How to Make a Blind Set with a Foothold

One of the oldest, simplest, and most effective sets available to the trapper is the blind set.  When making a set with bait and lure it requires the animal to have interest in it, whether it be out of hunger or just pure curiosity.  With a blind set the animal doesn’t need to be hungry nor curious, as you are just setting in it’s natural travel ways.     

“With a blind set the animal doesn’t need to be hungry nor curious, as you are just setting in it’s natural travel ways.     ”

Another reason why blind sets with footholds are great on the water line is the fact that they are great at catching multiple furbearers.  They often yield muskrat, raccoon, mink, otter, and once and awhile a stray beaver.  There are many ways you can do blind sets with footholds as the opportunities present themselves on the trapline.  Below are some of the common blind sets used by trappers, but don’t limit yourself to them.  Try to continually study the furbearer you’re trapping and learn how and where they travel.  This knowledge will yield more fur than any “secret” lure formula or new trap on the market.

Boone setting a Bridger #1.5 along a bridge wall.

One of my favorite ways to make a blind set is to set the trap next to a concrete wall inside of a bridge if the water isn’t very deep. If the water is only a few inches in depth most animals will hug the wall when traveling through. You also can smear some bait or lure on the bridge wall making it a “smear set/blind set combo. This set works well for trapping mink, raccoon, otter, and muskrats.

An Illustration of a Blind Set placed Underneath of an Overhanging Bank 

Overhanging banks as seen above are a great to run blind sets. The animals will work the pockets and crevices underneath of a bank looking for food. No bait or lure is needed in situations like these as the furbearer naturally works these areas.

A foothold guarding the mouth of a culvert.

Another great blind set location is when culverts have an inch or two of water in them. A foothold trap placed inside of it can yield fur check after check. Depending on the size of the culvert, you will catch muskrats, raccoon, mink, and possibly an otter.