Is there someone out there who can send me some instructions on how to build a large live trap? We're having a lot of trouble with coyotes, and I don't want to set any leg hold or snare traps (don't have any anyway!) for fear of hurting our, or our neighbors', cats and dogs. Any suggestions?

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), September 16, 2001

Answers

Coyotes are probably to smart to be caught in a "live" trap.

Get a dog than can earn his homestead keep by chasing those buggers away.

-- Joe (CactusJoe001@AOL.com), September 16, 2001.

Thanks, Joe. We've got two dogs, but they're both still young, and not quite big enough yet to run off the coyotes. Hopefully they will be in a few months. I've read that if you "feed" them (the coyotes) for about a week by putting the bait in the trap with the door wired open so it won't close, you should be able to catch them. I'm just not willing to try any other kind of trap, for fear of hurting the "good critters" around here.

What do you guys think?

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), September 16, 2001.

Can you provide better protection for whatever the coyotes are killing? The feeding range of a coyote is large; depending on the game maybe several thousand acres. If you manage to trap one, it will have to be either killed or released several miles away. This presents two new problems, 1) someone else now has the problem coyote to deal with, and 2) a new coyote will probably move into the vacated territory. Once you start the war, it will go on until your dogs are old enough to start protecting "their" homeplace. Some states have gov't trapping agents for problem wild animals; you might check with your state game and fish dept. Good luck.

-- Joe (CactusJoe001@AOL.com), September 16, 2001.

Oh, if I do manage to catch a coyote, I will not have a problem killing it. And I'm sure it will take quite a while, and that more than one will have to be killed.

So... does anybody have instructions for making a large live trap?

-- Cheryl in KS (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), September 16, 2001.

I haven't got a plan but I do have an idea for you. Check out your local farm supply that sells hav-a-hart traps and take some measurements and/or a quick photo and increase the size proportionately to what you think a coyote would fit. I would think hardware cloth and some kind of scrap metal framework and trigger pad would work, that's all the smaller racoon size traps seem to be made of.

-- Susan (smtroxel@socket.net), September 16, 2001.

Hi Cheryl.

I have some live trap designs; email me with your address and I will be glad to send copies. Most are intended for smaller pests, but they could be scaled up in size. I did build one of them and it did catch rabbits, squirrels, and a chipmunk.

If you have coyotes, your neighbors do, too, and some of your neighbors are hunters. They may be willing (maybe even eager!) to hunt on your land. Our neighbors shot 11 (eleven!) coyotes on our 80 acres in one long weekend, but there are still many more - I often hear them yipping at night.

By the way, in our area of central Minnesota, many coyotes have mange - a skin disease that causes them to lose their fur. They look terrible - but much more important is that your pups may catch it! I'm not positive that it is contagious; I do know that it can be treated, and is not fatal. Better by far, though, to avoid it altogether!

Sandy

-- Sandy in MN (onestonefarm@hotmail.com), September 17, 2001.

Cheryl; From personal experience, snares and leghold traps DO NOT injure the animals. be they coyotes or your neighbors dog or cat, but you may get injured trying to release them. be careful! have you or anyone tried to call the coyotes? it involves making sounds like wounded prey, and waiting for the coyotes to come arunnin. hope this helps.

-- bill van fossan (van37725@yahoo.com), September 21, 2001.