Night hunting

yoteblaster

Active member
Ok, just getting started in the night hunting side of this. My question is can a person get away with more movement at night comparing to the day time. While calling during the day as I am sure most of you know if you move they generally pick up on it pretty quickly, is it the same at night? The reason I ask is during the day you can obviously see them coming from a good distance, during the night with a thermal I would expect that distance may be a bit shorter. I live in ND where you can see along ways.
 
If it is dark and you aren't skylined they can't see you. I have walked around getting in position for a shot when they were under 200 yards more than once. I don't think they see any better than us in the dark.
 
Depends on how much ambient light there is.(i.e. moonlight, starlight, city light, etc.) The darker it is, the more you can get away with. There's been times where we just slowly walk toward a coyote in the dark to get close enough to shoot. Can't do that during the day...
 
Originally Posted By: varminter .223If it is dark and you aren't skylined they can't see you. I have walked around getting in position for a shot when they were under 200 yards more than once. I don't think they see any better than us in the dark.



Gonna have to disagree my friend!

They can see a lot better than we can at night!
 
Originally Posted By: Mr. PoppadopalisOriginally Posted By: varminter .223If it is dark and you aren't skylined they can't see you. I have walked around getting in position for a shot when they were under 200 yards more than once. I don't think they see any better than us in the dark.



Gonna have to disagree my friend!

They can see a lot better than we can at night!

I would just say better...not a lot better. From my expierence yes they can see in the dark...but seem to be very near sighted in pitch black conditions. Now deer on the other hand....they see really really well in the pitch black from what ive observed.
 
My buddy and I were discussing this the other day. Yes you can get by with much more movement as long as you not skylined or snow on the ground type of thing. When it's bright out we try to keep a lower profile or a background. We couldn't agree on how well a coyote can see at night. I think they rely more on their ears and nose to hunt at night but no doubt they can see better than us as they can run full speed through a woods and not knock themselves out on a tree. We came to the conclusion that they can't see as good as we can with nightvision and thermal and it's not that they are blind either they just feel safe and at home in the dark so the drop their guard a bit.
 
I'll go with MR. Popp on this. Night hunting is way more difficult than day! No matter, if your using thermal, NV, lights....then again, I'm a newbie! Regards, Drop
 
Night hunting is an absolute cake walk compared to day hunting imo. When it is pitch black they do not see well from my experience. When I say they don't see any better than us, what I mean is if you have good thermal or nv on a dark night you should have them dead before they get close enough to see you if you are set up in the open where they can't back door you. I don't think they have any better chance than a human seeing someone in dark clothes on those pitch black nights at much distance .Do they have better low light vision than us, yes I'm sure they do but if it's pitch black in my experience they flat out don't see us.
Deer on the other hand, now they see all.
 
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Here in the east we kill a lot more fox than coyote. I have killed both during the day and at nite. In my opinion nite hunting is much easier no question. The main problem people have at nite is they don't know their equipment, some of the same people would still have trouble in the daylight though.
 
Originally Posted By: varminter .223Night hunting is an absolute cake walk compared to day hunting imo. When it is pitch black they do not see well from my experience. When I say they don't see any better than us, what I mean is if you have good thermal or nv on a dark night you should have them dead before they get close enough to see you if you are set up in the open where they can't back door you. I don't think they have any better chance than a human seeing someone in dark clothes on those pitch black nights at much distance .Do they have better low light vision than us, yes I'm sure they do but if it's pitch black in my experience they flat out don't see us.
Deer on the other hand, now they see all.


^^^ this ^^^
 
I think night hunting is easier as well. It was always my opinion that coyotes had better vision at night, but perhaps I am wrong. I think a big part of a coyotes actions at night is their curiosity. They aren't as scared as they dont have any predators. A deer on the other hand may stick around for a bit but often times it runs because they are prey.
 
