Ok, so I am 15 and me and a few of my buddies want to run a trap line. I pretty much know nothing about trapping except for what I have read in posts from these forums and others. What do I need to get started on trapping coyotes, foxes, and coons (mostly foxes and coyotes). Also any tips and pointers on where/how to set them up. I live in Southern Kentucky and have 4 diffrent places eaten up with yotes and foxes. Any help would be greatly appreciated. .
Also. It seems very difficult to get a coyote that roams many miles a day to step perfectly on a smalltrap. Whats the trick behind it, bait/scent or what.? Thanks agian

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The best advice I can give you is to plan early, So much time and preperation involved in trapping. I usually get started around August, Storing dry dirt, Trap preperation, Permission, as far as actually setting traps its really not that hard. If you know for sure that you have coyote and fox A few well made sets will take them, its more of a location game. It has taken me quite a few yrs to build a decent trapline. I go out in the late winter months and follow fox and coyote tracks in the snow just to see how they travel,were they travel, and anything else I can learn. Once the season rolls around, I already have a good Idea were my sets are going to be. Once you start making catches you can pretty much file that LOCATION and just keep setting it every year. Seems to work just fine for me. I always place my sets upwind of were I think they are going to travel,and draw them to the sets with there nose. Sometimes I use lure, sometimes just bait, I have even caught fox with nothing but a dirthole set with no lure or bait. Because the LOCATION was perfect. Once you draw them to a set, and they start to work it your chances are pretty good that they will step on that pan. My favorite set is a double dirthole walk through set. It has eye appeal, and lure and bait all they have to do is walk through the set and I have them. Most of my catches are high on the foot pad, that tells me that they are working my sets with confidence.There are lots of good books that can actually get you started on the right track, THE DIRTHOLE AND ITS VARIATIONS by Charles Dobbins is probably the best book I have ever read my catch seemed to triple after reading it.

if ya have yahoo messenger hit me up and chat sumtime ..... canis_lupus692002 .... is my user name .... i have trapped in a few states includin ya own .... and have trapped with charles dobbins, hal sullivan, and a few other great trappers that dont publish .... would be more than glad to help ya out

Check out this website: www.trapperman.com , buy some books, get the gear, and learn how to properly set a dirthole. And remember with trapping it's location, location, location. Good Luck!

Thanks for the replys, I have done a little research on trapping sets, I like the cubbie hole, and dirt hole set. What size/brand trap do you guys reccomend. Also what bait/scents do yall use for lures. Thanks agian
I was thinking something along the lines of this? It is a # 1 3/4 CS and has a 5.25" jaw spread. Will this be sufficient for coons and coyotes? Thanks

Those are the same traps that I use, Never had a problem holding a coyote in them. I did have to add extra swivels to the chain. They also need some trigger (dog) modifications. so that there is not much travel in the pan before the trap fires. As far as lures go any major brand of fox or coyote gland lure will work just fine. you can still catch a fox on coyote lure and same goes for catching coyotes on fox lure. Try getting a bottle of beaver castor dont ask why but it is an awesome fox and coyote lure. Sometimes that is all I put in the dirthole seems to catch more reds than anything.

I used carmens K-9 in my dirthole sets as well as some rotten leftover meat from a wild turkey I killed early in the fall season. A #1.75 will work for most anything, but I would step-up to at least a #2 for coyotes. I had one pull out of a stock #2 once.I used Duke traps. Be sure you read aboutmodifications, and trim the catch down and take out the travel. I used to take out the travel aftersetting the trap bytouch, but be careful!

One trick I learned years ago - this was passed down from an old time trapper that actually trapped for a pay check in the winter months due to seasonal layoffs - This is for fox and coyote mostly -

When trying to find a set location in an area that you know holds fox and coyotes - go out to the field squat down and look around - find the first thing that catches your eye - A lone tree, a dip or hump in the land scape, farm machinery, a rock what ever it is walk over to that spot and do the same thing from that location - it usually ends up being a clump of grass a rock or mound of dirt from plowing - go to that spot and make your self a dirt hole set. This guy swore by this strategy and it seems to work well for me too.