Full Moon Coyotes....Question for you all???

yoteblaster243

yoteblaster243

New member
I personally have noticed that if the moon is 3 or 4 days away from full all the way to 3 to 4 days after a full moon, I can't do any good calling. Have any of you noticed this same thing or is it just in my area? Would like to hear what you folks have to say. Thanks.

------------------
Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.
 
Well yoteblaster, this is coming from a rookie, but I've paid attention to the same thing.

Seems to me that when the moon is getting full or full that gives the coyotes more light to hunt at night. This probably relates to higher success rate, which means a person would probably have a better chance calling the last couple hours before dark.

That's my hypothesis anyway. We'll see how it plays out in the years to come.
smile.gif


James

------------------
ten-flag1s.gif
Not the victory, but the action. Not the goal, but the game. In the deed
the glory.
 
yoteblaster243,
I have no researched documentation to back this up but:
IMHO, I feel coyotes move more at night during a full moon. There is always exceptions, weather and wind play a major role. I have found during a hard rainy or windy night, the coyotes will lay up until the weather breaks. Personally, I don't pay a lot of attention to the moon phases, but more to the weather fronts and wind direction. I have killed coyotes in the daytime, after night time storms, while the moon was in full phase. Some say that during the period of a full moon, the later part of the evening on into dark is the best time, I feel this is the best time to hunt anytime. As far as I know, I've never called in a coyote in the early A.M. hours after daylight, full moon or not. Most of my coyotes have been taken from 9:00 A.M. until dark during the fall and winter months, it may surprise you but on calm overcast days before and after a storm front I have called coyotes during the mid-day hours. On bright sunny days I like to hunt later in the evening until dark. I know this has worked for me in the past, but then again nothing is set in stone. I'm going to go out on a limb a little here, in Tn. our winter weather this year has been mild as far as cold temps, but windy. I feel this has had more effect on calling than anything.

Just my $.02 worth,
coyotehunter
 
Hi Yoteblaster 243
I have kept track of my predator hunting over
the past 20 odd years, and it does seem that
calling is tougher than when there is a 1/4
moon or less.

My records show that most of my longest hours of no see has been from when the moon is up about30 deg. till it starts to go down in the wee hours.

Now some of this is because the can see you
better on a full moon , (now I think fox and yotes see in the ultra violet spectrum
and there fore some us us might be wearing cammo that is showing up ultra violet.
Now this is just my guess but my records show
that on a moon when I wear cammo that is checked under a violet light and there is no
glowing on any part I have called with more sucess.
And white on snow on the moon seems to be 50/50,

I think they are less active to calls because

1. they see us ultra violet
2.they think THEY can be seen easier. and most every thing on this earth has a enemey that wants to get them, (even man= himself)
3.I looked at solunar tables and sometimes the major feeding period is just before the moon rise or just after it sets. so the animals they feed on are not on the move
and there instict is not triggered like the preys instinct to feed.

The only time that you can kill every kritter
that comes by is just before a blizzard,
we have seen them in the mall parking lots
when we went for hunting supplys to hunt them.

So my log books show that the moon does play a roll in this some how.
I have even kept areas that have not been hunted in a year or to and the records show that the moon hurt.

I wish I knew why for sure.
I will keep watching this post to see what other hunters records show.

Good Luck"
KEEP YOUR BATTERIES CHARGED !!!

------------------
 
This year we've hit the moon phases harder than any other year in the past.We've killed dogs during daylight hours and called in plenty at night as well. Our hottest weekend was late december with the full moon coming up and we called in twenty in that weekend we just did'nt get 'em killed!Just as many were during daylight as were during the night hours.

Thanks for that Idea on the ultra violet light spectrum. We can't use lights here at night and that just might explain why most of the animals called hung up.They could see something that was'nt quite right no matter how good the setup.Those we got shots at were when we were in the deepest shadows. Jimmie
 
Hey Jimmie,
Do you actually call at night with no lights? With no snow on the ground? Do you have night vision optics? Just Curious.

