Hunt from a snowmachine

M

martyv

New member
Does anyone here hunt by night from a snowmachine? I notice that quite a few of the South-Western hunters seem to hunt right off their pickups.

It seems like it would be an efficient way for us northern hunters to hunt as well. We could call right from our snowmachine/4-wheelers at night. You could cover a lot more ground than if you had to hike away from the rig to set up.

I realize that during daylight hours (which we have very little of) we would need to get away from the rig but it seems like we could do the same thing the southern boys do at night...only from a snowmachine/4-wheeler.

Just wondered if anyone had positive or negative experiences with calling that way.
 
Marty, go lightly here. First, make dang sure it's legal to hunt like that in your State. There are lots of laws. Second, a snowmobile or four wheeler is not exactly a "stealthy" way to approach shy predator. And third, don't even think about chasing or trying to run them down. Most States call that "harrassing" and it's illegal.
p.s.- you don't even want to know what people on this board think about that practice, LOL :eek:
 
I am not talking about chasing down animals. I am talking about calling directly from the machine...and at night.

I notice that many people discuss hunting coyotes at night out of the back of their truck on old dirt tracks on ranches. They are not chasing game or spotlighting game. They are night hunting by stopping and calling. But they stay in the back of their truck, Look at Randy Watson's rig.

Why can't you do the same from a snowmachine or 4-wheeler. Of course you woudn't have the big elevated platform on a snowmachine but it is legal to shoot from one in Alaska if it is stopped.
 
At night the predators I think are a little bit more spooked by machines here in alaska. During the day you can get away with it a little but at night I think the lights boncing off the snow covered hillsides scare them some. Youd be suprised how little you need to walk at night to get to a decent stand up here. They are right next to the roads then (backroads with little traffic). If you go in the backcountry at night that is too much of a rare thing for them to see a snowmachine and they spook. Not to mention lots of yahoos (non hunters mostly) chase them around during the day with machines. I almost hunt exclusivly by foot at night now cause so much less effort is needed.
 
thanks rimfire...that's the kind of feedback I was looking for. I am getting geared up to do a little calling here in a couple weeks when the season opens. I called a little years ago and want to get back into it.
 
martyv -

Yes you can use a sno go that way. In fact when the white stuff is down that is almost the only way that you are going to get anywhere around here. If the trails are packed a 4 whlr is better as its quieter. My snowmachine is much noiser then my 4 whlr and is preferred until the snow gets too deep. When using the snogo I shut it off and let a few minutes go by before calling. With wolf if they hear or see that machine they are gone unless you can foole them in to thinking that you left the area but fox will come out to the track to investigate after you pass. Be sure and pickup a trapping license if lights are involved for hunting as they are illegal to use under a hunting license. Also watch the seasons/species under the two licenses.

If using a 4 whlr be sure and outfit it with gauntlets and hot grips if you want to stay comfortable. The other downside is that unless you wind shield it or use a snogo helmet your face will get cold as compared to a snogo.
 
I've hunted from my machine both during the day and night.At night I just let things settle down a little longer. Also with my Trapping license I can plug my spot light in. In some of the predator control areas you can use your machine to both chase and take (run over, kill) wolves, page 16 Trapping Regulations. Not a very sporting method. Let me know how you do. I'm taking a week off and going north to hunt,trap.
 
....use your machine to both chase and take (run over, kill) wolves, page 16 Trapping Regulations

I know plenty of folks who have done it, but I haven't. I'll check the regs, but that sounds pretty liberal to me.
 
The people at Fish & Game explained it to me that way. I thought they meant you could use a machine to pursue wolves, but they corrected me and told me that you can use your machine to TAKE(kill) wolves within those certain units that have the predator control.
 
You can think that but it is not true at all just ask anybody that shot a 49 and a half inch moose when it has to be a spike fork or fifty inches and the state takes your truck or plane or ATV and rifle plus the couple hundred dollar fine and no hunting license for a year or two and all the meat.

The area where you can use a snowmachine to take wolves is very small compared to the whole state the areas are all of unit 13 ececpt FED.lands and there is a heck of a lot more fed land than state in that unit.

16B-All lands but Fed

19D-East

Unit 20A Area consists of Unit 20A execpt for Fort Wainwright and Fort Greely this area is allmoast all of unit 20A and 20D so you really need to be in the know of where you are at before pulling the trigger while running a snowmachine and the last is in the fortymile area and there is a hell of a lot of boundry areas in there John would be the one to break down that area as it is vast.

So take it from moast people that live here you have a better chance of killing a person and walking than killing a moose or any big game animal remember we also have a season on coyotes and ground squirrel and you have to pick them up ( boy that puts a stop to red mist ) or else you get busted for wanton waste so do you still think we have it easy in Alaska >>>
 
Nasa,
We went over this last year, but to refresh your memory it is legal in Wyoming on predators also. Not furbearers, but it's perfectly legal to run down a coyote with a snowmobile here. Whether or not you call it moral or sporting is up to the individual.
 
Cal, I must have missed that as it doesn't ring a bell. Slayer, I didn't say you had it easy up there, I said your laws seem more lenient. Now that you've provided a little more insight, the picture doesn't appear so pretty. The AK wardens sound like they got their attitude training from CA traffic cops. Any infringement, no matter how insignificant, is seen as a revenue opportunity.
 
NASA sorry if i came on to strong ( Yes I did say I was sorry and no the world will not END ) LOL LOL LOL But that comes from having to defend everything that we do here in Alaska from outsider's or ask the lower forty eight if it is ok with them frist not that you did that!!!!!!!!!! it was a knee jurk action to your answer that is why I did add some of laws from are 126 page hunting regs.Again sorry for the missread.

With that said I don't know many who run down wolves just does not sit well with moast of us it is a good way to split up a pack so you can howl them in and take a few more than normal this works very well if there are at least two one to Call and one to shoot have a good week >>>
 
No need to appologize. This was just an exchange of information between people from different parts of the country. That's what this board is all about, sharing ideas and information. Thanks to you, now about 6,000 more people have a better understanding of what you folks have to deal with up there, and the frustration it causes. But I don't think it's the "people" in the lowers who try to dictate your way of life up there. I think it's the same politicians who try to dictate ours, too.
 
Didn't try to start an argument...but I appreciate all the replies. I got the info I needed. Now I just have to figure out how the get the smart critters to come in.
 
that is not an easy or hard question depending where you are going to hunt. anytime I hunt a hard hunted area I try and get there about an hour before I start calling I look for sign try and put eather the snowmachine or atv in a good cover spot and go from there.

Depending on what you are hunting and weather will tell you how far your ride will be from you if wolves I would say no less than a half mile now this in a hard hunted area with coyotes you can keep it with you wolves that have been pushed will allways circle and close that circle down so if they find your machine they will be gone hope this gave you some ideas >>>
 
running down coyotes with a snowmobile is common practice here in Montana, I don't have a machine and have never done it and don't intend to But its done all the time
 


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