Basic coyote trapping ?'s

RuggedExposure

RuggedExposure

New member
I did a quick search and haven't found a thread that answers exactly what I'm looking for. I actively hunt yotes here in southern NM but I am looking at beginning trapping. I will be trapping on my ranch and have a fairly large area to cover (~164 sections) and the coyotes will be exterminated. I am also looking into harvesting the pelts (that's another thread).

Here are my questions:

What size of trap do you recommend for coyotes?
2 coil or 4 coil?

What do you use for scent/bait?

Flat ground or dirt hole trapping?

After a successful trapping, do you relocate the trap or leave the anchors in place and try the spot again?

Do you need a swivel mount?

Are coil traps or long spring traps better for yotes?

Which brand of traps do you recommend for beginning?

When dispatching a yote and looking to harvest the pelt, is it better to use a club or .22?

Are posts or earth anchors better?

Do you have to dig up an earth anchor to remove it?

Is it necessary to coat and wax the trap?

I know these are probably greenhorn questions, but I'm wondering what would be the best purchases to make to get into this hobby. Thanks for any answers.
 
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I'm very tempted to try and answer BUT, I am so darn new to it myself! Heck, I just got some traps out for the first time a little while ago and all I've caught is a jackrabbit!
lol.gif
 
What size of trap do you recommend for coyotes? trap size 1.75, 2's, 3's will work for coyotes.
2 coil or 4 coil? 2 coil if brand new traps, if they have a year or 2 on them then 4 coil them, but you will have to laminate the jaws also.

What do you use for scent/bait? I use a wide variety of lures, for bait, I use Blackie's Blend Might T Mouse bait

Flat ground or dirt hole trapping? both, you have to master both types of sets to be efficient at catching coyotes and other critters

After a successful trapping, do you relocate the trap or leave the anchors in place and try the spot again? Both, it depends on what I catch, if I catch a fox in my yote sets I'll leave them and remake the set, just be sure to collect all the blood and put it down the bait hole. if I catch a yote, I'll pull the set and move it to the edge of the catch circle.

Do you need a swivel mount? you need your trap to swivel as much as possible. I use 3 swivels on my short chains.

Are coil traps or long spring traps better for yotes? both have their place on the trapline, just remember, with a longspring, you have to dig a bigger trap bed thus meaning more time at the set, thus more human scent also.

Which brand of traps do you recommend for beginning? brand is a personal oppinion, I like dukes and montana special's but most like bridgers or sleepy creeks.

When dispatching a yote and looking to harvest the pelt, is it better to use a club or .22? i use my 22 and shoot them in the lungs, or between the eyes. I want to make sure they are dead before I move in to take them out of the trap.

Are posts or earth anchors better? when trapping coyotes earth anchors are best, they wont pump them out of the ground and they weigh less then rerod stakes

Do you have to dig up an earth anchor to remove it? I use a retrievable earth anchor, so i dont have to dig them up. i just dig down a little deeper in my trap bed and hook the loop and pull them up.

Is it necessary to coat and wax the trap? for brand new traps, clean the oil off and wax them, let them rust in the ground the first season, then in the summer, clean, dye & wax or use a trap coating on them.
 
there is alot that gose in to yote trapping. bait, scents,stakes,swiveles ect. the best way to save ureself time and headaches would be to go with another trapper. but if you cant a video would be the next best thing. tom marinda (ffgs) coyote trapping video is a great video to get you in to yote trapping it covers everthing from trap prep to skinnning and fleshing. good luck
 
I use MB 550 CL four coil/cast closed with 18" earth anchors. The MB's come with 2 swivels already on them. I wax my traps. As far as getting earth anchors out, I made my own pulling tool which is nothing more than a 1 1/2" square heavy walled tube 5 foot long with a hook welded about 20" up and use leverage to pull out the anchors. If the frost is too bad I put bright colored flagging tape on them and get them out in the spring. As far as re-sets after a catch, I just redo the set and re-bait and your good to go. I use all kinds of sets, from plain flat sets, dirt-hole, sent post and this time of the year with the snow pilling up I use a lot of straw sets. Scents and baits are as varied as what brand of firearm you buy. I have used many brands and find myself using Mark June's stuff more than anything else. Windwalker,Widowmaker,Fox Frenzy,Songdod Supreme and good quality fox and coyote urine. If you go to his web site he has specials on coyote trapping kits that have scents,baits and urine. http://www.markjuneslures.com/Specials.htm
I use sheeps wool to put bait and scent on. I hope I answered some of your questions and these are just my opinions that work for me in Wisconsin. Feel free to PM me if you have more questions or need me to explain what I shared in more detail.

Porkchop
 
Thanks for all the replies, that helps a lot.

One more question, I've noticed from the youtube videos that most of the trapping is done in the winter time. Is this the only effective season? Does anyone trap year round?
 
