Go Back   Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum > Main Category > Trapping Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 07-13-2018, 10:35 AM
Jtstahl's Avatar
Jtstahl Jtstahl is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 54
Default Baiting Coyotes.

Throughout last trapping season I had a couple of bushes where I wasn't catching alot of coyotes. I took 4 out, then there was no traffic for a couple weeks. Being a new trapper and just starting out in December I never had a bait site or baited prior to setting up. Even when I did, the bait froze or it got snowed in. Alot of by buddies told me that my problem was i never baited prior to setting up or I need to do it more. It didnt make sense because I added 50 pounds of bait weekly to some spots.. I'd like to open a conversation where people share their baiting stories and basically does and don'ts. How long before trapping season do u recommend going in and start baiting?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 07-13-2018, 12:12 PM
shakeyleg02's Avatar
shakeyleg02 shakeyleg02 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: southern alberta
Posts: 2,246
Default

I put bait out and set snares the same time ...you want to make sure you have bait there continuously to keep the birds working ..yotes will follow the birds and vise versa
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 07-13-2018, 12:24 PM
nube nube is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: In a house
Posts: 7,778
Default

To run a good bait you nee lots of birds. Basically you feed birds not coyotes. This take a lot of bait and stuff the birds like. A truckload heaping per week or week and a half is my moto and you should be getting roughly 25-35 coyotes off a bait in a season. At least that is what I have found in my area.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 07-14-2018, 06:55 AM
H380's Avatar
H380 H380 is online now
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: WMU 108
Posts: 6,285
Default

I hear the lots of birds stuff all the time and tho I have magpies in mine quite a bit I gotta say that they never clean up all the carcass( road kill deer ) ..had a bait last with 35 catches and bait lasted entire season, but then again we never had a coyote make it to the bait


Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-14-2018, 03:31 PM
kingrat kingrat is offline
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: prince albert
Posts: 1,838
Default

Ravens are key. Magpies are good but when you get a bunch of ravens making racket the yotes come running.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 07-14-2018, 09:55 PM
Marty S Marty S is offline
AO Sponsor
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,468
Default

I hate ravens. I wish they would all drop dead.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 07-14-2018, 11:29 PM
nube nube is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: In a house
Posts: 7,778
Default

You need ravens and crows more so than magpies. Magpies don't make as much of a ruckus
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 07-15-2018, 06:13 AM
H380's Avatar
H380 H380 is online now
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: WMU 108
Posts: 6,285
Default

Looks like I'll have to import some ravens ..magpies is what we have most of
..

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 07-15-2018, 08:27 AM
nube nube is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: In a house
Posts: 7,778
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by H380 View Post
Looks like I'll have to import some ravens ..magpies is what we have most of
..

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk
Yes on the prairies with not much for trees around I get that. I have a friend who baits in country like that and he doesn't do near as well a I do. He can't get much of a ruckus from squawkers at his baits.
I will have as few as 20 ravens or crows on my bait when I drive up.
Have you ever been in bush country and seen a flock of ravens jump up from a kill site? Most guys have and it always perks your interest in what is going on and you go investigate. Imagine what a coyote thinks when he can hear and see that party going on from a mile or 2 away!
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 07-15-2018, 10:37 AM
Sledin Sledin is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 87
Default

