Coyote Trapping Tips - How to Trap

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How To Trap A Coyote

Coyotes are an amazing successful species that is to be found across the majority of North America, and they have adapted particularly well to living alongside people. They can cause a problem when they come into conflict with domestic pets such as dogs, and have been known to attack livestock and other domesticated animals such as chickens and ducks. Coyotes can also prove to be difficult to deter when they find a good location for scavenging through garbage and other refuse, which is why many people will turn to trapping to solve the problem.

What Traps Can Be Used To Catch A Coyote?
There are a number of different live traps that can be used to catch a coyote, although the problem with dealing with the coyote after it has been captured is that it will often have to be euthanized. The most typical type of trap will be one that will take a firm grip of the paw of the coyote and will not be able to be removed until the trapper comes to loosen it. This can be problematic because dealing with a live coyote isn’t necessarily something that a novice trapper should want to do.

Another option would be a cage trap, but this will often have a much lower success rate than the grip trap mentioned above. This is because the coyote will naturally be wary of a metal cage and won’t be particularly keen to go inside. Positioning and baiting of a cage trap is vital if it is to successfully trap a coyote.

The alternative when trapping a coyote is to use a lethal trap. The most popular trap of this kind is a simply snare, although there are a wide range of commercially produced products and homemade solutions that are also available. The snare works by looping a cord around the coyote’s neck and choking the animal, and because a coyote will naturally struggle and pull away this will happen very quickly.



Locating And Baiting A Coyote Trap
The first question to deal with when trying to catch a coyote is where to place the trap. Snares and grip traps are quite small so will not need as much space as a cage trap. The best traps will be those that naturally lie in the paths that the coyote uses regularly, which can often be identified near fences or field boundaries by looking for tracks or coyote hair. Coyotes will prefer to crawl under a fence even though they can jump over quite high fences, so these are particularly good spots to locate the trap.

In terms of the bait for a coyote, meat is usually the best option as it will often attract the coyote from a distance away. It is important in these instances to make sure that the trap is not in an area where it is likely to attract domestic animals, otherwise you may well end up with a traumatized dog if you’re using a live trap.

Handling And Removing Coyotes
The majority of states will have specific regulations about dealing with pests such as coyotes, and these can vary in different parts of the country. Some places will insist the animal is euthanized, while others will have specific locations the coyote can be taken to.

For those who are handling a coyote, wearing thick clothing and protective gloves is an absolute minimum, and keeping handling to a minimum is vital. Coyotes are known to carry rabies and many other parasites and diseases, some of which are transmitted by bites and others can simply be transmitted by contact. Anyone who is nervous or unsure about handling a coyote should bring in a wildlife control expert rather than taking any risks with the animal.

For more information about how to trap coyotes, go back to my main coyote removal page or read the about coyotes page.