Hay set

How many use this set? Is a good set for coyotes.

I have caught quite a few coyotes with it over the years. Always did better with bare ground up to 2-3 inches of snow. I always liked a mink or skunk carcass staked down and 2 traps in front of a mound of hay over the bait. The hay was placed in a kinda horse shoe shape as a guide for the traps.

Good for fox and coyote. I had best luck with a lot of snow on the ground.

Not good if many deer in the area as they will set traps off getting at the hay.

Deer are like coons get into everything!.

use straw if deer are a problem.

My question is, on the frozen ground does s person worry about bedding a trap so it doesn't move or just place it in the straw and cover.

From what I see on YouTube you bed in hay not ground.

The way I originally learned it basically bedded in hay to avoid dealing with the frozen cement like ground. I found it decent as fox set when we had them in quantity. These days I find it ok as visual attractor. But if after spookier critters you’re best to learn better winter bedding techniques

Long springs work good for this set,their easier to bed

I use Timothy hay. It's smaller diameter than Straw and lighter.


Place trap on top of ground. Hay under trap to prevent freeze up. Carry some sticks with you to use to prevent trap wobble (if needed).

*Word of caution- Cover trap lightly. Most folks place too much hay over trap. There is a learning curve with hay sets.

I used to get a bag of ground hay to mix in and cover the trap. My neighbor had a tub grinder for grinding big round bales. Works very good for blending in trap

Lawn mower works to cut finer.
Here's a mowed dam breast I get plenty of haylage.


I then mow finer at home.


I also ask farmer if I can sweep up the hay loft. Fine stuff can be found there and used to blend/topcoat sets all season.