Squirrels are clever creatures and will figure out the location of bait used in traps.  Squirrels will usually avoid traps that have recently killed at least one squirrel. Once they learn about the trap, it's difficult to revive old or new habits because squirrels can also remember locations for safety purposes. Bottom Line - It's important to change your trap location often. If you keep your trap in the same place, eventually there may be too many "dead zones" near it.