This is just my opinion, pertaining to coyote hunting. At least for me, Daytime is a cakewalk! Taking into consideration geographical locations. I've had the opportunity to hunt many states. Example: Daytime. No matter where your calling, you have the opportunity to "SEE" just about everything. You can see the terrain prior to your post, when calling, you can "SEE " the coyote(s) coming in from a long distance, your movement is much less, you can easily range a coyote, you can "SEE" if a coyote hangs up and still take a long distance shot, and in most cases recover it! If you have more than one come in, you have a much better chance at shooting a double or even a triple. You can take a running shot easier during the day, you can "SEE" movement in the distance. Even if they are not facing you. That's just a few reasons. Now Night: pertaining to using lights. While calling, difficult to "SEE" a proper posting area, if your hunting new ground. Very difficult to range the distance, difficult to kill more than one if a shot is taken, and the others blow out..., somewhat difficult to locate a downed animal, especially by yourself. Your not taking long distant shots, in comparison to Day time. While your scanning, your moving, at which time coyotes can see your movements. Transition from scan light to kill light needs to be quick and precise. Jmho, we can go on forever on the coyotes senses, their nose, can smell in parts per million, that sense does "NOT" go away at night. Their hearing does not go away at night! In fact, both those senses heighten at night because their eyesight can be somewhat diminished at night, but not as much as most may think. Again, biologist have proven this. So, for me, Day is much easier than night....that's one reason I mainly hunt at night! Not inflating my personal experience. But I've hunted these predators for nearly 45yrs, kill an average of 150-200 from October till about now. I've had the opportunity to hunt with "Killers"! Not someone who is well known, no TV shows, no sponsors, not staffers, just pure "old school" killers. Easily taking 8,9,10 or more on just about every hunt. They, would agree! Night is more difficult to hunt than day. Our senses will diminish much more than a predator, simply because we are in "THEIR" territory, not ours. Again, this is simply my opinion! (Sorry for no paragraphs. Posted from my phone) Regards, Drop
 
If day hunting was easier the Thermal/NV predator hunting explosion wouldn't be happening. Night hunting advancements are the biggest improvement in predator hunting. In less than 7 years it's gone from hand held q-beams with red filters to small red LED lights and now NV/Thermal. Why would this be happening if it was all easier in the daylight?

It may be easier in certain areas and their are guys extremely effective during the day but it's driven by location. If I was able to do this in NY I wouldn't be hunting at night.
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/for...t=20&page=1

The cover of night regardless of how a coyote/fox sees compared to us puts them at ease for lack of better term IMO. In populated urban areas with small farms and scattered houses (which I hunt) they are almost completely nocturnal, it's the only chance other than first and last light to lay eyes on one.

As for ease, although it's not like out west hunting from a high truck, walking twenty yards around a pine tree don't get any easier. Can't do that during the day.
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/for...279#Post3020279



Originally Posted By: crittr gittrHey Rick, do you think that a hand held thermal would help you locate a downed animal at night any easier? just wondering

Thermal works great for retrieving as long as there's no brush between you and the down game.
 
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Originally Posted By: crittr gittrHey Rick, do you think that a hand held thermal would help you locate a downed animal at night any easier? just wondering Hey Craig! How goes it? I'd be with PMack on this one...I've hunted with guys using thermal, still lost the downed animal. Btw, still have 2 lion tags in my pocket yet to fill...lol. Still liking that patience ya' have, killing that lion. Rick
 
Originally Posted By: pmackIf day hunting was easier the Thermal/NV predator hunting explosion wouldn't be happening. Night hunting advancements are the biggest improvement in predator hunting. In less than 7 years it's gone from hand held q-beams with red filters to small red LED lights and now NV/Thermal. Why would this be happening if it was all easier in the daylight?

It may be easier in certain areas and their are guys extremely effective during the day but it's driven by location. If I was able to do this in NY I wouldn't be hunting at night.
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/for...t=20&page=1

The cover of night regardless of how a coyote/fox sees compared to us puts them at ease for lack of better term IMO. In populated urban areas with small farms and scattered houses (which I hunt) they are almost completely nocturnal, it's the only chance other than first and last light to lay eyes on one.

As for ease, although it's not like out west hunting from a high truck, walking twenty yards around a pine tree don't get any easier. Can't do that during the day.
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/for...279#Post3020279



Originally Posted By: crittr gittrHey Rick, do you think that a hand held thermal would help you locate a downed animal at night any easier? just wondering

Thermal works great for retrieving as long as there's no brush between you and the down game.
First, I never mentioned "thermal"! NV yes which I have, and only use on very few occasions. Thermal has been around for years! There is no craze...."Predator" hunting became the craze which constituted the thermal to become more popular. Companies made it easier and at a cost that some could purchase! Great! For thermal guy's! Maybe one day I'll go over to the "EASY" side of hunting predators. But for now, I'll stick with what works for me, how I hunt, and stack them up! Because numbers count in my book! Not talk! I may be abrasive at times, and I mean no disrespect, but everyone is entitled to their opinion. I will say this, you best have your "A" game on for day calling, before you venture out and try and be successful at night hunting! Regards, DROPADOG! Brotha.....
 
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