# How do u trap coyote and fox??



## youngtrapper89 (Oct 24, 2003)

I have been trapping for 8 years i started with my dad and i have never thought about coyote and fox trapping but since thier pelt prices are so i high. i want to start. But i don't know what to look for and what kind of sets to make and how to make them? i was wondering if someone could give me some advice.


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## predatordave (Feb 24, 2003)

i know there are a few different types of sets that you can use and they can go into a lot of detail. and i dont trap so i cant really explain them that much. 

check out this website,
www.trapperman.com


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## steve ypsi (Nov 24, 2002)

First of all you need 1 1/2 coils, if you have coyote some are very strong and they will pump a stake out of the ground. you can add about 5 to 6 feet of chain and a double pronged drag, they will run to the nearest cover tangling the drag in brush, I use cement blocks, little hard to carry around but they can't drag them very far.
All wildlife are attracted to a fresh digging. you need to make a sifter out of 1/4 mesh hardware cloth, use 1 X 3's to make a 12 X 12 boxed sides, nail the cloth to the bottom, you need to dig out a set approx 1 1/2 feet long by about 1 foot wide, removing the sod and dirt about 3 or 4 inches deep, stack it to one side and then dig a hole about 2 or 3 inches wide down about 6 or 8 inches at the head of this dug out area, think about this, coyote legs are spread apart about 5 to six inches, so always set the trap to the left or right but not centered in the set, always put the trigger to the out side of the set and remember where it is or mark it with a blade of grass sticking up as you sift dirt over it, think about how long the neck is of a coyote,keep the trap back about 14 top 16 inches from hole used for a attractant so they can't see in the hole, by having the trap back 12 to 16 inches they will step in it. I use waxed paper because of other things soaking moisture and freezing during cold nights to cover the trap pan, also saran wrap would work well, now you have the dirt stacked, Set the trap to the right or left back 12 to 16 inches, mark the trigger that is toward the outside, you can use a twig or a piece of grass stalk to mark the out side of the jaw next to the trigger and pull it after you sift the dirt over it,or don't pull this twig until you place a pebble or a small piece of wood sticking up right next to the jaw on the outside of the trigger, the reason for this all wild things won't step on a pebble or small twig,the pebble or twig keeps them from stepping on the trigger which would throw their foot out if they stepped on it, sift the dirt over the trap leaving it slightly below the ground level. remember where the pan is and when you get done remove a slight depression of dirt right where the pan is, I'm talking about 1/8 of a inch or less right over the pan, you can use a table spoon or use a small flat piece of wood to make that slight depression over the pan, now all the sod you sifted out make a stack right behind the hole you dug 2 or 3 inches wide and 8 inches deep, this keeps them from looking in the hole from the back side, if there is and small pieces of brush, break off some and stick that at the rear of the set so they won't try to dig from that side, a few pieces of sod or small twigs placed to the sides of the set will guide them in also, they can be 8 or more inches to the sides, always remember, they don't like to walk on pebbles or rough things.
Coyotes travel where rabbits are and mice, a set should be on a side of the field near a fence line or woods edge, by a woods the thickest part where rabbits stay will be the best. some of the best baits are Mouse nests, lift up boards and put the nests you find in a sealed plastic baggy, tear a little off one and place it in the hole with a little bit sticking out of the hole. buy some mouse traps and place them around your house and use them for bait down the hole, don't use feathers and things around the set, it attracts owls and hawks which will get caught, they hunt by sight so keep the attractant down in the hole, I will try and make a set in my yard and take a photo of it to post. in the mean time cut and paste this and print it, or else you will forget most of it, also practice it in your yard 10 times until you can do it easy and right, when you get in the field it will be a heck of lot easier.
I could type a hundred pages and it wouldn't be enough, by the way any fasteners like s hooks, buy the heavy stuff, don't try to get by with light duty. also you Need to boil your traps and if they are new scrub them well and put them in some salty water for a day to start them rusting, you need to dip them in wax to keep them working and not rusting in the ground, hot wax burns like molten steel poured on you. have your dad E Mail me and I will tell him how to do it or have a trapper wax them for you , by the way set the traps before doing any washing, when its set does the pan stick above the level of the jaws which most do if they haven't been set or adjusted before, well snap the trap and then take a pair of channel locks or heavy pliers and bend the metal that the trigger is in toward the trap, reset it and see if it is a fraction below the jaw level, if so its right, this go;s for all traps, the pan should be slightly below the jaw level when set, less than a 32 of a inch, not to low or the trap will not go off, by the way when you set the trap push on the trigger from the outside to move the pan down, it has a little bit of play.
hope this helps you, PS I used jersey gloves to set my traps, to keep my scent off. by the way also use human urine around the set, the coyote doesn't know whose it is no matter who tells you different, its easily bottled and carried, you need a teaspoon sprinkled at the side of the set. or at the backing of sod
If you have any more things I can help with let me know


