Different results - heres why

Quote:how they react to the sound of someone breaking through crusty snow obviously they'll be put into alert but at what range ?
Alot can depend on how crunchy the snow is and if the wind is blowing and if in heavey cover sound may not travel as far so you could get with-in a 1/2 to a 1/4 mile of them..
The coyotes here are not as spooky as Kirbys coyotes and we both live in simular land scape...
From reading Kirbys posts he mentions he stops alot to look at his coyotes and take pic's or to study them and this maybe one of the reasons why they are so spooky..
Some guys drive the back roads at 10-20 mph and then when they see something that looks like a coyote they stop and take a look with the spotting scope.. By doing this the game is up or it gets tougher cause the coyote now has been alerted of the hunters presents..
When i drive the back roads i'm going 50 mph or faster trying to cover as much ground in the first two hours looking for coyotes that are still up and about and heading to a resting place for the day.. If i see one or see a spot that looks like it couldbe one i keep on driveing and don't stop. I will then move off to a safe distance and vantage point to where i can safely look at the spot or the coyote on the move and see where it goes to bed down. I'll make a note of its location in the section and then continue on and come back a few hours later or sometimes as long as 5-6 hrs. I don't worry about the direction of wind or what direction the coyote is laying, I look for a place to hide the truck and a place to walk in that gives me some cover or a high point i can shoot from..
Kirby studies the coyotes of there body fuctions, me i could care less.. What i look for is routes they travel and what times of day and what directions they like to run to. Most coyotes are a creature of habit and you figure these out and you will see more fur in the back of the truck..
Not looking to bash Kirby i'm sure he means well but he wastes his time studying the wrong things, but knowing where they like to bed is a good start...LOL
 
LOL! ok TA. Actually I agree with some of what you stated right above. Majority of the coyotes I decided not to kill last season. I just observed & took their pictures from the gravel roadway. Most of them, never went into high alert & left. But remained, watching me abit. Then continued on doing what they were doing, prior. Offering me many pictures & observing their behaviors.

If I was interested in their fur. I would kill them. Then leave them where they fell.
 
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Here are some obvious things that may not be so obvious.

Hunt EARLY season. I start 2nd week of October, and I give up most bowhunting to do so. Really hard to be super sucessful coyote hunting without 110% focus. Plus the "easy ones" are there for the killin, and haven't been "worried" too much yet, or shot at by bird, squirrel, and rabbit hunters too much yet. To wait till after deer season means you have cut your chances in half. Lots of coyotes shot by gunners ..... Legal or not
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First stand of the day in the Northeast woods (only first stand) ....... I call off and on for an hour. Coyotes and bobcats not tucked in yet and still travelin'. You might have a pred cruise into earshot and hope for a last meal.

Hunt locations close to man first, and work your way more remote as the day wears on.

If you are takin time off work, shoot for Weds or Thurs, as the woods have calmed down from the "weekend warriors". You will find game more at ease.

I understand lots of states you cannot legally hang treestands willy nilly like I do ..... but if you can get a few up way high a mile or so apart. Then just hunt your way from one to another, making ground stands in pre-scouted (for entrance and wind) spots. You will really improve your odds.

If you don't believe me how much you are getting busted off the ground and you are a snow state ..... walk downwind 300 yards or so after each "empty" stand. By the end of the day callin' you may be surprised.

I always hunt alone. One guy, less noise, less smell, less motion. If you have a walkie or cell phone with signal, all the better. Otherwise let your people know where you will be hunting, AND STICK TO IT !!! Be safe.

Carry enough gun .... shots in the woods can be fast and furious, and your hits my be less than ideal. Big calibers anchor dogs, and tracking wastes tons of time. But if you gotta track, go until you drop.

Have fun learn, from your mistakes, and be safe!
 
"When i drive the back roads i'm going 50 mph or faster"

Well, I drive around 10-15 mph, sometimes slower. I reckon the difference is like between the young bull & the old bull. LOL!. I drive slow, because I don't plan to look the same area over twice.

This is a pic of a bedded Red Fox, around 3/8 mile out. Pic is facing NorWest. Wind from the NorWest. Had I been driving 50 or faster, I doubt I would've seen it with the naked eye
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When I was driving down this gravel, I was going pretty slow. I paused for a quick scan of the distant hills. There lay a Red. Red was facing to the SouWest. Never raised his head. Until I stopped for a longer view.

