Ramblings and Such From Hunting Coyote

[Reemty J]

Same to all of you and GOD bless you all and the USA!!!!

 

[DSheetz]

When You start out for a hunt I like to be ready before I leave the house . I keep all the stuff in my truck so that it doesn't roll around , bang and clang in the truck or the bed of it . When I go in the dark I turn the lights off well before I get to the area I'm going to stop , I have rocks placed in the road that tell me where to stop so my truck will be hidden at my stands , I like to know the area where I will be hunting so if I can I will make a drive through before my hunt . I've worked most of these ranches for over 30 years so I now know for the most part where the problem coyote , fox or bob cats will be living . It seems like here if you kill the problem animals that the ones that fill the gap will use the same general areas as they did year after year . But they may or may not cause problems but you know the general areas to start looking if they do . The dome light is always turned off in my truck I know where every thing is in my truck so that I can just reach out and touch it in the dark if I want or need it . I've sold trucks that the dome light had only been on maybe 12 times in the life of the truck . All my gear that I carry is always in the same pockets so I know where it is if you must have a pocket closed try to have buttons instead of snaps , hook and loop ect. type of closures so they can be opened and closed quietly . If you carry a pack or any thing put it all on the way you will be wearing it step out in your lawn and do a few jump up and downs if it makes more noise then your feet hitting the ground fix it so that it doesn't . If you wear a watch turn it so that the dial or face is on the inside of your wrist . I grit blasted my metal band and the watch case then painted it with grey primmer . A lot of years back the service used to have leather watch bands that had a flap over the crystal so that it didn't shine and if it was luminescent it didn't show up at night . I set in the shade as often as I can , now that I wear glass' that is even more important then ever , that helps to cover any necessary movements you will have to make . When I make my stand I watch out if any thing that might bite or sting me before I set up . As I'm setting up I slowly move any rocks , sticks ect. that I may set on or will be where my feet will be . I don't want to break any twigs that may be where any part of my body will be or rub against them . I don't like any type of clothing that makes noise if it rubs on something such as nylon does . If I have to be out with rain or snow I don't use any type of plastic rain gear on the outside layer if I must use it I put it one layer in under your outer layer but my Carhartt outer wear is scotch guarded and has been used long enough that it is soft and quiet to wear . I find that where I live the brown duck color when faded some blends in well with the grass rocks and dirt . I truly enjoy the hunt but I'm not there for the enjoyment alone my main reason for being there is to kill the problem makers the enjoyment is just an added bonus .

 

[Reemty J]

Okay guys we are going to rob from Dsheetz knowledge bank again, when shooting running coyotes with a rifle, what kind of site pictures or leads do you use at various yardages? 100-200-300 etc..... anyone can answer this there are no wrong answers just curious what works for others, we all may learn something here..........you up and at em you Wy-dam-O-Ming coyote chaser ? I am talking broadside as running away is wwwwaaayyyyy easier....

 

[DSheetz]

My preference is always a standing coyote . From the air I sight behind them close to the tip of the tail due to being higher and shooting at a down ward moving target the shot will go high . From the ground I swing with them at each yardage I lead by a coyote length per 100 yards and do my best not to pause when I break the shot . It seems that even a slight pause causes a miss for me. If they are running straight away and all I have is a butt sight picture I like to hold as close as I can to the top of the hips or back line . Each instance is different just kind of similar so all we have are some guide lines to borrow from . Say I'm calling from a rock pile and am up about 20 feet from ground level if I lead by a coyote length but don't account for the downward angle I'll shoot high . But then if I'm shooting from the same rock pile only I'm at ground level and it's a flat shot , not angled downward , then if I hold low like I would for the first example then I'll miss low . If you want to practice for different angled shots take a target out in the field and do differing angles of shooting write good notes for what each of your scenarios results are . If you want to practice for moving shots when your riding with some one else driving , don't use a gun , just practice pointing at an object as you are moving past it and in your minds eye shoot it and see your self moving to keep the sight picture . Tag it's your turn Reemty .

 

[DSheetz]

I used to hunt out of a chopper quite a bit it was always a lot of fun but was the best when you had a foot or so of fresh snow on the ground . We at times would shoot them with my 22 pistol if the 12 ga. didn't kill them cleanly . There have been many times in the past when people would horde ammo just as they are now doing . I ordered a case of number four buck shot once and it took over a month to come and when it did show up they had doubled the price of it . I don't mind a person making some profit but just price gouging doesn't set well with me . So I didn't go back to that dealer again as a lot of others didn't , they ended up going out of business because people stopped doing business with them over it As I always kept a few bricks of 22lr on hand we used the pistol from the chopper to finish them if need be then. The 22lr is the staple of the control guy we use then a lot for trapping and snaring A good 22 rifle and pistol have taken more animals for the control worker then any other caliber , then the 12ga. next is the 223 for most guys . Ammo is usually available and affordable for these guns . At times like we are in now people tend to go into panic mode and think they need to horde things . Ammo , powder , primers brass are all hard to come by now if you are going to store all this kind of stuff you need to do it properly or you are wasting your time, money and what ever it is you think you are keeping for your latter use . Keep it in air , water tight containers in a temperature stable place . I've watched people pull ammo out of their storage only to find it green and not useable after just a years time . I've seen people that didn't know how to store dried food only to have it get wet and mold or canned goods that were kept in a cellar that was damp get rusty and the cans leak . All things that we do have a learning process so for me it's best to study and learn first then act . My Grandma always said look before you leap . She was 98 when she died 14 years ago so had seen a lot in her life time I learned much from her and others that had experienced more of life then I had and can only hope that I can pass along a little bit of sound knowledge to others along the way . Enjoy the HOLIDAY SEASSON be safe and as healthy as you all can this year and next

