Types of Coyote Traps

Coyotes are often trapped to be removed from areas where they are considered a nusiance.

Coyotes are often viewed as a nuisance animal by ranchers and farmers. As people move farther out into coyote territory, their hunting territory shrinks, and these animals will often encroach onto private human populated land looking for food. In order to remove them from human territory, it is often necessary to trap and release them. Trapping also allows researchers and landowners to spay and neuter the animals, helping to curb the coyote population.

Woodstream Corporation's No. 3 Victor Soft-Catch

Soft-Catch traps from the Woodstream Corporation allow the coyote to be firmly held but without injury to the animal. The trap's jaws are lined with synthetic rubber-like jaw pads that are made to reduce injury to the captured animal. They are set on 15 centimeter center-mounted chain. These traps are good for researchers or for ranchers interested in catch and release. Other benefits to this trap include a shock-absorbing spring, which swivels with the animal, allowing it to move while trapped. The shorter levers on this trap allow for faster closing speeds. According to a study conducted in 1992 by the University of Nebraska -- Lincoln, the capture rate on these traps is about 95 percent.

Victor 3 NM Long-Spring

The Victor 3 NM long string is an unpadded trap that causes more injury to captured animals but is more effective in capturing and retaining the animal. This trap has offset malleable jaws and is set on a one meter long kinkless chain. This type of trap is most often utilized by the USDA, which has coyote capturing programs in the western United States. Though effective, this trap caused more evident foot injuries than the soft-catch traps when field tested by the University of Nebraska -- Lincoln. They found the trap to be 100 percent effective in capturing and holding coyotes.

No. 4 Newhouse Long-Spring

This standard trap is offset with malleable jaws and is on a one meter long kink-less chain. This trap is often used by the ADC personnel (Animal Damage Control) for trapping coyotes in Oklahoma and Texas. When tested by the University of Nebraska--Lincoln, this trap showed less injury to the captured coyotes than the Victor 3 NM long spring but more injury than the soft catch. However, the trap was 100 percent effective in capturing and holding the targeted animals, coyotes.

References

• University of Nebraska -- Lincoln: 3 Types of Coyote Traps

Resources

• Oneida Victor, Inc.: Soft-Catch Padded Jaw Traps: Live Holding Devices