Baiting


Last night I was fortunate to get another coyote after a long 8-month lull. I took it with the CZ .17 Remington, shooting a Hornady 25 gr. HP at 3921 fps. I used the home-made night vision outfit and the LLTL-001 illuminator at a distance of 60 yards.

The disappointing part is that I didn't have the bullet camera properly focused and clear as it should have been. What a bummer, especially since I have been waiting and hoping to get a decent video to illustrate the capabilities of the home-made NV in conjunction with the LLTL-001 IR illuminator.

I have learned that if I focus the camera during the daytime, then night time video will be blurred and vice versa, so it has to be readjusted. I did some shooting a few days ago and adjusted for that, then forgot to readjust for last night until it was too late. I could see plenty good enough to make a killing shot, but the video quality is lacking.

The coyote appeared at dawn. There was enough ambient light to record and take a shot if I wanted, but I watched this coyote come and go for over 20 minutes until it got dark enough that the camera was totally black without IR. I then switched on a 940nm light I have mounted on a tall 4x4 post near the bait site (23 yards from the site), to show how it works. The view was blurred. That should have alerted me that I needed to readjust. I guess I got "coyote fever."

Later, after the coyote was down, I adjusted the lens and it became clearer. Early in the morning several hours later, a skunk showed up and I did some video of it, so you can see the difference the adjustment made.

In usual fashion, the .17 Remington proved to be a drop-dead performer. I am simply amazed at how this little round performs. It drops everything where it stands. Amazing cartrige.

Here is a video of various scenes with the home-made unit. The coyote is at the end..






This home-made outfit works great for anyone on a budget who hunts a coyote bait site, or a feeder.
If you hunt out and about, calling and shooting at various distances, I would recommend you get a
dedicated NV scope instead. But, from a stationary position, this cheap little deal is peachy keen.

Here are a couple of photos.










The bullet did not exit, though it did cause an entry wound. There was no splash, so I'm
thinking the angle in which I shot may be partly to blame, and most likely it fractured a rib
that pierced the skin. The entry wound was rather small, but it looks larger in the photo
than it really is, due to blood and where I probed around in the hair trying to find the entrance.







 
WOW!!! The quality of that video would be very hard to match even with very expensive equipment.

At what range was most of the video taken?

Is that hunting blind one you spend much time in? It's a dandy...
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I know you've probably discussed your inexpensive night vision rig before but if you haven't I'd very much like it if you'd do a separate thread on it or even better yet do a video with you doing a show and tell and post the link here.

I have only one criticism. The Photobucket servers are so impossibly slow and archaic compared to Youtube that Youtube might be a better place to host your videos.

Great job and keep them coming.
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$bob$
 

Thanks everybody.

Well, I have corrected an earlier statement pertaining to the exit wound. It was not an exit, but rather an entry wound. There was no splash. The only thing I can figure is the angle the bullet hit, maybe fractured a rib or caused a splintering or something. There was no exit on the offside.

LDhunter, the range was 60 yards, but I have taken a gray fox at 120+ yards with no problem. I have since uploaded a video to YouTube that has examples of the home-made unit. The coyote is at the end of the video. It should show better now.

I have a good explanation of how to do the home-made night vision in a Word document, along with several photos of how it's supposed to look, links of where to get the parts and several links to videos of how it performs at night and day. If you will send me a personal message with your e-mail address, I will attach the document and photos and send it to you. Also, I have an explanation in the post on pages 118 and 124, and some other pages too I think.

As to the cabin, it's nothing more than an 8x12 foot storage building that I insulated and heated. It has a bunk and a shooting window. I stay down at the farm when a coyote is visiting regularly, and other times just for the fun of it. In hindsight, I would have purchased a larger building. I have now taken 9 coyotes from the building.

Agreed about Photo bucket. I have since placed it on YouTube.

David

 
**** NEVER MIND... I should have been more patient.... Page 147 has some suggestions ****

I don't want to read this whole thread to find out what brand or kind of wireless driveway alarms y'all are using so I can join the lazy hunter club too...
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Links would be very helpful.

$bob$
 
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Bob,

Here's a link. Get the Driveway Patrol model. There are others out there, but this is a good one, and it's cheap. The ones I have all work on the same frequency, so you can have multiple sensors at the bait site. I currently have 4 sensors positioned covering different approach areas, have them mounted low to the ground, about a foot off the ground, and nothing gets by it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Driveway-Patrol-...=item43c7e242dc






 
Another dumb question... Is it possible to have the chime turned way down or off to avoid the noise alerting your quarry of your presence?

If you turn it all the way down is there a light that can notify you?

This is such a cool idea... I can now nap in my stand any time I want and the handy dandy driveway alarm will alter me of incoming "company"... LOL

My laziness factor just went up a couple more notches...
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*** Edit... Just ordered a couple of these but didn't see where to get extra sensors ***

$bob$
 
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Bob,

You have to order separate units since you can't purchase a sensor alone. I purchased 4 units, which has 4 sensors and 4 receivers. Mine all operate on the same frequency,
so one receiver in the hunting shack is all I need. But, I did convert a second receiver so now I use two receivers in the cabin. I have one mounted on the wall near my shooting
bench and one mounted on the wall at the head of my bed. When sitting at the table I use headphones to alert me. When in bed I use an ear bud to alert me when sleeping / resting.
You can have multiple sensors in the field and each one will send an alarm when tripped two both receivers.

The receiver has two adjustments for volume - high and low. That's all, "BUT" - the good part is you can fix that.

(1) Open up the case by removing the front cover.

(2) Clip the speaker wires inside, leaving enough length to attach longer wires to later, OR make a new connection with the longer wires. Once the wires are clipped,
the unit will not have sound but the light will still illuminate.

