Buddy checked my yote traps this morning and called me at work to tell me I caught a yote that was so red it looked like a fox. Stopped on my way home to pick it up and he was right. Next stop was at my neighbor who does Taxidermy work who ended up buying it from me. Only had it for about 10 minutes and didnt even get a picture.

I caught a rabbit last year and all that was left was fresh coyote tracks and a rabbit foot in the trap.
Caught some variety today

Congrats man!

Very possible!

Keep the pictures coming and congrats to everyone on their catches. h.h.

Yep, just come in front eh shop, and picture is good on the laptop.

Now ya believe me?? :rolleyes:

Correct! for coyotes should be a minimum 3lb. I set mine a tad more. I still don't ever remember catching a rabbit!

I never caught a rabbit before either. Don't have a way to test my pan tension but I tightened them all up this year to what I thought was pretty tight. Oh well they're still catching yotes too, caught this one this morning.

love the pic

Very cool

Nice yote, good catch! h.h.

All mine were empty again......nothing messy with them at all. Im using HT Top Dog bait and their yote pee. Not sure why but I do have a deer carcass staked out and they might be on it. My pee post set up is 20 feet from the deer but no takers. All my mink set are empty too.

So far Im disappointed in myself as a trapper. Oh well, sooner or later something stupid has got to stumble into one of my sets. :rolleyes: h.h.

HH, I'm using top dog also with a little raw sheep's wool stuck down the hole too for a little extra smell and eye appeal. I also use a different predator bait some times. Some sets I use coyote urine and some fox urine just trying to mix it up so they all don't smell the same. Also I dab a little vixen elixir gland lure.

Nice catch Gilly!!! Your on them now!!!! You DO have something to check pan tension with…..You just don't know it. However, it appears that you have them pretty close since you are catching. If you have been getting deep, or above the pad catches, then you are close on the tension. If you get toe catches, or are missing, then they are too light. If a rabbit or squirrel sets them off….too light.

Two methods, one long, one short. Take a 2x4, and cut it to length to weight a tad over 3 pound. A typical dry pine 2x4 will weigh approximately 1.6lb/foot. So cut one 2ft. 4" and that should be close. If you have a scales, actually weigh it.
Long method. tighten the pan tension screw and set the trap. LIGHTLY set the back edge of the board on the center of the pan. If it does not go off, lighten the the screw a little at a time till it does.

Short method/AKA scare the chit out of you method.
Tighten the pan enough you know it will hold the board. Might have to have someone steady it. Then, reaching under the jaw (its tricky), start loosening the screw until it goes off. make sure you keep the tools UNDER the jaw!!! It really helps to put the base of the trap in a bench vise. Tighten it down on the base plate really tight, and the trap will not jump.

thanks for the info, I will have to check mine. I always set the pans so they "almost fall under their own weight" No idea what this translates to in terms of pounds.

Here has been my thinking on a heavier pan tension for coyotes….and this is just me, and it works for me. Others catch coyotes with "hair" triggers, and anything in between.

#1. When I go to all the effort to make a coyote set, I want a coyote. I do not want coons, or other by catch. To me, its too much work to have another critter set the trap off, or get caught and tear up a set. I still do on occasion catch a grinner or coon on a heavier pan. But I also limit my by-catch by the locations I set in. I do not set in areas where rabbits, squirrels, coons, etc frequent. If I feel I can certainly catch a coyote in a spot, but feel there is a good possibility of a coon or grinner, I'll make a couple sets for those close by to hopefully head them off..

#2. Primarily, the reason I set a heavier pan tension on coyote sets is I want them to fully commit to the set. A coyote may pass by a set several times before he decides to investigate. Most times they approach with caution, and don't just go running in. This is especially true of the older coyotes that have a couple trapping seasons under the belts. When one approaches, they step gingerly. If you have a light pan tension, this will fire the trap before the coyote has decided its ok to put his weight on that spot. At best, you get a toe catch, and just hope it holds him. If he's really jumpy, you get a miss, and an educated coyote. With the heavier pan tension, you can get a wary coyote on the set, and if he steps lightly on the set, and is not comfortable, he will just back out, and nots suspect anything. That is why it is important to bed a trap rock solid. If he gains confidence, and continues to work a set, or comes back at a later date, he will feel safe, and likely commit. WHen they put their full weight on the pan before it breaks over, he can NOT pull out fast enough, resulting in a good above the pad catch.

#3. I typically do not start coyote trapping until the weather is at its worse for it. Freezing and thawing as everybody knows is a coyote trappers nightmare. Maybe some have noticed it, or had it happen and just thought it was a critter. But the freezing and thawing action in the ground WILL cause a trap to fire. Particularly, if the ground is really wet prior to freezing. A heavier pan tension will not eliminate this, but certainly helps a bunch.