 

[Reemty J]

Typical day hunting coyotes, killed 3 and missed two. Calling isn't real hot but spot and stalk is working, killed a pair in tall grass with 204 one at 200 second just shy of 300..... later in the day I spotted 6 laying in the stubble, worked in on them in an irrigation canal, time I got there they moved over the hill, wind was good so I followed, finally caught up to 3 of them, lip squeaked a 2-3 year old male in a pounded him with dead coyote load in the shotgun.......at 45 yards.......going back tomorrow, bunch of coyotes in that last spot. It's great country to spot them with glass....... every time I am successful I thank our great LORD for HIS gifts and blessing.....was a great day in Mondamtana, I love to savor the moments, the opportunity to match wits and abilities with a coyote........these ones I am killing west of town are sure white, fat and Woolley

 

[74honker]

As usual some great knowledge shared on the last few pages. Keep it up! A page or so back someone said that calling coyotes was easy but killing them is hard, alls I can say to that is that they can come to where I hunt to prove that one any day lol. I did pick up a primos howler and am practicing before I head out to try. Been spending some time just listening from a distance and trying to pattern some also. Trying to work smarter not harder kind of thing. I know I'm already dealing with overly educated, burnt coyotes so I'm trying my best not to be part of that problem by waiting till I'm confident and ready.

 

[Straight Shooter]

Scott, depending on the weather, I might be headed your way after Christmas.

 

[Reemty J]

Today was an interesting day, in an area I would describe as 4 square miles I saw 23 coyotes, I am not kidding, never seen anything like it in my life. Killed 4 today, all spot and stalk, this area is ideal for spot and stalk, rolly hills, large flats with dry irrigation ditch's for sneaking. Can sit and glass a large stubble field with hilly plateau in the back ground and spot 5-9 coyotes spread out laying on the down wind side of the hills in the stubble. Killed an old male at 286 yards and 3 females at 100, 100 and 225 yards all with 204..... so far have killed 22 coyotes 8 fox since last part of October all with 204 expect one with shotgun.....counting since spring when I bought this 204 have killed 27 coyotes with it, feel it is a great round for coyotes, have yet to lose one..and when I miss it's over the top....crosshairs on fur or over it goes.....love spot and stalk makes you feel like a kid again... when you sneak in on the irrigation ditch and they do not know your there, the first one you shoot drops, cycle a round and any close to it will jump up run a ways and stop as they are not sure where to run and you get a standing shot.. the last two I killed worked out that way, killed the first at 100 yards standing the second one jumped up at 225 and I pounded her and a third that I didn't realize was there ran off and stopped with me barking a little over 300 and I shot barely above her back, almost had a " Charles Hathcock" triple Ended up the weekend with 7 and a lot more knowledge how to hunt that country

 

[Straight Shooter]

How was the wind and did you try to call any?

 

[Reemty J]

Wind was from the northeast 10-15 or a hair more but varied, my remote batteries were dead so did two stands hand calling, could see the coyotes but they didn't know I was there...... not interested... in this area there are 4-5 kill pits where ranchers drag there dead ones too...lots of cattle, cover and coyotes are all fat as ticks. I never seen numbers like this. I saw 11 within 15 minutes after daylight. Was hard to move around with out bumping coyotes down wind of you, dam things were every where

 

[Reemty J]

Keep in mind that we just came off a few weeks of 45-55 degrees and no snow so mousing is easy and also there are a few local callers that work this area some.... human nature being what it is, most will not put in the effort of spot and stalk. Everyone wants it easy, wants a coyote to come running fast so they do not have to do too much. I noticed today's calling compared to 20-30 years ago, coyotes take more time to call in, used to be 15 minutes was a long time, now 30-45 is nothing for a coyote to come in that slow. If we get a week of good cold weather and some snow it will be a different world. Also as we get closer to January and mating coyote vocalizations will be hot. If they won't call, but I can spot them with glass, well by GOD I am going into sneak mode. Right before I left for home I contacted two more ranchers for permission next time, one said drive down the road and take a look, 1/2 mile south of his house on a large hill covered with stubble at 600 yards I could spot 3 coyotes curled up sleeping. Just no time before dark to make a play for them.

 

[Reemty J]

When I am in the field I am head to toe snow camo not the pure white but the white- gray- touch of brown blend on my coat and brown - light tan on my legs, they are wool pants. On my head I have pure white balaclava and one of those white tight silky face covers but open enough for a mouth call. I like my head white Incase it is ever sky lined to the coyote it blends better especially on a cloudy day. Keep in mind when sneaking or calling a coyote mainly just sees your top half, from the chest up to me is the most important

 

[DSheetz]

Reemty , It is true they normally see your top half . They notice movement of any kind that is out of place in their world also . Down here we get enough wind that there are always bare spots in our snow in just a few days and we have a lot of light browns and greys of the sage brush with the faded yellows of grass so that the faded brown duck clothing works well as camo . Breading season is just around the corner as you said . Now when they are full and doing a lot of laying up you may try two short howls with two quick barks wait a few seconds and do it again then wait a couple of minutes . It's a gather up you guys type of call where are you we need to have a meeting and see what we are going to do today . You can also try some short howls and squeals like a female wanting her a partner with maybe a couple of barks thrown in here and there . Have you noticed what they are saying and when they are talking in your area now ? It's dark at night right now so they are using their nose and ears a lot at night trapping and snaring should be good right now because of that for those that are doing that . And the challenge of hunting coyote continues to keep us interested .