(3) After clipping the speaker wires, solder longer wires, making them long enough to protrude outside the face plate.

(4) Drill a hole in the face plate of the receiver and run the wires outside.

(5) Attach a 3.5mm Female headphone adapter.

(6) Go to Ebay and purchase an in-line volume control. This will allow you to adjust headphone or ear bud volume to a comfortable level. If you don't use the in-line control,
when the unit goes off it will fill your ear with a piercing sound, even on low. It hurts, so get the in-line control.

Here's a link to the in-line volume control. This is a great buy too, cheaper than mine cost at the time.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Koss-VC20-In-Lin...=item27d3d16921


Here's what the receiver should look like after the 3.5mm female adapter is installed.
This is a "DoubleUp Special" that he did for me. I have since done another one myself.
DoubleUp also added an external antenna on the receiver to help the unit receive from
a greater distance. The antenna deal is a bit above my simple understanding of electronics.






In-line Volume Control






Shown here with cheap headphones, but when in the bunk I use a single ear bud. I cut one
off and just have one to place in my ear. I am conscious it's there and manage to keep it in
place during the night, moving it from one ear to the other as I turn over. Nine coyotes have
fallen to this setup. I only use the headphones when I'm sitting at the table, reading or on
the internet via my I-phone, or sipping on a cup of coffee. Man, this coyote hunting is tough work. LOL.






I also spray paint my sensors. There is really no need to but I like it better this way. If you do,
just cover up the sensor window with tape before spraying. Also, I place a piece of black
electrician's tape over the small light on the front of the sensor to keep light from flashing
that might scare a coyote. I first tried painting over the little light but it continued to illuminate,
thus the electrician's tape.

The unit could be used for various types of stand hunting, including deer and hog hunting. As you
mentioned, you can nap while on stand. Anything moving past the sensors will alert you.






After this setup is completed, you can then get a good rest in the bunk while having an ear bud in place.
The volume will be adjusted to your desired level. When something passes in front of the bait, the sound
will be in your ear only, and the receiver light will still illuminate. Nite Nite. LOL.






 
Wow... That's simply GREAT!!! I've ordered two of the driveway sensors and will get the other stuff on the way soon...

Nighty night to pesky hogs that eat all the corn I've put out for Bambi...
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I really appreciate this 6mm-06!

We'll also start working on those coyotes too.

This makes it so much less tedious constantly having to watch for hours when waiting for game to show up.

Thanks!

$bob$
 
Oh... And one more question I meant to ask before. About how far away to the sensors sense?

I suspect it depends on the size of the animal but do you have a rule of thumb I can figure on?

Thanks again,
$bob$
 

Bob, mine work fine at the 60 yard site. I haven't used them any further than that. DoubleUp might chime in with his experience. If I remember correctly, he uses his at 90 and 145 yards. I think that's why he added the external antennas on both the sensor (transmitter) and the receiver. But, at my 60 yard site, I don't need an antenna. Mine work just fine as they come out of the box.

As to tedious, waiting and watching for game to show up, well as the old saying goes, "been there and done that." I know exactly what you mean. I will also add the words "cold, stiff" and "bored." "Exhausted" would be another good word. A guy might luck up occasionally and get something that way, but it would be randomly and you certainly wouldn't get any rest.

I started out with that method, but quickly realized it wasn't going to work effectively. I also learned via trail cameras that the coyotes were coming after dark. That created different problems, so I then went to night vision. I had to turn the scope on and off continually to see if anything was out there. That was for the birds too. On top of all that, I later learned the coyotes were approaching the bait from a direction I didn't expect. That put me up-wind of them on their approach. Makes me wonder how many may have smelled me in that blind and me not knowing they were there. So, locating a blind in the right place considering the prevailing wind is essential. I do know that coyotes have passed down-wind of my cabin while I was inside, but I guess it is tight enough to not allow a lot of my scent outside, plus the coyotes are used to seeing the cabin and my scent being around it. Hunting from an open blind is a different matter and much more difficult.

I tried other sensors, three different ones in fact and none of them were reliable. I learned the hard way what not to do. It was definitely a learning process that took place over a few seasons. The little cabin combined with the Driveway Patrol brand sensors have been great. DoubleUp introduced me to the sensors and I haven't had to search any further for a unit that works.

Here's one night's success, with a Gen 1 scope no less.








This is my first blind for bait hunting. As you can imagine, I didn't last long. Too cold, stiff and
cramping muscles, and constantly having to look to see if something was on the bait. Live and learn.






This was the answer to my needs.






 
6mm06, I think Bob might have meant how far away will the sensors detect an animal. In this case size does matter. Larger animals will trigger the alarm from farther away. I try to position the sensors about 20-25 feet from the bait and from different directions. I have had the sensors trigger on tractors and mowers etc. from over 100 yds, but they have a lot of heat and are fairly large. When baiting, and covering several lanes approaching the bait there really isn't any need for them to pick up an animal beyond 25 feet or so since they will be aimed at the bait.

As to how far the sensors will trigger the receiving units that depends on whether you add antennas. Without antennas the max for me was about 75 yds. With antennas, I just sent one to a Wounded Warrior Marine out in Oregon this spring that would receive a signal from 240 yds and that was as far as I tested it. That was with antennas on both the receiver and sender.
 

Yea, I thought he was talking about how far the sensors would detect critters. Maybe my wording seemed to indicate something else.

Wow, 240 yards is a pretty darn good distance. Those antennas really help.
 
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Finally starting to see some action on the bait pile. Haven't checked my camera in awhile and found this guy on there. Looking kind of scrawny. Wondering if it might not be one this years kittens. Hopefully he comes back once the season starts.
 
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