One of the most common ways to attract coyote for hunting is using bait. Since they’re opportunistic scavengers and predators, this means that finding the optimal bait can be somewhat difficult.
Read on and we’ll discuss the viability of different things which can be used to make sure you get the best coyote bait possible.
5 Best Coyote Baits
1.) Fresh Guts
If you happen to be out and about hunting other small game animals during the day, it’s likely that you’ve made a couple of kills. Whether it’s ground squirrel, rabbit, or even larger animals, a fresh pile of guts makes for prime bait. After you field clean your kill, throw the guts in a bag and place them somewhere that you’ll have a clear line of fire.
After positioning yourself upwind, sooner or later one or more of those wily coyote will emerge to come out and get their paws on some offal. This will give you a great time to take the shot and it might be one of the absolute best baits you can get your hands on.
There are a couple of drawbacks to this method, however, which is mainly the fact that you’ll have to haul around enough guts to make sure the coyote don’t just take them and run off before you can take the shot. You’ll also have to have made a couple of kills or taken a larger animal earlier in the day.
FURTHER READING
➜ The Important Things To Know In Understanding Why Coyotes Howl
➜ How To Bait Coyotes For A Successful Hunt
➜ Learn About When Coyotes Are Most Active And More!
2.) “Baitsciles”
While not quite as attractive of a method, many coyote hunters have had a lot of success with this method. Essentially what you’ll want to do is fill a bucket or mold with entrails and maybe even scraps of meat from previous kills and then freeze the whole thing.
Hunters recommendations vary widely on this, with some recommending using softball sized pieces for a single day of hunting, and some have used larger buckets in order to ensure they can return time and time again.
A larger bucket in a colder portion of the States can even be used for an extended period. If you have a busy lifestyle, a cold climate, and an area you like to hunt coyote in then this method can keep them coming for weeks to months. Some people have claimed they even last all season.
The drawback is, of course, having to gather all of the offal and off-cuts together which can take some time. This method also isn’t nearly as viable during warm weather as it is during the winter.
Related: What Do Deer Eat In The Winter?
3.) Dog Food
It’s pretty obvious when you think about it, coyote love dog food. It makes for a great and cheap bait when you don’t have access to guts or carcasses.
Using dog food as bait has some tricks to it. One of the main ones you’ll want to attempt is to bury a good amount of it in a location, placing it perhaps half an inch under the soil, and spreading out kernels of it in a wide area around the central bait pile.
The coyote will eventually find that there is dog food in the area and begin seeking it by scent, giving you a perfect opportunity for a shot while they home in on the larger pile of dog food that you have buried in the center of the area.
This works best in semi-rural areas, and it’s a favored trick of those who take care of coyote which might have already been exposed to dog food during forays into the outskirts of town. It also has the advantage of not attracting as many other scavengers as many types of bait.
There’s little risk of a vulture flying off with your bait, for instance, if you use dog food as your bait.
4.) Road Kill
There’s no need to let any animal go to waste, and in many areas of the country it can be quite easy to find road kill. Whether it’s a possum or a house cat, these carcasses will often prove themselves to be quite good bait as long as you stay upwind.
Some hunters recommend dipping the road kill in blood as well in order to make them even more attractive to the coyote you’re seeking. In doing this you’re virtually guaranteed to attract at least some sort of scavenger, and if you’ve scouted the area and timed your baiting properly it’s likely you’ll be able to harvest a coyote over the corpse.
The absolute holy grail of using this method is being able to find a road kill deer. Since it won’t be able to be hauled away by a single coyote you stand a much better chance of getting your shot in while it’s gnawing away at the carcass.
Of course, you’ll want to be sure to check the legality of using roadkill in your area and responsibly dispose of any remains after your hunting session is over.
5.) Fish
Fish also make a viable bait source, which is great for those of us who love to spend time angling as well as hunting. They can be used in many of the same ways as the above methods: just save the heads and guts in the freezer and make a pile.
One of the main ways they’re used as bait by experienced coyote trappers and hunters, however, is by salting them. When salted, the fish can be kept almost indefinitely without making your house reek or taking up room in your freezer that could probably be better used by stocking with more edible game.
It’s not a bait of last resort, it’s actually quite effective, but it is a bit specialized when it comes to making sure you have some on hand.
Related:“When Is The Best Time To Hunt Coyotes?” Searching For The Perfect Shot
6. Chicken liver
This is one of the most popular baits for coyote, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s a strong scent that will often bring them in from long distances, and they love to eat it.The main downside of using chicken liver as bait is that it can be expensive if you go through alot of it, and it doesn’t store well. You can’t just keep a bunch in your freezer like you can with some of the other types of baits on this list.You’ll have to either use it fresh or find a way to preserve it, which means figuring out how to keep it from going bad too quickly or learning how to salt it properly so that it lasts a bit longer.
8.) Coyote urine
If you want to guarantee that a coyote is going to show up, using coyote urine as bait is about as close as you can get. You can purchase it online or at many sporting goods stores, and all you have to do is let it drip onto the ground near where you’ll be waiting with your gun.The downside to using this method is that it can be quite expensive if you go through alot of it, and it also doesn’t store well. Once opened, a bottle of coyote urine will only last for a few months before it starts to lose its potency.You’ll also want to be sure that you don’t use too much, as the coyote will be able to smell it from quite a distance and if there’s too much they may just avoid the area altogether. A little goes a long way with this method.
