Critique please

Found where the coyote are running on this small section of state land. Right up the small drainage creeks, now that they are frozen up. In this set, the coyotes were coming along the bottom of the picture, the small creek is about 5 feet across and pinches down a little right at this corner that connects to a larger (frozen also) creek. I saw a bunch of tracks from last night coming from the right, then they made a right turn to go along the left of the picture. At least one of them came back and continued toward the left of the smaller drainage.

Put a dirt hole right where the arrow points, kinda blew up the area and placed a trap right at the edge of the muddy shore and the ice (red spot). Waxed dirt in first, trap bedded nice and solid, put a drag up in the thick brush behind everything. Got some bait in the hole with gland lure a t the back edge.

This is a first for me, setting like this, so please give any advice you can. I'll be checking it tomorrow a.m. (24 hour checks here in NY). Good thing is I can check it from a path 25 feet away. Thanks.

You are on location, so I predict they will check it out. Coyotes travel frozen creeks A LOT!

My worry would be them taking that drag down the creek a couple miles before they get hung up, but what's the odds?

Looks like it would work. Getting a light dusting of snow would help blend it in and make it look natural.

Looks like it will work to me. If it floods and freezes, waxed sand won’t help if it’s encased in ice. Just make sure it’s not going to have standing water in the bed. Always set on sign. Nice job.

Thanks. I put waxed dirt down on the edge of the shore before bedding the trap to hopefully stop the freeze down. We've got a light mist coming down now, bur they're predicting about 1" of snow tonight.

ADC - the drag is hooked around a big bunch of honeysuckle, hopefully it'll keep them planted. I had visions of a loooonnnggg tracking job. It's only 2 1/2 miles to the beaver dam up the creek.

That area screams snares.

X2

I wish they were legal here. The whole area is tall grass with narrow game trails.

Try blind trail sets in the narrow game trails.

Got a couple blind trail sets in now, waiting to see which ones get the most traffic before setting more. Expecting up to 13" of snow Sunday night/Monday.

Am I the only one that would have put the dirthole where the trap is in the photo, and then used the existing grass, cut up with scissors, to blend over top of the trap set out in front of it? I don’t have good luck trying to make them go into the tall grass like that. And from the photo, I’d assume the existing tracks are where the trap(s) would be if the hole was placed where the trap is currently. A chunk of that tall grass about 8” tall planted on the outside of the where I mention placing the traps, would then turn the set into a walk through. At that point, it doesn’t matter if the coyote wants to work the set or not, just a sniff is all he has to take.
Just my two cents,

Matt

Nope your not I would put hole edge of grass pull trap out in front tall backing can be tricky, a 10inch tall tuft of grass back off the tall grass be my pick be my choice if give the choice but back to tall grass will work ,just take some convincing a coyote a bit.

Personally, I wouldn’t use a hole at all. I’d take a chunk of roadkill deer with the hide still on, and wire it to a disposable stake and drive that stake down into the tall grass at the edge of the set to hide it. Let him tug on it a bit trying to take it somewhere, and he will have his feet in the trap in short order. But now I’m giving away secrets, and some may not be allowed to use the chunk of roadkill.
Matt

Nope you are not the only that use dirt holes. This time of the year we call them snow holes. Pile up some snow and punch a hole towards the bottom of the pile and add your bait. You can have your chain and drag buried under the pile out of sight. Or why not do the same if you have muskrat houses in the area. I know here they check them out a lot. Or maybe the old hay set. Remember eye appeal. Play a little bit and experiment. Have fun.

The hole is on a rising bank. We had above freezing yesterday, so I didn't want to have the trap on the ice. Doesn't show well in the picture. I'm heading to that section soon. We'll see what happens.....

Appreciate all the experienced advice.

Post a pic of that coyote when you get him.

X2 then I'll tell u if it is a good set or not. Lol . The snow should help you decide how good it is too.

When they run the creek again.... got trail camera footage of a coon walking up it in the drizzly rain from Thursday night. No tracks today, temps were 0 last night, expecting into be even lower tonight, but tomorrow should be 25 for a high.

Update? What did the coyotes think of the set?