Baiting
- Thread starter Cougar Jim
- Start date
weekender
Well-known member
This coyote has my number. He also has a master's degree in survival. We stayed last night and he was a no show. We deer hunted today till dark, packed up and left camp about 6:10 pm.
The coyote came in at 6:24, just after we left. I don't give up easy, and he will learn that, hopefully the hard way.
The coyote came in at 6:24, just after we left. I don't give up easy, and he will learn that, hopefully the hard way.
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6mm06
Well-known member
My experience in bait hunting is “generally” this: Coyote hits the bait tonight but won’t be back tomorrow night. There’s a chance he may return the third night, and probably a better chance of the fourth or even fifth night. Two seasons ago I killed him by staying five consecutive nights at the shack, and got him on the fifth night. I generally plan on staying three consecutive nights and have had pretty good success with that method. Having said all that, i have had a coyote on the bait and not had a return for a solid month and everywhere in between. Still, my best success seems to be on the third or fourth night after he hits the bait.
Burnsome...
Active member
Originally Posted By: 6mm06
My experience in bait hunting is “generally” this: Coyote hits the bait tonight but won’t be back tomorrow night. There’s a chance he may return the third night, and probably a better chance of the fourth or even fifth night. Two seasons ago I killed him by staying five consecutive nights at the shack, and got him on the fifth night. I generally plan on staying three consecutive nights and have had pretty good success with that method. Having said all that, i have had a coyote on the bait and not had a return for a solid month and everywhere in between. Still, my best success seems to be on the third or fourth night after he hits the bait.
I'm glad u posted that observation there 6. I agree and that is my take as well...
I'll also agree that sometimes they just swing by and then disappear for a month or so, and then return...sometimes
It's quite the waiting game but once they get hooked to the temptation of a free meal, they come in usually on the 3rd or 4th night and not the 2nd night. That's the open window opportunity from my experience anyway.
If there was anything I could add, it would be that when the number increases from 1 loner, the pace ticks up a bit. When there's 2 that hit my bait pile, they tend to come back more regularly. When there's 2 (or more) then they come even more regularly.
My experience in bait hunting is “generally” this: Coyote hits the bait tonight but won’t be back tomorrow night. There’s a chance he may return the third night, and probably a better chance of the fourth or even fifth night. Two seasons ago I killed him by staying five consecutive nights at the shack, and got him on the fifth night. I generally plan on staying three consecutive nights and have had pretty good success with that method. Having said all that, i have had a coyote on the bait and not had a return for a solid month and everywhere in between. Still, my best success seems to be on the third or fourth night after he hits the bait.
I'm glad u posted that observation there 6. I agree and that is my take as well...
I'll also agree that sometimes they just swing by and then disappear for a month or so, and then return...sometimes
It's quite the waiting game but once they get hooked to the temptation of a free meal, they come in usually on the 3rd or 4th night and not the 2nd night. That's the open window opportunity from my experience anyway.
If there was anything I could add, it would be that when the number increases from 1 loner, the pace ticks up a bit. When there's 2 that hit my bait pile, they tend to come back more regularly. When there's 2 (or more) then they come even more regularly.
6mm06
Well-known member
I have tried to consider why coyotes generally don’t return the second or even third nights sometimes while knowing there’s food available. My reasoning is that perhaps they may not need to eat every day. Perhaps mother nature allows them to go without food for a few days. No doubt catching or finding a meal is not always possible every day, so maybe they are programmed to go a little longer without eating. I don’t know that to be true, but just a thought for conversation.
Softpoint
Active member
06, have you ever tried to use some coyote vocals around your bait station to bring them in? Would be interesting to see if they are in the area or have moved away for a few days. Even if you only get howls back and not a bait station visit you'll know more about their behavior.
I've tried vocals only, distress calls only and both together. Seems that the combo of both works best. My next experiment will be using a combination including bait.
I wonder if lack of urgency to eat due to lack of competition and plentiful food supplies causes the multi day delays in returns? I've had one visit in the last 35 days at the home bait station. I get responses from coyote vocals less than a 1/4 a mile away.
Makes me wonder??? lol
I've tried vocals only, distress calls only and both together. Seems that the combo of both works best. My next experiment will be using a combination including bait.
I wonder if lack of urgency to eat due to lack of competition and plentiful food supplies causes the multi day delays in returns? I've had one visit in the last 35 days at the home bait station. I get responses from coyote vocals less than a 1/4 a mile away.
Makes me wonder??? lol
6mm06
Well-known member
Softpoint, yes I have tried vocals at the bait site a few times to no avail. Also, recently there was a coyote on a ridge a short distance from the shack (cell camera confirmed) but did not come to the bait site. This has happened on two or three separate occasions. The last coyote at my bait was on November 12. Year before last it was like a steady stream of coyotes coming to the bait, and last season a pretty good amount too, though slightly less than the previous year. This year it’s been very slow. I have only taken two since August.
