Baiting
- Thread starter Cougar Jim
- Start date
coyote_thumper
Active member
Spot: I would recommend against putting a wraith nightvision scope on any break-barrel air rifle. Those break barrel air rifles have nasty recoil from the piston in them accelerating forward and then slamming to a stop. Although it's not "BIG" recoil like a 300 win mag, it's a "SHARP" and intense recoil that can really tear stuff up. If you had a PCP air rifle, there is virtually zero recoil and you'd be fine shooting it all day long. But I personally wouldn't put anything electronic on a break barrel air rifle, besides maybe a cheap hunting light. But....if you do continue to do it and shoot rats....I'll enjoy watching the footage.
I recently shot a couple rats around my garden with my bolt .223, thermal scope, suppressed, 40 gr vmax at 3700 fps for a sub-20 yd shot. It was way overkill, but it worked! I need to catch up on videos and share them soon.
I recently shot a couple rats around my garden with my bolt .223, thermal scope, suppressed, 40 gr vmax at 3700 fps for a sub-20 yd shot. It was way overkill, but it worked! I need to catch up on videos and share them soon.
spotstalkshoot
Well-known member
I sighted the Wraith in shooting very well. Temps started at 12F dropped to 6F in 2 hrs. Rats didn't come out and move about like when it was 40F. I shot at 4, believe I hit 3(head) shot a medium sized skunk 3 times. But it ran off? Shots were 30-35 feet. I will see what Sightmark says about air rifle use. Haven't watched video for quality/content,yet. Hopefully warmer next trip.
Burnsome...
Active member
Nice shot Bait. That 22-250 puts 'em down
6mm06
Well-known member
Bait and Burn, good on the both of you.
I havenāt been on the forums much lately, but I have knocked down a couple with the new Infiray Bolt Tl35 and Vanguard 25-06. I was hoping for another quick show at the bait to do a video with more than one kill, but these coyotes are not behaving as they usually do. They usually return to the bait after three or four days, but not this season. I have hunted quite a bit and just canāt seem to meet up with them.
I had a 2-pointer (white tipped tail) make one appearance and havenāt seen it since. Then, there were two coming together on three occasions. Recently I dropped one that I am unsure of, if itās one of the pair or a totally different coyote. Night before last a coyote hit the bait but again, not sure if it was the mate or a different one. I am waiting for this rainy weather to ease up a little so I can resume hunting.
So far this season I have shot four and recovered three. That made only two unrecovered in the last 13 years.
I havenāt been on the forums much lately, but I have knocked down a couple with the new Infiray Bolt Tl35 and Vanguard 25-06. I was hoping for another quick show at the bait to do a video with more than one kill, but these coyotes are not behaving as they usually do. They usually return to the bait after three or four days, but not this season. I have hunted quite a bit and just canāt seem to meet up with them.
I had a 2-pointer (white tipped tail) make one appearance and havenāt seen it since. Then, there were two coming together on three occasions. Recently I dropped one that I am unsure of, if itās one of the pair or a totally different coyote. Night before last a coyote hit the bait but again, not sure if it was the mate or a different one. I am waiting for this rainy weather to ease up a little so I can resume hunting.
So far this season I have shot four and recovered three. That made only two unrecovered in the last 13 years.
Spurchaser
Well-known member
Okā¦without reading all 405 pagesā¦where do you bait and with what.
I had 3 different areas with cell cams monitoring the sites with one coyote for 1 pic out of 3 weeks.
Iāve tried dog food, cat food, table scraps, raw trimmings, etcā¦everything but something ānaturalā which could be my problem.
Also Iām baiting in areas Iāve either called and killed or trapped and caught. Whatās crazy is about the only thing that shows is a possum every few nights. Even heās not consistent.
Whatās crazier, in the past Iāve had coyotes show up multiple nights in a row feeding on peanuts out out for hogsā¦and I wasnāt into coyote hunting then, just trapping, lol!!
I had 3 different areas with cell cams monitoring the sites with one coyote for 1 pic out of 3 weeks.
Iāve tried dog food, cat food, table scraps, raw trimmings, etcā¦everything but something ānaturalā which could be my problem.
Also Iām baiting in areas Iāve either called and killed or trapped and caught. Whatās crazy is about the only thing that shows is a possum every few nights. Even heās not consistent.
Whatās crazier, in the past Iāve had coyotes show up multiple nights in a row feeding on peanuts out out for hogsā¦and I wasnāt into coyote hunting then, just trapping, lol!!
Burnsome...
Active member
Good to hear from you 6. Please post some videos when you can of your new scope. It has been a strange year down here in Georgia as well. They are acting a bit differently than usual with their patterns (if there is such a thing). That's one reason why I changed tactics and deployed the instant delivery of trail cam pictures so I can jump 3 feet in the air when they show up and grab the rifle and head out to try and intercept them.
