On Thu, 09 May 2013 13:20:49 -0400, Dan Espen wrote:

Coyotes probably not an issue.
Rats, are an issue.
Feed a family of rats and find out how many you will have

I do appreciate the admonition, as experience trumps guessing.

I do have rats, although I just did a check of my traps for
you just now, and the only thing I found was a live lizard in
the furnace closet that I had to shoo out to keep it away from
the peanut butter in the otherwise empty traps.
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...0/12890521.gif

BTW, if my lessons learned are of any use, these traps that
I inherited from the previous owner are nearly useless:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12890550.jpg

That yellow plastic trigger has far too many false snaps,
especially while setting them (I've caught my finger more
than once in the damn things).

These all-steel trap mechanisms are much better (IMHO):
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...0/12890533.jpg

They have a much more securely held trigger that is much
easier to set. If I ever buy new rat traps (the previous owner
had dozens of them around the house), it's gonna be no plastic
for me! Lesson learned.