Coyote Vision and inadequate footwear

N

NevadaZielmeister

Member
Predator Masters,

Thank you for all of the advice I have learned from the years in my endeavor to kill Coyotes. I live in a difficult to hunt area that gets a lot of pressure. Needless to say, the Coyotes here around Reno Nevada are VERY knowledgeable and difficult to kill. Survival of the fittest and all that.

Anywho, my story was for this morning. After learning a ton from the baiting thread, I started using some left over Elk trimmings and was building bait pressure over the last few days. However, it was my footwear that was lacking. I had used my FoxPro to call out with some crow calls and after waiting for 2 hours in sheer agony over frozen feet, I started to get up and just finished packing up when I saw two fully grown Coyotes taking my bait!!!

I immediately dropped my gear and sat back down for some freehand shots. That was a mistake, of course, since I didn't have my tripod ready and started sending rounds. Missed both of the Coyotes as they ran away. I should have waited until the next morning and held off on my shots. My first shot was about 150 yards away and then after that who knows. 10 rounds of 223 wasted in the end.

So my questions are this: Could the Coyotes have seen me? Also, if they did, would they be smart enough to know that my back was turned to get the bait? And finally, do you guys have any recommendations for really warm boots?

Any help would be appreciated.
 
When I ran traplines and worked construction up in NW MN, felt lined Sorel boots worked well but needed a change of liners midday. At that time you could still find lace up felt boots that we wore in five buckle overshoes. Now days if I'm going to sit somewhere for awhile I have overboots for my regular hunting boots and I can throw in a chemical handwarmer over the toes if it is really cold (International Falls kind of cold). when I head into a stand I have my down coat, insulated over pants and boots in my pack and put them on when I arrive so I don't sweat soak my clothes.

For coyote calling ust a pair of 400gram thisulate boots and wool socks when the cold seeps in enough for my feet to start to hurt that's long enough on a stand and they warm right up when I walk to the next stand or back to the truck.
 
Coyotes are very astute to potential danger but will occasionally make a fatal mistake in judgement. Seems they gave you an opportunity and will probably be a little more cautious next time.
smile.gif


As for footwear, in your part of the country I would think a good pair of merino socks in muck boots would probably suffice. One could go fancy with a pair of Steger's mukluks or whatever the local ranchers wear during the winter months.

https://www.mukluks.com/
 
Thank you all for the input. I plan to move to a different location and build the baiting pressure again. I still am not convinced they didn't see me, but this next spot I will lay prone over a ridge while being covered in netting and see how it goes.
 
I live in a climate similar to Reno, which is not particularly cold, but I get cold easily. The old saying is if your feet are cold, put a hat on. Sitting for a predator calling set, in a duck blind, in a tree stand, or on a belay gets cold because you're just sitting there not generating much metabolic heat. So you've got to generate as much as passively as you can, and insulate well to keep it in.

I believe protein fuel generates heat better than fat. Most people don't metabolize fat well unless they're in ketosis, and even if they are, they're making less heat than they would be metabolizing protein and complex carbohydrates. If you eat breakfast before going out in the morning, it will still be digesting, so other than the heat from hot food or drink, it won't be doing much for you. What you eat for dinner the night before will be what your body is producing metabolic heat with.

Do use the heat from hot food or drink, but you'll have to take it with you because it has a powerful but short-term effect.

Insulate your head -- I recommend a coyote fur hat, what else?

Insulate your core. The Great Basin is arid and duck or goose down work well but the cold is not extreme so wool or even fleece is fine. Be sure to have protection from the wind if it is windy, but otherwise you want as much breathability as possible to let moisture out and stay dry.

If you do these things, the warmth of the footwear is not so critical. Personally, I would choose it based more on the terrain and desired weight on my feet or ankle support level rather than the warmth.

To keep feet warm and dry, I recommend wool socks like Carhartt Men's Arctic Wool Heavy Boot Socks. An even better choice is Thermohair socks, but they're pricey. If I wear either of these, I can wear uninsulated waterproofed leather boots in the cold and snow.

For insulated boots, my wife has Baffin snow boots. Some of their models are extremely insulated. Another warm boot is Sorel "Caribou Wool" (an upgrade from their regular Caribou with poly felt liners). Even Muck or Bogs neoprene rubber/polyurethane boots can be pretty warm. All of these boots are big and clumsy. I imagine that Bunny Boots and overboots would be similarly very warm but best for sitting around and not hiking many miles.

