I can't seem to find a whole lot of info regarding the use footholds in blind sets... other than people that use them saying they're quite effective. How are these set up specifically? Bed them in a trail, lightly cover and walk away? Bed one in a trail up tight against a limb that's fallen across... any distance between suggested?? Bed in trail and put sticks vertically in a "V" near the trap? I just picked up some bridger 1.5 specials to try in some low thick coon trails. Ive got some MB550's i could use in more open trails where I think coyotes are traveling. It seems simple enough in my head until I get to thinking about ways to TRY and be selective on what is caught... or is trying to be selective with footholds in blind sets just wishful thinking outside of "small trail, small trap -- big trail, big trap"???

First select a narrow spot in the trail or make a narrow spot. Bed your trap solidly in the trail. If an animal misses the pan and steps on some other part of the trap and it wiggles, that critter might either spook or start digging.

The critter you're after dictates the trap covering. If you're trapping coons a light grass or leaf covering will do. I emphasize "light" too much vegetation to top of a trap can let the critter slip out of the jaws. For canines, cover the trap with dirt and spread a little loose dirt on the trail. A canine can get spooky if there is just one little fresh dirt spot in the trail -- and/or camouflage the trap bed well. I use a stepping stick laid across the trap to guide the animal's foot into the trap. With a coilspring trap, the levers are set parallel to the trail and I lay the stepping stick just outside the lever. Use a stick about as big as your finger. You can put a stick on either side of the trap if you like. As for exclusion, you can keep out small animals by tightening the pan tension, beyond that there is little you can do.

Now with all this said, the reason you don't hear much about footholds in trails these days is that bodygrip traps and snares tend to function better. However, in Ohio the largest bodygrip you can set on land is a 5X5. You can, however, use a snare.

Also, check your trails carefully. There are a whole lot of deer in Ohio, and they make a whole lot of trails. It's hard to keep a trap working in a deer trail.

Thank you, that sure helps paint the picture for me. When you say snares and bodygrips tend to "function better" what do you mean? At first I thought you were referring to footholds freezing down in the cold, then thought maybe you meant better odds... as in the odds of a head going through a properly set snare/b.g. are better than the odds of a foot hitting a pan. ???

You've got it.