Baiting


Wouldn't you know it! I haven't checked cameras since the 10th. Tonight it's supposed to pour the rain - AND - a coyote has visited the bait site for the last two nights! Apparently he couldn't get enough of the rooster, but he finally got it all and left only the feet wired to the stake.

The red fox has been coming too, but the videos below must be of a different fox (back in March) since the one visiting now is scared out of his skin everything night. He can't seem to get over the cameras, so it has to be a different one.

If it weren't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all. I would have stayed at the cabin tonight if not for the rainy forecast tonight, with percentage up to 70 or 80%. Tomorrow night is my son's Karate night too, so I'll be out with that, plus I think we have rain forecast for then too.

It's been 3 months now since the last coyote visited (early January).

Here's a video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th9ge_f646A&feature=youtu.be




 
Okay, now you're cooking 6mm. Looking to see some more of those videos with his feet in the air.
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That would be nice, feet in the air that is, but he didn't return last night. The red fox got another chicken I had wired down yesterday evening.
Today I got a road kill deer and put down there. We'll see. Besides that, it's supposed to rain all week.

 
Maybe the ol' Wiley E. will return tonight. Seems like often here they'll come one night and then miss one night. He might just hunt back your way tonight, especially since he got a taste of that chicken.
 

Three nights ago, something (most likely the coyote) pulled the deer loose from the stake where I had it wired down, and drug the carcass about 15 to 20 yards out in the field toward the cabin. I then put the deer back at the site and wired it down again.

I stayed at the cabin night before last and the coyote returned. He was very nervous and didn't seem to like the idea of the deer being moved back to the stake. He wouldn't go near the deer, but trotted around the bait site. For illumination, I used the 940nm spot light that I have mounted on the 4x4 post about 23 yards from the bait site. I could have taken a shot at one point as seen in the video below, but I waited thinking the coyote would settle down at the bait. I would then use the 850nm light that would turn darkness into daylight in order to get a good video. My main concern was getting a good video rather than just shooting the coyote. It didn't happen.

The coyote didn't linger near the bait site and left quickly. He returned around 2:30 AM in the morning, but stayed on the upper hillside above the bait. I was afraid to illuminate him with the 850nm light since he would most likely see the red glow and I didn't want to spook him.

I stayed at the cabin again last night, but nothing showed up at all. The bait was untouched.

Here is a quick video I was able to get two nights ago. As I say, I could have taken the shot while using the 940nm spotlight, but waited, hoping for a better video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A3EZSLYDNQ&feature=youtu.be






 
Has anyone got pictures of the buckets they use to make bait stations with? I help the local deer processor and have access to all the scraps I need to make several buckets I have several places to put out baits,so it helps with the overhunting issue.
 
Sorry Bill, I'm too far south to use them, so can't help there. I don't think you can do anything with them in Illinois either until next winter sets in and the temps are below freezing. I do think most of the guys who use bait buckets just use a 5 gal. bucket.
 

Bill, I tried the bait bucket here a few years ago. Our temps just aren't cold enough usually for it to last very long, and there's a lot of bait in a bucket that can get gone in a hurry, such as from buzzards, hawks, crows, possums etc. Bait seems to come hard for me, so wasting it is something I try not to do.

I have since been using small, cut-up pieces of bait scattered here and there, and an occasional deer carcass when I can get one. I have had just as much luck taking coyotes, actually probably more, with the small pieces of bait as I have with a carcass. When I can get a fresh-killed deer, I will many times cut it up into small pieces and put it in freezer bags. Those will last me for quite a while. I have found that putting a whole carcass out doesn't last long.

While a frozen bait, to my understanding, will keep a coyote busy for a while working at it, small pieces scattered around will keep them occupied too, long enough to get a shot. They can't eat all the bait in one place, but rather they have to put their noses to the ground and sniff out each little morsel.

Here are a couple of example of a coyote having to search for the small pieces of bait.















 
Double up and 6mm06 thank you for the suggestions. Its true here in Illinois the buckets wont work well till November and beyond. I like the scattering bait morsels around looks like a great technique. I work for the road district in our township and my buddies that work for the county highway dept keep me stocked up with road kills on a regular basis so bait isn't an issue. Just finding the time to go after them is.....
 

Bill, the Photon XT is working well for most that have it. I sold mine to DoubleUp. He has since added a doubler which helped clarity quite a lot, and then he received the new lens cover that has roughly a 22mm size hole in it that better handles light.

I am using my home-made unit with the KT&C bullet camera. That is working well for me at the moment.
 
Took this one calling last night with the 204 and the Photon 4.6XT. Came in within 5 minutes on gray fox distress. Shot was 165 yds. with a 35 Berger, broke his shoulder and put him down.



This morning when I went out to the bait pile, everything was gone and I had put out some good table scraps last night. When I checked the cameras I had a coyote at the bait between 5:30 and 6 this morning. I didn't have the alarms on as I was late going to bed after the hunt last night. He ate it all, so I expect he'll be back for another freeby. The 17 Rem. will be waiting for him. Here's a video of the visit this morning.

 


DoubleUp, Nice. You have been a coyote-killing machine lately.

Good video of the coyote too. You will get that one soon too, I think.
 
Didn't take long for him to come back. Unfortunately the shot wasn't a DRT like I expect with the 17 Rem. and 25 hornady hp. He stepped forward just as I was squeezing the trigger on the CZ which caused the shot to be a little too far back for the DRT. He went about 50 yds and piled up in the field as you can see.

 
Double up congrats on the coyote 165 yards impressive shooting at night. Also a great video of the yote on your bait, you and 6mm06 are stackin em up good job guys......
 

Bill, I've not been stacking anything much lately, but man, DoubleUp has been a coyote killing machine lately.
He and that Photon are getting along quite well.

 
Don't let 6mm fool you. He taught me most of what I know. I just happen to live where there's a lot more coyotes, and thankfully not many coyote hunters. Plus several hunting clubs have asked me to help control their coyotes that are decimating the fawns every year. That gives me access to many thousands of acres to unrestricted calling when deer season isn't going on.

I haven't had time to upload the video yet or pictures, but last night after I shot the first coyote another one (a big male) was at the bait site about 15 minutes later. I had turned the alarms off when the first one showed up and didn't turn them back on. So, right before going off to bed, about 12:15, I opened the window to have a look with the thermal. About 300 yds out in the field a coyote was standing there. So I got the rifle up, and when I looked out through the scope I couldn't find him. When I picked the thermal back up the coyote was at the bait site. I didn't have time to hook up the dvr to record the shot, but one of the trail cameras caught just a portion of it. The big boy took a dirt nap when the little 25 gr. hornady hp hit him. I actually hit this one where I should have hit the first one. I'll post the trail cam video and a picture later tonight.



Unfortunately the trail camera just did capture the shot, but still you can tell the devastating effect of that little 25gr. hornady hp.

Here's the pair this morning. As you can tell the male was quite a bit larger than this female. I figure she must have been last year's pup held back as she was not bred this year.



 
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