Like most subjects you will get different opinions from everyone experienced in the field. My personal first choice is a #2 or #3 Bridger. Four coiled with three swivels in the chain. One at the trap base, middle of the chain and at the anchor end of the chain. I use both earth anchors (which I pull with a modifyed car jack) and 1/2" rebar stakes. I always cross stake rebar at the land sets so a coyote can not jack the stake out of the ground.
Coil springs require less effort when making sets but #3 long springs bed much easier. Either will handle the job.
I remake sets after a catch but will have two other sets at the location. My standard stop will have three sets there.
Some coyotes are reluctant to enter a fight circle so the location is still covered. One recent example is here at home. Had a possum on a Monday, Red Fox on Thursday and a Bobcat in the same set on Saturday a week ago. Had I pulled the set perhaps the last two fur bearers would not have been caught.
There are countless quality lure makers out there. I have been using Lure this year from Keg Creek Baits and Lure,
Minnesota Trapline Supply, Russ Carman and a couple of others. You can do a search and find their information. Give each a call and explain your target species and location. They will be more than happy to explain what the critters are reacting to in your area. This time of year I start leaning heavy on both food and gland lures and bait.
The above information is very good and I also suggest going to Trapperman.com for information. There is an overload of tps and hints there.
Roy
 
+1 on the Mark June DVD. His book is good also. PM me and I can send you Mark's DVD to borrow then you can send it back when your done. It would save you $40 for the DVD vs. $1 for shipping DVD back and forth.
 
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Originally Posted By: RuggedExposureThanks for all the replies, that helps a lot.

One more question, I've noticed from the youtube videos that most of the trapping is done in the winter time. Is this the only effective season? Does anyone trap year round?

The pelts in winter are "prime" meaning that the coyotes have a really good insulating under coat. In the spring, they shed that undercoat and summer pelts are not as thick and heavy...
 
larger size traps work better for coyotes, #3 or 4. i have had the best results using a dirt hole set with o`gorman`s powder river bait. scent control is important when dealing with coyotes, they can pick up your scent in an area for days. PM me if you want to discuss the subject some more.
 
Go to F&T's web sight and order some video's. Mark June has some great video's that helped me get a lot of idea's. Everything from Habitat to types of traps are covered in his second video. Video's are kind of expensive but if you don't have someone to show you locally it could save some money by not wasting money on things you don't need.
 
I use #3 bridgers fully modified, 1/4" round rod lamination, baseplated, four coiled, swivels added to chain and a stop shock spring on chain. .22 is good
 
thanks P_orkchop for lending me the DVD.
It was very informative, but I still have a few questions.

dye/wax.

Why must you 'dye' a trap and what does the dye do?
I understand waxing helps lubricate the jaws for a quicker close?

lamination is for what? Some are laminated outside and some inside... whats the difference? Are any fully laminated?

What is it laminated with?
 
Lamination just increases the surface area of the jaw, making it a little less aggressive on the yotes foot. Less damage, but still holds as good.
 
Originally Posted By: luciausarmyCheck out trapperman.com they will have more than enough info on there. Just go to their search and type in coyote trapping.

+1 Read the archives. You can read for hours. It would answer most of your questions.
 
What size of trap do you recommend for coyotes?
Any size that their foot will fit it. The bigger the trap, the better the chance you have of getting them to step inside the trap. Make sure to check your state regs. I like mb 550's but they are pricey.

2 coil or 4 coil?
I use 4 coil, buy as a kid, I caught a lot of coyotes with 2 coil traps. I used what I could afford.

What do you use for scent/bait?
There are many, many good commercially available baits on the market. I have caught just as many coyotes using chunks of deer meat at the bottom of dirt hole sets with a little urine on the backing. Experiment. Use what works for you.

Flat ground or dirt hole trapping?
I use both, but my bigger catch is always from dirt holes. Again, find what works for you. I might just be a piss poor flat set trapper.

After a successful trapping, do you relocate the trap or leave the anchors in place and try the spot again?
I put that same trap back in its bed and cover with the dirt at that set. If blood exists on the jaws of the trap, I usually rub that off with the nearby dirt. I use debris around the set to blend my trap circle. I don't want it to look like a helicopter landed there. If I caught a female, the male is usually there the next morning. I always, however, make a brand new set close by just in case I get that coyote that doesn't like my trap circle.

Do you need a swivel mount?
Yes. A coyote works over a trap pretty hard. He will fight and fight and who knows how many times he makes a circle before you get there. I like center mount chains too rather than side mounts

Are coil traps or long spring traps better for yotes?
I like coil springs. Less to bury.

Which brand of traps do you recommend for beginning?
Whatever you can afford. I like mb550's

When dispatching a yote and looking to harvest the pelt, is it better to use a club or .22?
I personally use a .22 long rifle and I shoot them in the heart. Way less blood left in your trap set that way. If you shoot them in the head, they flop blood everywhere.

Are posts or earth anchors better?
I use earth anchors and cables because they are strong and easy to carry.

Do you have to dig up an earth anchor to remove it?
Not always is you have a strong back, but if you slide a tile spade in the ground close to your anchor, it will pull right out.

Is it necessary to coat and wax the trap?
I dye and wax my traps. Frost sticks to metal very well unless you wax it. Once waxed, that trap will quickly bust through that light frost rather than stay stuck in the dirt.
 
I ran out of space, LOL. Of course, a trap can only be expected to come through a light frost and probably only if the trap is four coiled rather than 2 coiled. Antifreeze or dry dirt should be used in below freezing temps, but it looks like you shouldn't have to worry about any of that based on your location. Hope this helps
 
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