How do you position the trap to ensure the animal stepping on the trap on a dirt hole set? I saw some videos online where people used straw or hay in a semi circle around the hole which creates only one direct path into the hole.

Also, where do you hide the chain and spring in the set up you showed me pictures of? Is it all buried under the trap or do you cover it in leaves and what not?

"They have welded a super stake to American #2 chain with an s hook. It's easy to drive and will HOLD. The driver only cost $7 each."

Am I driving the end of the chain stake in the ground and that's what holds with this set-up? Or does it still require a rebar stake?

The driver is 2-3' piece of machined steel. The super stake fits onto the end of the driver. You hammer it into the ground....in clay I go about 10" deep. Then remove the driver and tug the chain sideways, which sets the stake. No rebar required. They sell regular super stakes, and finned super stakes. Regular is pleny for hard ground or clay. I'm not sure I could pull a finned one out of clay. Speaking of which, a good puller is a must. I made my own....but MTP sells them:

http://www.minntrapprod.com/catalog/adv ... fbfb0e9808

On a dirt hole set, blocking, placement, etc depends to some degree on what you are trying to catch. Lots of blocking, etc is fine for greys and bobcats. But if you are trying to catch coyotes, subtle is better.

You want to postition the set so that the wind will blows from the hole/lure, over the trap to the coyotes travel route. Put the set right on the line of travel. Try to find a fairly level spot. I like a bare spot. Dig the trap bed, then the dirt hole. I want the pan offset from the hole 2-3" and back 7-9. I don't use much backing, nothing more than a couple inches. Dig the dirt hole a foot or more deep if possible so they cant get to the lure/bait easily. The trap pan should be the low spot of the pattern. I dig the bed deep enough for the chain and shock spring to fit under the trap, usually. It doesn't really matter, you can put them to the side as long as they are packed tight and every thing is bedded solid. With some trapps I use the shock spring to stabilize the loose jaw but that's not necessary with MBs. I use peat moss and table salt to weather proof. The trap bed is sort of bowl shaped so the trap beds easily. I dig the bed, make sure the trap fits, then drop some peat in the bed. Fit the trap in. Usually the dog is pointing toward the hole. If I need to pack dirt around the jaws or under the levers to stabilize, then I sprinkle salt over it to make sure it doesn't freeze down. Peat under the trap pan. I have some fiber glass pan covers but find they're uncessary with pete moss. Keeping the trap pan the low point, I sift peat over the trap bed and dirt pattern. You don't want the trap to be the only spot with peat or there may be avoidance. Same with salt for antifreeze.

Sometimes I will take pieces of leaves or grass clippings and blend the dirt pattern a bit. I use subtle guidance, like small pebbles or dirt clods, or piece of straw or small stick poked in the dirt guide the coyote onto the trap pan. As Mark June says, things that say "don't step here" placed around the trap to guide the paw onto the pan.

Subtle guiding has made a huge difference for me. Here's a set from a few years ago....I don't remember where the trap pan is in this bed, but it was worked heavily by a coyote and about the only place he didn't step was on my trap. That happened to me a few times but not since I have been careful about using subtle guiding and making sure the pan is the low spot. You'll still get misses, but it will only be a single paw print and not a full working of the set. This was a step down dirt hole, a regular dirt hole wouldn't have such a depression in front of the hole.

Neil,

Just ordered my first traps and set-ups. Between you and Jeff at the website you recommended, I am on my way!

Sounds good, you probably have your order by now. Be sure to post up some pics.

Good advice Neill.