Baiting

I got a question in regards to baiting and lights. So I’m going with a family member in January to a friends ranch. They have a little bait sight 300 yards from the house where they dump deer guts and dead cows when they die.

We plan to day call during the days. But was thinking shooting coyotes at night off the bait would be fun. Being that I don’t own a thermal. I was wondering if a guy could set up a red sensor light or something near the bait that would turn on when a coyote comes. Would that work or will it spook coyotes when the light goes on?
 
Ermine, my guess is the light will spook the coyotes. Even the red glow from trail camera infrared will spook some of them, though others aren’t bothered by it.

You don’t need thermal, though it’s nice. If you have or can acquire a good digital scope, then you could make that work.

Three hundred yards at night is a long way, but doable. Any way to cut that distance?
 
6mm06 said:
Ermine, my guess is the light will spook the coyotes. Even the red glow from trail camera infrared will spook some of them, though others aren’t bothered by it.

You don’t need thermal, though it’s nice. If you have or can acquire a good digital scope, then you could make that work.

Three hundred yards at night is a long way, but doable. Any way to cut that distance?
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Yea that was my guess too on the lights. Yea we can close the distance and get a closer shot forsure. Was just thinking from the house would disturb them the least for getting other ones.
 
My bait site is only 60 yards from a little shack I stay in when I hunt, and I kill several coyotes there.

Here is a cheap example of what I built, and will give you something to consider. I haven’t used this outfit so don’t know about the quality, but there are several different versions available on Ebay. The ad says it includes a scope, but I think they mean a camera. You provide your own rifle scope. This unit just attaches behind your scope.

www.ebay.com

Bestsight DIY Digital Night Vision Scope for Rifle with Camera and 5" Portable Display Screen - Black for sale online | eBay

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Ermine, here is an example of my home made outfit. I have about $230 in it, but that was several years ago. Distance was 60 yards. I needed to rotate the camera a little and straighten up the crosshairs.

 
A red light at the bait will work, but should be in place well in advance so the coyote will be conditioned to it. Could take days or weeks. And if there is poor weather you may not be able to see. 300 yards at night is not an easy shot at night, whether night vision/thermal or full moon/traditional scope. You can rent thermal scopes, setup a blind 150 yards away, stay most of the night and shoot in most weather conditions.
 
spotstalkshoot said:
A red light at the bait will work, but should be in place well in advance so the coyote will be conditioned to it. Could take days or weeks. And if there is poor weather you may not be able to see. 300 yards at night is not an easy shot at night, whether night vision/thermal or full moon/traditional scope. You can rent thermal scopes, setup a blind 150 yards away, stay most of the night and shoot in most weather conditions.
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Yea forsure. If they are there can sneak out and get within 150-200. I guess it’s just knowing if they are out there or not
 
That's when a cellular game cam is handy, or patience and a comfortable blind. Moving in on coyote is tough, even at night, anything out of the ordinary will send them off.
 
Good luck on your hunt Ermine. Hope you bag a few

The burnsome crew had a little action around 8pm last night when 2 came into the bait pile area. Lead dog (female) was pretty skittish and got spooked by the trail cameras but the big male didnt seem to have a care, until he did...

They have been hitting the bait pile fairly regularly on a weekly basis and the last 4 days started coming in earlier and earlier in the evening. Figured it was time to start hunting and it worked out well.

Was my first outing with a suppressed 300 Blackout SBR AR using 190gr Sub-X Hornady ammunition. Sighted the gun in last week with an AGM Adder TS35-384. Conditions were about 90% humidity. The scope gets the job done, but doesnt quite have the detail I'm accustomed to with the BO Super Hogster. I compensate by scanning with the BO Phenom 640 (where I spend 98% of my time behind anyway...). At the price point, the Adder does pretty good and I'm guessing will do even better when the humidity isnt so high. The only thing I'm not crazy about is the "brightness" of the reticle. Cant find any adjustment to make it brighter so might try green instead of red next time and see if that helps. You can see a possum climbing a tree behind the kill zone in the video link below.

Was sort of reluctant to try the subsonic Blackout loads as I've read shot placement must be about perfect for them to work efficiently putting game down, but it certainly worked well on my first outing with it. He went down on the spot. Interestingly, I could not find either an entry or exit hole when I checked it thoroughly this morning so that's kind of a mystery to me.

The Blackout (I call it the WACKOUT) is very quiet and sometimes I prefer to be really quiet when its prudent depending upon location.

Wacked out Coyote
 

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WTG Burn! Nice looking coyote. I'm toying with the idea of an Adder as well. Have looked through them and played with them a bit, but still thinking. My Rattler has been solid! I'm sure the humidity didn't do you any favors...
 
One more at the deadpit this morning. Nothing super glamorous about this one. Took the tractor out to see what kind of activity is there these days not expecting anything. Upon cresting the hill I spied 6 coyotes hightailing it through the hills. As I went to turnaround a young coyote slipped out of the pit unaware that the tractor that usually brought food now contained danger.
Quickly setting up the rifle the coyote walked up the dirt mound to see what I was doing. With a tremendous WHOPP he tumbled off the top of the hill.
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6mm06 said:
Actually is a pretty good looking coyote. I like those salt / pepper colored ones.

What rifle is that, Yota?
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It's color isn't bad but for this time of year it's fur was pretty patchy and rough. The angle of the picture sure makes him look ok now that I look again.
The rifle is a tikka action and trigger with a krg x ray chassis and Ibi barrel chambered in 6mm creedmoor. It's mainly my long range target gun but being in a coyote caliber it has been my bait gun for this year
 
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