The best secret to coyote hunting remains the use of baits. However, there is still no guarantee you’ll kill a coyote even if you have the best baits. They are naturally cunning animals that require more than just the use of baits to kill one. No matter how experienced you are, luring coyotes to a bait remains a daunting task.

Baiting coyotes involves enticing and tempting them to a specific location with food. Since they are predatory species, you need to involve much in their baiting. It takes more than just placing bait in the woods and waiting for them to devour it. Coyotes follow the smell rather than the sight of the bait.

Coyote Baiting Tips at Night

While baiting coyotes works during the day, you can only find them easily at night. They are nocturnal predators who do most of their hunting in the dark. Therefore, baiting them into effective range during the dark hours should be your priority as a hunter.  Adherence to a few tips also comes in handy when baiting coyotes. 

Coyotes are ingenious animals with active senses. Don’t expect them to fall for anything easily. They may make you think you’ve nailed a jackpot, only to fool you. When baiting coyotes, please abide by to the following tips;

Give them an Offer They Can’t Resist

Don’t be fooled into using any bait. Coyotes know what they like; hence won’t hesitate to ignore your little offer. If you settle on choosing a particular bait, pick on the one they want. Coyotes are known to like deer meat; hence I would advise you to go for the same.

Place your bait when it’s midnight in the frozen night temperatures. Here, your frozen deer meat still appears and tastes natural to the Coyotes. Remember, it takes many baits and daily visits to a site to build the coyotes’ confidence. Other natural baits that will get the attention of Coyotes include;

Pigs and Hogs

Coyotes love hogs or pig bait, thanks to their smell. These are loved because they make a sizable amount of meat. Though they may be hard to find, a rotten carcass will still do.  Coyotes will be lured to the bait by the sheer fact of a freely available meal.

Afterbirth

The smell of afterbirth also attracts coyotes. If you have access to any, make sure you take it with you for a little coyote party hunting. Leave it out to fill the air with the stench. Coyotes love the stench and will, in no doubt, follow the bait. 

Have a Good Bait Setup

Having a good bait and knowing how to set it up are two different things. Essentially, the setup plays a role as necessary as the bait itself. Ensure you place the bait close to where the Coyotes sleep. This makes the bait the first thing to see when they go out in search of food. The guidelines below will further help you in setting up the bait;

Place the bait in the open. But first, ensure it’s close to a cover where coyotes hide when sleeping. After placement of the bait, keep a distance away from it. This is just in case a cautious coyote decides to roam around. You’ll have ample time getting ready to fire your coyote hunting gun. It also allows the coyote to commit to the bait without any interference or scare.

Coyotes don’t resist baits easily. This also grants you a chance to employ pressure baiting. With this tactic, you make the coyotes compete for the bait.  Set up the bait where a coyote has to beat competition from others to get there first. This includes considering if there are points that offer a direct route to the bait.

Follow the Wind Direction

Before placing your bait, monitor the direction, the wind blows. Place your bait downwind. Coyotes have similar behaviors to other predators and will ordinarily follow the wind direction. They’ll rarely throw caution to the wind and walk on. 

Why Baiting Coyotes at Night Offers More Opportunities to You

Nighttime remains the best time to pursue coyotes. The cover of the darkness offers an added advantage more than during the daytime. However, some states still have strict regulations governing night hunting. It’s best if you’re sure of your regions’ hunting laws before embarking on coyote night hunting.

There are various factors why you should consider baiting and hunting coyotes at night. First, coyotes are nocturnal animals; hence they were created to thrive at night. They freely move at night with their nose and ears active in every sense. This makes it easy for them to detect your bait. The darkness also provides you a good hiding cover. 

When you bait a coyote at night, few active predators get there before the coyote itself. It’s quite the opposite, though, during the day. Scavengers such as vultures are always on the lookout for all carcasses. They’ll get to the bait first and cause a considerable disturbance, thanks to their powerful sight. However, even at night, you’ll still have to wade off the marauding wolves.

Can You Call Coyotes at Night?

Coyotes are very vocal animals at night. Usually, you’ll find them making high pitched sounds to each other in succession. The right side of it is that you can also join in the party of noise making. When you howl at them, they love responding to the sound. This way, you can quickly locate them as they continue making sounds of anguish. 

Sound travels far at night; hence a coyote that is miles away will hear you. They’ll heed to the calls and come slowly, following the downwind. You can hurry up and set your baits as you wait to pounce on as many as you can. You can also use the night hunting lights to locate them even as they move close to you.

Check out some of the best coyote calls.

Conclusion

Baiting coyotes at night remains a sure way of securing yourself a kill. But first, ensure you use the right kind of bait allowed under the law. The bait will also be useful if it’s in a place where you can shoot a coyote comfortably. Go ahead and try these tips; I am sure you won’t miss one or two coyotes.