Question for all you successful coyote trappers out there that catch several each year; How often do you gang set when going for them? In other words, do you set just one or two traps each time you stop, or do you like to put in 3 or more sets per location ? And if multiple sets, is there a number you generally go with, before it gets to be a waste of time and traps at a location? Leon’s coyote pack pictures have got me wondering what works best for trying to knock down a pack that size. …Thanks for your thoughts!
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I usually set 2 per location.Occasionally set 3 if there’s a lot of sign.If I had those trail cam pics of Leon’s I’d set 4 to 6 traps.
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I agree with Perry. Number of traps depends on sign at the location. I also like to use variations of both dirt holes and flat sets.
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At least 2 sometimes 3
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It depends on the location for me. I typically set one trap per location. I’ve set two to three per location on certain occasions but I’ve learned that there’s one spot that’ll catch 90% of your coyotes. For example, on the farm we trapped last year, there is a hill they planted in soy beans, the next hill over was corn, and there was a tree line/ small creek that ran between them. At the smallest part of both hills, the farmer had a land bridge type intersection that connected both fields. I sat a dirt hole on one corner of that intersection and sat a flat set on the diagonal corner opposite of the dirt hole. Brings that was the only farm we had to trap and it was close to the house, we left those sets in for a month or so. In that time, the dirt hole caught 3 coyotes and the flat set was never touched. And I know from tracks that the coyotes were coming from the side with the flat set and hitting the dirt hole. It doesn’t make sense to me. Another spot on that farm, I had a pee post set and about 50 yards up where the corn rounded a curve, we had a step down dirt hole. From the tracks, I had several critters walk right by the pee post, we caught a coyote and a bobcat in the dirt hole. In a bean field on that farm, we made a trash mound set out of bean chaff. At the edge of the 50 to 60 yards away, we had a flat set. We had one coyote pee on the flat set and caught a possum there. The trash mound caught 3 coyotes in about 3 weeks, and had another pull out somehow.
From my experience you’re better off with one trap on the spot, than 2 or 3 elsewhere.
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I’m certainly not a coyote trapper but I do both. If I set two or three on a location where it pays off is not with a double or triple but will frequently be the other set that catches again. Seems like I have trouble catching multiple coyotes in the circle. I do catch them if I make a new set in edge of the circle. I set a lot of singles that may not catch at all so I may not be the best at a location picker. Where those individual set locations pay for me is it seems cats work through an area at oddball patterns sometimes. I assume they’re hunting or avoiding the main travel ways and coyotes.
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I setup a location last year. Put in 2 dirt holes about 20yrds apart, same bait and lure. It was near some chicken houses where coyotes were coming to eat the dead chickens they threw out. I was there 8 days, one set caught 5 coyotes and the other was never touched.
Im not sure if anyone knows why coyotes do what they do.
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A coyote is kinda like a deer , they like to be nosy , not in all cases but most the looks of the set is what draws the coyote close enough to start investigating and get caught , if I had a place like in that picture I would Atleast set a circle of 5 go 50 foot on both directions and set 3 of 4 on each side , bait some of them the same , usually a dirt hole set is the best it makes it look like something either is living there or go buried there that’s the curiosity that triggers them and I’ve seen it on trail cam videos before when one gets caught the others don’t run away they still stay right there , a coyote is smart, but there simple too Usually if I’m at a road intersection I put one on each corner of the road just incase they come down 1 road and not the other that could varie from 3 traps to 5 traps depending on how many roads connect to the intersection, and I never set one at any spot without a buddy cause coyotes do travel alone but 50% of the time they have a buddy with them , just my opinion on it tho and what was worked for me, it may not be the best set up for everyone , but I would definitely try Atleast 4 at one spot to feel it out
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But on the back side of that I’ve trapped logging roads and strip job roads and set 10 along the road and different places and just like what was said 2 sets made all the catch’s in that area? Idk coyotes are weird lol
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I think sometimes with too many identical looking sets with same type smells they bump away for a week or ten days but others might drift through. It seems like I usually don’t catch until third night, not always, sometimes first night, then it’s six or seven days again. I think it was harder for us fox trappers to unlearn fox and think coyotes. Fox were first night a lot. I also think simply running the traps every morning in an area that’s been quiet can have an effect. But like I said, I don’t consider myself an even fair coyote trapper.
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That’s been my experience over time too. I consider myself to be a below average coyote trapper at best! I have always set just one trap per locations most times; so I’m going to start setting 3 or 4 at every stop and see what happens. I agree with one of the statements about making your set look interesting to a coyote in order to get his attention, and I agree with the statement about old fox trappers unlearning fox sets; so, I’m also going to start using a bigger diameter dirt hole, try putting bait only in the holes, with lure either off to the side, or in front of the set to try and avoid rolling, and make it more torn up looking than in the past and see how that plays out. Thanks everyone for your thoughts , advice, and experiences!
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I make 2 sets at a location and here’s why.
If you look at the top of the pic just above that coyotes head, there’s a possum. Don’t know who got caught first but if that was only one trapset I might have missed the coyote with only a possum skin. Also, if there’s heavy sign I’ll make more in that area. I came in cold on this farm with no scouting ahead of time and made this set along a fence row just because it looked like something a coyote would hunt and bingo.
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i think we have all agreed that coyotes are not predictable 
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i have 3 different types of dirt hole diggers i guess i should have mentioned and will make different ones with differnt sizes the dirt hole punch, a 2" auger then a 3" auger then sometimes i just use the stake driver and drive a hole down and swirl it around and make it a little bigger than one of the jumbo sharpie markers too lol
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I like to make different sets.Maybe a Dirthole and a flat set.On the same farm when I make the next 2 sets I will use a different lure.Kind of mix it up don’t show them the same set over and over.I never make a single set mostly set 2 sometimes 3.I have caught a lot of doubles on coyotes and fox.
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yes lure and bait is key put something a little different in each
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I am not a good coyote trapper either but in my experience late in the season say from mid January to the end of February is when I get activity on my flat sets and urine post sets when the already low value fur is worth even less 
. Early in the season, I get more activity on some dirt type set be it a traditional dirt hole, trench set or whatever.
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Oh, and to answer the initial question it depends on the location I rarely make a stop that doesn’t get at least 2 traps and if it is a 4 way farm road /trail intersection it is going to get 4 sets, one on each corner area almost all the time but be sure to put in quality sets. I have plenty of traps and they sure won’t catch anything in the back of the truck or in the shed.
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Yes, I’m a much better February coyote trapper than a November one and it’s not me. They just seem to get caught more late season and fur is about as good as it ever was earlier, poor.
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I was at our hunting cabin over the weekend
A Pack lit up just after dark below the cabin
I was already in
That scare any man especially coming in only with a bow
Don’t know why but this Farm they always seemed packed up
I yelled
Clapped my hands they got more fired up
Grabbed the 20 ga in the cabin and blasted the air and that was that
I’ve have known locations were 3 or 4 traps pays off
But one thing I’ve noticed especially when there paired up you catch one
The other will get all excited and want a place
To pee so I provide that place for them
Just my 2 cents as an old fart
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