Anybody Foothold Trap Coyotes?

[Steiny77]

So I've tinkered with trapping all of my life and have had pretty darned good success snaring coyotes when we have snow on the ground. Not much snow last year so played around with foothold traps with a lot of failures and junk (coon, opossum, skunk, etc) catches, but I finally did catch one coyote.

I find this type of trapping pretty fascinating and challenging and intend to get after it again after deer hunting wraps up. A few questions if anyone is knowledgeable.

a. I will be cross staking with rebar, not using earth anchors. Is the short 10-12" chain that comes on trap adequate and is it important or necessary to add additional swivel or shock spring?

b. I like the idea of polyfill material under the pan and not using a paper pan cover, just dirt right over the pan. Thoughts?

c. A friend recommends simply covering traps with peat moss rather than waxed dirt. for simplicity. Thoughts?

 

[wytex]

Peat moss will freeze.
Your chain may be a little short, add a swivel and more length.
We use polyfill under the pan and cover with waxed dirt in winter. Pan covers are screen or waxed paper.
Lots of ways to catch them though so just try out what you want.

Good luck and catch a bunch of those lopers !!

 

[TrapperJ]

Well I think wytex said everything I would of said so bout all that's left for me to say is Goodluck

 

[sccritterkiller]

You didn't mention which traps your using but make sure they are adjusted properly...
I like about 3 pounds of pressure to snap and I don't think I have ever got a new trap where the pan didn't need to be lowered/leveled.

 

[WildWill]

Some times I like a short chain if there's a bunch of brush around they can wrap a chain in for leverage. Definitely swivels I like at least 3 even on a short chain one at the base middle and staking point. I prefer cable stakes they're just simply stronger but double cross rebar staking should be fine. I like a piece of mesh screen (like from a window screen as a pan cover) wax paper works OK but crumple before using. I have found this to be far superior to any filler under the pan especially in below zero. Wax dirt is absolutely the way to go. I tried a lot of other ways including peat moss before going to waxed dirt and will never go back. Also get MB 550s if you're not familiar with adjusting and working on traps. A Duke trap out of the box usually needs some tuning to get it where I like it but those MBs come night latched and tuned to perfection wax and ready to go.