Baiting

6724, I'm not sure I can adequately answer your question, but others will probably be adding their input.

I've killed 13 over my baitpile this fall, but haven't had one in for about 2 weeks. Like you did with 9, I think taking out 13 in one area in 3 months has greatly diminished the numbers available right now.

Secondly they get wise, and if you miss or cripple, it seems the others get onto you pretty quickly. I've tried to only shoot when just one is on the bait pile, but there isn't any way to tell how many are watching just out of sight in the darkness.

I think we may have to quit shooting (hard to do) and just let them feed unmolested. That way one will bring another one and so forth. Right now if we kill everyone as soon as we get them on the bait, it will diminish attracting others I believe. My problem is I want to kill everyone I see as soon as I get chance, and that may be counterproductive.
 

I only wish I had as many to shoot at as you guys do. I've had two come to the bait that I am aware of.

I guess it's bitter-sweet in either having too many coyotes or not enough. Too many is not good for the wildlife populations, yet too few is not good for the hunter, me.
 
6mm06, you might be like the old guy told me about 40 yrs ago while we were duck hunting. He said, "Be right down boys, be right down, they're a comin' but they're a long ways off." About 5 seconds later he jumps up with his Browning and it is bam, bam, bam.

You'll get 'em that's for sure.
 
6724,
You said you have seen tracks coming up close to the bait but not feeding on it. Sometimes it takes them awhile to be confident enough to come and actually eat off of a whole carcass. Sometimes even the placement of the bait makes a lot of difference. I have had bait placed maybe 150 yards in a field before and one they were eating on and not touching the other one.

When they got one cleaned up I figured they would move over to the other carcass, but like you....they just made tracks close to it. I ended up tying it onto the tractor and pulling it down to where the other bait was and they then started eating on it.

Never did figure out what difference it made because they were both about the same distance from tall CRP grass and the timber edge.

One thing that will help (or does for me anyhow) is to scatter a lot of small pieces around a pretty wide area close to the main bait. I get scraps from the deer processor and I use a cordless reciprocating saw to cut the leg bones and rig cages up into smaller pieces.

You will miss getting a few shots when they come in at night for awhile because they will run in and grab a small piece and go off a ways to eat it. But, they will soon return for another piece. You will get them on the return trip.......or eventually they get the small pieces carried off and feel safe enough to stay and eat on the main bait.

This actually helps a lot if you are hunting during daylight because after a few weeks they have small bones scattered all over a pretty good sized area. I have a 10 acre CRP field next to a woods that I place my bait in. After a month of baiting they have small bones and pieces of hide scattered all over that field.

When a coyote enters the field he will get the scent of those small bones and usually spends quite a bit of time checking out several of them before he gets to the main bait.

Sometimes after I kill 5 or 6 off a bait, all activity is over for awhile. Seems like you eventually kill all of the ones that are brave enough to feed there and you have to wait for more coyotes to move into the area.

Usually for the area that I hunt anyway, once the activity at the bait slacks off, it takes a major storm or good cold front to shake things up and get more coyotes in the area.
 
Rifle deer season is over, smoke pole season has begun, I'll be making my first attempt at coyotes from the new blind today.
 
some good ideas, i was thinking about letting them free feed for a while, but right now i have 2 deer carcasses stacked up and they have been there for 2 weeks. i might try moving the bait farther from the house. i have an xlr250 now and can reach out a little further.
 
Well, I am finally getting around to posting my project that I have been working on all summer. In theory at least, it should work. In practice it remains to be seen. Here are the details.

This summer I purchased an Amish-built storage building, an 8x12 to act as both a hunting blind and a small cabin. A buddy and I constructed a 12x12 foot platform for the building to sit on. When delivered, the building was slid off onto the platform, squared up on the ends and back, thus giving me a 4 foot porch. The window I ordered specifically for shooting. It's 3 feet square and slides from side to side rather than up and down.


UPDATE: YouTube link to the night vision / infrared light setup

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzfRFiTeLQY&feature=youtu.be


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Once the building was in place, I began assembling a bait site specifically designed for night vision use. Earlier in the year I purchased an ATN Spartan 410 night vision scope and put it on my Dtech 6x45 AR. I replaced the illuminator with a Luna laser illuminator that made it a much better outfit.

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Then I found some hog hunting lights on HuntSports.com and got some ideas. On E-Bay I found some neat little infrared lights that have 48 LEDs and each has it's own photo cell.

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I arranged 5 of these lights on a small plywood platform to use in a tree at the bait site. The infrared lights are not visible to the eye, but the night vision scope and a Sony camera with the night shot feature sees very well. The main reason for the lights was for video purposes since I don't need them when using the laser illuminator. However, the lights allow me to see much better than with the illuminator alone, and actually the illuminator is not needed if using the light system described.

