Trappers have long discussed the consequences of leaving
human odor at coyote trap sets. In the past, many wore
gloves to keep their scent off traps and snares. Many
modern-day trappers do not take these precautions because
they feel that gloves, which can easily become contaminated
with lure or other materials, may transmit more odors than
clean, bare human hands.
Most coyotes are accustomed to people. With their keen sense
of smell, they can detect human scent a mile on the wind and
can smell this odor most of the time. Faint human scent in
their territory doesn't normally alarm them.
Coyotes can tell the difference between fresh and old scent.
If they sense that a person is nearby, their strong survival
instinct tells them to avoid the area. Still, coyotes are
regularly caught within a few hours after a trap or snare is
set.
Some people believe that coyotes are afraid of the scent of
steel. If it were the case, coyotes would avoid fences, idle
farm machinery and junk piles. It is important, however,
that traps be kept clean.
Coyotes sometimes dig up traps that have not been cleaned
after a coyote or other animal has been caught in them. They
may be attracted to the smell of fecal matter or to the
smell of the lure transferred to the trap from the trapper's
hands or gloves.
Coyotes aren't always responsible for digging up traps.
Raccoons and other animals are attracted to freshly dug
dirt. Sprinkling water over trap sets to form an old-looking
crust can help keep some nontarget animals away.
With traps, common sense is the rule. It isn't necessary to
boil, dye and wax traps to catch coyotes, but they must be
clean.
Dyeing and waxing, however, are good ways to prevent traps
from rusting, especially in winter when salt is used to keep
the dirt over the trap from freezing.
A rust-free, dyed and waxed trap is a fast trap. A fraction
of a second can make a difference in catching a coyote or
having it jerk its foot and get away.
So don 't wear the same boots when you gas up. Here is an
example of how important human scent on the fox trapping
line is.
