Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Help Me Plan a Coyote Hunt

I am planning on hunting coyote this winter on my property in Maine. Never hunted them before but I know there is a large population. I have a 20 acre field that I'm thinking would be a good spot. Roughly 600 yards x 200 yards with a small stream and beaver pond (frozen in winter). Field is snow covered at this point and will probably remain so for the rest of the winter. I have an elevated blind set up along the perimeter in the tree line that overlooks the entire field. Night hunting is permitted. I have a suppressed AR with a Sightmark Wraith. It may be possible that I can find a roadkill deer to use as bait. Otherwise, I was thinking about a few whole turkeys and staking them to the ground with some rebar. Possibly also some fish heads and guts or dog food scattered around the bait site.


Does this seem like a reasonable location and plan?

Are there better options for baits than what I listed above?

How far away should I set up the bait from the blind? 75-100 yards or further? I can zero at any distance and feel confident making shots out to around 250-300 yards.

Should I use a Foxpro in conjunction with the bait to get them into the area quicker? If so, which type of call would be ideal to use?

What would be the best time frame for such a hunt? 6pm to midnight or midnight to 6am?

Photos of my field and blind below for reference:

[img]https://imgur.com/GIccQt6[/img]
[img]https://imgur.com/wq4YP4d[/img]

I would think a road kill deer would be good bait. They can clean up a deer fast, a night or two. I’d set the bait about 100-150 yards from your blind. And don’t hunt unless the wind is in your favor.

Skip the bait, just use the foxpro. Set up cross wind. Sneak into your stand or blind, call early morning or before dark. If you hear them at night and can safely/legally shoot them then, try that too.

Start off with a rabbit distress sounds, set the caller about 30 yards in front of you, Remember to face the caller, they generally come to the caller. Some wise coyotes will hang up at the tree line. Two things you can never say about coyotes, Never and Always.

Even though I prefer to call coyotes, I'd start with the bait setup. Sounds fun actually. With enough bait, you'll get coyotes concentrated.

You can always try the calling thing when the bait is gone.

Before placing bait, figure the normal wind patterns, likely areas coyotes will come from, how you can get in the blind quickly and silently, where to place bait that coyotes will be forced into a spot where you can shoot, but not make them come to far into the open.

From the looks of your pic, a finger of timber or brush might give incoming coyotes a little more security coming in, before breaking out into the open.

I'd use all the road-killed deer you can get your hands on.

Lonny has given you some real good information, as they say on the fire I've killed truckloads doing this if it's done the right way.

One thing about bait,don't get dissapointed if they don't hit it right away,they will find it soon enough.
You can also but some coyote or fox urine from a trapping supply to make them more comfortable.
I like midnight +,but that depends on location.
Best of luck,do not get discouraged if you don't see any for the first few times you go.

I was asked to kill some problem coyotes on a sheep and goat farm. It was quite a ways from home so I wasn't able to give it lots of attention but what I did was use a distress call, real low, on one extreme end of the fields and got one coyote there. Then went to the opposite end, probably 300 yards away and called real low again, and got #2. By calling low I didn't blow out the whole area. I used a small caliber, low report rifle I'd had good luck with, so your suppressed rifle will be just the ticket.

If I'd had more time I would have baited next.

I generally keep a gut pile in my pasture for the purposes of killing coyotes. Unless you have A LOT of time I would definitely try the call first. I would recommend trying to call them after it’s been very cold for a few days and they’re hungry. If the ground is frozen they can’t dig mice and they eat a lot of mice… at least where I hunt. If the wind isn’t right…don’t even bother. If they catch a whiff of you they’ll be headed elsewhere.

Good luck on your quest! I think once you get a taste of coyote hunting you’ll be hooked.