Best Snares for Coyote Trapping

Proper snaring techniques need to be followed in order to be successful with coyote snares. If you aren’t sure quite where to start or what the best coyote snares are, you’ve come to the right place. Below, find information about the habits of coyotes, best snare placements, and the proper snare and equipment required for coyote trapping.

Coyote Habits

Coyotes are creatures of habit and are most active at night, in the late evening, or early morning hours. They are active at night because they have incredible eyesight and rely heavily on their acute sense of smell in order to sense danger and hunt prey.

Typically, coyotes will establish regular travel routes near their natural habitat. Places coyotes tend to travel include areas like canyons, livestock trails, or ranch roads. Coyotes prefer good visibility and easy travel routes, and you can spot a coyote travel route fairly easily by looking for tracks or droppings.

Snare Locations

Coyotes often enter and leave pastures through holes in fences, so for the best chance of success, snares work well when placed through or under holds in the fence. If you have a fence with barbed wire, it can be beneficial to place a snare under the fence. While some coyotes will maneuver through holes in fences with barbed wire, many will choose to dig under the fence and enter/exit pastures this way.

Once you’ve placed your snare, it’s best to check the location daily. While snares are designed to kill the coyote when caught around the neck, it’s possible that coyotes can get caught around their bodies in snares. When this happens, not only can the coyote wriggle free, but your snare can be damaged as the coyote attempts to pull and chew at the snare to escape.

Best Coyote Snares and Equipment

One of the reasons people enjoy using snares is that aside from the snare, minimal equipment is required. In addition to your snare, you will need:

1. Gloves: Well-fitting cotton or knit gloves are often recommended for trapping. Gloves reduce the amount of human scent transferred to the snares, and cotton or knit gloves are recommended because they can be washed to further reduce scent.
2. Wire: Heavy wire is required to anchor the snare to the fence. Thin wire or thread can be used to hang the snare.
3. Pliers: Pliers must be able to bend and cut wire fencing.

Choosing the right snare is important. If a snare is too small, coyotes are able to chew through them and escape, and if a snare is too large, it may take too long to close to trap the coyote. For coyotes, a 10” to 12” diameter loop is the ideal size. We recommend a Belisle foot snare for coyote trapping. This type of snare is designed to be placed in the animal’s travel path and works by firing a loop around the foot of the coyote when it steps on the trigger.

With the right equipment, proper planning, and the right techniques, coyote snares can be an incredibly useful and effective way to protect your livestock.