9.) Fruits and vegetables
You might not think of fruits and vegetables as being good bait for coyote, but in reality they can be quite effective. This is especially true if you happen to live near an area where farmers are growing crops. Apples, watermelons, and other fruits make excellent bait, as do corn and other vegetables. The key is to find a way to keep them from going bad too quickly. One method is to soak them in salt water overnight, which will help to preserve them.You can also add some sugar to the mix, which will make the bait even more irresistible to coyotes. Just be sure not to use too much or you’ll end up attracting bears and other large animals that you don’t want to deal with.
10.) Bacon
Bacon is another bait that can be quite effective, but it shares many of the same drawbacks as chicken liver. It’s a strong scent that will often bring coyotes in from long distances, but it doesn’t store well and can be quite expensive if you go through alot of it.You can keep bacon fresh for a few days by wrapping it in plastic and stored in a cool, dry place, but after that it will start to go bad. You can also salt it or smoke it to help preserve it, but this will change the taste and smell somewhat.
11.) Coyote food
One of the best baits you can use is something that the coyote would normally eat. This could be anything from a small animal to a piece of meat that you’ve been able to trap.The key is to make sure the bait is fresh, and that you’re using something that the coyote is likely to be attracted to. You can also use a scent attractant to help bring them in, but this isn’t always necessary.
12.) Sausage
Sausage is another type of meat that can be quite effective as bait for coyote, but it has the same drawbacks as bacon. It’s a strong scent that will often bring them in from long distances, but it doesn’t store well and can be quite expensive if you go through alot of it.You can keep sausage fresh for a few days by wrapping it in plastic and stored in a cool, dry place, but after that it will start to go bad. You can also salt it or smoke it to help preserve it, but this will change the taste and smell somewhat.
13.Kitten food
Kitten food can be an effective bait for coyote. The key is to use something that is fresh and that the coyote is likely to be attracted to. You can also use a scent attractant to help bring them in, but this isn’t always necessary.
14.Cheese
Cheese is a common bait that can be used to catch many different types of animals, and it also works well for coyote. The key is to use something that is fresh and that the coyote is likely to be attracted to. You can also use a scent attractant to help bring them in, but this isn’t always necessary.
Conclusion
Finding the best coyote bait really isn’t that hard. In fact, the placement and way you bait is generally much more important than what exactly you plan on using to bait them with. You definitely can’t go wrong with any of these, however. So get out there and hunt some predators.
Did we leave out your favorite bait? Have any questions? Drop us a line below!
FAQ about Best Coyote Bait
1. What is the fastest way to attract coyotes?
Coyotes are opportunistic scavengers who are attracted to anything that smells fresh so it is important to maintain a clean campsite. This includes keeping food stored in bags, making sure your garbage is stored properly during the daytime, using scent soaps when showering, and wearing clothes inside out until they have been washed.
If you want coyotes hunting at night then find an area with fresh prey calls or even better put up some of your own. Like many animals coyotes will take any chance they get at finding food especially if they’re hunted down for humans interests. Coyotes also love carrion – meat left on bones – because it doesn’t go bad like other sources of meat do which make them more appealing to humans as well.
2. Can you bait coyotes with dog food?
Sure. Coyotes prefer dogs as their prey, but since they are opportunistic eaters it is not uncommon for coyotes to dine on dogs simply because a dog’s food was left out unattended or a dog came running.
Pelletized dry dog food can be one of your best bets for attracting the coyote to a set location – just scatter handfuls around an area where you want the animal to come closer. The key is being patient and making sure that at least half-an-hour goes by before checking back if there has been no sign of activity from your bait so as not improve the chance of success at all costs.
In conclusion, whether bate is acquired from hunting or from purchasing wet food commercially
3. How do you lure coyotes during the day?
We recommend the following steps to use as a guide for hunting coyotes during the day:
1. Find out where they’re feeding and eliminate those sources of food if possible (e.g., don’t let your chicken coop or wild turkey flock roost in their backyard).
2. Lure them with decoys, bleating deer calls, and whistles.
3. Make an ambush by setting up a number of homespun “chuck” decoys around a funnel entrance covered by brushy cover (e.g., bushes and saplings).
4. Ensure you stay downwind and make sure your scent doesn’t carry over to where you’ll be waiting silently – there’s nothing worse than
4. Is there anything that can’t be used as bait for coyote?
There are a few things you should avoid using as bait when hunting coyote. These items
include:
1. Chemical attractants such as sardines, bacon, and cheese
2. Pets or livestock
3. Human food items such as candy bars, soft drinks, and processed meats
4. Decoys that resemble humans (e.g., mannequins) or other predators (e.g., bobcats)
5. Anything that is spoiled or rotten
5. What is the best time of day to bait coyotes?
The best time of day to bait coyotes is early in the morning or late in the evening when they are most active. You will also want to avoid baiting during the heat of the day as this will only attract flies and other pests. It is important to note that you should never try to bait coyotes during the mating season as this can lead to aggression from the male coyote.
6. What type of bait should I use?
When it comes to coyote bait, there are a number of different things you can use. Some of the most popular items include:
1. Pelletized dry dog food
2. Fresh meat (e.g., rabbits, deer, and raccoons)
3. Sausages
4. Canned dog or cat food
5. Old bread or crackers
6. Sweet treats such as candy bars or soft drinks
7. Decoys (e.g., stuffed animals or mannequins)
8. Coyote urine
9. Chemical attractants (e.g., sardines, cheese, and bacon)
10. anything that smells bad to you, will probably smell good to a coyote!
7. How do I set up the bait?
When setting up your bait, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, you will want to choose an area that is away from human activity as coyotes are shy creatures and will avoid areas where there is a lot of noise and commotion. Second, you should try to find an area that is sheltered from the wind as this will help to mask yourscent. Finally, you should make sure that the bait is easy to get to so that the coyote will not have to work too hard to get to it.
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