking another. 6-7 sets of tracks on top of each other a couple days after a snow really makes a guy think. I have a dozen or so already set up on drags which I think would help keep these type of locations producing.

I always seem to throw blind sets out for coons as I'm not going to be throwing down bait trying to catch them, and I try to get them before coyote sets. That being said I always notice I tend to pick up fox, coyotes and badgers on these trails as well. We tend to have pretty definitive deer/predator trails. Some locations on the high banks seem to see a lot of action.

The small game is a pretty big issue for me as it never fails I come upon what's left of the rabbits/squirrels after the hawks have had their way. I think I can negate the small game by simply running more sets. I can drop a blind set in the ground in a fraction of the time it takes to make a dirthole or even a well blended flat set.

Wetdog I've considered cabling in certain situations luckily there's not much pressure where I am currently. I was the only truck down a number of roads for 10 days at a time. I think I could count on my two hands the numbers of vehicles I saw setting this year on vacation. I've already got the drags made up for when it's almost too close to the road.

When you say "grooming" I assume you mean narrowing down the trails before you set them? Honestly I don't know what to expect as we have a number of trails burned down to the dirt in the grass and I've had some crazy catch percentages on blind sets, but I've also had some sets simply sit there with no action. Again I'm thinking if I really want to do it I'll likely have to increase the number of sets to keep up the catch.

Maybe throw large road killed baits out prior to setting and give it some time for the trails?

Blind sets is all I ever used for coons/mink and any place that you can set a snare is a perfect blind set location, what ever the target. Deer will knock down snares as easy as step in the trap.

Seemed like when I ran blind sets, I caught as much bait as coon.

If you have the ability to recognize the natural locations blind setting can add a lot of extra fur to the pack with minimal effort.
Certain species are much easier to target with blind sets,and others are almost impossible to blind set for.Knowing an animals habits well will,help immensely in locating sure fire blind set locations.

Seeing tracks worn into the mud. That certainly helps.

It sure does. Generally it's coon trails from when the corn was in and they made their voyage between the water and feed. I'll see if I can dig up some old pics. I baited coons and had pretty crazy trails when they were worth catching. I found that although they are primarily coon trails at one part of the year by the time season rolls around there isn't much that won't run them. Still waiting on my first blind catch on bobcats (we don't have a very steady population). Definitely the high bank of every creek has these trails where the animals skirt the creek and the field.

These trails first are primarily made by baiting and have different animals hitting them. This first one is yes kitty litter. I had everything but my intended bobcats coming to mark this bucket of litter.



This was a trail made by a combination of coyotes and coons on a carcass pile. I got free scraps from a local butcher, some chickens from the landowner, and eventually deer right before season.



This was pretty much a coon specific trail coming to a feeder although I did catch the occasional fox on camera.

Here's a good look at a location along a pond edge that although I'd have to blend in a set I think I could still pull some blind.



Here's what I see a lot of in our country. Whether going to these piles to eat mice get out of the weather or whatever reason they end up there. This is typical of most brush piles. The rabbits can get really thick in these locations as well which can be troublesome.



If you've never been to a place with these large brush piles it can be interesting. This particular brush pile had four well defined trails out each direction like a compass that had no doubt held coons when the corn was in. Setting with 1.5's can be an interesting deal on those. I caught that coyote in the wide open with nothing but a grass bedding.


You can see the trail here on the left side of me in the dried up creek bed. This was a spillway running to a pond. Trail down to the dirt for a quarter mile. Put a trap on 10 foot of drag and then got to experience what a badger can do with 10 feet of drag.


Here's what I mean by down to the dirt.

Great pictures. On blind sets like that do you suggest dragging, slide wire or chain or staking?
Thanks

If I have a place I can hook a drag up I prefer them. Sometimes that’s not an option, so I just use disposables. You can move them down or up the trail. Sometimes after the first blind catch I drop a pipe in and continue with the grass cover similar to zaggers methods. Drop some bait and go. Don’t spend much time on Coons which is what I’ve primarily targeted like this.

This is a second remake. You can see the zagger pipe and the 1.5 out front barely covered. The coyote fell for the exact same thing after a coon got caught on the blind set.

