How warm has it been up there? How much moisture? If it has been warm, your lure might be a little loud and it needs time for the set to cool down so to speak. If it has been moist out, then it could be scent problem. Is there any chance of cross contamination of your clothing/gear? Are you setting where the animal is coming in downwind? Just throwing out some thoughts.

J Trapper wrote...
If the wax he dipped with was clean he's doing something else to cause them to avoid the set, over luring probably.
Id tell him to just leave the sets be and stay as far away as possible from them when checking, if things don't change in a week then his traps have something on them the coyotes don't like.

Good advice, stay away from those sets, no adding or changing lure or bait, no fussing, just stay away. I'll bet you'll nail some coyotes within a few days. Good luck! Ace

i have not got close to any of them, trying to check them with bino's. one i did have to walk within about 20 yrds to check. i thought someone might have took it. but have not gotten any closer than that since i set them. i'll stick it out another few more days with them, and if nothing, try something else. like bowling or golf, or sewing, maybe even walking the neighbors dogs or some other profession that doesnt INVOLVE COYOTES!!!! :o)

Ok, I might agree w/ checking from a distance, but when you've got coon, irresponsible pet owners, and a ton of grinners how long before you go and take a good look to make sure your not checking set off traps every morning. What about checking them from a truck? (just driving by)

Hey wiggler, you must have got closer than 20 yards some time to see evidence that coyotes are walking right by your sets. Ace

no asa one of my sets is within 30 yards of the dirt road i drive down. and where the tractors come out of the field it is all sand. thats were the tracks were so i know he walked with a few yards of my set. my set was up-wind of that opening. i try and always count on that northwest wind we have here. so i set most of my set either straight west or northwest of where they are walking , so i know they will smell the set.

tobias, i get close enough i can tell if anything is wrong with the set or not, i just don't walk right UP to the set and then stare at it for a period of time as ive seen some guys do.

Lots of my sets are checked from the window of the truck though, just drive on by them without having to get out.

Wiggler, don't give up. Coyotes have gave all of us who have chased after them fits in our lives, things will start to click for you when you least expect it.

J Trapper is right again, just hang in there Wiggler and you'll soon start producing. I've met you in person and know your an intelligent guy and obviously you have put forth a lot of study and effort at doing things right. I've seen a lot of half measures that still produced some coyotes so I don't believe you are the exception. Good luck! Ace

thanks you guys. i wont give up until deer season gets here in 10 days or so. i still have a bunch of coons i need to clean out so hopefully i will connect this year on one of those "dogs". no mink yet, just coons and grinners.

waxing helps keep the trap from rusting more. I clean, clean, dye and wax my canine traps. But thats just my way and it works for me.

ok just so you guys dont think im a total wee-todd, here is the morning catch.


funny thing about the fox was it was dead when i got to it. after skinning it, i found out it had been killed bye a coyote or another fox. bite marks all over its back and head.
but at least i know i can still catch fox and coon. i had 5 set on a little 60 square yard pond, and caught 4 coons there. i think i caught the whole family. couple of'em were really big!

Coyotes bad about killing fox in traps, least yours wasn't tore to smitherine's like mine usually are. Remake set where you caught that red should have a coyote in it within a few days if not tomorrow, maybe you'll catch the guilty party.

Asa, this has to be a new record for you agreeing with me, lol.

Like was said , wait them out . Yotes are not like fox as they cover a lot larger area . It will sometimes take them a week to wonder by again . Less lure is a better approach then more . They will sometimes work a set a month or more after I pull them here .

I have used traps waxed and dyed , waxed only , dyed only and cold dipped . All will work once the right combonation of factors click AND the coyote is of a mind to work the set . Sometimes they have something already in mind when they are traveling by your set .

Drifter

J Trapper writes...
Asa, this has to be a new record for you agreeing with me, lol.

Oh J, I'm just buttering up for a loan to help pay that fuel oil bill, LOL! Ace

Could just as well have been someones hound. I had a grey fox killed by a friends hound, he fessed up to it a few days later...LOL.

well.. maybe i'll get the fun of releasing someones hound that killed my fox. but there was coyote tracks in the sand trap right next to my fox. (im trapping a golf course, this fox was caught near the fairway on hole #4, right between 2 sand traps). the little woman and i golfed a few holes today and she dropped me off to remake my set and she went on golfing. ahhh what a life this retired ole boy has... :o) life is good

Wish i could help Asa but you know im a over worked under paid gov. employee, lol.