Phil from Maine

Deleted by Phil from Maine

Phil from Maine

Deleted by Phil from Maine

Nomercy448

If I'm reading this right, you are talking about putting a carcass out on the ice of a frozen lake/pond, drawing dogs out into the open, then getting down to business?

I wish I had the problem of deciding how to call coyotes on ice, doesn't often get that thick down here for enough of the season for me to have done it.

Do the dogs travel on the ice in that area? I've seen a lot of track across rivers, or out on the edges of ponds to get to the waterline, but I know other parts of the country that get feet of ice might have game travel regularly over ice.

I like the "cove" idea, for the fact that I don't ever expect coyotes to travel very far out into the open. A cove might provide a bit more confidence than a more open patch of the ice.

Use your bait location to establish a "kill box". If you want to shoot them off of the bait, then that's your kill box. In that case, I'd want to be closer than 150yrds from the bait if I were shooting a hornet (or most other rounds). If you place your bait so the coyotes have to pass by your shooting position, then I'd still want to be close enough that if they come in from a surprise angle, you can still make the shot (i.e. not over 150yrds).

Calling over bait always draws mixed advice. I've had good results either way, between sitting in the truck playing cards with my brother-in-law watching over a bait pile as well as when calling with distress calls over the bait. Not saying that predators hunt using logic, but I tend to believe that good sounds can travel far enough to attract a coyotes ears to bring their nose close enough to smell bait. Good smells will only attract noses that smell them, meaning close enough to catch a pool, or in the right location to catch your good smell on the drifting wind. Crows and eagles will be good confidence builders, but good sights only attract eyes that see them. Again, the sound may lure them to see the scavengers on the bait, tripping another competitive predatory trigger.

As far as shooting the first one that comes in vs. waiting for more to show, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Nothing says you can't wait a few minutes to see if something comes in, and then shoot a coyote as he's walking away from a pile if nobody else shows, but given a high-percentage shot, I generally take it. If I see one dog coming in with others hanging up out of range, then I'd wait for that one to get cozy and build their confidence, but if they aren't in sight, I take what comes. Connecting on doubles is rare enough as it is, especially if your first shot is 150yrds.

Phil from Maine

First of all thank you for the reply.....

Yes they will travel across our lakes during the winter months. They also love to chase deer out on the ice hoping one will slip and go in for the kill. We loose quite a few deer to coyotes either chasing them out on the ice or deep snow making it easier for a chase.. Sometimes we will see one traveling across the lake where it is to far to do much about it or to many camps lining the shore.. I have been talking to some others and they have stated it is hard to get a coyote out on the ice???

I feel a cove because it can give me the chance to set up on either point so I can aviod most wind issues and keep my scent blowing away from the baited area.. Plus it is to shallow for ice fishing..

I can always set it up closer that is why I am asking for some sound advice.. I think I would still want to be out there around 100 yards though. This would clearly help me hide on either point.. I feel it would be something like trying to get a coyote across any large opening though and the cove is realatively small compared to others we have..

While I am not sure what kind of reaction I will get.. You can hear them in this area during the summer months with pups yipping.. So I am thinking it will work out ok??

I will adhear to your advice on not letting one walk away if I do not see any more show up. The place has some pretty good cover on one side and a lot of catails on the other side.. So I have hope that 1 or 2 will show up...

Thanks again for your advice..

Nomercy448

Yeah Phil, I was jet-setting this week, and ended up with some kind of food poisoning or flu for a couple days while I was flying around (great fun spending a couple days hunkered down on a hotel toilet between business meetings), so took me a while to get back on this. I actually wrote that response yesterday afternoon but forgot to send it before I made supper for mama and me.

But yeah, I think your plan will work well for you. Like you said, not so different than drawing them into any open area with bait. The cover should give them a bit of confidence. Only caveat to keep in mind is how far the coyotes have to come out from cover to reach the bait. They WILL leave cover for meals, but they'll commit more quickly if they don't have to.

Another really fun option, which can increase the lifespan of your bait, would be to hang part of the carcass on a tripod stand, and only leave smaller bits on the ground/ice beneath it. Around here, a deer carcass will get stripped in a night or two, so bait piles don't last long. My brother-in-law and I have been hanging roadkill deer in trees lately, then throwing smaller chunks out each day on the way to work. That funk really gets ripe after a day or two, and when it's cold, we can get about a week and a half out of a carcass, instead of 2 days. You're probably cold enough that deer will freeze to the ice? Anything you can do to get more life out of your bait.

Phil from Maine

Thank you again....

I hope you have gotten over what ever it was that had gotten you laid up..

Thanks for some ideas.. I am thinking I could take a 5 gallon bucket of water when I set this out. I can use the water to soak some snow up with and help my bait stick to the ice real well.. I will also try to keep in mind where to set it up in regards to the cover around the shoreline.. But, I still want it far enough away to give me a clear shot at them..

Phil from Maine

I just got back from setting the bait out.. There coyote tracks on the trail going in and a few older tracks where they were walking around 20 yards out along the cove.. I think this will work great for me.. But no one knows until it has been a success or not..

I set it off the shoreline around 60 yards in an area of where some stumps stuck up threw the ice. I am hoping this was a good choice on that one. A large crow was flying around checking it out before I could leave there.. I will be going back in about an hour just to watch over it.. Although I am not going to expect much until tomorrow. There is a big pine I can hide behind to watch the area pretty good with a mixer of brush and cattails along the bank.. I hope I can nail a decent eastern coyote from this setup..
Thanks again for your in put..

Phil from Maine

No luck with the coyotes... I am not sure why as they have been fairly close to my bait site but no show!! When I went back there yesterday afternoon I saw around 6 eagles and I do not know how many crows.. My guess would be around 50 of them.. I went back in early this morning and waited around 2 hours with only a little calling when I first got there.. Nothing again except for an eagle and maybe around 10 crows.. It was snowing from a storm that had just rolled in about an hour before hand.. I did have a camera with me this time and here is a picture from what I saw while waiting..
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/memb...25-dpp-356.jpg

patience0830

According to the local conservation officer, here in IN putting out bait is a no-no. Same as for deer hunting.

But you CAN hunt over a gut pile from a legally acquired deer or a domestic animal killed by 'yotes if it hasn't been moved from it's original location, as those are considered "naturally occurring attractions" like a food plot for the deer is.

Just wish I had some time to go out with the rifle. Too darned busy. Last coyote I killed was while squirrel hunting with a .17hm2 at about 15 yds.

Nomercy448

Really strange that they're not venturing out to your bait pile. How close are you finding tracks? Has there been a lot of ice-fishing pressure nearby that might keep the coyotes wary?