Imo young folks starting out trapping they would benefit from blind sets in 2 ways,,,, 1 learning travel ways,,, 2 takes all the mistakes out of bait lure usage (contamination)helps folks learn to bed trap and blend a set.
And once proficient with blind set , now a baited lure set will produce better because they on the animal instead waiting for them to come to the sets.

I got out to a couple places close to home today. It rained about half an inch yesterday. In the background you can see a hog unit. There’s what’s left of hogs in the compost pile scattered across this field. You could drop blind sets along this draw in multiple places.

This other picture is of my partner in crime, he’ll show me trails I didn’t know existed. However, this is another hot location for trails. Just to the right of him is a trail on the backside of a pond dam to the spillway. Around here every pond has one and they are top producers.

I stake blinds an remake into a lured set after catches then add another blind. Get a lot of doubles that way. All good points! Their are situations that traps work better than snares for blind sets!

I'm not sure what you mean by "straight." It would not be a blind set if any bait, scent or visible attractor is used. An early to mid season alternative to waxed dirt is to leave a small recess under trap, use a pan cover, then just partially cover with grass strands. Similar covering is used at baited "pipe dream" sets in which a coyote presumably would be looking at the ground. A moving coyote approaching a blind set is highly unlikely to be looking at the ground closely enough to see a camouflaged trap, even if a step-over stick is there.

Straight as in all blind sets. No dirtholes, no flat sets, no pipes etc. No bait,lure, or urine. I simply posted some of the trails to past bait stations because large baits were mentioned. I’m talking all natural trails some of which I’ve also posted.

Some good pics. And amazing examples of what you can look for. The land always tells a story.

Great thread and pics, sir!
I have no idea why I am not using more blind sets either. When I do use them I'm generally happy I put them in, catches were good. I dont recall any toe catches in blind sets, an animal walking with no clue what lies beneath is generally committing it's full weight to each step.
I've had a number of surprises at blind sets too. Fox, cats, coyotes, coon, and of all things a front foot caught beaver at a coon trail crossover on backside of a pond dam.
One year we had good luck blind setting cow trails along fence row inside a pasture. A few well positioned cow pies got the coyotes to step in between them and on third or fourth position like that "wham" the blind set trap had them. Made me feel like a real trapper to take a few dogs without bait or lure just getting them to step in the right spot on that worn cow trail.
Will be following this thread for sure.
Jim.

Thanks Jim,
I've used the guide sticks in trails that Dustin Drews pointed out a few years ago which really seems to center the foot on the pan. I also can't say I've had much in the way of toe catches. Those pond dam sets sure do produce. The cow trails have always been something I've thought about in the past. Maybe this year I can just do it. Always found myself dropping some lure in for a flat set or simply digging a dirthole on those trails.

Do you notice any change in the time frame between catches. Blindest and scented that is.

I’d say depends on your population more than anything. I’ve never really targeted coyotes with just blind to make a comparison. Raccoons I think on dry land it’s a quicker producer. Coons will walk by baited sets at times but aren’t afraid to step on barely covered traps. I have picked up pairs of fox faster on blinds. I’ve often caught the second of the pair the next day on lured sets/remakes.

A well placed blind set should catch the first critter down the trail, while as mentioned some animals will pass a lure or bait by- perhaps the wind was blowing the wrong way. To get from point to point the feet must follow the path and stepping spots can be predicted or guided, air currents won't affect that.
Red makes a good point in that to be successful at blind sets you need to know the animal and where it will step. once you understand the animals the lured sets are easier. To much emphasis is placed on method sets rather than knowledge sets.

True that. Knowledge sets are tricky for the novice. So we fall on the textbook method. However I will take all your knowledge. Lol

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Wider trails can be a pain with smaller traps I learned

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Also has anyone elese seen grey fox hugging the sides of trails? Seems cats and yotes usually hit straight down unless theirs alot of mud or water but the fox seem to like to hug the side.of the trail. In thinking it's a hunting tactic.

On that wide trail or two track, place a bushy tree limb as though it has fallen and let it block most of the trail leaving just a place for a set. Limbs fall every day and that small change won't spook the animals. Or place the blocking limb diagonally and let it make two set spots at the ends.

The old adage Is. It's not how many you catch It's how many you miss. And I'm betting the miss to catch ratio Is pretty high when It comes to a foothold In a trail.

