Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Trapping What’s the best coyote trap/set

It’s been a minute since I’ve ran a serious line for coyotes. Had #2’s for them before the offset jaws or laminated jaws became a thing. Sold all of my #2’s and only kept some 1 1/2’s for smaller nuisance stuff around the house. I was looking at getting some MB 550 or 650’s or some Duke #2’s both staked and drag setups. In SW Michigan now but will be relocating in a couple years to the Upper Peninsula. More boreal forest type cover than mixed farmland like down here. Just looking to see what the going trend is for coyotes from those still in the game.
Also any suggestions on the dog proof coon traps. Would love to know which is the best so I can get rid of some raccoons close to the house and around civilization without getting the attention of the snowflake crowd.

Just me- I prefer to use the largest trap
I can for coyotes. Right now for me, that's
a couple of old #4 victor and the #3's I have.
I pretty much think along the lines of Clint
Locklear's "Tiny trap club" video on yoofloob.
Not sure what you're allowed there. I'd look
at the newer Duke pro 650's if re-equiping
from the start. A neighbor has some of the
650MB, and neither one of us like the jaw
retention doo-dads or the spring/lever setup.
He bought the regular setting tool to use,
but it's a pain. I guess it's something that you
just have to get used to. I guess it's like
everything else in that it's what you want to
spend and can get used to.
I'm pretty happy with the Bridgers I have.
The K-9 Extremes look really good, but
they're more than I can spend. Maybe if
the region's fur were worth something I
might be able to justify the expense.
I'm happy with the T3 DP traps. I'm told
the Freedoms are better, but I don't know
of anybody around me that has or uses
any so I couldn't say. Never used one myself.
The closest guy around my area uses the
Dukes, but he has tubs full of them that
he sets, there's no real way to judge his
success rate because of the volume of
his sets versus the pullouts, etc.

My unprofessional 2 cents
Good Luck

Should have also said that I use the regular
dirt hole, dirthole ditch, scent post, just starting
the pipe for foot traps
Bucket for BG medium/larger varmints.
Known runs/blind sets for squirrels/wabbits
with 110's for stew/dumplins ingredients

Thanks for the reply and advice. I’m likely going to give the dukes a hard look. I’ve heard the MB’s are a PITA from others as well for setting. I’m used to the old school double coil Victors. Before laminated or offset jaws. Traps I had as a kid from the late eighties. Still have three or four in the shed that I’m going to put on the grinder to put an offset in the jaws. Some bitch because the Dukes are made in chinka but what isn’t anymore. But, I’m doing it to keep trapping and tradition alive and keep the fawn killers and nest raiders at bay. Not sure what a far north Michigan yote hide would fetch. I’d like to tan my own just to have a little decor for the man cave. Any suggestions on self tanning solutions. I see the orange bottle stuff and have heard it does well but I’d like to get a larger container. Any experience with it.

I was pretty much in the same boat last year and here is what I can tell you.

For coyotes:
If your state allows the jaw spread, the NO BS extreme are without peer. The coating wears like iron, I do not recommend waxing them. Just pull from box, boil and set in ground.

The Duke Pro 650 and also a very good trap. Simple and flat out work. Pan tension on the 3 dozen I have are all 3-4 lbs and repeatable.

The Duke Pro 550 is a great trap, same as 650 just smaller. Caught my first bobcat this year in this trap. It is basically an exact copy of the MB 550.

MB 650, I have only three. I bought new bolts and nuts for the pan. If I can’t get that to work to increase pan tension, then the bastards are getting scrapped. I am not impressed.

Dog proof traps:

I would not buy a Feedom brand anything. I bought 6 FB2 and the first time I set them, came back the next day and one had tripped but no coon. Upon looking at it the springs had deformed. Called their customer service, the said because I had set the trap, it wasn’t covered. WTF. They may be American made, but I will never buy another.

Duke, I have 4 or 5 that are probably 8 years old and not one failure.

No BS, I bought 4 dozen of these this year and like the looks and features (come with earth anchor) but I never set any.

Thanks. Good to know.

You can't go wrong with the #2 size trap. This is particularly true if you're trapping in winter conditions and trying to keep traps running with waxed dirt. You just use way less with a #2 size than you do if you go bigger. I like a 4 coiled Bridger with a dog and laminated jaws. Nothing wrong with the Duke and MB 550 traps or the No BS Jr. - I just don't see a reason to spend the extra money when the Northwoods square jaw design is pretty much perfect. If you were trapping in the SW, the bigger traps would definitely be the way to go. I use both the Duke 650 and the Bridger/Northwoods #2 traps. Both work great here, but it's easier to keep the smaller traps going in freeze-thaw conditions.