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## youngtrapper89 (Oct 24, 2003)

Thanks for the advice. i will try it this trapping season. my dad doesn't have e-mail but i will jus print what u told me.


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## RIP (Jun 4, 2002)

I have trapped for some years. I have made a couple of failed attempts to trap fox and coyotes. I would still like to try. I have most all the right equipment and a place to set. ypsi's post combined with information I have gathered over the years should be ample to get me started. 

I have a question for any and all experienced canine trappers.
The reason I have been prohibited from trapping canines for all of these years is because I simply can't run sets in the morning during the week. I've tried to set a few times on the weekend and during short vacations, but I don't know if it is enough time for my scent to clear out and for the place to settle down. I am and have been under the impression that you need to get out to 
canine sets ASAP in the morning. You can't afford to let an animal sit all day in a set or they will find a way out by pulling out or leaving there foot behind.

My questions are, can you leave an animal in a trap all day until evening?

Any input appreciated
Can you make a set and have decent success the first or second night. 

If so,

With the work invovled, How can you disable a set (pull) a set and reset again without stinking up the whole area again the next weekend?

Well, now a thought of another question, I have other spots that I could check on my way to work, but they are alot closer to rural residences and I have always been very nervous about catching dogs. How do canine trappers feel about this. These are hot coyote areas and the dogs aren't realy suppose to be running these properties anyway.


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## predatordave (Feb 24, 2003)

hi rip, i cant answer your question at all. but if i was you i would head over to www.trapperman.com and ask them. it is the best trapping forum and site i have seen. there are tons of people from michigan on it also.

later, dave


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## steve ypsi (Nov 24, 2002)

First off I have never had a coyote or fox loose a foot but I always checked my traps early in the morning, I could not justify leaving a animal in a trap for 24 or more hours. As far as catching dogs that is going to happen, I made a snare out of conduit about 4 feet long, used a 3/16 steel cable to control the nasty ones, the worst one was a poodle, I am talking miniature poodle a mile back off road in a sparsely populated area, Had to loop the little 10 pound monster, and then reach down and push one side of a coil spring trap, little bugger kept trying to bite me, when I got his foot out I released the cable which was just hand held, he tried to bite me when he was loose, fended him off with the capture pole until he decided to leave me alone.
I bought about every trapping book I could find, some almost described being hung out of a helicopter as the best way to not leave scent, don't worry about scent. There is way to much put into scent, My X wife trapped with me, We checked a fox set and had a large male, she reset the trap and we were gone for a hour checking the rest of the sets, we drove by the set she caught the red in and low and behold another was caught a hour or so later.
another time I didn't have time to reset a trap that was sprung so I called her from work and asked her to reset it, she did, the next morning I had a fox in it then she told me she forgot her gloves and had showered and had perfume on her hands when she reset the set, so much for human scent and odd scent's. She caught a large mink near a stream a hour after setting the set in day light that she forgot to use her gloves.animals are curious about scent's, I used real cheap food flavoring like vanilla, liquorish, cherry, I put a drop on a high weed near the set to carry with the wind, drew them to the set because of their curiosity.
if you can't check your traps in the morning I would say don't set them, I used to let a guy in the U.P trap my property until I found out he checked them on Saturday's, the coyotes either died of exposure or pulled the trap, It wasn't against the law at the time but it was against common decency to the animal so I told him not to come back


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

As most of my fox/coyote trapping was in light sand I went to double staking all of my canine sets rather than giving them the extra chain to get a run and pull their paw out.