------------------
Weedwacker
 
Those we got shots at were when we were in the deepest shadows. Jimmie

Several years ago, I hunted with the great Murry Burnham for four days. I remember Murry telling me that while hunting in bright moonlight, you have to sit in the SHADE just as if you were hunting during daytime. Jimmies experience is just further proof of the truth in those words.

------------------
http://members.aol.com/cronkcalls/calls.html
 
Yes , we hunt without snow cover and without optics.We are trying diferent sighting systems as we get them.The tritium paint available works OK but not the greatest when in deep shadows.It does beat the heck out of not seeing shotgun sights at all!We use the bean fields and pastures for calling sites.Add a good frost and you can see pretty good out to about 75 yards ro so.

Getting deep in the shadows is the only way to work a set up like this.A setup that would work well during daylight hours with just a dab of honeysuckle to break the outline won't do.

It should be cold and clear wed. and thur. nights. I'll probably be out by myself those nights.Jimmie
 
Jimmie in KY, you are lucky you can hunt at night. The chicken's here in TN will not let us. Man I bet that night calling can really be good! Some of those responses about the moon phast were very interesting folks.

------------------
Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.

Edited for one disguised word.

[This message has been edited by Rich Cronk (edited 02-25-2002).]
 
Hey Rich, Have you ever compaired your calling data (if any) against the solunar tables, ?
I just started doing that last season,
and I think this has some substance to it.

The area I hunt in is populated quite abit
and some wooded and farms, but houses spread all around.

The kritters around here are a tough lot.
the yotes are spread thin and just a odd pair here and there.
some of our Reds are so overcalled that they are as tough as the yotes I have called

I think that is why they just are moon shy.

let me have your thoughts on it


Keep Your Batteries Charged!!!

------------------
 
foxhunter39,
I have never paid any attention to solunar tables because I always figured that a coyote couldn't read em anyway. This is probably a mistake on my part because coyotes do seem to come to the calls better just before a storm or right after the storm is over. Many times, I wish that I had gotten into the habit of keeping a journal. Keeping a journal could help you see any patterns of success or failure during different barometric pressure periods etc.
 
Yoteblaster, if it had been left up to the KDFR it would never have happened here either. It just so happens a handful of crazy coyote hunters and a lot of ticked off farmers pestered the living crap out of the state game commisioners.
biggrin.gif


They did set soem pretty tight regs on us though.This is our second year of it and I think we'll be able too keep it.The only time night hunting for coyote's is closed too us is during the state firearms season's for deer.Jimmie
 
Hey Rich: Them notes I kept really help me when Igo to hunt a area that I dont hunt often.
I note the ones that hung up and got spooked and were they hung up at , and I have called the same one twice I think, it hung up at the same place and after this happens I just note it and next hunt I set a snipe man there, and we got them.

My notes I kept helped me and my boys rember and set up acordingly.
I think every new hunter should do this.

Its also helps me on my tape selection when I use the electric caller, as to what type of activity I get from some calls in certin areas.
I also would like to hear the thoughts on the ultra violet issue, some guys think I
am crazy,?

Keep your batteries charged!!!

------------------
 
It has been my experience that the full moon pattern phases are not as productive as the dark phases. I have seen activity during the light phase periods, but it has been minimal. My feeling on this subject is that there is too much light. Since, coyotes hunt by both sight and smell, you would think it would be better for them to hunt during the light phases, but it doesn't seem to be the case in my hunting areas!

There is one little trick I use when trying to hunt during the light phase period, and that is, I take about 20 feet of 15# builders felt paper along with me, it is only 3 feet high, and I form a circle around my setup area. This does two things, the first is it blocks my heat pattern, the second ,the only part of me exposed is the top of my head, which I try to keep as protected as possible,also it is hard for the dogs to see any movement behind the screen.This only works when wind is low to moderate. You can take along a staple gun and tack the paper to trees.

Periods of dark, are better because the small rodents and other animals feel safer and they are more active, so goes the coyotes trait "the hunter", they are more active when their prey is most active.

My hunting areas are throughout the Northeastern parts of PA.
 
Hey SHORTY,

that builders felt gives me some ideas! May have to try it. Thanks alot!

------------------
Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.
 


Write your reply...
Back
Top