Baiting

[upinthemud]

was out driving around today and seen a coyote that had to top the scale at least 45lbs today. my dog weighs 43lbs and this this thing would tower over her. I just wish I had my camera with me. season is out here except for on your own land. I know where I am hunting next season and a good spot for a bait pile....

also does anyone know what happened to the google search engine that we had on here? posted twice about it and the post keep disappearing??? just wondering

 

[Wallbass45]

Look right above your last post!

LOL

 

[6mm06]

Well, looks like that coyote has outsmarted me the whole winter. I congratulate him on his shyness and intelligence. He hasn't or wouldn't respond to the call, and he has and continues to be skiddish on the bait. He quit coming for a while, and now only comes occasionally.

I don't have as much time to hunt as I need to, combined with some bad weather this year - well, you get the picture.

But, I will say this, I have enjoyed the heck out of this winter with getting good trail camera photos of several animals - a bobcat, gray fox, red fox, raccoon, skunk and coyote, as well as crows, buzzards, ravens and hawks.

I've had a great time looking at both red and gray fox through the night vision scope, but had to let them pass since we can't bait them here for the purpose of hunting. Nonetheless, it was exciting and a lot of pleasure with just watching them.

I ended the season with one cow patty-raiding skunk with the night vision, so all was not lost.

There's a lot more to the outdoors than killing, and I've had a great winter that I consider a success. The planning, thoughts and photos, plus the night vision has made this a great one, as well as reading the posts you guys have done.

Next winter I hope to have a permanent blind, heated and more comfortable and have some time to relax a bit and enjoy. Maybe that coyote will meet his match next season, and I plan to try some calling for those fox while using the night vision scope and see how that goes.

I may continue to try for the coyote for a while longer this season, but mainly now just enjoy obtaining trail camera photos and knowing the animals are there.

This has been a very enjoyable thread and glad you got it started, Jim.

Here are some photos from last night.

 

[duckstopper]

I set out some bait in a new area, just to find out what was there(season is closed). Here's a couple critters that showed up several times in the four days I had my camera out.

 

[Scalloper]

Yesterday I dicided to turn my light off that shines on my bait pile. At 12:30am my alarm went off. I got set up for the shot and turned on my, Kill Light bought from Boondocks, and shot a female. It looks as thoe she may be knocked up,all the better.

 

[shtgncoyote]

i lived on a farm while i was growing up and taken many coyotes over fallen farm animals.my neighbors had a specific place they drug their animals to for years and as of last year i still could take coyotes in those timbers.the neighbors i speak of have past now for at least 10 years.and no more animals are laid to rest there.but the dogs seem to go there still.i do call at other locations but with limited results.this one particular location seems to be the exception.even if i dont drop the yote, i still get a glimpse. and thats better than nothing at all in my book.baiting to me is still one up.

 

[dft88]

I'm new to posting pictures...this is my first try. Hope it works out ok.

There is still a little activity around my bait site. First was this guy



This one has been around for few weeks

 

[gman2153]

Here are a few critters recently captured on film around the spot I dub the "Death Log" located 100 yds behind my house.

 

[gman2153]

The Big Guy upstairs dropped one in my lap this morning.
I did my civic duty and relocated from the highway shoulder to a nice wooded ravine that Mr Yote like to wander through.

I'll let them feast for a day or two, then I plan on being an uninvited guest to their Last Supper...

 

[gman2153]

Well, I checked that deer yesterday at noon - nothing touched it yet.

I needed a new battery for the trailcam so I figured I would get one today.

Checked the deer first thing this morning and here is what I found:

Looks like I need another roadkill to go with that new battery.

 

[gman2153]

2nd helping last night:

 

[Faster]

I recently got the bug to do some coyote hunting, and my online search brought me here. I currently live in New Jersey, but will probably be doing most of the hunting in Connecticut by my father's house. Unfortunately for me, the new caretaker of the farm my mother lives on here in NJ wont let me hunt there, unlike his predecessors. Too bad, because that farm has a big coyote population. NJ also doesnt allow center-fire rifle hunting as far as I know.
I'm planning on using my Bushmaster AR-15 chambered for .223/5.56 and am looking at the Luepold Mark AR scopes. This thread has been taking up most of my free time over the past few days, it's made me obsessed and Ive learned alot.
Thanks for the info.

 

[Labrador2]

Jim: I love to still hunt over a bait site. Sometimes it's a peaceful time in the woods with no pressure of trying to get my calling just right to get those smart yotes to come in. I would like to hear more from others about how they bait, distance, type of bait, when they hunt over the bait ,etc. Hunting over bait just gives use yotes hunters another reason to be out in the woods.

 

[kyflshooter]

Ok 1st want to say new to the predator huntin. I am wondering is it ok to hunt over bait in ky. 2nd has anyone tryed cooking grease, i was told by a friend who works as a park ranger at a state park that it works well, he takes especially bacon grease puts it out in the park by a street light and he shoots the yotes when the come up to the site he continues to refeash the pile regular and claims to have killed useing this method I have yet to try it havent had time but sounds interesting.

 

[gman2153]

I keep a plastic jar in my fridge - that I pour grease from the frying pan into.

(make sure grease has cooled a bit b4 pouring in jar - it will melt the sides - don;t ask how I know that ).

