What is the best trap placement for the trap. I have them working my sets almost every night. But they seem to step everywhere but on the pan. I have been setting about 6" stright out for my backing. I have tried guiding but is seems to snow almost every night.

What are you trying to catch?

TTT for edit

You need to be farther back
Before trap in


After, trap pan is just to the right of the dropping


Catch at that set

how far from the backing to pan? a foot?

That set was a good 10"

If you look at the picture with the dropping, did you notice the "soft" spot above the pan. That's what I want the coyote to see.

Here is one of my favorite flatsets, very similar to Denny's above. I posted it before but my catch pic is too large and feel it got the post deleted. I apologize for that one. The first time i posted it i didn't have it marked out and the guys couldn't see where the trap was. Hope this helps. I use gland lure on the face of the rock to the trap and urine on the weed clump to the right of the dropping.

That's a great looking set, Denny. Looks natural as all get out and that small depression looks like a great spot for the yotes next step. How many nights did it take to connect?

2 nights.

Who would know more about flat sets than FlatSet. LOL.

Thanks for the pic! That looks great

Thanks Denny, they still teach me something every year. Seems like we will never get them figured out totally. I use the three smells there as it seems to increase the movement of feet and increases the chance for the paw on the pan.

I actually got two out of that set, with a remake.

I like it.

I do too. Now I see why you're called flatSet.

Matt,

Where do you see the coyotes consistently stepping in relationship to your attractor? If the tracks are always behind the trap, you should probably consider moving it back.

A week of trapping in snow is worth more than a lifetime of reading method books.

Back 9 is better and Denny... you have turned into the coyote Assasin! Sneaky, sneaky set! NICE!

I learned from the best.

Hey, the PA convention is right around the corner. Will we see you there so we can talk shop; pan tension, pan placement, attractants, and such!

I will be there so yep we can.

I love looking at pictures of flatsets from people that catch coyotes.Mainly because I cann`t get them to work a dirthole.In Dennys picture it looks like their would be some small stones inside the jaws.I don`t like to put anything inside the jaws for fear it may get caught in the jaws.I guess I need to change that thinking because I had them steping right beside the pan this year.Do you just make sure that their isn`t any stones laying on the jaws.

Actually I think I moved those after the picture and you are right.

Denny, How did you lure that set? Looks very good. CC

Found this old post in the archives, might be of interest to some of you on coyotes at flat sets.

http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/5523/1/The_Flat_Set

nice explanation denny and flatset, that helped alot more than one person im sure! great job guys

Not sure how many times I have to keep offering this advice, but watch domestic dogs----if they smell something on flat ground, they smell immediately in front of their toes. Raise the attraction four inches and everything changes in relation to how tall the animal is---raise it more and again everything will change in relation to how tall the animal is.

If you are using a four inch tall object, you probably need to be back about 8 inches as a general rule---key here is GENERALLY, as rest of surroundings often make some differences too.

Use an 8 inch tall attraction, you probably need to be back 12 to 15 inches again Generally.

Test this with domestic dogs of various sizes in different surroundings and they will teach you more than anyone can type here.

Jtrapper have you used Dobbins Canine Select at any flatsets since then with any luck?

Slim if all you use is a turd with a drop of gland lure or some urine on it how far away do you put the pan?

No forestman, i don't do much trapping for coyotes anymore so haven't used it again that I can recall.

According to slims advice if you set at a turd trap would be up tight against the turd.

Slims advice is spot on, as usuall.

I will try to make it a bit simpler than how he explained it or at least differently in context.

If you look at how a dog's head is in relation to its body it's nose sticks out there! Now knowing this and using it as a guide in relation to where its paws are, one can see jsut how far to place thier lure using different heights as Slim has described,

When the dog raise's it nose it moves farther away from its body, hence your trap placement should be farther away from where its nose is going to smell.

As it raise farther or lifts it's head the trap should be this much further away from the lure. hope this makes it a bit clearer for those or gives some a different aspect of thinking on how it works.

CC - If you look in the first pic there is no little stick under the tuft of grass. 2nd pic has the small stick pushed into the rightside/front. That's where I put the lure.

Something else to consider is the animals line of travel, prior to and after leaving the set. With visible flat sets and scent posts to me alot of animals will walk right up and right on through when they leave, irregardless of wind direction. Not every animal will walk up directly inline with the wind and the wind will not always be directly inline with the trap.

For the fella that started this thread try blocking only the side of the trap directly away from the attractor with a twig or weed tall enough that it does not get buried in the snow. You want it to be open enough they can work it side to side.

I still have alot to learn but Mr Pedersen's instruction and trapping in snow cover have both let me think for myself more often.