Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Since we are seeing more and more trapping threads, I thought I'd join.

Discussion in 'The Water Cooler' started by Ben/PA, Dec 30, 2009.

  1. Ben/PA

    Ben/PA Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Posts:
    6,289
    Likes Received:
    4
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Hughesville, PA
    I married into a family that has trapping history. The grandfather in law is still a serious trapper and the father in law, while not an active trapper still knows his stuff.

    Been getting some coyote pics on the trail cams, so I asked if we could set some traps. The other day we set 4 "dirt hole" sets. Anyone using this type? What other types are there for yotes?
     
  2. Greg / MO

    Greg / MO Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Posts:
    4,572
    Likes Received:
    51
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Jackson, MO
    LOL... NOW you're talking my language bro! :D

    I actually just got in a brand new coyote trapping DVD tonight via UPS (Christmas present that didn't make it here in time), and it's freakin' AWESOME!!!

    I've spent a TON of money on trapping DVDs (throw everything you know from the bowhunting video industry out the window as far as what you expect to pay for a video), only left to be sorely disappointed. I've told a couple people I know that there's a BIG hole to be filled in that market with quality instructional DVDs, and they command a PREMIUM price... I winced once again when I slit open the mailer and saw the packing list and how much my wife had paid for my Christmas present.... just a few cents shy of $50 for ONE DVD! Ouch.

    But I'm telling you... if you wanna learn your stuff about trapping yotes, and want to see it done on video... there's only one video you need to buy: Mark June's Coyote Trapping. He's a biologist by trade, and intersperses a TON of information throughout the DVD, and he's a great teacher -- a skill missing in most everyone else I'd watched.

    Anyway... I mentioned that because I'm watching the video right now; I only paused it to check a thread on trapperman.com and then surfed over here real quick before getting back to my DVD...

    To answer your question, there are three main sets for yotes (which if your grandfather-in-law is a serious trapper, could probably tell you):

    Dirt-hole set
    Flat set
    Urine-post set

    Each set uses something as an attractor: Obviously, with the dirt-hole set, it's the dirt hole itself. And there's as many variations of the dirt-hole set as there are ways to fletch an arrow.

    Here's a pic of a set I put in a couple days ago on a brand-new farm I'm just starting to trap:

    [​IMG]

    Notice I used the tuft of grass for "backing" to get the animal to work the front side of the trap.

    You can also have "stepdown trenches", you can have multiple-hole sets, you can vary it up by having big, showy holes 3 - 4 inches in diameter or bigger, or make small mouse holes that are sometimes described as "wobble holes," where you insert your stake driver or rebar into the ground and then proceed to wobble it around slightly to make a small 1"-sized hole. Variations of the dirt-hole set end only with your imagination, and they are by far the most common.

    Among the more effective, however, is the flat set; this is the set that you saw my black coyote taken from. A flat set doesn't utilize a hole necessarily (rarely) as the attractor, but usually an out-of-place piece of limb, charred branch, flat rock or piece of bone. I myself like to use what we refer to as a "T-bone" that comes from the spinal column of a cow; you can pick these up at any cow graveyard if you've got a beef operation close by.

    They're perfect in that there's a long bone extending from the piece that used to house the spinal column that can be driven into the ground with a small sledgehammer; the bone-encircled hole that's left above ground where the spinal column used to be is perfect for stuffing with sheep's wool or a cotton ball doused with a little bit of lure.

    The idea of flat set though is to bed the trap where it's perfectly level with the adjacent ground, and then to blend the dirt in; I'll even go so far as to crush up bits of grass right over the top of my bedded trap bed and it'll virtually disappear.

    This was after a catch, so the "catch circle" stands out a bit and is more easily identifiable; before my first catch in this set, you couldn't tell where anything was other than the T-bone and the backing used to get the animals to work the side of the set I wanted them to:

    [​IMG]

    Lastly, is the urine-projection post. Like its name implies, it's usually a stick or something that's either naturally already present or one that you've "planted" there. Typically, these are lured with urine; either red fox or coyote urine, and sometimes bobcat urine. The trap is bedded as a flat set would be, and blended.

