Baiting

Good evening gentlemen. Had some more luck tonight. A good thing now that temps are warming up a bunch. March has always been my strong month on the bait, but so far, this year has been a banner year all winter. Hoping March holds true to other years. This one is a small female again at the 170 yd site. DRT again with the .22-250 pushing a 45 gr Spitzer at about 3800 fps. The fur on this one is still good, so we'll skin this one out.
j2-28-18170 (1) by jrhranch, on Flickr
j2-28-18170 (2) by jrhranch, on Flickr

6mm, glad to hear you got out to the cabin!!! They'll be in, stay after em.
DU, we are whackin em and stackin em!!
driller, thanks! I bet you will have some luck if they are in the area! I'm starting to wonder if my March has always been good due to the stink. As these baits start to thaw as the weather warms up...oh man...do they stink!!! I wonder if that doesn't help draw them in from a bit further out. Just a hypothesis I guess.
Keep killin guys!!!
 
Nice yote, BP and you are right about the bait piles getting stinky. When the wind blows from just the right direction at my place, the stench will just about take your breath away. (Note to self - next year move bait pile further down wind from house!)
 
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Great job Baitpile. You are really having a great year.

The early months of each year have been my strong time also. I seem to consistently kill more from January through March.

About your theory, it does seem to make sense that the warmer weather and smell could only have a positive effect on drawing them in.
 
Coyotes still no hitting the bait. I was able to get some confirmation that they are feasting on rabbits as I previously thought AND they are feasting on turkeys. Checking around the back 40 confirms it. Never had as much bait out at one time as I do now and still nothing ..... just need to have patience.
 

DD, it does require patience, that's for sure. I have had so many coyotes that do one-night-stands. They visit one night and then are gone until who knows when, sometimes days, weeks and even months before they return.

A classic example of the one-night-stand are the coyotes that have been coming to my site lately. Lefty made an appearance on February 28 and hasn't been back since. The camera got one video of him. One-Eye visits less frequently and he too is nervous and generally I get one or two videos of him before he is gone. Haven't seen him in a while now.

Hunting like this is so difficult.
 
I experience visits like 6mm06 all the time, one and done is the norm for coyotes near me. If you don't check the camera everyday you can get burned.

With everything but coyote closed the alarm is off once we go to bed unless I'm getting coyote visits. (wife gets a little peeved getting woken up 10 times an night and so do I). Who would have thought every time I shoot a opossum 2 more would show up.

Finally had my second coyote of the season at the bait. The timing is impeccable, I usually check my camera every day, I didn't Friday morning as we got hit with bunch of snow and was lazy Saturday morning and had to work. So being lazy cost me cause he was there the last three nights. As soon as you let your guard down it happens. I would bet this is only the second time all year I've gone more than a day without checking, usually it's every morning. Hopefully he'll be back.



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Originally Posted By: pmack If you don't check the camera everyday you can get burned. As soon as you let your guard down it happens. I would bet this is only the second time all year I've gone more than a day without checking, usually it's every morning. Hopefully he'll be back.


Exactly. When I first started baiting, and for a few years after, I checked the cameras and replenished bait daily. It paid off. Now that I have taken a part-time job, plus a very rainy early spring that didn't allow for suitable hunting weather, as well as taking care of family, the coyotes have visited unscathed. I think I am on the verge of losing the edge I get early each spring with an increase of coyote visits.

 
It's what keeps us all coming back year after year!!!! I think I've been baiting now going on 15 years. For me, its better than the casino!!!! I'm always waiting to hit the jackpot on the bait pile!! Fun stuff!!!
 

Well, Lefty returned again last night, though scared as heck of the trail camera. I need to get a no-glow. He did linger long enough for three videos. Even though I have a sinus infection and am coughing and hacking, I decided to stay at the cabin tonight where I am at the moment. I left some good tidbits for him tonight. I am hoping for an X-Sight moment tonight.
 
David I'm in the same mode. I threw out some fresh scraps, moved in another camera to video, he seemed fine with the IR flash so I hope light from the video won't discourage him.
 
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You lucky, lucky Sunday hunters. Hoping ya'll get a shot tonight. After getting through a rainy spell and enduring the really bad winds from Reily last week, I have to get back out this week. Just put fresh bait on the pile. Your right BP, the whole bait and wait game does seems a lot like gambling. If time is money, how long can you sit at the table? I guess we're all trying to beat the odds...
 
Just picked up 6 beaver carcass' to try a "treat" on my piles. I've never used beaver before, but sounds like it is kind of known as the "coyote candy". We have a winter storm rolling in on us right now with 4-8" of snow coming and high winds. So, I better get those out and sit back.Good luck pmack, hoping you snag that one!!! 6mm, also hoping you scored last night!! Let us know!! Keep after em and good luck all!!!
 
6mm06 you are right patience is required.
pmack nice pics.
I have not had my camera out this winter at all and have been relying on the coyotes sounding off out back to clue me in as to when they are around and based on times from years past 3-4 in the morning has been pretty constant. They are also around other times because of yapping earlier in the evening just not as constant and will very. The Camera will give me a better clue whats out there. The moon Saturday night was still good enough to see and I did have a fox come about 3:15... let it go. Went to bed after that ...these late nights catch up with you after a while.
Last night we had a little fresh snow and a trip down the road this morning showed some fresh coyote tracks right in where the rabbits have been thick also had a track across the top of my drive close to the house. Things are starting to get the feel like they are getting comfortable again....almost like right before I shot the big female the other week. After that things shut right down ......I can feel an opening coming up at some point soon keeping my fingers crossed.
 

No luck on coyotes last night, but I did bust another skunk around 2:40 this morning. Lefty has been pretty regular with visiting in the early night, generally before before 11:00 PM. I hope my shot didn't scare any coyotes away but I figured I was running out of time, so let the stinker have it. I'll post some video later.

UPDATE: Well, looks like my skunk video last night didn't record for some reason. I purchased a new 16gb card but the video didn't record. My old 4gb one records easily. Not sure if the new card is defective or what happened. A few minutes ago I tried to record a video through the scope inside the house. The scope showed that it is recording but the card won't recognize that any video is there. Not sure what to make of it, and I lost a good skunk video. Just glad it wasn't a coyote, so for now at least I'm going to use the 4gb until I find out what's wrong.


 
Skunks are extremely predacious on eggs of the ground nesters,like quail, pheasant,and turkey. I shoot them when I can, but have not seen any while hunting for two years now. 6mm, thanks for saving a flock.
Hate to ask, but did you format the new card before using it? I have forgot to do that a time or two.
 
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Man I’m loving this thread. I killed another yote last night. Had about a two week dry spell due to my work schedule. Had a big male coming about every other night. Did have three yotes coming until he showed up and dominated the bait. 22 mag in the chest at 40 yards took care of that. Only have till the 15th to hunt here so maybe I can squeeze one more in. Keep killin boys.
 
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