Baiting

Spot, looks like a missile hit that last one.


Well, last night was a good one. I took two coyotes, both females, from the shack. Yesterday morning around 8:00 AM or so, a coyote showed up at the bait site, left and returned around noon. Naturally I decided to stay the night at the shack. I arrived early, shortly after 3:00 PM to get settled in and hoping it would return before dark to give a daytime kill and video via the 4k Pro. It showed up just after dark. I pulled the trigger at 6:50 PM. The coyote dropped on the spot from the 55 gr. Blitz King out of the 6mm Remington. I pushed the record button and it began recording, but I went into menu to make a change and apparently that disconnected recording, so I didn't get video of that one.

Sometime later a bobcat and red fox showed up. The fox wanted a meal but the cat kept him away. The fox scolded him, barked at him for quite a while. The cat finally left and the fox got a bite. Then at 3:15 AM I squeezed the trigger once again. A second coyote had come to the bait, but as I was preparing to shoot, she left, trotting off. I tried to stop her but she kept going so I took the shot, hitting her a little too far back. She required a second shot which took care of business. I got a short video of this one.

We have had about 10 inches total of snow lately, and 0 temps for a few days. The road kill bait apparently was a magnet as crows and buzzards got on it in short order, but that only helped to open it up and make it more enticing.

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Awesome job 06 and great video once again. I did like the narration on the video, nice touch. Glad the action is picking up a little bit here on the baiting thread. This year kind of seems everybody has been a little slow. Must be El Nino' or something...
Congrats on the double!
 
We often chat about conditions that spur coyote activity. I'm in a blind near a hayfield tonight. It's been warm for here, ground is wet. Hoping a nearby coyote doesn't want muddy feet and slips in before heavy fog. There is a shelter belt 300 yards away. I can see something, coyote,deer, raccoon size in the trees. Not moving, so probably not raccoon. Watching before calling, because it is very calm. Most animals will peg your location very accurately when it's calm winds.
 
Will I had one coyote run by about 75'? Away couldn't get on him with a small window on that side. I see mice moving about in the very short cut hay. Still watching that tree plant. Figured out what pushed the coyote by me, hayfield owner came out in a loader to load a semi truck for Saturday delivery. Bad timing.
 
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This could get long. Last night I decided to head out about an hour early of some recent camera activity. As I walked in, I saw thru the thermal a coyote already at the bait. I had a slight wind protection, moon not up. I made it to the blind, about 125 yards from the bait. Coyote facing away. I decided to get in the blind, since my tripod height was set for a seated shot. The coyote walked away as I opened up the blind,rifle ready on the tripod, I'm not sure if a odd wind shift or noise was the issue. The coyote appeared to walk over a low hill and than lay down. I didn't think it was a problem, just be some time for the coyote to come back. About 1/2 hour later the fog started to push in( much earlier than weather report). I decided to wait out the fog, it's now about 10pm. I had planned on leaving about 11 pm. I got stubborn and stayed 12,1,2,3,4 am. My phone on vibrate woke me up, my wife wondering if I was alright. As we are talking I hear coyote from several directions,FREEZING fog has greatly diminished. After our talk I fired up the scanner in time to see 2 coyote moving away from the field a quarter mile away. I thought ok they are moving around. 15 minutes later I noticed what looks like 2 coyote(deer?) had found a spot to lay down under some large pine trees 300 yards upwind. I thought about stalking for abit and decided to try calling. I went with a mouse squeaker. No reaction, I figured deer would at least raise their head. I grabbed the Fox Pro and selected some female coyote vocalizations. Cycled the volume up/down a couple times and shut it down. No movement from the 2 hot spots under the pines. Rifle was ready, thermal on. The skies had been clearing as the fog abated, moon up. I noticed movement about 60 feet in front of the rifle. Coyote moving broadside, I found it in the thermal. Switched the safety off on the AR. The coyote stopped, looking at the blind. I put the dot middle body, slightly back from the shoulder. Broke the shot, coyote twists and rolls down the drainage ditch bank out of sight. It leaves blood visible to the thermal. I looked out all the windows, don't see it with the scanner or my bare eyes. I look back at the pines, both hot spots still in place. I waited about 10 minutes and quietly exited with the rifle/tripod. Looked in the ditch, nothing either direction. I got my headlamp out, kept the beam down on the ice in the ditch. I see blood follow it a short ways until it comes up the bank, goes in the woods northeast of the blind. I decided to sneak up on the 2. As I cross the field, I noticed just how bright the moon is and the freezing fog had made walking very crunchy. When I'm 50 feet from a shooting position the 2 coyote moved off slowly thru the trees. I decided to hike the 3/4 mile to the truck, go home sleep a hour or so and return with my Vizsla and a shotgun. The ground frost is melting fast, like rain falling from the trees. My Vizsla tries to track but loses the track once in the trees. I whoa him at the last blood. And I walked along the drainage ditch looking for blood at a crossing. I see the coyote walking downwind of the my dog, out of buckshot range in the neighbors pasture. No safe legal shot. I see light blood on the side I shot at. Then it's gone out of sight in the grass. 32 gr vmax out of the 20p, I doubt there was any penetration past the ribs, NOT what I was expecting since I intentionally stayed off the shoulder.
 
