Land Sets

Below are three separate pages that show example of how to set three basic landsets.

• Dirthole Set Instructions

• Flat Set Instructions

• Cubby Set Instructions

Good Places for Land Trapping Sets



Brush rows and fencerows are good places to locate sets for land animals. They act as barriers and tend to steer the movement of these animals. They are also a source of food for predators that eat mice, birds, and other small animals that live in this cover.






Brush-filled gullies are attractive to animals. They provide food and shelter. The culvert in this picture also provides a funnel that narrows down the movement of the animals.






Farm lanes are often used as travelways by land animals. Look for places where these lanes go through another type of cover. Do NOT set traps directly in a lane or path commonly used by humans or domestic animals. Make your sets beside these travelways.

Setting Land Traps

Setting traps on land is different than setting traps in the water in several ways. Foothold traps are the best and safest choice for land trapping, and the fastening system on these traps will be used to hold the animal alive. This is usually done with steel stakes. In water trapping, traps can be pressed into the mud to hold them steady. In land trapping, it is a little more difficult to get the trap steady. The process of putting a trap in the ground and getting it steady is called “bedding” the trap. Traps set under water do not need a covering. Traps set on land must be covered to hide them from the animals. All traps used on land must be covered. All baits must be covered as well.

Bedding Traps

In water trapping, you can press a trap down into the mud to make it steady. When a trap is steady, not wobbly, it is said to be stabilized. It is more difficult to stabilize a trap in dry dirt than it is in mud. Also a trap should set level with or slightly below the area surrounding it. On dry land, this means you will have to dig a shallow hole in which to set the trap. This shallow hole is called the trap bed.

Steps for Bedding a Trap

• Dig a shallow hole for the trap.
• Put loose dirt in the bottom of the hole.
• Press the trap into the loose dirt.
• Check the trap to see that it is not wobbly - use the 4-point system.
• Pack the dirt around the outside of the trap.

1. Dig a shallow hole slightly bigger than the trap. It should be deep enough to get the trap just below ground level.

2. Put some loose dirt in the bottom of the hole. You do not have to sift this dirt, but avoid putting in rocks, sticks, or hard clods of dirt.

3. Press the trap down hard into the loose dirt. Use a slight twisting motion to make the trap pack into the dirt.

4. Use the “4-point system” to check your trap to make sure it is not wobbly. Point 1 - Press on the loose jaw.

5. Point 2 - Press on the other jaw.

6. Point 3 - Press on one lever.

7. Point 4 - Press on the other lever.

8. If the trap is wobbly at any point, pack more dirt under that part and press the trap down again.

9. The loose jaw is often a problem. You can just lift it up to pack more dirt under it.

10. When the trap is stabilized (not wobbly), pack dirt around the outside of the jaws.

Covering Traps

Traps set on land must be covered to hide them from the animals. Three things commonly used to cover traps on land are dirt, leaves, and grass or weeds. When you cover a trap, you must make sure the covering does not interfere with the action of the trap.

It is not necessary to have the trap completely hidden as long as the material camouflages the trap well. If you cover a trap with leaves or grass, do not put too much of this material on top of the trap. If too much covering gets between the trap jaws, this could keep the trap from closing completely.

For more wary animals, like fox and coyote, you should completely cover your trap with dirt. Use a sifter to take the large objects out of the dirt. If objects get under the trap pan, the trap might not fire. If objects get between the trap jaws, the trap might not close.

Covering Traps with Dirt

1. Make sure your trap is stabilized (not wobbly). Pack dirt around the outside of the trap, but do not pack dirt over the levers. You do not need to sift the dirt used outside the trap, but avoid sticks, stones, or large clods of hard dirt.

2. You should put a cover over the pan to keep dirt from getting under it. You can use a piece of wax paper crumpled into a ball, then straightened out. This softens the paper and keeps it from making a noise when the animal steps on it.

3. You must sift the dirt that covers the trap. This filters out any sticks, stones, or hard clods of dirt that might get caught in the trap jaws.