For more agile insulated boots, just get some with a Thinsulate or similar type liner. I've tried Irish Setter but I prefer non-insulated Red Wings.

Other good boot brands to consider: Wolverine 1000 mile boots, Danner, Whites, Vasque, Scarpa, Asolo, and Hanwag.
 
I've had boots in most categories, granted my soles don't get much wear but when talking cold sitting, the Baffins do the job.
 
Quote:Insulate your head -- I recommend a coyote fur hat, what else?

A coyote fur hat to sit and watch a coyote bait pile... You have a lot more faith in your fellow man than I do.
 
Originally Posted By: GCQuote:Insulate your head -- I recommend a coyote fur hat, what else?

A coyote fur hat to sit and watch a coyote bait pile... You have a lot more faith in your fellow man than I do.

HA HA HA!!!

No kidding, right?
 
Originally Posted By: JuniperI live in a climate similar to Reno, which is not particularly cold, but I get cold easily. The old saying is if your feet are cold, put a hat on. Sitting for a predator calling set, in a duck blind, in a tree stand, or on a belay gets cold because you're just sitting there not generating much metabolic heat. So you've got to generate as much as passively as you can, and insulate well to keep it in.

I believe protein fuel generates heat better than fat. Most people don't metabolize fat well unless they're in ketosis, and even if they are, they're making less heat than they would be metabolizing protein and complex carbohydrates. If you eat breakfast before going out in the morning, it will still be digesting, so other than the heat from hot food or drink, it won't be doing much for you. What you eat for dinner the night before will be what your body is producing metabolic heat with.

Do use the heat from hot food or drink, but you'll have to take it with you because it has a powerful but short-term effect.

Insulate your head -- I recommend a coyote fur hat, what else?

Insulate your core. The Great Basin is arid and duck or goose down work well but the cold is not extreme so wool or even fleece is fine. Be sure to have protection from the wind if it is windy, but otherwise you want as much breathability as possible to let moisture out and stay dry.

If you do these things, the warmth of the footwear is not so critical. Personally, I would choose it based more on the terrain and desired weight on my feet or ankle support level rather than the warmth.

To keep feet warm and dry, I recommend wool socks like Carhartt Men's Arctic Wool Heavy Boot Socks. An even better choice is Thermohair socks, but they're pricey. If I wear either of these, I can wear uninsulated waterproofed leather boots in the cold and snow.

For insulated boots, my wife has Baffin snow boots. Some of their models are extremely insulated. Another warm boot is Sorel "Caribou Wool" (an upgrade from their regular Caribou with poly felt liners). Even Muck or Bogs neoprene rubber/polyurethane boots can be pretty warm. All of these boots are big and clumsy. I imagine that Bunny Boots and overboots would be similarly very warm but best for sitting around and not hiking many miles.

For more agile insulated boots, just get some with a Thinsulate or similar type liner. I've tried Irish Setter but I prefer non-insulated Red Wings.

Other good boot brands to consider: Wolverine 1000 mile boots, Danner, Whites, Vasque, Scarpa, Asolo, and Hanwag.

Thank you for all of the information. Just an FYI, I was wearing Sitka Incinerator Bibs and Jacket, Fanatic hoodie, mid-weight thermal wear. I have determined that my boots were just too tight. But I like the ideas you gave me.
 
Update: I went out and had been planting pork fat procured from the local grocer. Unfortunately, no activity on this new pile and new location, so will try different bait. I will check on it tomorrow but we have a storm system coming in and this complicates access due to high altitude snow/rain.

I never got through the monolithic bait thread, but from what I read, not a lot of comments on what coyotes were liking. I plan to switch to chicken while using a pressure bait strategy.

Does anyone have any idea which bait works best for coyotes?
 
Hello everyone. Just wanted to give you all an update.

I purchased these Sorel Caribou Boot (https://www.sorel.com/p/mens-caribou-boot-NM1000.html) and wow are they warm. They never fit me as a kid for after skiing activities, but I guess may feet fit them well now. I have been out about 5 times since their purchase setting up another bait situation and they are performing perfectly.

Thank you all for the suggestions.

Meanwhile, does anyone know about Coyote vision and whether they might have seen me or not? I remember someone on this thread saying they might have, but curious to get more input.
 
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