I will then nuke it a bit in the microwave b4 I head out. I've poured it over stumps and logs here and there. Around here - it seems to attract more bear than anything else.

Bait for me - any roadkill I see. Rabbits are Fillet Mignon - IMO better than a roadkill deer).

in the interest of eating healthy, (thanks Mrs. Obobo ),
I cut the skin and fat off chicken, and freeze the scrap in small zip locks bags to be dropped around my spots.

for smaller road kills, I secure it to a log with a couple of spikes - make the critter work a bit for its meal = more pics on trailcam (1 min delay between pics), or it will give you that extra time to put a scope on the intended target.

If you spike the roadkill for yotes, wear gloves and drive the head of the spike into the fur really good to hide it- I believe they will notice anything that is abnormal.

For the most part, I just enjoy the critters I capture on trailcam. I notice the yotes around here stagger their visting times - unfortunately their dinner clock does not fit with my hunting schedule most of the time..

 

[AnotherDogDown]

I am new to the baiting scene and was hoping for a bit of advice... What have you found to be the best way to attach your deer to your stake or tree? Do you attach animals such as rabbits differently? (I'm not sure I completely understand gmans methods and I am sure there are many other ways to do it...)
I recently tried wiring a roadkill deer to a stake by the neck and it didn't hold the carcass as well as planned. I checked the site on the third day and hardly anything had touched it. Came back the next day and the coyotes had managed to drag the deer about 30 yards or so from the stake. I am not entirely sure what happened but I do know that the wire did not break.
Should I use something other than wire? Should I put wire around more than just the animals neck? I apologize if this question has already been asked. Thanks everybody, your help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Jackindistress]

I have been baiting for quite a few years. I DO NOT put out the whole deer unless it is a road kill that is just too stinking to cut up. Any fresh deer that I find I skin it and cut it up into small pieces. I bag it up in 1 gallon bags and freeze it. I also freeze a few larger pieces and once frozen I take my cordless reciprocating saw and cut up a bunch into 2" size chunks.

If you put out the whole deer, the coyotes often find it and clean it up in a couple of nights. That does not give you enough time to figure out what time they are hitting the bait.

I do what I call pressure baiting. I put out a couple gallon bags of meat for the main bait station. Then, I will make a circle 75 yards or so in diameter, scattering bones and the small 2" size pieces randomly.

The coyotes will come in to the main bait, grab a piece and run off a short distance to eat it. They will then return to the main bait to get another piece. Having bait that they can come in and grab and leave helps makes them more comfortable around the baited area. Once they have cleaned up the 2 gallon or so in the main station they will begin "hunting" the area for the small bits that are scattered.

This does two things. It keeps them in the area for a longer time and it makes them visit the area more often because they soon realize that if they don't come often, there will be little left for them to eat.

I replenish my baits mid afternoon during the winter. This seems to encourage them to visit the bait earlier in the evening. When I place fresh bait, I load the bags of meat on the ATV and drive to the bait site. I DO NOT get off the ATV. I drive in, turn the bag upside down and dump the meat and drive on. Do not touch the meat once you have it bagged. Usually they will hit the bait between dusk and 10m. and they often check back between 4:am and daylight to see if there are any leftovers.

When I have something large like a cow, I put the whole animal out but only pull the hide back on one area, usually one of the back legs. The coyotes will start on the easiest to get part first. If it is freezing weather a cow hide will often freeze enough that they won't eat much more than what you expose for them. I use a small axe to cut the hide loose from the frozen carcass.

For late winter my favorite bait is hog hide's and scraps from butchering hogs.

Over the years I have found that staking a bait just makes them more suspicious and it takes them longer to feel comfortable around the baited area.

Once I have them hitting the bait regularly, I often use a lone howl at daylight and dusk. This will sometimes provoke a visit if there are any in the area that have been hitting the bait.

 

[gman2153]

Originally Posted By: JackindistressOver the years I have found that staking a bait just makes them more suspicious and it takes them longer to feel comfortable around the baited area.


If you do a sloppy job or do not conceal the spikes inside the piece of bait, then I think it might make a difference.

I make sure to bury the spike inside the piece of meat - with or without fur don't matter.

I make sure I leave NO Scent in the area - get in/out quick.

Here's a set from 2 nights ago.

Mr Fox beat Mr Yote to the dinner table.

I spiked a chipmunk and a chunk of frozen chicken carcuss (via 16 penny nails) to a log & board.

Notice the elapsed time between shots. He had to work just long enough to allow the camera to get multiple shots.
I have my camera set at 1 min delay between shots.

It only took him 2 mins to scarf down that chipmunk, then he was back for more...

I have had no experiences where I think my spikes scared the critter.

 

[Jackindistress]

In my experience, it is not the spike or what ever is used to anchor the bait. It is the fact that the coyote can not drag the deer carcass.

 

[gman2153]

When I use road kill deer, my experiences are the opposite.

The yotes eat the deer (always from the rear end forward) where it lays... I posted a pic of a recent roadkill drop - and it is indicative of what the yotes do.

I don't bother staking them, drop the whole deer.

After the first feeding, they will tear parts off it and scatter it a bit, but not much.

Black bear are the draggers..

I don't know what part of the country you live & hunt.

Perhaps conditions and the critters territorial concerns, etc, make them behave differently than the Pocono yotes I chase around here in Pa.

These animals are so adaptive nothing about them can be written in stone - that's for sure.