gil1 said:
JDBinTN said:
Awewsomw pics!!! If you don't mind my asking what all do you use for scents and bait?
All kinds of stuff, really, but usually fresh meat. Lately, I've been picking off squirrels for bait. I tether them because yotes will just carry them away from the camera.
Okay, I got a couple PMs asking for more detail on predator baits. I don't claim to know it all, but I've learned a lot over the years. Here's a snippet of an article I wrote on it. I also wrote a more in depth insert about predator baiting for the new QDMA trail camera book, but I can't reprint it here. You'll have to buy the book.
[color:#3366FF]If you enjoy predators, here are some tips. Predators will eat a variety of fruits and vegetables (even ripe tomatoes and watermelons), but fresh meat seems to be the high percentage lure for all canines and felines. If you don�t have access to a deer, a butcher or meat processor should be willing to donate some cull cuts. I have found that bobcats and foxes can�t resist fresh seafood. Shad and skipjack herring top my favorites list because they are easy to catch in a cast net.
Predators, especially coyotes, tend to drag their food to a favorite lair for eating or storing. If you are using small bait like a squirrel, a rabbit, or a small piece of meat, tether it to a tree with duck decoy cord or light rope so you can capture the animal snacking in front of the camera. Make sure the rope is a dark color so it won�t be obvious in the picture. If using large bait like deer innards, cut it up into a dozen or so pieces to keep the animals returning for more meals.
If you don�t want glistening entrails in your photos, spread a light layer of leaves over your bait. An added benefit is that a little camouflage keeps the crows and buzzards from sighting a meal. The predators will have no problem finding it under the leaves.
In the same vein, never set your bait out in the open because scavenging birds will pick it off almost immediately. Set your bait in or near cover along likely predator travel routes. Bottlenecks, gaps in fences, and brushy creek bottoms are all excellent predator travel corridors. Intersections of roads, trails, fence lines, and different vegetations are also fine bait locations.[/color]