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Good, detailed report, Spot. Sorry things didn’t work as you hoped. However, you gave it a very good effort.

I am at the shack tonight and on my iphone, stayed last night too. Had a coyote at the bait two nights ago. Have seen red and gray fox, and possum. Have a fresh road kill out. It’s going on 1:00 AM now so I still have a few hopeful hours left. It’s a quiet night so far, temp is 41 outside and 73 inside. Using the Ruger American Predator 6mm Rem. and 4k Pro digital tonight, and the new Wraith illuminator I got from the UK. This thing is bright and blows away all the other illuminators I have tried. Have my Grendel and thermal with me as a backup. Would be nice to get another coyote or two before I end my season sometime in March.
 
Well, I'm assuming you didn't get paydirt last night 06 since I didn't get a text. Maybe tonight? It is shaping up to be a good season for you with a month left and fresh bait out. Coyotes are amazing. I haven't had a single coyote to hit my bait site since June. I've heard a few at night and even saw a couple crossing the field but no takers in spite of two road kills that I have put out and baiting with chicken scraps every night. Never seen a year like this one in the past 13 years that I have been baiting. February has historically been my best month on the bait, but it isn't shaping up to be any better than the rest of the year now. I'll keep at it, and maybe one will show up at some point. Sure glad I learned how to go calling years back and have access to a lot of land.
 
DU it's not just you. I shot 11 last year at the new lease bait and have not shot any this year. I have only had a couple one off drive by's.
 
Same here on quiet bait. I've only killed two this baiting season, and both were daylight coyotes with conventional glass. Lol, lots of cash wrapped up in thermal. I do call, but the bait is 24/7. Good stuff, no matter the outcome!!
Stay after em!
bait
 
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No luck last night, though I did have some fun and scared the britches off a red and gray fox with that little siren / revolving red light. 2-3 seconds of that and they practically turned inside out retreating.

12 is the most coyotes I have taken in a season. One year I got 8, last year 5, and 6 so far for this season. Would be nice to get a couple more before I call it quits in March.
 
I went back to the scene of the complete fail by the 20 cal 32 gr vmax. Fog was supposed to roll in by 10pm. Freezing fog has been a coyote blocker, so I was in the blind early(5:30pm). I went back to the 40 gr Berger bthp in the 20p. A couple rds as a zero check yesterday. 7:10 a coyote entered the field from same direction as the other night. Seemed to be moving slowly, wind quartering from behind the coyote. I thought this could be the same one. I got on the rifle right away, thinking if it stops broadside, take the shot. It did stop at 150 ish yards. I shot slightly forward of my normal hold, just in case there was a wound already present. The Berger 40 gr hp did what they all have,drt. Large male, probably pushing 40 lbs. At least it felt that way carrying it, rifle,tripod and pack close to 1/2mile to truck.
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