Listen to bctomcat. Don't go around changing things leave everything as natural as possible.
I did have a coyote today stop and walk around my CR then fool around In the fence line then come out and walk around It again. Then It walked down the field edge walked In on It's tracks from the other day. And It did the same thing at that snare. But at that one It just stopped and turned around and left. Coyotes are coyotes sometimes they will just plow ahead and go right through that loop. Then the next time they will stall out for what ever reason and walk around It or just back up.

It Is what It Is.

Avoid stepping on the coyote trails. When you see their trail, walk around it and find a spot to set the snare on their trail. Remember when you set the snare stay off their trail, don’t even step on it with one foot when setting the snare. It sometimes can be awkward leaning over their trail to hang the snare, but it’s the best way to avoid the coyote from turning around.

Get rid of those jump sticks too. No need for them.

If the snares are in a spot where it’s too open, I like to break a small 2-3 foot tree that’s close by and push it into the snow beside the snare. This keeps the coyote from walking around your snare and helps blend the snare as well.

x2. It really helps to find the narrowest points in the trail and set them as well. One thing that is often overlooked is to set around a bend in the trail where they can't see your CR from 20' away. Wait for a dark night with cloud cover, you'll get them.

Yes, yes and yes! They notice any changes in the landscape. I was gonna point out the jump stick thing and forgot! Leave everything natural when snaring. Cats are a different story, but canines notice everything. That said, slight alterations can be an attractant when foot trapping. Example, a sod turnover will get their interest, a rock or piece of wood, or a blackened stump, all can attract, but if using lure in those situations, keep it natural or they will just walk by. All but the dumbest pups! I catch coyotes all the time, on dark nights, in faint trail situations in bare pastures, with a weed to break the outline of the support. I confess that I use 1/16 cable exclusively, but the yotes walk right into them. One other thing I always try to do is set on a bend of a trail, so when the yote looks down the trail, he sees the vegetation instead of the loop. From what the OP wrote, just doing the first several things we have mentioned, should help immensely! One other thing, I use the Senneker set up, and do not want any entanglement with it, so I set in very open areas, just like the laws are for cable restraints. I understand that you can't be safe using that setup where pets or hunting dogs roam, but they sure kill coyotes!

Thank you Lee

Seth, I'm not sure if I answered your question fully. Probably of the things you listed that alert a yote, the least important is the human scent. They are used to running across people all the time, but IMHO, the thing that triggers their response is if you spend time in one spot. It pays dividends if you can learn to make sets as quick as possible, are well organized (think...no extra trips to the truck and back). Their nose is incredible, but I believe there is way too much emphases put on scent. I have caught coyotes in dirty traps too many times to believe that all the boiling and dressing in rubber suits is even needed. Be clean as you can be without all the fluff that I see on this forum all the time! Hope that helps someone just a bit!

If your loops are too small the trail looks blocked, next time they could walk right into it

^^^^^^^^Agree, fit your LOADED snare loop to the trail.

Moon lite bright nights you will see less catches with snares and footholds, imo

Im sure some coyotes will see the restraint but like other said they fear changes to anything. If they were scared about seeing a wire in a trial why will they go through a fence or crawl under one? Answer, because its been there for awhile. Throw out a t bone steak or a deer carcass and its in most cases going to take a week for them to hit it because its new. To get back to the snares or same principle in effective trapping for coyotes put in your gear and sets before season. Set up your kill poles, snare supports and wire in the summer in heavy cover or in trails. when the season rolls around open your snare twist it on the support into the trail and put in a tattle tail stick or piece of flagging so you can tell if the set is disturbed from a distance. After your sets are up that is the time to put in a big bait if allowed by law and wait for the action. I try not to walk up to snares or trap sets unless necessary, no new disturbance. If you are worried about the snare standing out set in on a slight curve in the trail so they don't have a straight shot view of it coming down the trail. In other words have a background so it does not stand out. Same principle as being skylined on a ridge have some cover behind you so you blend in. Like other have said if you do walk down the trail walk through the snare. If you have a dog take him for a walk in a fresh snow when tracks stop or turn in a sudden so do they, and it does not have to be in snow canines can smell what we cant see.

Break the outline of the snare loop by adding weed stems or whatever is natural, into the coyotes line of approach. Nothing in nature is shaped like a snare loop(round) and if a canine sees it they will avoid it. If you look back down the trail and see a circle, so can the coyote. Another vote for not walking on the trail also. Jump sticks are a really good way to snare fawns and winter stressed deer.

Every snare I set is done while I stand on the trail. No exceptions. I see a good healthy debate a brewing on this one.

Your either In the trail or out of It. But there are times when you have to walk In the trail but I try and avoid doing that If I can.

I use 2-5 stalks of grass to blend my supports, I do walk on trails

So how many here just hang and go? Don't worry about fencing or blocking just set it and move on? I always try to put a chin up stick and typically a piece of vegetation on the outside of the snare and a leaf over the lock.
I think I ruined one area by walking down too many trails and spending too much time in an area.

Thanks

I do.

Yup, they are just animals. I’m sure some are hard to catch. But, jeez, they are critters

I’m learning a lot from this. Great stuff guys!

Yes, good thread

No, no and no, just set and go as others have said.