I was at his down-wind.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/moreammo/Jan25094-Reds2-coyotes008.jpg?t=1248454933

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/moreammo/Jan25094-Reds2-coyotes010.jpg?t=1248455024
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Here is a yearling Red, balled-up a tad over 100yrds from the gravel. Pic is facing to the SouWest. Wind is from the SouWest. Note..the Red's face & chest is facing a down-winderly direction. Dumb pup never raised his head as I stopped my truck for a view.
A blind hippo walking on peanut brittle could've walked right up on this one. I don't waste my time on any pups or adult Red's. Not much challenge.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/moreammo/Jan16093reds042.jpg?t=1248455152

Pup finally raised his head my way. After I slammed my truck door & yelled towards him.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/moreammo/Jan16093reds039.jpg?t=1248455567

 
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4949shoter,

24" .243WSSM HB Olympic upper/Bushmaster lower.
3-lb SS trigger
Nikon Buckmaster 4.5-14x40mm scope
Versa-Pod model #1 [modified]bipod
95gr Winchester Silver Ballistic Tip

Shoots mighty fine & bucks cross & quartering winds very well. Best long range coyote rifle I ever owned. Et I've owned quite a few. This rifle is abit heavy to tote. But thats the way I like it. It is a very stable/solid platform @ long range. I can see my bullet impact @ 1/4 mile on a plywood target.

My fatgirl
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http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc78/moreammo/Dec3007003.jpg?t=1248470379
 
Around here once shotgun deer hunting season opens. A caller had probably hang up calling. As the cover area's are running amuck with groups of deer hunters.

As if that wasn't bad enough. Some of them skin their deer out in the field. Then leave most of the carcass[including most of the meat], right there. Taking only the hind quarter meat & leaving the rest to rot. Fox & coyotes have a boatload of meat to feast on for a couple of months.
 
Simply put,-nuff said

Kirby, that picture says it all. All this time I thought you only shot a Canon
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Nice job, and nice rig and thanks for sharing the pictures over the years. I always enjoy your posts.

Sonny
 
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Hey Sonny,

I suspect the coyotes out East, bed in the same fashion as they do in my area. I posted these pictures along with my verbal fodder. To show/explain how they lay like they do. As well as they tend to mostly be facing down-wind. Et can often see & hear very well to their down-wind. A guy could add [heavy timber]to my pics & they would look much like out East.

Anyone who calls hilly timber area. Should be aware of these canine behaviors. I suspect, not being aware. Is [one reason] callers come up empty handed. As they were already busted long before getting to their stand.

Yeah, there is alot of other varibles in the mix. But being busted, on the walk in, can be overcome. If you understand, their behaviors & abilites, when they are bedded.
 
Because of our heavy cover, we never get to see them laying out like that. But I am sure they utilize the slopes and sun and wind to their advantage here, just like they do there, probably more reliable on there noses maybe.

Our disadvantage is we might have gotten a full inch of snow last year, all added together. So tracking and reading sign is not as easy, can't find their beds.

Around here, pine cutovers are a hotspot. Briary thicket on top of briary thicket underneath 10-12 ft replanted pines. You can only hunt the edges and two tracks and SMZ's, I envy those wide open spaces of yours.
 
I hear you Sonny.

Even some of the timer around here. You can't see them in it either. Majority of the coyotes I called, came from timber. I never seen them, until they stepped out into a more open area. Or out on the open edge of the timber.

But I knew, if one was in there bedded. That coyote would be bedded in a wind brake on a down-wind slope. Also knowing this, any coyote would also be facing down-wind. When possible, I never presented myself to their down-wind. Dependant upon, if I had permission on adjoining property. Mostly setting up across wind from the cover.

I would come into the area to call that timber, from across the wind, or slightly up & across from the timber. The prevailing wind[which is most often]. Would then carry my scent down-wind & also parallel to the timber.

I most always set-up, where my down-wind was open a couple hundred yrds, if possible.

I've stated this before as well. When I get out of my truck. My intent is to be dead quiet, from then on out, to my stand. I also would use any terrain to conceal my carcass on the way to my stand.

Adult Red Fox, some anyway. A hunter can sound like an elephant going to their stand & still not alert/[make him run away]. Coyotes on the other hand, you had best be invisble & dead quiet.

Whether I was stalking in on a Red or a coyote. I remained invisible & quiet the best I could. I'd watch where I planted each foot, to cut my noise. I also stepped softly, like a cat. Not putting full weight on each foot as I walked. Without feeling & listening to any noise under foot.

If I made a snap or a crunch. I would pause for 5-10 minutes or so, before slowly moving forward.

Another thing I would do, is pause down in a valley before cresting the next hill. To get my pulse & breathing rate back to normal. As I would get near the ridgeline. I would slowly go just far enough that I could see the next hill top. Then continue slowly advancing forward. I would go very slowly, paning 180 out in front of me.

No matter if I was heading to a calling stand or stalking in on one, I had already seen. Samo...samo.
 
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Not to stray off the beaten path here. But, this rifle is heavy enough & doesn't have much recoil when shooting prone. I can keep a pretty clear picture during shooting.

As for wind bucking useing the 95gr. I set up a plywood target @ 1/4 mile fencline one day. Shooting off of the hood of my truck. During a high wind of around 20-25 that angled around 20 degrees across my portside. With higher intermitant gusts. I timed my shots in between the higher winds.

