Back on December 29, we had a skiff of snow. I only had 4 active sites with traps. 12 traps total. I checked them that morning and had a gyp coyote in one in the creek bottom by my house. Went to brother in laws house about 20 miles away located on the same creek. Picked up a second coyote in a cable restraint. Had a large catch circle with no catch in a set on the other side of creek. This set is visible from a gravel road, there was blood in the catch circle and coyote hair on trap. Figured glad they left my trap and pulled everything from this location,
Fast forward to today. Same scenario. Small skiff of snow. Got home from work around 4:00, went to check traps located within a mile of house, 3 locations 9 traps. Pulled up on first location to find a catch circle, earth anchor cable but no trap or quick link. This farm is my wife’s uncle and I have caught 3 here prior to include the one I mentioned at the beginning of this story.
No blood of tracks visible as snow was covering. I stopped by uncles house hoping he had dispatched. He said did you get your coyote? He had driven past it around 9:00AM and said it was a full pad catch (NO BS X-Treme). He said he saw a couple of hounds (neighbor and I used to run hounds together for coyotes and he had both of his loose since Sunday) that found the trapped coyote and were baying on it for almost 3 hours that he was outside and listening to them.
Long story short, I borrowed my neighbor’s tracker, but couldn’t get within a half mile of the dogs to see if they were still baying. The area has a high voltage transmission line that screws with the old tracker. Just super frustrated as we had discussed what to do if uncle came across a catch. Dispatch and call. Now just the uncertainty of not know if someone stole the catch and trap or if the coyote got loose and has a trap still attached.
Spent 2 hours after dark with it snowing with 30+ mph winds looking to try and verify.
