Trapping coyotes on bait stations (heavy snow)
Hi Canadian trappers. In this second part we
will cover the techniques used after the snow accumulates and
using snares become a challenge
in deep snow. The reason for this is your tracks
will show in the snow and the coyotes will avoid crossing and be
extra careful when your footprints are showing. These leghold
techniques can also be utilized in deer yards were snaring is
not recommended and on a bait station to catch the last coyote
that has become very wary of the snares. A properly set leghold
will equal to about 20 snares. The only drawbacks are the
coyotes will be alive and need to be dispatched and depending of
your provincial regulations you will have to check your
installation more frequently( every 48 hours in N.-B.).
Snowmobile Set (traps behind the sled in the
snowmobile track)
You can utilise this technique on a bait station
and without a bait. The thing to know for this technique is the
coyote habits. The coyote is not very well adapted for deep
snow conditions compared to the Canada lynx. The coyotes will
utilise every opportunity they find to help them travel through
deep snow. They will use a plowed road, railroad tracks,
snowmobile tracks, your tire track on an unplowed road and they
will even utilise their own tracks stepping in each others
tracks for long periods. And they know that if they step in
another coyote track it is safe, until a trapper sets a leghold
under this track.
To use the snowmobile set you need a box in the
rack behind the snowmobile to store your traps, poly (for pan
covers),clean gloves and a trowel to dig snow with it. You also
lay down on that box to set behind the snowmobile. The traps to
use are #3 and #4 coil springs modified with a gap within the
jaws and a 6 foot chain with a drag. It is recommended to treat
your traps. On the bait station that is set in an island of
thick vegetation in a clear cut or a field, you go around the
field with the snowmobile setting 2 traps behind you at your
starting point and in every coyote track that you cross around
the field. Behind you just before exiting the field while going
around your bait station you set 2 more traps. The reason for
setting 2 traps behind the snowmobile is to get more chances and
some trappers even set 3 traps.
When the coyotes walk in a snowmobile track his
attention is not where he puts his paws but it is looking
further ahead where he is going (unless his attention is brought
to the snowmobile track from a drop of blood or a poorly set
trap.) To set the traps behind the sled, you stop the machine
and prepare yourself by changing gloves, opening traps, putting
poly under the jaws and over the pan. Lay on the box and dig two
holes behind the sled to set the traps in (pics 1 & 2). After
the traps are set you bury them with snow you get beside the
snowmobile and after this is done you remake the snowmobile
track section with the trowel (pic 3). The traps should be
laying under 1 inch of snow and they will still work until
snowfall of 5 inches. More than that you will have to reset by
passing over the traps with the sled and resetting your sprung
traps behind you. When you visit your sets it will be very
visible if you catch a coyote because he will make a lot of
disturbance when he goes to the woods with one or 2 traps
attached to his feet.
Snowmobile Set (trap beside the sled in the
coyote track)
This set is used when crossing a coyote track
while circling around your bait station or setting a track
coming from the woods. You will stop the snowmobile at the
coyote track and set it from your snowmobile. Again you get
ready by preparing your set on the box, then you dig the last
track before the sled. There you can set a foothold on numerous
tracks. The advantage of using legholds is that it will not be
harmful to deer. If they get their feet in the traps it will
close on their hoof and most of the time they will pull their
feet out with the trap still under the snow without hurting
their hoof.
Charles Neveu
NBTFHF President
The ideal bait station on your trapline should be located in
islands of thick vegetation, softwood or hardwood in open
areas (fields or clearcuts). The open areas is to avoid deer
that are mainly in their wintering area and Canada Lynx
(endangered in N.B.) that are using the cedar stand and the
brook buffers. The thick softwood island will have less snow
accumulation on the ground, thereby allowing you to use your
snares longer. When baiting try to avoid using part of the
whitetail deer like legs and head that contain odor glands
that will attract deer to your bait station.
In each bait station I personally like to use between 30 and
60 snares. This large number of snares is to make sure you
capture a large number of coyotes at each of their visits,
because the pack of coyotes will visit your bait station
only 3 to 4 times per season. The coyotes are very wary when
they enter at a bait station. They can go around a lot of
snares but when one of them gets caught they exit very
quickly and that is why the more snares you have set, the
more coyotes you will catch.
Some of the things to watch are your footsteps in the snow.
You should check your bait station just before a snowfall
and not too frequently (depending of the provincial
regulation.) Once a week is best. On your trapline, you can
place a bait station every 8 km.
Using this method will produce large numbers of coyotes.
Also each bait station is very fast to check because 50
snares in one spot is a lot easier to check then 50 snares
scattered over 8 km. Overhead of each snare you should
attach a piece of flagging tape for easy spotting and to
make sure not to forget any snares at the end of the season.
On the next issue we will talk about using the same bait
stations with footholds after there is too much snow for the
snares.
Respect the environment and the animals and whenever
possible, bring a kid trapping.
Charles Neveu
NBTFHF President