    Here was the result of a sort of mixed urine-projection set, but it was really more of a :rub-pole set" -- same concept, but I found a charred limb, broke it off and stuck it straight into the ground. I was specifically targeting a bobcat I believed I had missed at a dirt-hole set the night before. I smeared a skunky gland-based lure about 18" off the ground, knowing feline's proclivity for and lack of willpower for not being able to NOT rub the smell... the trap was bedded about three inches away from the post and blended like a flat set:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask; I immensely enjoy this new-found passion of mine, and would be happy to assist you in any way I can. :) Now... back to my DVD!
     
  3. Ben/PA

    Ben/PA Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Posts:
    6,289
    Likes Received:
    4
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Hughesville, PA
    Greg, we used some directional sticks on our sets too. He was telling me that it's assumed that most yotes are right pawed and will dig with it so you direct the as such and most catches will be with the left paw. I noticed 3 of 4 of your yotes were left paw catches, right? Anyhow, I am heading out for a quick morning archery sit and then to check the traps.
     
  4. Greg / MO

    Greg / MO Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Posts:
    4,572
    Likes Received:
    51
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Jackson, MO
    Nope, every catch I've ever made has been right-paw catches; I bed my trap an average of 9" back and offset them 3" to the right...

    As he said, most data and studies suggest animals share the same percentages as humas as them being right-footed (or handed, as the case may be)...

    The only exception was my last gray fox, which I had a rear-foot catch on; he had hiked a leg to mark his new find... :)

    His reasoning is sound though on targeting the left paw, and it's merely a matter of personal preference. The majority of trappers target the right paw though, as I do.
     
  5. KEITH D

    KEITH D Weekend Warrior

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2009
    Posts:
    260
    Likes Received:
    0
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Ben,
    Most fox/coyotes are caught in the 3 sets Greg mentioned, but since you asked here is another great set. I pasted this from another site. It explains the set better than I could. I used this set last year and had good results.
    I don't know how the weather is where you are, but we got about 4 in. of snow this morning and they're calling for more. This set works good in the snow. The next line I run (hopefully next year) I plan on using this set at 50% of my locations.


    The Hay Set as copied,
    I learned this set from a PA fox trapper, who uses it with MUCH success. He traps from Christmas to the end of the PA fox season, using ONLY this set, and catches quite a few fox. It works best in snow, as the visual of the hay on the snow is a real eye catcher for fox. I tried this set the first time 2 winters ago and caught 14 foxes with it, when other sets would not operate due to snow and frozen ground. Last season I caught about 60 foxes with it, and this included mid nov all through till season end. As for using it for coyotes, it does work, I saw some photos of coyotes caught in it, however coyotes are generally more caughtious than foxes, so success rates would likley be alot lower than with foxes.

    You must make the set where you know the foxes ( or coyotes) travel, the main travelways. For fox these are farmland tractor paths, and esp where such a path meets a hedgerow or multiple crop edges. Fox also travel the "waterways", the green grassy strips used for drainage in crop feilds. Check these locations out for fox droppings or tracks in mud or snow. Fox will also work along wood edges where the land next to the woods is pasture or meadow. Since fox hunt small rodents as a main food source, they will work wherever there is brush to support the rodents. Find the pathways fox use to get from food to den to water,etc.

    How does this set work? A fox is attracted to fresh cut hay or grass, as displaced rodents may be around. I think they also just like the smell. When the fox comes in, it smells the fox pee on the hay and feels a need to add its own scent. Being fox pee makes a fox feel comfy, it throws caution to the wind and just walks right into the hay, hopefully sticking a foot in one of the traps. The addition of gland lure to the set makes it even more enticing to a fox. Esp one that isn't in a scent marking mode. When one of these foxes smells the gland lure, they just have to investigate at that point. The way foxes have been caught in my hay sets shows they get totally stupid compared to how they work a dirthole. I was getting toe catches at dirthole sets, even after upping pan tension, but at hay sets I can use 2 1.5 softcatch traps and get a good high pad catch. I have even had them get a front paw and a hind paw caught, 1 in each trap.