You may say the mafia set Isn't a true blind set and that may be true but In my opinion It will up the odds In those wide open trails like cow trails. Once you start adding stuff as guides to that trail you have raised a red flag to any passing critter. You have to keep things as natural as possible.

The pictures shown are great but If your trapping coon In those trails why mess with setting blind foot hold sets when the use of a BG or a snare would be a lot easier and a lot more productive.
Same goes for fox and coyotes and cats In certain trails, use a snare. Non targets will In most cases go under a snare and that leaves It ready for your target animal.

I got 2or3 set variations for cow trail I might show in a different thread some day.

Great thread. Thanks WadeRyan and all that contributed.
Mac

Just a few thoughts... A very wise trapper ounce told me "all I need is a coyote track on a trail, he'll be back and step right in the same track" . So I put that to good use, same with fox.. if you know the animal a pattern will emerge and placement becomes instinctual. Theirs's always THE spot if you look! The less dirt you dig for the bed the better, pound the bed with your hammer and use a setting cloth to control the fresh dirt. Study track patterns in snow or sand so you can visualize the track on the trail.

I for one don't miss many with blind trail sets with traps, I've even started using smaller jaw spread traps on purpose so I don't disturb the trail as much. Even 1.5s as Ryan does.

Boy I tell ya Beav I am just not a fan of snares here. Deer knock them over make them worthless. If they don't the first cottontail does a front back flip into a loop 10 inches off the ground. I've had them as high as 12-14 inches and had coons hip caught that wanted to jump for whatever reason. A hip caught coon here isn't worth much of anything, and ones I catch in footholds still have monetary value (I know I'll hear all about how people snare coon after coon by the head). I don't.

Bodygrips I just avoid so I don't have to deal with dogs here. Bird hunters, greyhound coyote hunters, rabbit hunters, coon dogs, the list goes on and on. When I say guiding I'm talking maybe an inch or two stick in an X like Drews pointed out a few years back. Tree branches fall all the time here it's nothing out of the ordinary for them. I catch coyotes every year on sets that aren't supposed to catch coyotes, and I am not even targeting them. My thought in all of this was.....what if I did target them? You do bring up good points as always though Beav makes a guy think.

Red why another thread throw those puppies on here. Not going to hurt anything. Gary good post. The same can be said about bobcats in our area. It might take them a while, but more often than not they'll come right down that same trail.

Do it! Their are years a 3rd of my yotes,fox come from blinds in combination with lured sets. Especially later in the season...

Is that all LOL..

Had a real good trail from woods to corn. Not hoofed up bad but the dang deer snaps.
Made it so I could see tracks for a few days/week. Showed me that the deer stepped over a low spot while targets stepped down into it. Adjusted and game on, no more deer trouble. This worked for several seasons until it changed. No lure or bait. I like lure as much as anyone, and will avoid it when I can.
I did not learn this from a book or movie. You need to read sign and behavior..

I like blind sets, some lure salesmen hate em, or so they say.
Snares and bgs not legal here, so we learn to adjust.

In Wolfdogs pics, the first one that shows on my device, that turn in trail to left, looks potential.
As for hugging the side, try guiding to the INside.

NEXT lol.

Oh and we are allowed to set trails in more than one location, traps in truck bed....

James Lucerao (speling) wrote an excellent coyote trapping book (also wrote a snaring book) back in the 80s I think. He discussed blind sets in the book. In the book he showed a picture of a big dude with small pick up truck just chucker block full of coyote pelts that he said the guy took in only blind sets. Granted that country. he was in lent itself to trail sets but it was a pretty cool picture.

All I'm saying Is there are more effective sets then blind sets except maybe for mink.

I'm betting that a trapper with 50 BGs placed in trails will catch more coon then a trapper setting 50 foot hold blind trail sets. The same goes for the snare. I'm betting the east cost boys and those trappers from Iowa are experts In catching coon In Snares.
And I'm willing to bet that a good flat set or dirt hole will out preform a blind set.
And those hard packed trails aren't going to show you any prints so saying your not missing any critters Is a bit far fetched. The way to tell the tale Is to mount a trail cam and see how many misses occur

Not saying trail sets don't work but for a numbers game the other sets will out preform a blind trail set.

