How's everyone doing with Coyotes?

[H380]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I think that a lot of whether or not to pre-bait has to do with where you are snaring. If I was snaring in small area of trees where there were only 6 or 7 likely locations for the coyotes to enter into the bait site I'd just put up the 6 or 7 snares required without pre-baiting. In larger areas of bush I want to know where the trails are rather than hanging 25 to 30 snares and have half of them never catch a coyote. Setting on sign is the way to go for me.

With the past two warm Novembers the bait does disappear quickly from the birds because they can fly away with it but with no snow on the ground the coyote trails become visible in the grass. Going through a lot of bait at the beginning is a pita but now that the bait is all froze together it lasts a lot longer and I can hang snares on the trails in the snow. I think that the coyotes may be less weary from using those trails before too.

In the areas that I snare what it comes down to is spending more time putting up snares or pre-baiting and only putting up snares on the trails. This snow makes life a lot easier that's for sure.....selective snare placement.....in and out in half an hour.

I've been baiting 3 sites so far and one site is starting to peter out. Anticipating that would happen, I started a new bait site last week. Today, after the snow, I'll re-bait that site and in a few days I'll set snares on the trails. I'll only have to put up the number of snares that are required instead of a whole bunch of them.

I don't think that there is a best way to do it and it all depends on where you are snaring so I won't try to convince anyone that my way is best. Everyone should try both ways and see what works best where they are snaring.

All I can say Dave is " if its working don't fix it ". Seems to work for you and thats what counts . We have one area where the landowner says we can snare but no bait piles .. Lots of deer here too which can be a problem for sure . Debating whether or not to set a site using scent rags , seems like braggadoe used that last year . My concern will still be deer tho. Might be better of to just go call the area and take what shows up .

[300magman]

Originally Posted by H380

All I can say Dave is " if its working don't fix it ". Seems to work for you and thats what counts . We have one area where the landowner says we can snare but no bait piles .. Lots of deer here too which can be a problem for sure . Debating whether or not to set a site using scent rags , seems like braggadoe used that last year . My concern will still be deer tho. Might be better of to just go call the area and take what shows up .

I got an area somewhat similar.....last year thats where i experimented with footholds. I had limited success, only ended up with 5 in footholds, but it was good learning experience and im alot more confident with footholding now. might just be something to consider anyway.

[H380]

Originally Posted by 300magman

I got an area somewhat similar.....last year thats where i experimented with footholds. I had limited success, only ended up with 5 in footholds, but it was good learning experience and im alot more confident with footholding now. might just be something to consider anyway.

Yes that could definitely be the way to go , but it is a hard to get to area and I cant do the required daily check . Lots of yotes in the area so I'm gonna figure something out .

[HunterDave]

If you have a BAD on your snares and it's anchored well, deer shouldn't be a problem I wouldn't think. I've only ever had one deer step in a snare and it never even broke stride before the BAD gave way. Would your beaver concoction work for scent in an area like that? Do the rags act as a visual attraction like what birds do? I wouldn't know what to do in an area like yours. It looks very challenging!
PS. I'd be interested in seeing what your sets look like. It might be something that I'd be interested in trying sometime.

[Tfng]

The family and I did a 2-3 day check on three baits tonight and ended up with 5 so I'm happy with that. The bait I expected to do well at had nothing and the bait I expected nothing at had 4. One mangey.

Not a bad night, cold but no wind and light snow.

[Tfng]

H380 I did a little prebaiting this year simply because I had lots of bait coming in and couldn't start as soon as I wanted. I won't do it again regardless of the circumstances. With the warm weather half a truck load would be gone in days. I feel like I wasted the bait. I always set a few snares when I start a bait. Usually I can pick out some likely spots for a snare and then I add more as needed.

[shakeyleg02]

I did not prebait this year .im snaring a small river bottom property ..set out bait last saturday and set the trails that i remembered them using from last year had to check that sunday because of warm weather picked up a nice female on that day .. weather turned cold so i checked on wednesday picked up 4 more and checked yesterday had 2 real nice colored pups
Which makes 5 females 2 males with 3 pups in that bunch so far ..still have not caught the alpha male which maybe tough now