Baiting

I always load and chamber my AR at the Jeep. I had a batch of ammo that wouldn't load all the way. That click panic is horrible!

Nice job!

Funny thing is the bolt gun had zero issues with them.
 
I sat in the hayfield blind last night. 9:30pm til 2:45am. 12:05 am a single arrived at the bait from downwind(west wind last night) I'm sitting straight north of the bait 155 yards. 204R 40 gr BIBS bullet drt no blood, no visible wound. Just the way I like it. It was -11 when I headed home. Very interesting how the view changed during the night as cloud cover,temps and moon position changed. I still can't seemed to move off black hot with white reticle, with the 100% snow cover. That's 5 on this bait, only the road kill deer head/neck and mostly stripped right front leg remains.
 

I wanted to hunt tonight, despite a chance of rain / snow mix. However, fog set in pretty heavy, so I am home. That gave me some time to work on a video of some footage I took a few nights ago. A bobcat and red fox were at the bait site. The cat was on the carcass and the fox wouldn't tangle with him, so he sat up in the field and watched, mouth dripping no doubt.

I did some video with the security camera that is mounted at the cabin. It gives a wide angle view and is how I take a look once the sensors go off. I have a monitor mounted at my bunk so I can quickly determine what is out there.

Then I took some footage via the Pulsar Apex XQ38 thermal, 2.2x base magnification. This video is just to give you an idea of my bait site and how I go about it.





Here is the shack about to be placed on the 12x12 platform. I have posted this before but thought it might keep things going and interesting.

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The next photo was taken from the shack to the bait site a few years ago before timber grew up along the bank, blocking view of the tractor road below.

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This photo shows the site after the timber growth.

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Well, talk about Murphy and his law, wouldn't you know it, those darn coyotes came back tonight just after dark. Earlier today I began packing my gear with plans to stay at the shack tonight. Then the fog rolled in and ended that idea. So, I began working on the above post about the thermal, and checked my phone for any potential cell camera photos, and there they were. Hard to say when they might be back, but I plan / hope to stay for the next couple of nights anyway, depending on weather.

The fog was pretty thick, then would lift a little and then set back in. Darn it !!!


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Spot, congrats on 5th for that bait, sounds like a good setup for sure.
You have work to do 06, hopefully tomorrow night. Great pics and video, thanks.
I am posting the long version of the fiasco of me trying 6 times to shoot #5 before the gun went bang. When the screen goes black (3 times), I have pulled the gun back in the blind and I am trying to quietly clear the action by feel in total darkness. Only watch this if you have five minutes of boredom. Coyote does die in the last few seconds of the video.

 
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Week, that coyote was begging to be shot. Man, it’s hard to imagine him staying around with all that noise. You made good of it, though.

As we discussed earlier, coyotes tend to return to the bait on the 3rd or 4th night. Tonight is the 4th night since their last visit. Murphy and the fog got me this time.

 
Man, that had to be the longest 4+ minutes you ever spent. Must have some pretty good sound proofing in your blind.

Regards,
hm
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleUpLooks like you will need to go to the thermal to have chance at the double.
Yeah, I have hunted with the Grendel and thermal the last two or three hunts.
 
Originally Posted By: spotstalkshootI sat in the hayfield blind last night. 9:30pm til 2:45am. 12:05 am a single arrived at the bait from downwind(west wind last night) I'm sitting straight north of the bait 155 yards. 204R 40 gr BIBS bullet drt no blood, no visible wound. Just the way I like it. It was -11 when I headed home. Very interesting how the view changed during the night as cloud cover,temps and moon position changed. I still can't seemed to move off black hot with white reticle, with the 100% snow cover. That's 5 on this bait, only the road kill deer head/neck and mostly stripped right front leg remains.

Congratulations on the coyote. Late nights at -11 is commitment.
Which scope are you running?

I have Pulsar and I to am particularly fond of black hot. To my eye the contrast is sharper. While you can't see as much texture/definition on the animal, it is quicker at picking out parts of critters in the brush. I think some of the other color palettes are easier on the eyes and more esthetically pleasing but I'm not one to toggle settings when there is a coyote in my sights.

@6mm06 How does the Pulsar Apex XQ38 handle the fog? The Trail 2 XQ loses definition of foliage but coyotes stick out like a sore thumb.
 
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Wildflights, I really don’t know how the Apex handles fog since I haven’t tried it. It’s been foggy all day today but seems to be lifting somewhat now. I plan to hunt tonight regardless. Just hoping those coyotes return, but it may be a cat-n-mouse game for a while.
 
I was hunting just before Christmas on a cold foggy night. The fog was freezing and precipitating out. It had very little contrast in the scope. Pretty much a white out but elk were visible out to 100 yards.

I think you'll be OK at 60 yards if it isn't complete pea soup. (I have the same scope.)%
 

Thanks, Softpoint. I am at the shack now and settled in for the night. The fog has lifted for the most part. The temp is dropping and is below freezing right now which may help.
 
Wife claims to be a "hunting widow" and if I had a set-up like yours on my own land that would probably be true! I don't do any night hunting but am out every chance and I make a lot of chances.
Keep after 'em and keep posting the videos and the stories.
 
Week and David, I know what you're feeling all too well. At least once a year I have a gun malfunction and the critters are begging to be shot and I'm not around. I came home a little after 8 last night and a coyote was at the bait. He left before I could get a shot and never returned.
 
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