Wade you ever catch any rabbits In blind sets? Do all these hunting dogs ignore all these critter trails?

Google Dustin Drews YouTube for blind sets. It’s probably what you’re doing already but for those who haven’t seen his blind sets, you’ll find it interesting

Set 1
Change when I think I want something different in the same trail farther down or up the trail(cow trail) or seldom used 2 track with (ruts ) .
Make your same blind set blend well and then just make poke hole driver size or rebar size only. Use small dab of natural baiting the poke hole no (commerical bait) this set is for the last one or 2 there. I like( muskrat fat) in the hole.
(Spring or summer set for me.)

Set 2
Blind set blend well, take white cow, or sheep, or horse bone break take bone pound in the ground knuckle up with no more than a inch sticking above ground.
Bladder urine only,, 1/2 ounce ( OR)fresh turd or turds from some other area.
Spring or summer set
These sets could be used to clean out , the tough to catch ones in a area where over use of lure or baits ,,,, ( when new to the area you have no way of knowing who or what was being used that caused the avoidance , so when thing like the normal stuff do not work these have worked fairly well.)or most likely bad methods where being used.

Some tufts of fur placed In the trail side brush will get them to stop and check It out. With a correctly placed trap It will take some critters. I think I read that In one of Ogs writings.

That's in one of Slim's books, which are well worth owning all of them.
JC's blind set dvd and bobcat dvd both have real good info for inquiring minds.

May be in still quite new but really fear picking up some ones dog on a blind set.

If your trapping canines and you have domestic dogs running around your going catch them. That's where these CRs shine. They may not be the perfect answer when targeting wild canines but your domestic canines are un hurt when caught. And that'd a real plus.

Thanks Red. CR's aren't forgiving here Beav. I'm not going to get into it, but I'd much rather let one out of a foothold. Not all domesticated dogs have been on leashes. Greyhounds in particular around here they have one speed and that's fast and one thing on their mind that's the coyote.

Yes Teacher Dustin Drew's set-up in particularly what I use I believe I alluded to that earlier. He actually beds the trap and I believe uses peat moss. Most of mine are simply an indentation made with the hammer or sometimes a very shallow bed, and grass clippings below and on top of the trap. It holds up to all weather up until an ice storm which puts everything out of commission.

If it's early enough in the year I simply just take a pair of scissors with me and clip the grass around the set to use. I also keep the lawn trimmings over the summer and dry them out when everything turns brown. Most people scratch their head when they see me do it, but it does catch animals. I haven't found a need to even worry about bedding the trap solid as the two very small guides center the animals on the pan.

Otis I have seen JC Connor's book/DVD mentioned multiple times regarding blind sets in the past. One of these days I'm going to just get it. I prefer to read if I can but with grad school I've been doing more reading than I really care to do.

I don't catch 100s of coyotes In CRs every year but I do catch a few (30 or so) and to date I have NEVER had a dead coyote In a CR. I really don't believe any domestic dog Is going to fight a CR harder then a coyote. As long as there Isn't any entanglement I see no down side by using them In areas where dogs are being used.
You catch a dog In freezing weather and that dog spends a night In that trap there are going to be problems. I have spent a few yeas trapping both coyotes and fox for the live market and freezing weather Is not your friend.

Put a heater in the set beav. Lol

I've always caught more domestic dogs in lured sets than blind sets. Sure wish coyotes would be that easy.. I hate CRs, I won't say why online...….


Good stuff Red! Kinda funny how like minds think.. I gotta a bucket full of muskrat and mink fat just for the natural bait thing..

[quote=trappergbus]I've always caught more domestic dogs in lured sets than blind sets. Sure wish coyotes would be that easy.. I hate CRs, I won't say why online...….


Good stuff Red! Kinda funny how like minds think.. I gotta a bucket full of muskrat and mink fat just for the natural bait
Thanks guys

And if the owner was with the dog there should not be a problem turning the dog loose unharmed I would think.

We don't have restrictions on CR's here in Nebraska. No entanglement laws. If I set one I don't plan on anything being alive when I get there. Locations I use these would be in timbers/creeks/and fence crossings. All areas where entanglement is certainly an issue. Any press is bad press when it comes to trappers from what I've found, and I don't plan to be the poster child for why Nebraska laws become more restrictive. Any questions look at 220 in buckets in Minnesota. I've had multiple catches on dogs which peacefully slept the night away even in cold weather waiting for me to let them out of footholds. Only had a few I've had to catch pole and judging their demeanor when I let them out they wouldn't have stopped once they hit a CR or snare.