I'll get off my soap box now!!! Hope you guys are after the coons good this week. They should be moving good!!! I was trying to sneak out of the stand last night down a cow path, with no light, and head down to avoid being seen by the deer in the field. Apparently the big 65lb coon that was coming up the path was doing the same. He didn't appreciate about being stepped on, and let me know about with a blood curdling snarl!!!! Bout pooped my pant!!!

After a fall loaded with out-of-state hunts, I'm finally back home for good, and so I got a few Coyote snares out last week. I can tell from the trail cams there are plenty of yippers running around this year. Hoping for a tall stack of 'em by the end of winter!

It always amazes me when they manage to get their head and both front legs through a 8"-10" snare loop.

This female wouldn't stop barking when she saw me coming.

Nice catch Stick. I ordered enough material to make up 100 snares last week. Just need to put them together. I know there thick just over the ridge from you, but I am thinning them out a little.

Sticksender has his freezer full of meat……and after the yaps!!!! Show us all how its done man! Good pic!

Nice catch......she just wanted you to pet her! lol h.h.

Thanks guys I hope we all keep whittling at the coons and yotes to help keep their numbers in check.

This thread is a great motivator to trap fur. Also trail cam pics like this one I got in early August keeps me motivated too. That's a fawn leg in his mouth.

nice catch stick. 2 coons and grinner for us today.

Wednesday I am gang setting an old gown up farmhouse and barns. Throwing all we got at em for 3-4 days.

Yep, great pics. Nothing but a grinner for me tonight. Thanks Yaz for the info, when I bring my traps back in I will check them. I am getting good above the pad catches and holding them well. Only had a couple traps set off with nothing in them that's a lot better than I did last year. Think I'm getting a little better at this or just catching a bunch of dumb coyotes. I'm setting at a place closer to home now and it never produces like my other spot that's farther away so things will slow down a bit.

Hey Gilly, I LIKE the dumb ones!!!!! If there wasn't any smart ones, we'd catch them all!!!!

I must have a bunch of smart azz yotes cause I cant seem to get one into a trap. Im heading to HT today and get some "cant fail" lures..... h.h.

Here is the total for the last 2 days. 1 more check day then I have to pull and go to that d**n day job again. I keep telling the wife I need to quit if I am ever going to make a living at this.



The girls are all about a good catch.



And here is the Pic of the red yote I caught the other day. Taxidermist wanted it to mount.

Awesome great catches, congrats.

Awesome catches. Doing well and good job on getting the kids out there too.

GREAT pics bassbum!!! So, how'd the rest of that conversation with the wife go? Inquiring minds want to know!!!

There was not much of a conversation. It was more of me talking and her giving me that look. I will be putting my four 12 hour days in this week but I will be sure to try the idea again next week.

nice pictures Bass, great to see the youngsters getting to go along with you.

Very nice bassbum! And that light coyote is a beauty.

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Nice catches bassbum.....you are becoming "the man"! h.h.

Thanks everyone. I will have to give a big part of the credit to the 2 girls in the picture. They will not let me slack off. If its there day off from school they are with me. I set traps Sunday from 8 am till 3 pm and the only complaint I heard from them was when I told them I was done for the day. There first question off the bus is what did we catch today. I will admit my deer hunting pretty much did not happen this year, which is fine as long as these kids are enjoying this. The good thing about it all is I have eaten more fall mushrooms then ever and met some really great people along the way, so the trade offs were worth it. My goal for the year is 100 coons, so I am a little over half way. Not sure I can keep the pace up till Jan. 31 but we will see.

Nice catches man!

Nice catches and pics bassbum. How about showing us a little better picture of that hide puller. Thinking about making me one.

Here you go Gilley. I use a old boat winch right now. I ordered a electric hoist from Harbor Freight but it got back ordered for 3 weeks, then I called them again and they told me it was back ordered again. I told them to shove it and I will get one somewhere else. The base was made out of 1 1/2" threaded pipe nipples and a little welding. It saves a little time but really saves the muscles.

Nice set up bassbum, I've got an electric hoist in my barn. Gonna try to make me a set up like that. You guys tear many hides with these pullers?

Here is the guy that makes these skinning machines to sell:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=460IRmBeNds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Co1k1mhQ6w

I have not tore a pelt yet Gilley. The only thing I wish I would have done different was to weld my vise grips on horizontal. Once in a while I will have on slide out because of to much fat other then that no issues.

I have one of these. Jayme makes a great product.