My personal problem with the Duke foot traps I
have and use isn't place of origin so much as
the thin frame and jaws. The few Victor coil
foot traps I have are the same. One ear bent
and nearly broke all the way off. The cure is
a welded baseplate and welding the cross frame
and bubble tip the jaws to take out the flex.
The more expensive traps are pretty much
ready to use out of the box with no modifications
needed. I add an extra MB swivel on every
thing I have. A small puppy dog sized varmint
can really twist one up trying to get loose

Bridger #2 dogless for me. Never had a pull out or bent up trap. I bought a Duke copy and couldn't get the jaws level and the body of the trap seemed twisted.

I’ve gone to mb 650 cast. Wide enough jaw face not to cause damage but strong enough to hold a tank. Set the pan tension right about 2 pounds.

Favorite set a variation of the pipe dream/hay set. I also like a simple pee rock in the center of the two track trails I run.

Osky

It wouldn't hurt to put some snares in your bag-o-tricks.
Most of the guys at the ASSN. rendezvous use snares these days.

I would but there are a lot of guys running dogs here. Bird dogs, bear hounds and beagles for snowshoe hare. We have dogs in the woods from July training season through March. I couldn’t live with myself if I injured or killed a dog.

Good luck on catching those coyotes and coons. I wish I knew more about trapping as I have a place near Kalkaska and plenty of coyotes up there. I have a friend that quit trapping for coyotes in the UP because he kept catching wolves. Have fun and get rid of as many as you can!!!

I run several different types.

Duke 550's offset 4 coil
Duke # 2 offset 4 coil fully modified dog on
Duke # 2 offset 4 coil fully modified dogless
Duke # 3 offset 4 coil fully modified
Duke # 1 3/4 offset 4 coil fully modified

Bridger # 2 offset 4 coil fully modified dogless
Bridger # 2 offset 4 coil fully modified dog on
Bridger # 3 offset 4 coil fully modified dogless
Bridger # 3 offset 4 coil fully modified dog on

MB 550's offset 4 coil
MB 650'S offset 4 coil fully modified
MB 650'S offset 4 coil cast jaws

Northwood # 2 offset 4 coil fully modified
Northwood # 3 offset 4 coil fully modified

Got a few more i didnt list. I like using a cow bone for a flat set. Or a deep dirt hole 24 inch deep. By 2 inch around.

Fixing to order 3 more dz of Duke 550's offset. Some of these are used just for trapping public land.

Fully modified . 4 coil offset laminated jaws base plated and jaws are bubble tipped. Traps that needed factory chain. Replaced with # 2 machine chain. Then added 3 mb crunch proof swivels.

Yeah, that can be an issue. But, usually if you’re in a coyote area there’s not wolves as the wolves usually run them out. If you’re catching wolves regularly it’s time to move.

I caught my first ones in Duke 1 3/4, 2s and 3s before I discovered the 550s. I have a lot of 550s now, I never liked the 650, 750s personally, and to each their own.

Are you required to use offset, or is that just a
personal preference ?

Is fur worth anything there ?
Nothing here worth diddling with except bobcat
and beaver and otter. The bobcat still doesn't
pay what a cold weather region cat does.
Not sure about the beaver/otter. None at the
places I have access to anyway. Last time
I checked, coon were $3.00 for a granddaddy,
and they wouldn't buy the finest coyote you
could catch

Offsets are required in some areas but are the more recent evolution of trap design. The off set gives a gap between the jaws as to do minimal damage and be more “humane”. I worded it that way as I believe close jaw traps weren’t really inhumane to start with. Some will argue that point. Also offset or laminate jaws don’t give up anything to close jaws in holding power and make the PC crowd happy. You’d be surprised how many hunters get butt hurt about trapping and will throw trappers under the bus. So, just get laminate or off set if you’re buying new as it’s the easy button. I have a few Victor 1.5’s and 1.75’s that are closed jaw and I’m going to grind the jaws offset just in case some granola fish cop checks my gear and wants to lecture me. I’d have to check the regs closely before I get back at it as it’s been a few years since I’ve ran a line of any real size. Everything has been a half dozen or so on private land.

As far as prices on fur prices suck all around unless you’re in Alaska for the most part. That’s where you can get money for wolf, wolverine, marten and lynx. Some western US states are getting decent prices on coyotes and Bob cat but not many. Beaver is staying afloat due to Stetson but that’s low end and you get more for the castor. The benefits are are in the predator control and knocking down the nest raiders. You can find a couple decent pod casts to listen to.