Coyotes are drawn to strong meat and gland scents, and the best baits combine a long-range lure with a food they cannot resist. Trapping is the main reason to bait coyotes, and a good bait gets a wary animal into the set. Here are the baits worth using.
- Meat and gland-based baits are the most reliable for coyotes.
- A long-range lure draws coyotes in from a distance.
- Coyotes are wary, so use fresh bait and wear gloves.
- Trapping is licensed, and it may be limited to a season where you live.
Quick Comparison
| Product | Type | Best For | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| FPS Coyote Lure & Bait Kit | Lure kit | Best Overall | Check price |
| Wildlife Research Coyote Juice | Scent | Best Scent | Check price |
| Lenon Lures Beaver Meat Bait | Meat bait | Best Meat | Check price |
| Caven’s Hiawatha Valley Bait 16 oz | Paste bait | Best Paste | Check price |
| Mark June’s Widowmaker Paste | Paste bait | Best Long-Range | Check price |
| Fleming Traps Coyote Bait | Bait | Proven | Check price |
Best Overall: FPS Coyote Lure & Bait Kit
Best Overall- Type
- Lure and bait kit
- Target
- Coyotes
- Works in
- Foothold and cage sets
- Use
- Pair lure and bait
The FPS Coyote Lure & Bait Kit combines a lure and a bait in one package, which is the most effective setup for a coyote set. The lure draws the coyote in from a distance, and the bait holds its attention once it arrives.
This is the right starting point for a coyote problem, since it covers both the attract and the hold in a single kit.
Best Scent: Wildlife Research Coyote Juice
Best Scent- Type
- Liquid scent
- Target
- Coyotes
- Use
- Attractant and call-site scent
- Form
- Liquid
Wildlife Research Coyote Juice is a liquid scent attractant that coyotes associate with prey. It is used both to pull coyotes into a set and to work as a call-site scent when using predator calls.
The liquid form spreads scent over a wider area than a paste, which makes it useful when the coyote’s travel route is uncertain.
Best Meat: Lenon Lures Beaver Meat Fox & Coyote Bait
Best Meat- Type
- Meat bait
- Target
- Coyotes and foxes
- Form
- 8 oz
- Use
- Food attractant
Lenon’s beaver meat bait is a food-based attractant that works on both coyotes and foxes. The meat scent is a strong draw for hungry coyotes, and it holds them at the set longer than a scent-only lure.
This is the right choice when you want a food bait rather than a gland lure, since the meat scent is a natural attractant.
Best Paste: Caven’s Hiawatha Valley Predator Bait
Best Paste- Type
- Paste bait
- Target
- Coyotes, foxes and other predators
- Form
- 16 ounce jar
- Ingredients listed
- Rodent meat, castor, and fox, rat and mink glands
- Character
- Aged bait, strong and long distance
Caven’s Hiawatha Valley is the paste bait with the longest track record on this list. The listing is written in the first person by the maker, who describes it as a long distance predator bait used across the country for forty years, and the ingredient list it gives is unusually specific: rodent meat, castor, and fox, rat and mink glands. It is aged to what the maker calls a good taint, and loud.
That last word is the point. A paste like this does not just smell of food, it smells of other predators, which is what pulls a coyote in from a distance to investigate a set rather than walking past it.
The 16 ounce jar is what the listing sells, which is a season’s worth for a homeowner running a couple of sets. Be realistic about handling: this is a bait that stays on your fingers, so keep a pair of gloves in the trapping bag.
Best Long-Range: Mark June’s Widowmaker Paste
Best Long-Range- Type
- Paste bait
- Target
- Coyotes
- Form
- 16 oz
- Use
- Long-range attractant
Mark June’s Widowmaker is a paste bait known for its strong, long-range scent that pulls coyotes from a distance. It is the choice when the coyote is denning some distance from where you can place a set.
The strong scent overrides a coyote’s natural wariness, which is what makes it effective on trap-shy animals.
Proven: Fleming Traps Coyote Bait
Proven- Type
- Bait
- Target
- Coyotes
- Form
- 16 oz
- Use
- Standard set
Fleming Traps is a trapping supply name, and their coyote bait is a proven choice for foothold and cage sets. The 16-ounce size is practical for a homeowner dealing with a coyote problem.
It is a dependable food and scent bait that works in a standard set, without the complexity of a multi-part lure system.
How to Choose a Coyote Bait
Lure vs. Bait
A lure draws the coyote in from a distance, while a bait holds it at the set. The most effective sets use both, which is why a combined kit is the best starting point.
Legal Note
Coyote rules are about where you are, not about the bait. In South Carolina there is no closed season on private land and SCDNR does not require a permit to shoot a coyote on your own property within 100 yards of your home. In Florida, FWC allows coyotes to be taken year round on private property with the landowner’s permission, and with a gun and light at night without a permit, though a hunting license is required unless you are exempt. In North Carolina, trapping a coyote needs a license and relocation is not an option. Trapping for hire needs a permit everywhere. Check your local rules before trapping, and consider hiring a licensed operator.
Safety
Wear gloves when handling bait and sets to avoid leaving human scent, and keep pets and children away from trap locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Meat and gland-based baits are the most reliable, and a combined lure and bait kit is the best starting point. Strong scents that carry a distance work best on wary coyotes.
It depends on the state: coyotes are a furbearer almost everywhere, so trapping runs on a license and often inside a season. Check the current rule with FWC, the NC Wildlife Resources Commission or SCDNR before you set a trap.
Baits and traps should be kept away from pets. Foothold and cage sets can catch dogs if placed where pets roam, so set traps only where pets cannot reach them.
Coyotes are active year-round, but fall and winter are when trapping is most common, since pelts are prime and food is scarcer. Check local seasons and rules.
Some baits are used with predator calls to attract coyotes for observation or deterrence, but bait alone does not remove a problem coyote. Deterrence and habitat changes are the practical answer for most homeowners.