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The problem I encountered with the lights was that of battery drain. A small Cabela's gel cell battery would only power the lights for a few hours, three or less before being drained. As a result I began to search for a remote control DC switch (suggested on HuntSports.com) that would allow me to turn the lights on and off only as needed, thus saving battery power. I found one on Ebay. It's a neat little switch and works great. I wired it into the infrared lights, then ran the positive and negative leads down the tree to the base where I attached the gel cell battery. From the cabin I can remotely turn the lights on and off as needed.

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Next I have a SpyPoint detection sensor system to alert me that something is on the bait. That way I can then turn the lights on when needed. Currently I'm having some issues with the SpyPoint so the verdict is out right now with that one. Hopefully I'll be able to find the right combination of distance and height that will be just right for notifying me of critters on the bait.

UPDATE: The SpyPoint sensor has been a big disappointment and has not worked well. I learned through communication with tech support that it scans from side to side and not up and down. Seems to me a scanner should scan in both directions. Too many animals have passed in front of the SpyPoint without it notifying me. I have since switched to another sensor and am in the process of trying it.

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My current bait site is only 60 yards from the cabin, too close probably.

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I am now exploring reestablishing the bait site to 135 yards.

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The problem I see with my new set up at 135 yards is that of the low 5x magnification of the Spartan scope. I wish it had more, at least 8 or 10x, but to my knowledge, even with Gen 3 scopes, 6x is as high as available. Still, with the infrared light system I think a good shot can be made.

I have had two coyotes coming to the bait, and I actually saw one about two weeks ago while sitting in the cabin, but could not get a shot before it was gone.

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The main reason I use the infrared lights is for video purposes. The Sony camera needs the infrared to see. I can shoot without the lights since I have an illuminator on my scope, but also the lights greatly increase my viewing ability with the scope, so they are a real asset.


UPDATE: YouTube link to the night vision / infrared light setup

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzfRFiTeLQY&feature=youtu.be



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Here are some photos extracted from video files recently. I have experimented with the lights at various distances and locations.

30 yards

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40 yards

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60 yard Possum

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60 yard Skunk

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Keep in mind that the illumination cannot be seen with the eye, only with the night vision scope or the camera.
The eye sees nothing but darkness. Amazing technology.

These photos are not as clear since they are extracted from video files. Seen through the scope and camera, the scene is very bright.

The system, in theory as I mentioned, has potential to be a good setup for shooting at night. Time will tell if the coyotes cooperate. I'll keep you posted as to the results, if any.


 
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Thanks DoubleUp. I've often said that half the fun is in the process. I've had a great time "thinking and planning" this project, so it's all been worth it already. Getting a coyote on video, while using night vision and the light system is my desire. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen. It's much easier without having to man the camera.

It's been a lot of enjoyment just to stay at the cabin. One night I had a gray fox out in the front yard scolding me around midnight, then awoke me again later up in the early morning hours with it doing the same. I've seen deer while there, and have just had some nice solitude and quiet times.

The cabin has been a work in progress that I have been doing since summer. After trying a pop-up blind last winter and having the wind and snow constantly wreck it, I decided to get something more permanent.

I have begun to insulate the building. Most of it is completed, except for the back wall. I still need to put OSB over the insulation in some places.

I installed a 10,000 BTU propane heater that is connected to a 20# tank that sits underneat the cabin platform.

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I added a bunk of course, and also a cabinet for items such as propane cooking stove, can of coffee, paper plates etc.

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For the ceiling I had to use foam board insulation due to the construction of the building. While it doesn't have the
highest R value, it will still keep a lot of heat in the cabin that would otherwise go up and out through the vents.
I have a small attic with vents and plan to put a ridge vent next summer.

I use DC lights for illumination in the building. I have two bulbs that are 2 watts each. They offer a lot of illumination
for an 8x12 foot building.

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For power I use a battery power pack I purchased from Sportsman's Guide. This little unit works fantastic and
powers all the lights I need for several evenings before needing a recharge.

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I wired in one of the remote control switches to the cabin lights. One touch of a button and on they come, same for turning them off. Those remote switches are the cat's meow.

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You know what they say about hind-sight. If I had it all to do over again, I would have purchased a larger building.



 
Nice set up, I'm sure the 60yd distance will pay off as the coyotes get to relying on the bait pile. We havent had anything coming to the bait lately other than the deer roaming around. It is just nice to be able to sit for hours in comfort and watch the wildlife.
 
Man David, you've been busy on that bait site. After seeing the night footage from New Mexico, I can't wait to see how this works out with the LED lights. It would be fun to shoot skunks, possums, and coyotes with that setup. Now you need to get a muffler for that AR to round out the package
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I agree with GG ,new to the post an having a blast. I agree that baiting in PM shold have its own site.Ben huntin coyotes all my life and am 60 now.I have an oldar pair I can't get to come to the call,and won't stick around when
the white lite hits 'em so will try to bait them. I can't get around very good from having a broken back 4 years ago but am up for awhile. will quit BS ing an get back to readin. Am learning a lot and enjoy the pictures and suggestions Get 'er Done
 
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