Trapping coyotes effectively comes down to three things: choosing the right trap, building a set that looks natural, and using lures that trigger a coyote’s territorial instincts. Coyotes are among the wariest furbearers in North America, so every detail matters, from how you anchor your trap to where you place a single blade of grass. Here’s how to do it right.
Choosing the Right Trap
Two basic trap categories work for coyotes: foothold traps and cable restraint devices. Footholds are the most popular choice and come in several configurations. According to Best Management Practices published by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, coil-spring foothold traps should have an inside jaw spread of roughly 4.5 to 5.5 inches at the dog. Padded-jaw models, offset or laminated jaw models, and standard unmodified coil-springs all meet BMP criteria within that range. If you’re new to coyote trapping, a No. 3 coil-spring with offset, laminated jaws is a solid starting point. It holds well, reduces foot injury, and is widely legal.
Cable restraint devices (sometimes called snares) are the other option. Non-powered cable devices typically use 48- or 60-inch lengths of 3/32- or 1/8-inch diameter stranded cable with a loop diameter of 10 to 12 inches. Relaxing locks, which loosen when the animal stops pulling, are the standard for these devices. Powered cable devices, which use a spring mechanism to close the loop, have a wider frame spread around 6.375 inches.
If you go with cable restraints, check your state regulations carefully. Many states require specific safety features: a breakaway device rated at 350 pounds or less so larger animals like deer can escape, a deer stop that prevents the loop from closing smaller than 8 inches, and a maximum open loop length of 38 inches. The bottom of the loop is typically required to sit 6 to 12 inches above the ground surface. These specifications vary by state, so verify local rules before setting any cable device.
Building the Dirt-Hole Set
The dirt-hole set is the most widely used and versatile coyote set. It mimics the look of an animal that has buried food, which appeals to a coyote’s instinct to investigate and steal cached meals.
Start by locating your set near a path coyotes already use. Look for tracks, scat, or worn trails along fence lines, field edges, or ridgelines. Once you’ve picked your spot, dig a hole about 3 inches in diameter and 8 to 10 inches deep at a 45-degree angle. The loose dirt you pile in front of the hole should look like an animal dug it, not like a human scooped it out with a trowel.
Stake your foothold trap in the flat, open ground directly in front of the hole. The trap should sit slightly below ground level so that when you cover it, the surface is flush with the surrounding terrain. Bury the trap, chain, and stake completely, then sift a light layer of dry dirt over the trap pan. A wax-paper or cloth pan cover under the sifted dirt keeps fine soil from packing under the pan and preventing it from firing. Use rocks, small dirt clods, or subtle natural debris around the trap to “guide” the coyote’s foot onto the pan. The idea is to leave the pan as the easiest, most natural place for the coyote to step.
When you’re finished, the entire set should be invisible. Nothing metal showing, no unnatural mounds, no footprints. Wear clean rubber boots and kneel on a piece of canvas or a kneeling cloth to minimize ground disturbance.
Using Lures, Baits, and Urine
A well-built set catches nothing without the right attractants pulling a coyote in. There are three categories to work with, and the best sets use a combination of all three.
Food lure or bait goes inside the hole itself. Tainted bait (slightly aged meat) or a small piece of mouse or rabbit works well. This triggers a hunger response and draws the coyote close enough to work the set.
Gland lure gets placed just outside the hole, slightly to the right or left of center relative to the trap pan. Gland lure smells like another coyote and triggers a territorial response. It also gives the approaching coyote the impression that some other animal cached the food, which makes the setup more convincing. The offset placement of the gland lure is deliberate: it angles the coyote’s body so that a front foot lands squarely on the pan.
Coyote urine serves double duty. It reinforces the territorial signal, making the coyote feel compelled to investigate and mark over it. Just as importantly, urine masks residual human odor on and around the set. A coyote that picks up gland lure may approach cautiously, but a coyote that picks up human scent will leave. Urine helps prevent that. Apply it to the dirt mound or a nearby tuft of grass.
On remake sets (resetting a trap at a location where you’ve already caught an animal), gland lure is especially effective. The whole area already smells like coyote, and fresh gland lure brings the next one right to the trap.
Guiding the Coyote’s Foot
The trap needs to sit between the coyote’s likely approach path and the lure. A coyote walking in to investigate the hole will naturally step over the buried trap pan on its way to the scent source. You can refine foot placement with “stepping sticks,” small natural objects placed so the coyote steps over them and onto the pan. For coyotes, keep these extremely subtle. A single blade of grass or a thin twig is enough. Anything that looks deliberately placed will make a coyote suspicious.
Set your pan tension to about four pounds of pressure. This is the standard BMP recommendation for both foothold traps and powered cable devices. Four pounds is heavy enough that most raccoons, skunks, and opossums won’t trigger the trap, but light enough that any coyote stepping on it will fire it immediately. Some trap models accept two to four pounds, but erring toward four gives you the best balance of selectivity and reliability. Use a brass pan-tension adjustment screw, and recheck it after every capture, since repeated firing can loosen the setting.
Avoiding Non-Target Catches
Catching the wrong animal wastes your time and can harm wildlife or someone’s pet. Pan tension is your first line of defense, but set placement matters just as much.
If you’re working near a livestock carcass that coyotes are visiting, place your trap sets along trails leading to the carcass but well away from it, several hundred yards to half a mile or more. Setting directly beside the carcass attracts vultures, opossums, skunks, and raccoons, none of which you want in your trap.
Under-pan springs provide an additional layer of selectivity. These small springs fit on the trap base and add resistance to the underside of the pan, so the trap only fires under the weight of a larger predator. Lighter animals step on the pan without triggering it. This is especially useful in areas where raccoon or skunk activity is heavy.
For cable restraints, the mechanical safety features mentioned earlier (breakaway devices, minimum loop closures, proper loop height) all serve to release deer and other non-target animals. Placing cable loops at the right height, 6 to 12 inches off the ground, targets the head height of a traveling coyote while letting rabbits pass underneath.
Trap Placement and Scouting
Coyotes are creatures of habit. They follow the same travel corridors repeatedly: fence lines, irrigation ditches, ridge tops, field edges, road crossings, and trails through brush. The best trap location is one where sign (tracks, scat, or hair) tells you a coyote already walks. Setting in random spots, no matter how good your lure game is, dramatically lowers your odds.
Look for pinch points where terrain funnels coyote movement, like a gap in a fence, a narrow strip of cover between two fields, or a creek crossing. These natural bottlenecks concentrate traffic and put more coyotes within scenting range of your set. Wind direction matters too. Set your trap so that prevailing wind carries the scent of your lure across the travel corridor rather than away from it.
Check traps at least once every 24 hours, which is a legal requirement in most states. Early morning checks let you clear traps before daytime human activity picks up. Bring extra dirt, fresh pan covers, and lure for remakes so you can reset quickly if a set has been disturbed.
Scent Control and Gear Handling
Coyotes rank among the most scent-sensitive animals you’ll encounter. New traps should be cleaned and dyed or waxed before use to remove manufacturing oils. Many trappers boil traps in a solution with logwood dye crystals, then dip them in odorless trap wax. Once prepared, store traps in a clean container away from gasoline, household chemicals, and pet odors. Handle them only with clean rubber or cotton gloves.
At the set, minimize your footprint. Approach from downwind when possible. Carry your dirt and tools in a clean bucket. The less you disturb the site, the more confident a coyote will be when it arrives. Even a single boot print in the wrong spot can cause a coyote to circle wide and avoid the pan entirely.