Need some trapping advice


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Me and my cousin are trapping for coyotes and we just got our traps set out two days ago. We trap about an 800 acre grain farm 20 minutes from my house. All of our sets are dirthole sets using double coil Victor 1.75s. Yesterday when we ran our traps, one was trap was thrown without anything in it.

This morning we ran our line again and 2 more traps were thrown with no coyote, and one trap was flipped out of the trap bed, and setting up on its side, just not thrown. The ground isnt frozen and although it is muddy we used buckewheat hulls to bed the trap in with a light layer of dirt over the top. I dont see how anything could be causing the traps to fire slower than they should.

Why and how are the coyotes setting off the trap without getting caught? We didnt have problems like this last year, and we caught some big coyotes. I dont understand how they are setting off the trap with out getting caught, but their hasnt been any hair or anything in the jaws. They are really stumping us. Any seasoned trappers got any ideas?

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I would re boil and re dye the traps, I know I had lots of traps set off when I started to trap coyotes and not dying them, not sure how they set them off but they do, they know they are there!I aso sarted to use wax paper over top of the trigger just to make sure no dirt got underneath the pan slowing the rate of closing, good luck keep us posted!

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I would re boil and re dye the traps, I know I had lots of traps set off when I started to trap coyotes and not dying them, not sure how they set them off but they do, they know they are there!I aso sarted to use wax paper over top of the trigger just to make sure no dirt got underneath the pan slowing the rate of closing, good luck keep us posted!

We boiled, dyed, and waxed the traps before setting them. We wore rubber gloves while making the sets, and we are using wax paper as pan covers. The only thing I can think of is our pan tension is not correct. Ran the line this morning and there were no thrown traps except one, and it held a big ol' coon :D

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Hmmm... I am thinking is that whatever flipped those traps might be looking to get to what you placed on the bottom of the trap set. Buckwheat hulls or some sort of scent piqued their curiosity to dig them out. If traps are dyed and waxed, using the wax paper as a pan cover, with gloves on. I'd say you have all the basics covered.

Are you staking the traps to the ground?

Pan tension like you said could be the culprit.

How about maybe placing a trail cam over the trap to see what is actually happening?

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Hmmm... I am thinking is that whatever flipped those traps might be looking to get to what you placed on the bottom of the trap set. Buckwheat hulls or some sort of scent piqued their curiosity to dig them out. If traps are dyed and waxed, using the wax paper as a pan cover, with gloves on. I'd say you have all the basics covered.

Are you staking the traps to the ground?

Pan tension like you said could be the culprit.

How about maybe placing a trail cam over the trap to see what is actually happening?

Yes traps are staked. I dont have a trail camera to spare right now but it would be hard to put a camera over a trap to see whats going on because its not the same trap getting hit over over again. Its random traps in totally different areas that were hit. The last two mornings we havnt had the problem again so maybe its took care of.

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It sounds to me like you are having an issue with either scent, a possible bedding problem/trap placement or both.

The trap has to be beded so there is absolutely no movement of any part of the trap. Also when using buckwheat hulls make sure your trap bed is no larger than the trap, if it is and the coyotes feel the movement they will dig and or flip your trap over. Also, although the 1.75 trap will catch and hold coyotes it really isn't the best trap to use for this job (and I have used them and caught and held coyotes). What I use exclusivly now and in my opinion is the best coyote trap on the market is the MB 650 O.L. from Minnesoto Brand trapping supplies. They aren't cheap but very well made, strong, and well set up for catching yotes.

You can see/get them here: http://www.minntrapprod.com/index.php

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