Spur, I'm no expert as I've only been baiting for 11 or 12 years now. I cant replicate 405 pages of baiting posts, but my method is to throw out Ol' Roy dog food from Walmart as well as various other things like table scraps, occasionally sardines, and whatever else is available. I have a friend that swears by apple flavored corn. Never heard of that but I reckon it might work. I have 3 trail cams covering the bait site. I check them every morning. My StealthCam sends instant pictures from 5:30pm till 10:30pm to my phone and computer as those are my typical 'hunting hours'. It's a 'learned skill' IMO and takes time and patience and a lot of bait because I can assure you I have the best fed coons, possums, and foxes in this part of the state. I like to say sometimes I 'train them' to come in and partake of the bait but I guess there's still a lot of luck and patience on hunting them this way. They have a rather large territory they cover and they typically hang around for several days then disappear for several days and then return and repeat...
Actually, as I was typing this, two showed up and I went out after them. They apparently heard my approach and/or saw me and took off before I could get a shot off. I need to put some kind of a blind up to help me get into shooting position without blowing my cover. They'll be back...
Spur, I'm no expert as I've only been baiting for 11 or 12 years now. I cant replicate 405 pages of baiting posts, but my method is to throw out Ol' Roy dog food from Walmart as well as various other things like table scraps, occasionally sardines, and whatever else is available. I have a friend that swears by apple flavored corn. Never heard of that but I reckon it might work. I have 3 trail cams covering the bait site. I check them every morning. My StealthCam sends instant pictures from 5:30pm till 10:30pm to my phone and computer as those are my typical 'hunting hours'. It's a 'learned skill' IMO and takes time and patience and a lot of bait because I can assure you I have the best fed coons, possums, and foxes in this part of the state. I like to say sometimes I 'train them' to come in and partake of the bait but I guess there's still a lot of luck and patience on hunting them this way. They have a rather large territory they cover and they typically hang around for several days then disappear for several days and then return and repeat...
Actually, as I was typing this, two showed up and I went out after them. They apparently heard my approach and/or saw me and took off before I could get a shot off. I need to put some kind of a blind up to help me get into shooting position without blowing my cover. They'll be back...
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6mm06
Well-known member
Spurchaser, I mainly use meat scraps of one sort or another, some that have been in the freezer for a while, table scraps included. My son who lives at the farm also gives me old meat that has gone bad. Remains of a rotisserie chicken and the likes is good. Also any type of sausage can be rolled into small balls and scattered around. There is a meat market in a nearby town that gives me trimmings during deer hunting season. I cut the meat into small pieces, maybe an inch square more or less and place in gallon freezer bags and put in an old taxidermy freezer, for use when needed. Then I thaw a bag and scatter it about the bait site. One bag will last for maybe four or five times. Large pieces of bait like a leg bone will be carried off unless staked down, but by using smaller pieces the coyotes will generally keep their nose in the grass searching for the next tidbit. That gives me more time for a shot. As well, small pieces tend to not attract the birds such as crows and buzzards.
Burn, I have found that, in general when a coyote hits the bait he will not return the next night or two. Not sure why that is, and there are exceptions to that sometimes, but generally my best success for a return visit is two to four nights after the first hit. One time I stayed five consecutive nights at the shack and killed the coyote on the fifth night. Exceptions to this pattern are generally during cold and snow, where coyotes sometimes return the following night, particularly if I have a carcass staked down. I use the small pieces of bait probably 95% of the time.
I too run multiple cameras at the bait site. Currently I have two sites, in line with each other. The old site is 60 yards and the new one straight on around the hill past some brushy, grassy area is 82 yards. I did the 82 yard site due to the contour of the field wherein coyotes tend to travel naturally. I have cell cams at both sites as well as a regular trail camera set to record video at both locations. Running multiple cameras increase the odds of not missing a coyote visit. There have been multiple times when only one camera at a particular site got photos / videos. Go figure.
Successful baiting requires quite a bit of effort and time with keeping the site baited, checking cameras and planning. Cell cameras have greatly helped cut my time spent with traveling back and forth to the farm every day to pull SD cards. Generally I bait a short time before dark so as to lessen the birds finding the bait. Many times I would go to the farm, re-bait and pull SD cards, then travel the mile back home to check the cards on the computer, only to learn that a coyote was on the bait the previous night. Then I had to quickly pack my gear and get back to the farm and set up before dark. Cell cameras have helped me plan so much better.
Just thought I would share the way I go about it.
I haven't posted these photos until now.
This one was back in October, a male.
Will do a video later once I get another kill or two, hopefully. There is a coyote coming to the site fairly often now, so hoping this rainy weather will move on out so I can hunt a few nights.
Got this female on Dec. 4th.
Burn, I have found that, in general when a coyote hits the bait he will not return the next night or two. Not sure why that is, and there are exceptions to that sometimes, but generally my best success for a return visit is two to four nights after the first hit. One time I stayed five consecutive nights at the shack and killed the coyote on the fifth night. Exceptions to this pattern are generally during cold and snow, where coyotes sometimes return the following night, particularly if I have a carcass staked down. I use the small pieces of bait probably 95% of the time.