Hey for any and all of you that use a driveway alarm on your bait pile...do you do anything to block the light that is emitted when the alarm is triggered? I use a Chamberlain and it works great and I don't THINK I've had problems with the little green light spooking them but I'm not necessarily sure of that. I killed 15 off that bait last year and usually have double digits each winter but I got to thinking that maybe it's spooking some and I'm not aware of it. Sometimes I do go up to my shooting spot and nothing is there for example. Anyway...just curious if anyone deals with that somehow. Thanks in advance.
baitpile
Active member
SRM,
Yes. I pop the circuit board out and use high temp (red) RTV over the little LED light on the board. I think I posted some pics of that last year when we were discussing it. It works great. The reason for the high temp is not heat, but rather the red color so the light doesn't go through it.
This is a must for me on all my sensors because I have seen reactions to the little light when tripped.
Hope that helps...
Yes. I pop the circuit board out and use high temp (red) RTV over the little LED light on the board. I think I posted some pics of that last year when we were discussing it. It works great. The reason for the high temp is not heat, but rather the red color so the light doesn't go through it.
This is a must for me on all my sensors because I have seen reactions to the little light when tripped.
Hope that helps...
wildflights
Active member
I don't do anything to block the red light although I do think it spooks some. Often the false alarms are bats flying around the sensors. I know that the old Primos trail cameras scared the crap out of coyotes when the LEDs lit up. The glow from those LEDs was much brighter than my other trail cams. Somewhere around here I have video of coyotes having a severe reaction to the PRimos cams.
Haven't posted in awhile as I've been wiped out working long days. I'm up to 19 around the bait sites for the year. Sorry but this is kind of a video dump post.
#19 was killed running off with a piece of bait. 185 yards. I've been playing with the contrast and brightness hoping to improve the image. Right at the end I switch to black hot (well after the shot). Pulsar Trail 2 XQ50.
https://rumble.com/v1z9lkq-209-19.html
#18 is at the 90 yard bait site. Shot with thermal at noon. He's right on the edge of setting off the alarm and was spotted out the kitchen window while cooking lunch.
https://rumble.com/v1yig30-208-18.html
#17 is working over a carcass put out for them. It's pretty ripe and the maggots glow brighter than the coyote. This is the second of a pair that came in together during the day. I got the female (#16), missed the male. The video is later that night when he came back. 160 yards.
https://rumble.com/v1nbhiw-193-17.html
No video of #16 since she was shot with a standard scoped rifle.
Haven't posted in awhile as I've been wiped out working long days. I'm up to 19 around the bait sites for the year. Sorry but this is kind of a video dump post.
#19 was killed running off with a piece of bait. 185 yards. I've been playing with the contrast and brightness hoping to improve the image. Right at the end I switch to black hot (well after the shot). Pulsar Trail 2 XQ50.
https://rumble.com/v1z9lkq-209-19.html
#18 is at the 90 yard bait site. Shot with thermal at noon. He's right on the edge of setting off the alarm and was spotted out the kitchen window while cooking lunch.
https://rumble.com/v1yig30-208-18.html
#17 is working over a carcass put out for them. It's pretty ripe and the maggots glow brighter than the coyote. This is the second of a pair that came in together during the day. I got the female (#16), missed the male. The video is later that night when he came back. 160 yards.
https://rumble.com/v1nbhiw-193-17.html
No video of #16 since she was shot with a standard scoped rifle.
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Thank you bp...not sure I fully understand the remedy you're describing but I'll try and find those pics you mentioned. I have heard people put tape over the light but what I just can't figure out is how that doesn't block the sensor from working. I'm a little ignorant about such things so I may be missing something.
baitpile
Active member
Srm,
That light that shows through the sensor screen is a little LED on the circuit board inside the unit. That light tells you that the sensor is tripping. I take the screws out and split the sensor open to expose the circuit board. Then I remove the tiny screws that hold the circuit board to expose the LED on the front side of the board. I carefully cover that little LED on the board with the RTV. reassemble and good to go.
That light that shows through the sensor screen is a little LED on the circuit board inside the unit. That light tells you that the sensor is tripping. I take the screws out and split the sensor open to expose the circuit board. Then I remove the tiny screws that hold the circuit board to expose the LED on the front side of the board. I carefully cover that little LED on the board with the RTV. reassemble and good to go.
baitpile
Active member
Srm,
That light that shows through the sensor screen is a little LED on the circuit board inside the unit. That light tells you that the sensor is tripping. I take the screws out and split the sensor open to expose the circuit board. Then I remove the tiny screws that hold the circuit board to expose the LED on the front side of the board. I carefully cover that little LED on the board with the RTV. reassemble and good to go.
That light that shows through the sensor screen is a little LED on the circuit board inside the unit. That light tells you that the sensor is tripping. I take the screws out and split the sensor open to expose the circuit board. Then I remove the tiny screws that hold the circuit board to expose the LED on the front side of the board. I carefully cover that little LED on the board with the RTV. reassemble and good to go.
6mm06
Well-known member
Maine, I use the same as baitpile does. I believe he is the one who put me on to that idea. I have definitely noticed that the light scares coyotes. It took me some time to figure out what was happening with them jumping and running off, but I later learned that once the sensor is triggered and the light illuminates, the coyotes would get scared.
Here's the easy fix:
Wherever the light is located on your particular unit, just cover it with the red RTV. In this case, I have a blue arrow pointing to where the light is located.
Just cover it good.
For any glimmer of light that might be left, I cover the outside too, then place a piece of electrician's tape over it.
Problem Solved !