I wish we could use lethal snares but It won't ever happen In WI. So were saddled with using CRs In non entanglement situations.
They work pretty good but you are limited as to where you can set them and that means you have to pass up lots of good locations.
The good thing Is we use them on public ground where you have tons of bird hunters using the same ground. And I know for sure they would rather be releasing their dog from a non lethal CR then a MB650. It's like any tool you just have to get use to them.

And they are a true blind set LOL

Well use a smaller trap that isn't 4 coiled..I've blind set a bunch in MB 450s or 550s 2 coiled. Ya don't need a 3 or 4..

As stated by some previously, anything other than a properly covered/bedded trap with a couple of guides and a step over stick set in a travel way is not, imho, a blind set. They work extremely well in most any kind of terrain at any kind of intersection where target animals are traveling in recognizable trails. Most of the time the set can be made within sight of your vehicle. If some folks would spend more time reading their territory as they pass thru, rather than rushing to the next place they are gonna dig a hole, they might be surprised at what a few well placed blind sets would produce. This is especially true with "educated"/reluctant coyotes. If the terrain is right, nearly half my predator sets may be true blind sets, most with footholds, but as I have become more comfortable with them, snares as well. Yes, traps snapped by deer & feral hogs are sometimes frustrating, but a remake on a trap or snare with a long extension cable doesn't take long. It sure does cut down on grinners where they are plentiful.

Here in Michigan we can't hang cable till after Jan. 1. That in itself should tell ya why I have used traps for years in true blind sets but a dab of this or that will make them make a few more steps, that will increase the catch rate. Just use real mild stuff in small applications.

Ok so not sure if it's been discussed already but what's everyone stance on blind setting decoy sets.

Maybe I can guess what mean by decoy but care to define why?

Not to mention blending em in. In some conditions it’s a real pain in the you know what. A time killer.

Coyotes spend a lot of time not on deer trails, in farm country anyways. Big woods and mountain country might be a different story.
What's a better decoy than a coyote bouncing around in a trap.

"I don't plan to be the poster child for why Nebraska laws become more restrictive. "

If more people had the foresight to think like this a lot of problems we as trappers have and and will have would be not existent.
Ma

Ya I just can't imagine blending In a blind set In 6" of snow.

There are a few trappers I have heard that use footholds blind in the deeper snow quite successfully.They will slip a foothold in from the side of the trail directly under a foothole in the snow(you need to pack a solid base for the trap with your fist first).When snow gets deep,canines will put their feet in the same track.This is what makes this set so successful.A very fast and efficient set to make when used with a drag,which work very well in deep snow and brushy terrain.
A lot of times many canines will use the same trail,but it only looks like one has made the track.If you follow the track for a ways,especially a wolf track,you will see where several wolves have fanned out from what looked to be a single wolf track.
I have caught fox with this type of set,and a couple wolves,but I prefer dead animals for various reasons where I trap so I do not use this set.
I believe Lotsofmink,who posts on here occasionally uses this set quite successfully for western coyotes.
As far as blending,all you need to do is brush out your tracks a little ways from the trail with a spruce bough.

That works.

Unless you have wind.

Everything works In theory.

More snow and like Boone said wind. And how long are you going to wait for a catch? Dry snow is a must any wet snow like we have around here Is going to give you fits.

I can see blind setting for those that go that route In the fall but when winter rears It's ugly head I'm hanging cable.

Asa often spoke of setting like Boco said. I rarely get those conditions. Many of us have differing conditions and terrain, sure like reading of this.

Works very well with the right snow conditions without thaws. If it stays below 20 so the snow stays dry powder its deadly. But we rarely get those conditions. I use a broom and a waxed sifter to handle the snow. Trails in cover are best that have some wind protection. The problem is Just when the trails get established another big snow comes thru and changes their pattern. But when it's right its deadly.

The one good thing about a true “blind” trail set,........


It can be turned into a patterned, lured set real easy!