I eventually managed to shoot a 4.5" group of 5 in a row[once I was on my bullseye after the 1st bullseye hit]. It took me 4-6rds or so, to get on the bullseye. As the wind pushed my bullet down-wind around 14" @ 1/4 mile. So I re-adjusted.

The 95gr even @ 600yrds hits them like a linebacker. A couple of yrs ago, I shot a small female coyote off of a carcass @ that range. Bullet impact, knocked her off like a fly. Massive exit wound. She regained her footing & I put another in her as she quickly hobbled down the valley floor. 2nd rd about cut her in half. As the 2nd hit exit, was adjacent to the 1st. Both gut area exit wounds.
 
Quote:When i drive the back roads i'm going 50 mph or faster"

Well, I drive around 10-15 mph, sometimes slower. I reckon the difference is like between the young bull & the old bull. LOL!. I drive slow, because I don't plan to look the same area over twice.


I'm sure you know that once you have youre eye trained on what to look for its not that difficult to spot them laying out or up and moveing..
If you know youre area like i know mine you don't have to spend much time looking, either they are out and about or laying out along a fence or some other type of cover..
The first couple of hours in the A.M. is the best time to find coyotes moveing to there beds.
I hit the road at sun-up and cover as much ground where i know the coyotes are or areas they move through..
By 10:00 a.m. i will decide what coyote i will go after first if its bedded out in the open and if enough are spotted i will spend most of the day going after them..
If i spotted any coyotes going into heavy cover then i will get ahold of the crew and we will go after them depending on the amout of cover or may go after some that another member may have spotted or go after pairs or small groups..
 
Yes TA, I know my area well. Point being, you can not "always" see them with the naked eye. Even "IF" their not on the move. "Most times" you can make out a still or motionless speck, at long range....sure. More than likely a fox or a coyote. BUT, when their hunkered down in a dip or a drift, hidden in slough grass or along a grassy creek...whatever. You will play heck seeing one, even if your driving slow.

Sometimes, you can only see a piece of them. Or not at all even useing binocs or a spotter. As they are out of your line of site.

Believe it or not, I get to know the local coyotes by identifying them. From their size, coloration & where they hunt/bed. Not to mention, their territory. Although they are sometimes regularly irregular as in their day to day habits/patterns. Over time, I have them figured out pretty well.

Most coyotes I hunt on a yearly basis, from one yr to the next. Are mainly the locals. Specifically the alpha pr.

Another reason I drive "slow". Is when I pass a valley, I look back over my shoulder[both sides of the road]. To view hidden terrain. I would otherwise miss, if I "only looked 180 degrees", driving fast.

But I don't just look 180. I look 360.
 
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TA17,
It sounds like both of you guys have adjusted your particular methods to your own styles and target areas. What works for you may not work for kirby, and vice versa.

Though I think you both have it down to a science.
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4949: Kirby does a fine job of hunting his coyotes but he is still hunting them like we used to do back in the early 80's.
Up here we have evolved with the coyote and the changeing times, Kirby hopes to see or get one coyote in a day where we set our goals much higher. We hunt them for the fur and for us its all about numbers. Its kinda cool to sit there like Kirby and watch a coyote, i've done it myself, but there is nothing to gain by just watching a coyote lay around or watch as it hunts its prey..
By watching coyotes under hunting pressure is where all the learning is at and this is what puts more numbers on the stretchers. Not all coyotes will get up and run when a hunter is close, some will act just like a ring-neck pheasant and just move to one side to let a hunter pass or may lay tite and let you walk by hopeing you don't see them..
The same goes for calling them, you can look at them all day long and not going to learn anything about calling them in..
The learning is when you are calling to them and you can see how they react to different sounds and you learn what they like to hear and what they don't.
You can also Howl to them to locate and once again learn from them by knowing whats there and this will dictate what sounds you should use on youre stand..
Like i said Kirby is doing a fine job, but he needs to take it to the next level.... One thing i have learned over the years is a coyote is a coyote which is a creature of habit..
 
Well lets see here, here are some things I've seen. Because I didn't rush right in to kill these coyotes.

Hope I don't forget something.

Watched them mate
Watched them pre-mate
Watched them protect their territory from tresspassers
Watched them hunt
Watched them play
Watched them react to man made noises
Watched them dig den holes
Watched them interact with their off-spring
watched them fight hounds [voracity & quickness]
Watched them elude hounds
Watched them run [top speed]
Watched them jump
Seen their endurance
Watched them in a natural setting
Watched them sleep[also seen them react to noises while they slept]
Watched them travel their routes
Watched them run/walk back to their core area's time after time
Watched them choose a spot to bed
Watched them get up from being bedded to start hunting
Watched them tresspass & their body langauge to tresspassing
Watched nomads & tresspassers react to the locals
Watched tresspasser's react to the local pr's
Watched them react to other hunters
Watched them react to other vehicles[coyotes didn't know I was watching them]

Yeah calling...
Watched them come
Watched them go
Watched them howl
Heard them howl
Watched their indifference

I'll add more when/if I recall
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