How far from yard sites do you guys set your baits?
I would love to do it but fear catching a dog.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 07-15-2018, 11:49 AM
H380's Avatar
H380 H380 is online now
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: WMU 108
Posts: 6,285
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by nube View Post
Yes on the prairies with not much for trees around I get that. I have a friend who baits in country like that and he doesn't do near as well a I do. He can't get much of a ruckus from squawkers at his baits.
I will have as few as 20 ravens or crows on my bait when I drive up.
Have you ever been in bush country and seen a flock of ravens jump up from a kill site? Most guys have and it always perks your interest in what is going on and you go investigate. Imagine what a coyote thinks when he can hear and see that party going on from a mile or 2 away!
Ya I get the point about birds helping out .. but I think scent dispersal is likely just as important . I dont think alot of ravens travel to and from baits at night . My closest bait to a yard is 3 miles and that dog is old and doesnt travel .
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 07-15-2018, 05:10 PM
nube nube is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: In a house
Posts: 7,778
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by H380 View Post
Ya I get the point about birds helping out .. but I think scent dispersal is likely just as important . I dont think alot of ravens travel to and from baits at night . My closest bait to a yard is 3 miles and that dog is old and doesnt travel .
I think it is different in the south as well even for scent. You guys get warm weather during winter at times and I think it helps. Further north it freezes and stays frozen. I know when it is -20's or -30's there isn't much scent at all till things warm up. Also full carcasses are frozen solid and can sit there for along time because they are not getting opened up and no scent is getting out. Just some things I have noticed talking to people and what I see works and what doesn't. I know when I find a fresh roadkill in real cold weather and cut the guts open the birds and the predators smash a bait and that only lasts for a couple few days till it freezes up then it slows right down
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 07-15-2018, 10:13 PM
H380's Avatar
H380 H380 is online now
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: WMU 108
Posts: 6,285
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by nube View Post
I think it is different in the south as well even for scent. You guys get warm weather during winter at times and I think it helps. Further north it freezes and stays frozen. I know when it is -20's or -30's there isn't much scent at all till things warm up. Also full carcasses are frozen solid and can sit there for along time because they are not getting opened up and no scent is getting out. Just some things I have noticed talking to people and what I see works and what doesn't. I know when I find a fresh roadkill in real cold weather and cut the guts open the birds and the predators smash a bait and that only lasts for a couple few days till it freezes up then it slows right down
Yes sir , open it up and let the stink out .. doesnt hurt to dump a little skunk scent around either , it works well .
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 07-16-2018, 01:25 AM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Copperhead Road, Morinville
Posts: 19,290
Default

Where I trap I pre-bait and set on sign. After a week the coyote trails are visible even in grass and I know where to hang my snares. I don’t think that there’s much point in hanging 100 snares when a dozen will produce the same number of coyotes. I’ll add snares if new trails appear.

Birds are great when they can’t fly off with all your bait but I think that the scent of the bait seals the deal. I have tons of birds on my coyote carcasses but the farmland coyotes around here have no interest in eating them so they don’t bother coming in to them.

Roadkill is great but the coyotes can eat a whole deer in one night if it’s not at least a little frozen. I’ll put fresh roadkill at bait sites that already have snares hanging but generally not for pre-baiting because of that. I skin the side and open the belly up especially if it’s starting to freeze. That gives them a start on it if it does happen to freeze solid. I like to let butcher scraps freeze into a big ball of meat and fat. Birds can’t fly away with it and the Yotes have to work a bit to get a meal. I try to avoid putting out bait that the coyotes can carry away to eat somewhere else.

If you can get permission from a rancher, his dead pit can be a gold mine and you don’t even have to bait it. Blind sets on well used coyote trails without using bait can produce good results as well. Good luck.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 07-16-2018, 08:54 AM
jeffreys 21234 jeffreys 21234 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 614
Default

I noticed this year in sask player big learning curves on me all season with baiting didn’t have much luck this year on yotes seems like they would hit bait an then be gone again an not come back so would set on sign an still no luck but didn’t do much pre baiting last season so gonna do thst an see if it helps me out to produce more yotes
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 07-16-2018, 09:05 AM
Jify Jify is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 42
Default

I had great luck this year (my 2nd year) with bait, rather than just targeting travel corridors.

I was no where near as successful as many experienced trappers, but I'm happy with the catch.

I took a few carcasses (deer from hunting) and suspended them from the trees, then set snares on all the "covered" approaches to the area I had the bait suspended in.

The suspended bait kept the birds coming, and it made it difficult for the coyotes to get at. When they finally did get the bait down, I had already snared all the coyotes I was after (I think it took them a few months).
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 07-17-2018, 12:32 PM
Marty S Marty S is offline
AO Sponsor
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,468
Default

Thought of the day...

I never needed ravens before, I sure don’t want them now that they are here. I don’t need magpies either. I rely on other things.

Working towards 20,000 coyotes these days, might be relevant?

North vs south... scent... negligible differences. What matters is the more severe winter conditions and cold, the better the coyotes respond to bait.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 07-17-2018, 05:00 PM
coyote_man coyote_man is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 411
Default

Bang on, Martin.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 07-18-2018, 11:12 AM
kingrat kingrat is offline
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: prince albert
Posts: 1,838
Default

Ya whatever Marty. Talk to us when you hit 20 000 pfft.
I figure I'm working on about 2400. Lol.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 07-18-2018, 07:08 PM
AlbertaAl AlbertaAl is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Beaumont
Posts: 425
Default bait stations

Coyotes don't visit feed stations during daylight hours...actively.
Therefore the Raven (not crows) activity plays a small percentage in attracting coyotes since the Ravens are perched and sleeping in dark hours.
The Ravens attract people ...I hate that !
My locations are always on private land with limited access...far from main roads and include fences that keep out ATV's and snowmachines.