    Place 2 traps 18in. apart as though making a double flat set.Take a small slice of hay and set it between the traps. This is where you will place the fox pee and/or gland lure when you are done making the set. The pee goes right on top in the center, gland lure to the sides facing the traps, just a few drops each side. DO NOT put the pee and gland lure on until you have finished the hay arranging, and do not let any get on the traps.
    Take some hay and lightly sprinkle it over the 2 traps, breaking up the outline of the traps. When satisfied with this, apply the pee and/or gland lure. Just a squirt of the pee will do, and a few drops each of the gland lure on each side as already stated. The set is completed. Check every morning, or check before dark if you want to check more than just morning. Do not get too close to check. If you can drive up, do so, but do not get out. Or use binoculars. This is esp important if using this set for coyotes, the less fresh human odors the better.
     
  6. Greg / MO

    Greg / MO Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Posts:
    4,572
    Likes Received:
    51
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Jackson, MO
    Ahh.. the venerable hay set! ;) :D

    The discussion(s) revolving around that one over the last year or two are probably on par volume-wise with "Which bow do you think is best?"

    I don't use it, so that's why I forgot to mention it... Good call, Keith! :)
     
  7. Ben/PA

    Ben/PA Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Posts:
    6,289
    Likes Received:
    4
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Hughesville, PA
    Out of our 4 sets, one was sprung and no cigar. I am only running the line until I have to go back to work on Monday so we will see if the other three make out. Checked em after the morning sit so didn't have the stuff to reset. Strike 1!!!:)
     
  8. KEITH D

    KEITH D Weekend Warrior

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2009
    Posts:
    260
    Likes Received:
    0
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Pennsylvania

    I bed the trap on top of a little hay. That and the hay on top prevents freezing, a big plus for late season. I've tried anti-freeze, moss, wax paper and blending wax with dry dirt, but could never 100% stop my traps from freezing in late season.Also, it's a good set for new trappers because you don't have to be as perfect as far as location. The hay acts as a visual attractor drawing the cannines to the set.


    Another set I like, I call a combination set. Put a flat set in using lure or urine, and place a dirt hole set about 12-15 ft. away. Most trappers say 10 ft. but, I think the extra distance calms the fox-yotes down. I don't use any scent, lure or bait at the dirt hole. Most canines can't resist freshly dug dirt. 9 times out of 10 the catch will be made at the dirt hole, not the flat set. If I 'know' canines are in the area, but I'm not catching any with a flat set, I'll add the dirt hole later.
    I don't have many pics. and none of live animals, but here's a coyote I caught in a combination set a few years ago.
     

    Attached Files:

  9. Ben/PA

    Ben/PA Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Posts:
    6,289
    Likes Received:
    4
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Hughesville, PA
    Thanks for the info guys. I can see myself getting into this alot more in time. My show season is starting soon, but after that I may get right back after those yotes at the cabin.
     
  10. Greg / MO

    Greg / MO Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Posts:
    4,572
    Likes Received:
    51
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Jackson, MO
    Cool, Ben... I'll tell you; it can be EXTREMELY addicting!! When they say it's like Christmas every morning, that's SO true... you get addicted to that high of seeing a new animal bouncing in your trap every time!

    Keith, I'm getting to the point where I put a flat set about 8 - 10 feet away from a dirt hole almost every time I set a location. Sometimes I'll mix it up with a urine-post just for variance... but if the location is good enough for one set, it's good enough for three. ;)

    If we had more snow here, I know I'd be using hay sets too... but we simply don't get that much. In fact, we're still waiting on our first snow of the year. I've been fortunate that I've never had a trap freeze up on me, even with our horrible freeze/thaw conditions here in the Midwest. Not saying it won't ever happen, but I was fortunate enough to tag along with one of our state's best trappers early on and learn some tricks of the trade from him.
     
  11. KEITH D

    KEITH D Weekend Warrior

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2009
    Posts:
    260
    Likes Received:
    0
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Pennsylvania

    The tricks of the trade are surely paying off!
    Do you have any cat sets out? Looking forward to seeing a cat pic soon!
     
  12. KEITH D

    KEITH D Weekend Warrior

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2009
    Posts:
    260
    Likes Received:
    0
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Good luck Ben, hope ya get something this year. You'll never forget your first catch.
     