Yep the remakes are a natural

What kind of surprises me somehow ,,,,is how tough we trappers make it on our selves when simple dirt hole ,flat sets, blind sets get it done most of the time.

Good point.

Ill agree with that whole heartedly. So would it be a good take away for the newer guys to trapping to consider using only a handful of items and methods? At least this may teach them location and finding opportunity

The thing Is that some locations don't allow you to make certain types of sets. In my area you would be hard pressed to find many blind set locations. While you can make a flat set or a dirt hole just about anyplace.
So practice practice and practice some more on a set that will produce In your type of country.

Coyotes in your area don't walk around beav?

I some times think the coyotes are getting plenty practice with hole sets. How many they see in a run through their turf in Pa I'll never know.
I need a beginner to run with me, maybe I can unlearn some things lol. A good hole digging beginner.
I think we have more people trapping per mile than anywhere, and I think it shows. But what could I know.

How many beat down trails do you find In bean fields and corn fields. Then you have all those hay fields. Then just about when trapping season starts they plow It all up. Not many coyote trails until snow covers the ground.
Tons of coon trails leading from the corn to the creek or to the culvert. But those aren't coyote highways.

I don't know about your last statement Beav. Maybe not if you have a 160 on a trail or a snare sitting a couple inches off the ground for coons. Coyote's got to cross a road too. Here they really like those culverts (they're large enough I can stand in them) to cross underneath highways without being seen. I seem to pick up coyotes in trails I never would have thought would hold a coyote and I would say the number of blind sets I run in the past to be minimal at best in ratio to dirtholes/flat sets. I would say 90% of our farm ground is no till, and there's always a crossing in the fencelines in the four corners (where all four fence lines come together in the middle of the 1 mile by 1 mile section). Last season on multiple occasions the coyotes showed me where they were crossing the road in the snow, and I would have never guessed it the majority right at those culverts.

No simple is The key, ,,
Go look at a dog's dirthole or a coyote better yet.
A blind set is just that blend them in to look like the rest of the trail .
A flat set whether it has lure ,bait ,or urine, or if you got a dog and he tell you where the coyote peed bury a trap there.
And then patients. Lol out west coyotes have bigger range takes some time to get back.

I don't expect to find beat down coyote only trails. That doesn't mean they don't come past everyday either though. Field roads are obvious choices, field edges even grassy fields require some experimenting and then the confidence to set them. Following tracks in the snow will show a lot of things they will still do with no snow.

So your going to make blind trail sets where there Isn't a trail?
Those 2 tracks are traveled daily by farm machinery In some locations. So I can't see setting In a tire track. A dirt hole or a flat set just off the track will catch some critters. And your traps won't get John Deered.

We can't set road right ways anymore so that Is out of play. And It's true some of those bigger culverts are prime travel ways for lots of critters. But 12 and 18" culverts aren't very attractive to coyotes or fox.
I can see where In cattle country where those trails would be a good locations. But In our area most cows are on factory farms and they aren't being pastured.
As to coyotes crossing main roads. It kind of surprised me In this study were involved In that only one coyote out of the 8 we caught On this one property crossed the main HI way.

Every area calls for different types of sets. You just have to decide on what fits your system and what catches the most fur with a minim of work.

I drive my truck to every location, blind set the tire tracks. where you lead they will follow... great place for a subtle flat set also.

I would assume your leaving tire tracks In the snow. That may work some time but the first little bit of wind or a light snow fall Is putting you out of commission. And of course your going to have to set both tracks since you don't know what track they will take.
Then of course when the big snows come your not going to be able to drive to all of those locations.
In my opinion when the snow starts to fall It's time to put away the traps and start hanging cable but then that's just me.

I had a lot better luck when I backed up to a high spot and did a burn out thus leaving bare ground where I could make the set.

If I have to use CR which we do in in Lyxn protection zone for Bobcats,,,, I just use a trap .
Alive is alive and no damage is better than CRs

Good info

I was just thinking more about blind sets recently..Have a good farm for coyote but the neighbor dogs like it too..I gave it up, but I’m thinking of trapping it this year and just using blind sets..baited lure sets are a problem..