I believe that the ODOUR of a bait pile helps to lure coyotes. That's why farm dogs will show up - travelling for 2 or 3 miles to get a bone. Early season baiting means longer warm fall weather which promotes a stronger odour and easier for coyotes to detect the bait station. I believe same applies to WOLVES who use their noses to find food.

I've also believed that one coyote will bring his brothers and sisters if given a chance... that's why early baiting helps them to become acquanited to the food supply and lets others follow him to the food station. Thats why all Bait stations should be set-up and left idle for 2 -3 weeks before snaring.

They are group animals and follow one another to food sources.

Early season baiting is alot of work since the bait isn't frozen and easy to carry off and get eaten. If you use large animals such as cattle, moose, horses...they have to be chainsawed open otherwise there is no odour especially in cold temperatures.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 07-18-2018, 11:48 PM
Marty S Marty S is offline
AO Sponsor
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,468
Default

I don't buy that dawgs come 2-3 miles to bait piles, or we would have a horrendous amount of dawg by-catch. 778 coyotes last winter and zero dawgs, and I'm regularly closer to dawgs than 2-3 miles.

Undisciplined, unruly, stupid dawgs just run the 2-3 miles, actually some further. Good dogs are under control of their owners and don't run all over and get themselves in trouble.

Meanwhile, once upon a time I set Magnum Alberta Powersnare in Calgary city limits within relatively short distance and had zero dawg encounters in light of there being 100's upon hundreds of dawgs in the area. Under authority of a damage licence of course.

The difference... Order! Rule of law.... Very nice!

Ravens do attract coyotes during daylight hours, is a fact, watch coyotes come to various call sounds, they also eat lots of bait. However, as coyotes are very active at night,the Ravens will have little attraction at night, aside from raven stench from raven poopies.

I just wish we had a much smaller raven population. Be a lot better for many, many lesser species that they actively prey upon. Ravens do much killing.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 07-19-2018, 07:10 AM
AlbertaAl AlbertaAl is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Beaumont
Posts: 425
Default farm dogs

Marty,,, I have returned farm dogs to their owners on various occassions that were running loose in my trapping area. Most were within a mile of the bait station and the furthest was 1-1/2 miles.
Some farm dogs will not leave a farm yard or acreage but there's others that will travel. I dont think that the breed of farm dog matters ...it's more about the farm dogs level of upbringing.

I'll see the occasional coyotes near a bait station during the day but 95% of the activity is in the dark.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 07-19-2018, 07:51 AM
H380's Avatar
H380 H380 is online now
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: WMU 108
Posts: 6,285
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlbertaAl View Post
Marty,,, I have returned farm dogs to their owners on various occassions that were running loose in my trapping area. Most were within a mile of the bait station and the furthest was 1-1/2 miles.
Some farm dogs will not leave a farm yard or acreage but there's others that will travel. I dont think that the breed of farm dog matters ...it's more about the farm dogs level of upbringing.

