Yotarunner
Custom Call Maker
Well the cows have decided to take a break from calving today so rather than be productive il hop on here.
As many who read my last post will know I have access to a LOT of bait so when prices are good I have set baits all over for both snaring and shooting purposes.
Up here in the frozen north there is often challenges when it comes to getting a bait going steady and these are my methods.
The most important of all is location. Many folks like to set baits in flat open ground to give lots of shooting opportunity but I have found that if given the choice coyotes that are used to cover will prefer to have some concealment to hide as they eat.
When snaring I do my best to have the bait in the thickest nastiest bush I can get my truck to and if shooting the bait is placed near the bush to allow coyotes a sense of security to keep them on the bait longer.
Here is a 1/4 section that has produced a lot of coyotes for me.
Screenshot_20230414-114158 by brad harder, on Flickr
When setting the bait its best to be mindful of where snow will drift and if it will cover the bait and to make sure it's in a location where birds can see it. Having lots of magpies and ravens around will attract coyotes from miles around.
If the location is right and the birds can see it you will have situations like this.
This roadkill deer was wired to a tree after a bait site had been established for over 2 weeks and this is all that was left of it after 2 days
IMG_20200205_162544 by brad harder, on Flickr
When setting large animals like steers (or if your lucky roadkill moose) I have found that extreme cold will prevent coyotes from eating it. Best guess is the hide is so hard to chew after being frozen that they don't want to waste the calories. So when setting bait in the winter I keep a sharp knife and a hatchet to cut away the frozen hide to allow them access to the meat. They will often chew a hole through and eat from the inside out.
This steer was luckily still fresh so only a knife was needed to open him up.
IMG_20191130_122431 by brad harder, on Flickr
MVIMG_20191130_140901 by brad harder, on Flickr
And lastly for whatever reason coyote baits will go stale even though the coyotes are still there. Usually it happens in extreme cold so my theory is that chewing the hard frozen meat is just not that appealing to them anymore.
To fix this I will often go to the local butcher and get pig scraps and guts or other non beef meat to place at the bait site. Pig parts seem to be absolute candy to coyotes around here and will often start a feeding frenzy of sorts. More than once I have freshened a bait to find the pig parts as well as the frozen steer have all been cleaned right up in only a few days.
One last note that you may find interesting. Both watching and snaring these baits I have l observed that even with such a sure thing as a dead steer covered in ravens and magpies coyotes like to circle around roughly 50 yards away and see and sniff before fully committing.
As many who read my last post will know I have access to a LOT of bait so when prices are good I have set baits all over for both snaring and shooting purposes.
Up here in the frozen north there is often challenges when it comes to getting a bait going steady and these are my methods.
The most important of all is location. Many folks like to set baits in flat open ground to give lots of shooting opportunity but I have found that if given the choice coyotes that are used to cover will prefer to have some concealment to hide as they eat.
When snaring I do my best to have the bait in the thickest nastiest bush I can get my truck to and if shooting the bait is placed near the bush to allow coyotes a sense of security to keep them on the bait longer.
Here is a 1/4 section that has produced a lot of coyotes for me.
Screenshot_20230414-114158 by brad harder, on FlickrWhen setting the bait its best to be mindful of where snow will drift and if it will cover the bait and to make sure it's in a location where birds can see it. Having lots of magpies and ravens around will attract coyotes from miles around.
If the location is right and the birds can see it you will have situations like this.
This roadkill deer was wired to a tree after a bait site had been established for over 2 weeks and this is all that was left of it after 2 days
IMG_20200205_162544 by brad harder, on FlickrWhen setting large animals like steers (or if your lucky roadkill moose) I have found that extreme cold will prevent coyotes from eating it. Best guess is the hide is so hard to chew after being frozen that they don't want to waste the calories. So when setting bait in the winter I keep a sharp knife and a hatchet to cut away the frozen hide to allow them access to the meat. They will often chew a hole through and eat from the inside out.
This steer was luckily still fresh so only a knife was needed to open him up.
IMG_20191130_122431 by brad harder, on FlickrMVIMG_20191130_140901 by brad harder, on FlickrAnd lastly for whatever reason coyote baits will go stale even though the coyotes are still there. Usually it happens in extreme cold so my theory is that chewing the hard frozen meat is just not that appealing to them anymore.
To fix this I will often go to the local butcher and get pig scraps and guts or other non beef meat to place at the bait site. Pig parts seem to be absolute candy to coyotes around here and will often start a feeding frenzy of sorts. More than once I have freshened a bait to find the pig parts as well as the frozen steer have all been cleaned right up in only a few days.
One last note that you may find interesting. Both watching and snaring these baits I have l observed that even with such a sure thing as a dead steer covered in ravens and magpies coyotes like to circle around roughly 50 yards away and see and sniff before fully committing.
