Coyote Sets for Trapping

As I walked up on my coyote set I was trying to figure out what was going on. This was the second or third time that the trap had been dug up and filliped over with no luck.

This was my first time trapping and I could not figure out what I was doing wrong…

There are about as many ways to catch a coyote in a trap as there are coyotes to step in them. No set will ever be the same and each coyote is a little different.

When I started trapping I was teaching myself by reading online and watching videos on how to do it. I only knew one type of set, a dirt hole set, and it took me forever to put it in.

Now after several years of trial and error, I have found several more coyote trapping sets that will produce coyotes. This article should give you some good ideas on how to trick those crafty old coyotes.

This is a guide on many of the most popular coyote sets out there. This is not all of them so if you have a set we haven’t covered let us know.

Coyote Set That Works

All of the sets listed in this article will catch a coyote. We will go over the best ones later on in this article.

The coyote set that will work is the one a coyote will get caught in. In some locations, coyotes have learned what a dirt hole set looks like and stay away, so a flat set will work better.

This list will help you change up what the coyotes are seeing and help you get more catches. Remember, learning and then trying it out is the best way to catch more coyotes.

Table of Contents

• Coyote dirt hole set
• Coyote flat set
• Coyote bone set
• Coyote pipe set
• Coyote trail set
• Coyote scent post set
• Coyote urine post set
• Coyote hay set
• Coyote blind set
• Coyote tire set
• Best coyote set
• Stairway to heaven
• Conclusion
• Coyote set supplies

Coyote Dirt Hole Set

• Make the dirt hole 10 to 12 inches deep
• Use bait, lure, and urine on this set
• Bed your trap well, a rocking trap will cause a coyote to dig it up
• Place the trap as close as you can to the dirt hole while still burring it.
• Offset your trap to the right or the left a couple of  inches from where you want the coyote to come from
• Add some blocking and backing such as rocks and sticks to get the coyote to step where you want him to
• We have prepared a diagram of a dirt hole set.

Learn more about a dirt hole set here

Coyote Flat Set

• Remove extra dirt from trap area
• Make as little disturbance when burring your trap as possible
• Make hole you intend to bury the trap in
• Blend the buried trap with grass or dirt from the area
• Use bait, lure, or urine on this set, or any combination of the three
• Bait and lure can be placed in a small hole made with a steak

Learn more about a flat set here

Coyote Bone or T-bone Set

• A bone set is very similar to a flat set
• Find a white bone bleached by the sun to use in the set
• Put the urine and lure on the bone
• Place the trap nine to ten inches from the bone
• Offset the trap a few inches to the right or the left from where you think the coyote will come

Learn more about a bone set here.

Coyote Snare Set

• Set snares on narrow parts of trails
• Put snares on the fence where a trail goes under the fence
• Make a snare loop that is about 12 inches apart
• Put the snare about 10 inches off the ground for coyote snares
• No bait, lure, or urine is used at this set
• Trail cameras may help you figure out what trails to put your snares on

Learn more about setting snares for coyotes here (coming soon)

Coyote Scent Post Set

• A scent post should be a rock, stick, or log near the edge of a trail or road
• Palace the trap 12 inches out towards the trail or road
• Offset the trap about 12 inches to the right or left
• You are trying to catch the coyote when it lifts a leg to urinate on the trap
• Use urine and lure on this set, put it on the scent post

Learn more about a scent post set here

Coyote Urine Post Set

• Almost the same as the scent post set
• A urine post is a stick, rock, or log
• We also want this trap out 12 inches and offset right or left 12 inches
• Only use urine on the post (stick, rock, or log)

Learn more about a urine post set here (coming soon)

Coyote Hay Set

• This set is similar to a dirt hole set
• Make a pile of hay, straw, or grass about 12 inches wide and at least 6 inches tall
• Put the trap back from the hay about eight to ten inches
• Offset the trap to the right or left a few inches
• Put bait under the hay or grass on the side closest to your trap
• The urine and lure on the top and side of the pile of hay closest to the trap

Learn more about the hay set here

Coyote blind set

• Place this trap where you think a coyote will step
• Blend it in to look natural as the surrounding dirt
• You can put a blind set in the middle of a trail
• No bait lure or urine is used on this trap

Learn more about a blind set here.

Coyote tire set

• I am still skeptical of this set
• Similar to a flat set
• Burry your trap making the hole the same size as the trap
• Blend the trap into the surroundings
• Place a tire so the trap is in the center of the trap
• Put bait and lure inside of the tire and urine on the edge of the tire

Learn more about a tire set here (coming soon)

Best coyote sets

• Flat set
• Dirt hole set

The simpler the better on these coyote sets. The sets we think are the best coyote sets are the flat set and the dirt hole set. These sets are easy to put in and work very well to catch a coyote.

A dirt hole set is good because it imitates what a coyote would find naturally as he is going around. A lot of trappers suggest it and it keeps the coyote trying to get the bait out of the dirt hole for longer. Thus you will have better odds of catching it.

Next for coyotes that are shy away from dirt hole sets, we recommend a flat set. This is very similar to a dirt hole set, except the flat set is just blended in more to its surroundings.

This will hide the fact more that you were there and are more likely to catch the coyote.

I called my new set the “stairway to heaven”

After the third time of my trap being flipped over and still not catch, I decided to add two traps to my dirt hole set. I call it the “Stairway to Heaven” because of the three steps up.

Step one at the top was a dirt hole. The step down from that was the first trap, and the last trap was a step down from that.

That coyote didn’t have a chance. When I came back he was caught in both traps. That was my first coyote. I have been trapping all sorts of critters since that time and I have enjoyed it immensely.

Conclusion

As you can see there are a lot of options on setting coyote sets. The best set is the one that catches the coyote.

Your sets are going to be a little different from the ones I have explained here. It will take some trial and error and practice on how to get your sets in, but keep trying and learning and you will catch some coyotes as well.

It didn’t take me too long to catch my first coyote, and when it finally happened it was awesome.  I was hooked. Happy trapping!

Coyote Set Supplies

Trapping for food? Here are some good trapping tips for catching food.