I'll see the occasional coyotes near a bait station during the day but 95% of the activity is in the dark.
Exactly . Ive got trail cams at 2 of my sites and it is very rare to have a daylight pic of a coyote . Like Marty says , I wish we had less ravens as well , I think they do as much if not more damage to dead snared coyotes than eagles .
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 07-19-2018, 01:26 PM
nube nube is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: In a house
Posts: 7,778
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by H380 View Post
Exactly . Ive got trail cams at 2 of my sites and it is very rare to have a daylight pic of a coyote . Like Marty says , I wish we had less ravens as well , I think they do as much if not more damage to dead snared coyotes than eagles .
Pick them up in 3 days or less and you won't have issues with ravens. Never once lost one in less than 3 day checks.
Are you trapping coyotes on the bald prairie? Down south I know coyotes hide during the day but up north here they are on it all day long. You find a kill site and they scatter like flies.
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 07-19-2018, 04:36 PM
H380's Avatar
H380 H380 is online now
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: WMU 108
Posts: 6,285
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by nube View Post
Pick them up in 3 days or less and you won't have issues with ravens. Never once lost one in less than 3 day checks.
Are you trapping coyotes on the bald prairie? Down south I know coyotes hide during the day but up north here they are on it all day long. You find a kill site and they scatter like flies.
Maybe they are at your sites all day but down here the only time I see a coyote leave a baitsite is at first light . My checks are every other day and ravens are the ones sitting on the damaged ones when I get there .
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 07-19-2018, 06:55 PM
nube nube is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: In a house
Posts: 7,778
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by H380 View Post
Maybe they are at your sites all day but down here the only time I see a coyote leave a baitsite is at first light . My checks are every other day and ravens are the ones sitting on the damaged ones when I get there .
It's pretty open area and from what I am told everyone is trying to kill them down south. I can see why there would be a difference. It's not like that up north here. I can put a dead cow in the field and let it sit and let coyotes feed of it and there will be 5 or six coming and going all day long and staying within 500 yards of the carcass till it is gone. They need some bush nearby and they just hang out...
I can have 20-50 ravens on a site and they won't tough a coyote till day 3. After that it seems they get on them. Not sure why it takes 3 days. Interesting how things vary so much from one area to another
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 07-19-2018, 08:45 PM
tikka250's Avatar
tikka250 tikka250 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: East
Posts: 2,066
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by nube View Post
It's pretty open area and from what I am told everyone is trying to kill them down south. I can see why there would be a difference. It's not like that up north here. I can put a dead cow in the field and let it sit and let coyotes feed of it and there will be 5 or six coming and going all day long and staying within 500 yards of the carcass till it is gone. They need some bush nearby and they just hang out...
I can have 20-50 ravens on a site and they won't tough a coyote till day 3. After that it seems they get on them. Not sure why it takes 3 days. Interesting how things vary so much from one area to another
this is the same behavior i have noticed in my area. though i only snared last winter i have shot off of bait for a while now and unless it has been pressured hard the coyotes will come and go all day long. as for the ravens. out of the roughly 30 coyotes i snared none got opened by ravens and i was flushing 10-20 every time i approached the bait. i was checking roughly 3-4 days apart.
__________________
HOLD ON FUR!

For my coyote pics @trophy_country_coyotes on instagram

life's too short to fish nymphs
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 07-20-2018, 09:45 PM
TrapperMike TrapperMike is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Alix
Posts: 927
Default

Don’t agree with the statement that coyotes stay away from bait during daylight hours. Have a couple of sheep farm that I can’t snare because of dogs but can shoot coyotes off bait. Got 34 off one bait station.
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 07-20-2018, 11:32 PM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Copperhead Road, Morinville
Posts: 19,290
Default

There’s no doubt in my mind that snaring up here and on the bald assed prairie is completely different. Anchor high, anchor low.......entanglement vs lack of.......so many differences. It sounds a lot more challenging catching coyotes on the prairie than up here. It’s very convenient having a tree to anchor to right beside a trail.

I’ve never had an issue with birds......even eagles. They leave my Yotes alone and would rather feed on my bait. The only exception is mange Yotes. Ravens get on them right away but it doesn’t matter anyway. I guess that they already smell dead.

Coyotes around here can hit the bait at all hours of the day and will even bed down in the same small patch of bush. I’ve bumped quite a few doing my checks and even scared one into a snare last year.

Just a point on using a chainsaw to cut up frozen carcasses......don’t do it. A couple of years ago I cut three frozen calves up in manageable pieces and even the birds wouldn’t touch it. In hindsight, those chunks must have stunk like oil exhaust and bar oil......not too smart. It was actually counterproductive and kept the Yotes away. Live and learn I guess.
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 07-20-2018, 11:45 PM
nube nube is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: In a house
Posts: 7,778
Default

Axe to split open the guts and down the back if possible is a good start on frozen big bait. It won't be great but it is the only way to get some action off of it till the weather changes to be honest. I find a pile of roadkill deer frozen solid not the best bait to be honest. Birds don't hit it as hard and it doesn't catch me as much..
Dave, those southern AB yotes get chased hard. My buddy in Cardston is amazed at what goes on and how pressured they are in his area. He has noticed a huge difference the last 5 years in coyote numbers.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:04 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.