  13. Greg / MO

    Greg / MO Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Posts:
    4,572
    Likes Received:
    51
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Jackson, MO
    I don't yet, Keith... I had one set in earlier and had to trip it before heading to Dallas for a week; when I got back I had some scat a bobcat had left as his calling card right beside my tripped trap.

    Remade it and a stupid possum got into it before I caught the cat; ended up pulling my whole line and moving to another farm before I caught him.

    I'm going to look at a new farm tomorrow where a guy had an ad on Craigslist needing some help with yote/fox control; we've been talking back and forth via e-mail and he had 23 chickens a couple weeks ago and he's now down to eight. I'll see what the place looks like tomorrow.
     
  14. shed

    shed Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2008
    Posts:
    3,637
    Likes Received:
    15
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Idaho
    Great read guys, TJF has done a ton of trapping himself and over the phone today has generously offered to send my boys and I some traps to get started. Greg, I have been following your threads for the past 2 years now and love em, I can't wait to get started I will be soaking all of this up along with Tims knowledge to get some critters caught around our place as well and get my boys into it. Today TIm was explaining the three different sets you described and pictured above along with the Hay set Keith talked about.. Wow was it great to look at this thread after getting off the phone and seeing all the pix and instructions from you guys.. very very cool.. I can't wait!
     
  15. Greg / MO

    Greg / MO Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Posts:
    4,572
    Likes Received:
    51
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Jackson, MO
    Very cool, Troy... I'm sure Tim could help you out all you need, but like I've told anyone with an interest don't hesitate to contact me if you've got any additional questions.

    Be sure to take your camera along when you run your line; I can't wait to see some catch pics from you! :)
     
  16. shed

    shed Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2008
    Posts:
    3,637
    Likes Received:
    15
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Idaho
    Greg, you bet, I will definately be asking questions. I just got off the phone with Tim again, I think I asked him every dumb question in the book, lol. He and I agree my toughest obstacles may be frozen ground/clay based and lots of snow possibilities..but right now we have this el nino winter going on and its nice.. above freezing.. raining daily!
     
  17. Greg / MO

    Greg / MO Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Posts:
    4,572
    Likes Received:
    51
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Jackson, MO
    Don't let me tell you anything that Tim instructs you to do differently... but I'd suggest you get a plastic 5-gallon bucket and shovel and throw it in your truck. As you drive around, if you come to a bridge, get out and walk around underneath and fill your bucket with "dry dirt"... That will be invaluable in your freeze/thaw conditions you're currently experiencing.

    Next, go to a Lowe's or something similar (not sure what you've got out that way)... Buy the biggest bulk bag of peat moss you can find. After that, go to your local farmer's co-op and buy a 5-lb. bag of salt. Some people like calcium choloride instead of salt, but I've never found it to be a problem.

    You'll now have a whopping total of about $15 invested in your new venture, and you'll have about everything you need to bed traps in your conditions and keep them from freezing up. :)
     
  18. Greg / MO

    Greg / MO Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2008
    Posts:
    4,572
    Likes Received:
    51
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Jackson, MO
    Oh yeah.. another huge investment I recommend. Not sure what Tim uses as far as pan covers and the like, but I and a lot of others who trap canines in the conditions you just described (including one of the country's best in Mark June) use polyfill to put under our pans to keep dirt from filling in under it as you bed the trap.

    Best thing about it is it's freeze-proof as well, and will actually repel moisture. You'll find it in your craft section at Wally World for another whopping $3. :)
     
  19. shed

    shed Grizzled Veteran

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2008
    Posts:
    3,637
    Likes Received:
    15
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Idaho
    great info, thanks Greg, please fill free to keep it coming anytime you think of something I need to know.. I know nothing about trapping.. I will basically learn how to do this from what Tim tells me, what I read and U guys here!
     
  20. KEITH D

    KEITH D Weekend Warrior

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2009
    Posts:
    260
    Likes Received:
    0
    Dislikes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Very good advice Greg. I started using polyfill under the pan after reading about it on a Pa. trapping site where Mark June's name is mentioned quite a bit. I think I'm gonna get the dvd.



    Good luck Shed, like Greg says, it can be addicting. I'm on the way out the door now to hunt rabbits, of course during the hunt I'll scout along the drainage creek for coyote tracks for next year ......
     

Share This Page