I too run multiple cameras at the bait site. Currently I have two sites, in line with each other. The old site is 60 yards and the new one straight on around the hill past some brushy, grassy area is 82 yards. I did the 82 yard site due to the contour of the field wherein coyotes tend to travel naturally. I have cell cams at both sites as well as a regular trail camera set to record video at both locations. Running multiple cameras increase the odds of not missing a coyote visit. There have been multiple times when only one camera at a particular site got photos / videos. Go figure.
Successful baiting requires quite a bit of effort and time with keeping the site baited, checking cameras and planning. Cell cameras have greatly helped cut my time spent with traveling back and forth to the farm every day to pull SD cards. Generally I bait a short time before dark so as to lessen the birds finding the bait. Many times I would go to the farm, re-bait and pull SD cards, then travel the mile back home to check the cards on the computer, only to learn that a coyote was on the bait the previous night. Then I had to quickly pack my gear and get back to the farm and set up before dark. Cell cameras have helped me plan so much better.
Just thought I would share the way I go about it.
I haven't posted these photos until now.
This one was back in October, a male.
Will do a video later once I get another kill or two, hopefully. There is a coyote coming to the site fairly often now, so hoping this rainy weather will move on out so I can hunt a few nights.
Got this female on Dec. 4th.
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Burnsome...
Active member
Awesome pics 6, and that's some mighty fine looking coyotes. Seem a bit bigger than the ones down my way
How's that thermal working out on your bolt gun? Eye relief a problem?
I'm thinking about picking up a 243 bolt gun for another night time platform
How's that thermal working out on your bolt gun? Eye relief a problem?
I'm thinking about picking up a 243 bolt gun for another night time platform
weekender
Well-known member
Congrats to BP and thanks for the video. Spur, I use deer and feral hog trimming scraps as well as carcasses. I have one site where I run a feeder with dog food but success on the dog food has been very limited. In areas that have feral hogs, the hog stuff works well for me. At another place with no hogs, hog parts don't do as well.
Really. I wouldn't have thought that would matter. Your coyotes must be more sophisticated than most
, some guys are using dog food????By the way, week, haven't seen the black coyote recently, or have I missed something?
spotstalkshoot
Well-known member
I put out 3 30-50# pigs at my brothers on Sunday. I wired them together to slow down a drag off. Have a wireless driveway alarm coming Thursday for the SIL she shed, turned hunting blind for the winter. Sliding window and potting(shooting) bench are installed. Solar charged lights and milk house heater(have to run a cord from light pole for heater) in place. I prefer road kill deer. I put one out at my hay farmers place today. If I could keep a steady large supply of muskrat carcass(frozen in 5 gal buckets with water) in the winter I would be set. In cold(freezing temps) the meatcicle last days to weeks and a lot lighter to pack in. I have 3 beaver in the freezer, will cut up and freeze, should be enough for a couple buckets. Slow getting going this year because of the wife's treatments.
coyote_thumper
Active member
spurchaser: One more thing I've noticed, for baiting to work, the coyotes need to be in the area. At my house I average about 15 coyotes per year. There are times where I put bait out and I get not a single animal for several weeks. Sometimes I put bait out and I get all sorts of animals EXCEPT coyotes. I sometimes quit baiting, or ignore the alarms for a while if my game cameras show that no coyotes have been coming through.
Once I suspect coyote activity, or see it on the cameras, I will try to put some bait out. With fresh coyote activity on the cams, and bait, I often (but not always) will get a coyote or two within a week. Then sometimes I go into another dry spell....
Once I suspect coyote activity, or see it on the cameras, I will try to put some bait out. With fresh coyote activity on the cams, and bait, I often (but not always) will get a coyote or two within a week. Then sometimes I go into another dry spell....
6mm06
Well-known member
Burn, the new thermal is doing OK, I think. I am running it on black hot since that allows me to see the surrounding area better than on white hot. Seems that white hot shows the ground too dark. Also, I am not crazy about the reticle selection, though not bad. I like a small center dot. However, there is a reticle upload available that can be modified with a dot, so I hope to do that and see how it looks. My son will have to help with that.
Spurchaser
Well-known member
We donāt have a high coyote population which is part of the issue.
As far as hogs, our pigs will rot sometimes because buzzards wonāt even touch them. Iāve put cams on boars, sows, even piglets and itās either the buzzards eat them or nothing eats them.
Iāve never seen finicky coyotes, but we have them or plenty of game for them to be choosy.
As far as hogs, our pigs will rot sometimes because buzzards wonāt even touch them. Iāve put cams on boars, sows, even piglets and itās either the buzzards eat them or nothing eats them.
Iāve never seen finicky coyotes, but we have them or plenty of game for them to be choosy.