Decided to pull the phone out and snap some pics of sets that have been working well for me lately, despite the hot Alabama weather and daily rain showers.The white in the pictures are eggshells, and what I call the "nestbuster" set. With turkey nesting in full swing, these sets have been dynamite. Made by making a small hole in each end of an eggshell and blowing out the yolk, then stuffing it with sheep's wool for lure and some hollow for meat based baits. My family raises a few hundred chickens, with at least 100 free range. What has been an absolute knockout are eggs that are partially incubated, and then stuck in the fridge. Just throw one lured/baited egg and leaving the half-developed egg whole down a dirthole.
Feel free to give any tips and critiques, especially on the flat sets as I have just really started utilizing them in the past year. Dots represent the "pretty much" location of trap placement. I have the most trouble getting canines to step where I want them too when using flat sets. Blending could be better, but this area was burned last month and there is minimal thatch to make it look as natural as I want.






This was a raccoon catch remake that I've had the backing dug out twice by a coyote. Put a trap against the backing mound of dirt for next time he tries it. Could've pinched the trap a little closer to the backing, but hopefully it will work. It's a pain to do a remake in wet pine straw/mud but peat moss has been my friend lately.


This set killed a couple coyotes and a bobcat earlier this year, but I've had multiple coyotes work it lately every which way except the way to get caught. Lure at the end of the log. It's blocked down a bit more than I usually would for this reason. Any advice is highly appreciated.

This is my bread and butter nestbuster set. Works best in these little dirt mounds left over from grading roads. After roughing them up a bit, they look pretty convincing as a nest. Sometimes I turn these into a trench set to be able to use more eggs. This is especially true if I am wanting more pulling power from visual effect of the larger dirt pattern and more white at the set.

This is a post/flat set that I've had worked nightly, but not connected. Initially, it was a log hole set with the other end, but a coon catch destroyed the cubby portion of the log so I flipped it around to use the burnt end as a visual cue.

Even store bought eggs work. They emit an odor we can’t smell but critters can. That’s all my son uses in cage traps and catches coons, possums, fox, and bobcats. Even an egg down a blended dirt hole set will catch coyotes. It’s always been a “southern” thing. My only issue with egg shells are birds, and not the kind you want in a trap, lol. Don’t know if it’s the visual or what, but it attracts them.

Nice looking sets . Is it probable that the reason the coyote dug out the set from the back side was due to the wind direction.

Darn nice sets that there red dirt must be Alabama

I use pigeon eggs to make a mock turtle nest set. Same concept , I suppose.

do yourself a huge favor and make a few flat sets without traps and study where they naturally step when working the sets. Take a tape measure and take note off the wind direction especially the prevailing wind direction. They almost always approach sets with the wind in their faces... Use subtle guiding to enhance where they step naturally.

Wind direction consideration at most sets......yes. Subtle guiding at every set......yes.

Tape measure use.....No.

I’ve always wanted to try eggs. I have about 40 ducks and they are always laying eggs that don’t hatch. They should be perfect. I do have a ton of raccoon and possums. Op have you had problem other than the norm with them getting the eggs before the coyotes find them ?

When I worked Alabama year round and in hot summer. Like Swamp Wolf said = Flat Sets and ONLY Flat Sets ! Fire Ants always ruff in south with bait.

In West Texas sheep country now. Mostly snare work. Throwing out dead coyotes and hanging more snares. Here are a few Flat Sets

Natural. Is always best

Nice looking sets to me UT1. These are the post I enjoy reading and learning from.