# Freshening up a set?



## ibthetrout (Sep 24, 2003)

Do you guys "freshen" up your yote sets after they have been out a while? I set out 3 cs traps 2 weekends ago only to find a track right on top of one of my traps. The set had gotten wet and froze. So at least I got them to step on the trap pan! I remade the set last Saturday. I am using a Katz Bros gland lure. Should I redo the lure on this set after a few days or what? How long do you let a trap set before you trip it to check if it is working properly? How long do you let it set before the lure scent is gone and needs more?


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

The majority of the the time, I never freshen a set up. It usually catches something or I end up pulling it. Canines, ****, possum, skunk, etc all have excellent noses and will come back to set areas months after you've pulled because they can still smell something. Too strong of a smell can cause canines to shy away. If the dirt hole gets flooded, that may be IMO the only reason but there'll still be smells there.

Keeping traps working in this kind of weather is a lot of work. Experience will give you a good guesstimate if your traps will be working. About all you can do is remake them, if you decide they need so, just after bad weather as it breaks into good weather. Forecasting weather isn't an exact science so you can only hope for the best, then cuss at the weather man and mother nature 

When I get really frustrated, I have to decide between quiting trapping or buying another dozen traps.


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## crittergitter71 (Feb 9, 2010)

FREEPOP said:


> When I get really frustrated, I have to decide between quiting trapping or buying another dozen traps.


Obviously, you just keep buying another dozen traps. :lol:


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## ibthetrout (Sep 24, 2003)

crittergitter71 said:


> Obviously, you just keep buying another dozen traps. :lol:


I've hardly caught a thing this year and I know I'll be buying more traps in Evart this year.

Thanks for the advice Freepop. I have started paying attention to whether or not I think the trap can still fire. I started paying attention because I had not caught anything in many days so I went up close to the trap to see if I could spot anything and found a coyote print on my trap pan! One of my first sets and it didn't fire after all that rain and then getting cold......go figure!


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## Black Powder Trapper (Feb 15, 2008)

I thought you would have said two dozen traps because you enjoy being frustrated.

When I get really frustrated, I have to decide between quiting trapping or buying another dozen traps.[/QUOTE]


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

I will refresh a set every week or so with lure. If I need to check a set I will check every three days. Like stated earlier many weather conditions will influence check rates.


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## toepincher (Oct 3, 2010)

I guess I'm from the same school as freepop. I don't relure unless heavy rains come though. Catch a critter or two in a set and let them lure it for you. Most lure are tested and formulated to keep going for at least three weeks. If you don't catch one by then, it's probably not the best location.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

I have the same idea about shells for my guns as I do traps, I'd rather have too many, than not enough


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## BigWhiskey (Jan 7, 2010)

This is something I struggle with along with not going near your sets. I know my methods cost me coyotes, but I think they have also caught me coyotes.

Ideally if conditions are good, like late October I wil basically let them set without reluring unless we get a heavy rain and usually I will wait a day after that to relure if I do. If its a big gawdy dirthole with a chunk of bait in it, I may relure or just move my bait a bit. I tend to leave my flatsets alone, maybe just a bit of urine. Later in the season I will relure more often, as I am usually remaking because of crappy weather, so if I am already there, I will freshen the set up. FYI, I use what I think is a good amount of bait and lure.

This leads into leaving sets alone or remaking. If we get a rain then freeze, I am remaking, whether they need them or not. I think the hardest part is getting a coyote to work a set, I sure hate the idea of the trap not working when he gets there, even if it takes him longer. I check early in the morning and drive right by most of my sets in the dark, I want to see if the trap has been messed with (dug out etc..). I want to see my set close about every 3 days. I know this is costing me coyotes, but I also learn a ton from doing so. For instance , if a coyote works my set and misses the pan and gets my lure holder out, I want to make sure my scent attractor is not laying outside the hole for the next coyote. Its amazing to me the number of sets that are worked and I wouldn't know if I wasn't close.

I can only redo so many sets in a morning, so my line is mostly maintained on the weekends. I will try to do what I can on the week day mornings, but not enough time. I have had a set sit for a week and a half and I will redo the set and have a coyote the next day. Not sure why, might be coincidence, might not. It keeps me guessing and thats the fun in canine trapping. I am just learning like everyone else, but nothing teaches you like a canine. I will get out and follow their tracks on the weekends to see where they are going, probably costs that coyote, but it helps with the others. I don't think there is a right or wrong way, find out what works.

In my limited amount of time trapping canines, the only thing I have learned is, that I don't know that much. Prior to this weekend I have been wishing I had traps out, as conditions were pretty good for this time of year. Good luck and as my coyote buddy Freepop says, "Buy more traps".


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

BigWhiskey said:


> In my limited amount of time trapping canines, the only thing I have learned is, that I don't know that much.


The more you learn, you realize the more there is to learn.

If they were easy anyone would/could catch them. Once they get under your skin, it's worse than a heroin addiction 

Bsaically it boils down to: having a plan, working hard, persevering when things are not going good, rethinking your plan based on sign and reaction, then starting over again.


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## GoBlueGuy (Sep 18, 2003)

If you are not using antifreeze or peat moss to bed your traps you probably need to reset everything you have out. I caught a skunk this morning in a set that was there for three weeks. No new lure or bait all that time. I know the traps are working because of the antifreeze and peat so I leave them alone. We are going to get some mild temps starting Monday so I am holding out getting near them. My biggest mistake when I started was getting to close too often. Let them be unless you know they are frozen. I pulled a trap out of a bog area a month ago. When I pull a trap I smooth over the area to see what happens to the dirt hole. Checked it three days ago and it wasn't touched. Yesterday it was tore up. Should have left the trap there but it was so muddy because of the mild temps. So since the temps fell these past few days I am leaving everything alone. Drive by checks and binnoculars my best friend.


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## ibthetrout (Sep 24, 2003)

I have three sets out right now in a 8 acre field. I can check all of them from a fair distance away. I did check one close up yesterday because I saw fresh track in the field and they appear to go in the right direction. It was less than a foot from stepping on my trap! 

I got permission today to trap the farm down the road next year!


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