My biggest question would be on how to get mr coyote to place his foot on my pan?
Sure sticks would help like Ryan uses but at the same time I’m wondering if this would break the stride of the coyote? On a 2 track in a more open area maybe like a pipeline I would think the sticks would be a deterrent? I have a long running pipeline that I trap and the coyotes travel pretty consistent unless hunting.
Now how do I get them to step on the pan?

Maybe we can give some input on how to get mr coyote to step where our pan is..thanks

Buy a copy of Conner's blind set and bobcat DVD's, lots of answers in those.

Coyotes walk over sticks on a trail on a daily basis. Trees drop them constantly. I'm talking sticks maybe two inches at most off the ground in an x. Just enough to get the foot centered. Even out in the open I catch them I believe I showed a picture of it earlier in this thread.

For coons in the south blind trail sets are hard to beat. They are a low maintenance and high percentage set. They outperform any sort of baited set including DP's for me.

Don't know If you would consider 160 or a 220 a blind trail set. But It will out preform any foot hold trap when trapping coon.

Where legal

As you can see from the photos, the length of stride over a stick is uneven. When traveling toward a stick the coyote will place his foot close to the stick but further away from the stick as he steps over it. Unless you know the direction of travel you may miss the coyote. I often use a set of small sticks in a X with a second stick after the trap. The X centers the foot. So it looks like this... X O l The O represents the trap.

Archery nice reference photos...my thoughts were the same if the coyote enters from the other direction..
X0I will surely help with this...good info thanks

Wade thanks...my thoughts when a coyote is using an area like the one in my pic with sticks in place would it just cause him to just go around or step out as the area he's traveling is not a tight game trail..
Guess I'm just over thinking...I have trapped this line for coyotes they use it a lot for travel ways and it runs for miles but coyotes don't work my sets no matter what I've tried..not sure why, so I thought blind sets would be a good option..

Definitely consider bodygrips set in trails as blind sets as long as there is no attractor and that is what I find myself using most of the time away from the water. When the situation dictates a non lethal set, I do pretty well with blind set footholds on high bank trails and trails away from the water.

If I am in or along the water 1.5 coils or #2 longs are my go to for coon blind sets. As long as I am not having to dig a bed ( i.e in the mud)
I can put in a foot trap on a drowner almost as quick as I can stick in a bodygrip as I don't have to worry about finding a perfect spot or doing any blocking besides laying a stick across the trail for foot placement.

Get off the road.

See it here sometimes, especially in the spring. They’ll run the two tracks but “shut down” when doing so. They’ll go right by and absolutely ignore a set. Find where they’re entering and leaving the road, get off it sometimes just 10 yards, and bam.

From archery guys pics. Length of stride over a stick is dependent. Foot placement before stick is dependent. Speed of coyote can be dependent. Size of coyote is independent. Direction of coyote can be estimated, by us. There are things you can control , and things you have no control over. You will have misses in blind sets, and you will have misses in hole sets.

Put a pipe in the grass between the two tracks. Not exactly a blind set, but it should get’em searching and stepping. Been using that set here lately and you can see in the sand where they pass and come back to check out the smell and sometimes get caught.

Making blind sets In the winter with snow on the ground would be a tough call.
Some one said they made blind sets In their tire tracks. So when your checking those sets are you just driving around the set or just sitting back and checking from a distance? I always wondered about those northern guys that made sets In their snowmobile tracks. Must be Ok just to drive over them. But not so much with a truck.

I’d be resetting a lot of traps, lol! Even setting off to the side of the 2 tracks you have to take in account of tractors as well. They tend to be a little wider that the tracks themselves...ask me how I know!!!

Wanna be..I’ll try it..have some pipe ready actually..

Boone I did set trails in and out of this area still no luck..It’s public land seems to be quite busy for coyote hunters..did catch 7 fox in and around this area..but no coyotes..

Most times when I've seen people set snares or such in tire tracks they have one set of tracks that they have the snares on, and set as they drive through. Then they have another set of tracks just far enough off the first set to check the snares. You'll probably have some take the tracks you're using to check, but there's always the option of them going a different way anyways. I have tried it in the past in deeper snow. I think it's pretty useless unless you're talking over 6 inches or so. They do seem to like to take those tracks and you can't really blame them. A lot easier running.

Ambush, if ya want to know how to kill coyotes that are using the 2 track in your pic shoot me a PM. It's easy but it takes a little extra work..

Ttt