I took a 12 in piece of heavy snare cable and made small loops on each end with double cable crimps. Slip the cable thru your swivel and drive the stakes thruhe loops at opposing angle and it's almost imposssible for a yote to pummp out the stakes.


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## Dave Lyons (Jun 28, 2002)

RIP, and Trapper89,

RIP yes you can leave them in a trap till after work or school. But my opinion is to use #2 traps MOD. 11/2 are to small to hold a yote for any amount of time.

Trapper89,

There are a lot of good trapping people in Greenville. Email me and I may be able to find a mentor close to you. [email protected]

Dave Lyons


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## RIP (Jun 4, 2002)

Ypsi, the info you posted is one of the best " How To" I have ever read in a 2 pages or less. The information in your post is as good as any article I've read. I did print it and I'm going to stash it away for when I do have an opportunity to try trapping long hairs.

Dave, thanks for the advice. If I can get away with checking sets later in the day, I probably will try it at some point, but I'll still look for an opportunity that I can be off work for a few days. 

F.Y.I, I pulled a nice **** out of one of my conibear sets last night by flashlight. Cons. No hurry, no worry. They'll keep to ya get to em.


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## imfishin' (Apr 14, 2003)

i agree with rip, couldn't have said it any better than steve did. im learning the ropes myself and his article helped and answerd a few questions of my own, so thanks!


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## Hondaxr (Jan 25, 2004)

I live in nothern Michigan, and well, there is a lot of snow! I'm pretty new to trapping but have learned alot. However, I haven't been informed of taught on how to set traps for fox, or coyotes, in the winter months. If any one has advice or knows of a good source of info. I would be greatfull. Thanks.

Hondaxr


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## Joe R. (Jan 9, 2002)

Guys I'll tell you right now I would never set a 1 1/2 coil on land to trap coyotes. I've caught them and held them in 1 1/2's, but I do not recommend it. If you are going to target coyotes and have some fox in the area I would use a good quality #2 coilspring trap. One of my favorites is a #2 montgomery round jaw. They are no longer made, but can be bought at conventions. My next would be #2 bridger coilspring, with a preference of the trap being laminated. The lamination is either round stock or square stock welded to the jaws to give them a wider surface area. This will help reduce some damage to the wild canines. I have never in 20 years of trapping had a domestic animal's paw cut by a trap. They will limp for a little while after being released, but no lasting damage.
On the subject of traps I don't recommend any four coiling on the traps either. It is not needed in my opinion. 
When staking traps on land ever trap I set will be double stakes with rerod stakes or staked with a disposable stake. The disposable stakes I use are made out of a piece of pipe with a nut welded on the center. A length of cable is attached to the nut (generally 15' to 18"). When upward pressure is applied to these they pivot under the ground and can not be pulled out very easily. I have a puller I use to get mine out.
Don't worry about not being able to check traps first thing in the morning. I routinely run a 48 hr. check on a lot of my traps due to work. In 20 yrs. I've never had a fox or coyote pull out of a trap. A lot of the horror stories you hear about pullouts are guys using weak or to small of a trap to get the job done in the first place. Quality traps are expensive, but start with a half dozen or so and work your way into it. If you are just starting out that is all you need until you start to get the animals figured out. Then add to your inventory.
I've preached long enough now!

Joe


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## micooner (Dec 20, 2003)

that was a great how too description steve....the only thing i disagree with is the use of a drag....i prefer to stake them...angled stakes the opposite of each other....i dont want to give the animal the chance of hanging up somewhere in the public's view...just my opinion....I have been running a snare line aound here and having some luck...by the way steve do you know a scum bustin doughnut eating guy named lester w from the same area... he is a family friend


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