I have been purchasing waxed dirt from a reputable dealer. Could it be possible that it might be scented and keep coyote from approaching a set. Maybe that it doesn't blend like the surrounding area. I have been having issues with them working sets now. Usually never had problems.

You still have to sift dirt over the waxed dirt to camouflage it and the set. I never just use waxed dirt or sand alone without blending it in with dirt from the site.

^^^^ this ^^^^

Here we deal with frozen wet ground. I think if you put wet original dirt on top even very thin you start having problems.

I just used wax dirt and sand also from a reputable dealer and had more refusals and walk by’s than using my own waxed dirt from previous years. In fact, I had tracks stepping over the waxed dirt/sand area as they were purposely avoiding it. All my sets had a coating of the natural dirt located around the set. I never thought about the dirt or sand being contaminated but got me thinking now.

Take a whisk broom and use it to dust over your waxed dirt. I’ve been using a leaf rake and blending from a distance as in flipping dirt and debris from four or five feet away.

were is LT when we need him.......

Pretty sure he would say

Dont over think a dog......

Yeah, I prefer to just speckle the waxed dirt/sand with native dirt rather than give it a complete layer, then take some tamarack or fir needles (not the long pine needles, they freeze into a mat, even thin) and scatter them over it. Release them from head high and let them drift down naturally on the wind, covering not only the trap but the surrounding area to blend it naturally. If it is snowing or supposed to snow soon I won't blend at all and let the snow do the blending for me.