MN February moon hunting reports.

Well we have snow now,3 inches.If the wind doesn't pick up I might try & see what it is like out.As far as light goes with these clouds I don't know how brite it will be.I drove around for an hour before dark,but saw nothing.ever since I bought this rifle I have yet to see one.Oh well someday.I hope this weekend or better yet tonight.
 
Just got back in from tonights hunt. Called 5 spots in all. Bumped a fox on the way out to the 3rd set and I was able to get it stopped so my partner could shoot it. 1 Down.

Called in a coyote at the 4th spot, Had to tell myself to relax and dont f--- up this time. This dog did not come hard, It showed up after 15-20mins. and was circling way down wind. I had to stop it b4 it caught my scent so at 200yds I killed it. Ahhhhh..... A slight sigh of relief.

Spent some time locating too and now have some new places to get permission for the next hunt, wich will probly be sunday night.
 
Great job Phil!!

Have to tell you, I had a great time hunting with you on Wednesday night. I must admit though, you have much better vision at night then I do. Must be those young eyes of yours. One more thing, next time I hunt with you, I will bring my running shoes so I can keep up. ;-)

I'm going to give it hell, tonight, at my one Minnesota spot. Kim
 
Called three spots last night. At the second spot a few miles south of Willmar we heard what we thought were barks as we got out of the car. They coming from up wind and a ways (200 yards) away. As we were walking out they came again and appeared to be directed at us. Very high pitched and kind of wierd sounding. I stopped and barked a couple of time on the call, nothing, we were in the woods at the time so we waited 5 minutes and started towards our spot again. All of a sudden my partner stopped and was looking at something through his scope he whispered for me to stop and I lookin the direction he was aiming and saw nothing. HE said it crossed an opening about 75 yards away it had its head down and was just sort of casually walking. I was smaller than a coyote and had a cropped tail, he swears it was a bobcat. He had the cross hair on it and followed it for about 5 seconds. I have never seen one.

Do they get this far south? IS there an open season on them, in MN?
THis was in a prett decent size wooded sloughy area 100+ arces.

Unfortunatelty that was the only thing we saw all night besides a cop that stopped by and waited for us to come out of the last set, it was 2AM. HE was gonna bust our chops for trespassing but we had permission, from my uncle, his former sheriff:) He was nicer after hearing that.
 
The snow was to constant last night,at times hard to see,so I told myself go to bed.I had a new spot lined up to hunt this weekend 650 acres of river bottom,I found fresh tracks yesterday.So this morning I went out there to check out the other side of the property,since I have never been on that side before.I get to the edge of a crp field(I am in my truck)on a dead end road.Tons of deer running around,then out pops a yote 30yrd.He trotted out to 100 yds stops looks at me & continues his trot to a wood line.The hole time I am trying to get the gun out of the case & get shells.Just as I am getting a rest he stops at the edge of the woods & he looks quick & he was gone.Never got a good rest on him.Oh well at least I seen one.(the first since I got the new gun)He is on the new land I have permission for.I hope the snow stays away tonight.Did some driving this a.m. to try and spot some fox as well,nothing.seen a few other hunters out.
 
Went out again this morning to the spot I was at last weekend. Decided to take a different approach as I had slept through the alarm this morning.

Came from the south as the wind was strong (15-25) out of the north. As I approach, crouched and moving slow, all I see is a hindquarter and tail headed east.

Seems I need to go out about 8 tonight after supper and a movie and then again in the morning at 5 am to get this one.
 
I went out last night and Leaddog missed anothere one in
the same spot as last mounth, same sound too. Going to the
range today and see who's fault this was.Probly Leaddog.
 
I went to the range yesterday to determine why I missed a slam dunk last week. Who da thunk, it was me and not the gun. Anyway I got out with a bud from work last night, our first set was in a wooded bowl we had called one in from last week/no shot. We used a different approach, and set on a side hill, I hit my closeout table call and almost instantly had a yote at 50yds looking at me through my scope. The Hornet dumped her in her tracks with a 40grn Vmax. This was the first for either of us so we were pretty pumped since it was right at sunset and we had more spots to hit. Anywho, that was the last shooting and sighting we had for the next 5hrs, but we lined up a few more spots and still had a good time. I've got some pretty bad pics and would post one if I could figure it out. The yote is a small blonde female, but first blood is still the sweetest.
 
MN Hornet

Congratulations!!!! That first coyote is always the hardest.

I watched some coyote hunting video, I think it was called Predator Qwest and Jeff or Les Thompson mentioned that it took him over 300 sets to call in one coyote. I just thought, wow that guy has some determination.

Excellent job!! You did good. Paint
 
Thanks, I/we have actually called in a few, which is surprising to me. With all the turkey tracks in this spot I feel pretty good about getting this one out of there. Hope to get a big one next time.
 
MNhornet gets the atta boy award! Good job!

Called 2 spots last night and had no sightings. Had some answer from a section but they were untouchable.

Paintcan. I walk fast not by choice, but by nature. I hear about it all the time. I got long strides I guess.

I wish there were more opportunities to meet and hunt with more of you guy's, I've truely enjoyed hunting w/ the members of this site, And have had some sort of action or kill ( /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gifor miss /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif) on each hunt. But the season aint over yet.
 
You know you've got it coming when Phil asks "How are your legs?" as he starts across the field. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif The trick is not sweating your butt off trying to keep up, and lots of Ibuprophen for the knees. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif
 
Made 15 sets over the weekend and Monday. First set I called in a pair and didn't see them until they had spotted me. Took them at least 30 minutes to show up. It was a scramble to get to my knees to shoot over weeds, put the call in my mouth to stop them, open the blizzard caps (the one time I forgot) only to shoot high. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angry-smiley-055.gif I found the bullet strike in the snow where one stopped. Those were the only ones I saw. Did have someone set up close enough to hear on one set Sat. There were some warning barks between us and them and the wind was swirling so I'm not sure who got busted. Monday I got busted 2 times. That was it.
 
I just realized friday and saturday are gonna be my last 2 night hunts of the season. TKA250 and I are hunting all fri. night and my buddy Todd and I are hunting all sat. night.

The moon is just rising too late for me to hunt and then be able to get enough sleep for work this week.

Any ways.
I've made 44 sets now this season and called in 11 animals. 5 of those were killed. I'd be at least content if I had a %50 killed to called in ratio, So I've got some work to do.

These numbers do not include any animals killed by spot and stalk, or any other meens. For example the fox we shot friday night was killed, but not called in so it does not count.

I ended last season with 100 sets exactly. Called in 24 animals, and 10 were killed. I was happy with my numbers until my last set when 4 coyotes came in together and never presented a shot.
 
Hey guys,
I just found the site last night while i was doing a little research about calling. I "rediscoverd" my electrinic call when i cleaned my hunting room, so i am exited to try it out this weekend. looks like a good moon and we might even get some snow to boot. what do you think the cold temps will do to the coyotes, will they move more or less?
 
norbecker
Welcome to the site. I am no expert, the cold weather will
force them to still look for food. I hunt the so. metro
area and have had luck with calling but not shooting.
Let me know how you doing.
 
Leaddog, What sounds have you been using for calls? i was thinking to start off i will just stick with the rabbit squeels. Hope i can stay warm saterday morning, -15 is a little cold.
 
norbecker
I have a preymaster ecaller and have been using distress
calls.High pitch rabbit and kid goat are the ones that have
worked for me.
 
Drove out to Watkins area last night and met up w/ a friend around 11:30pm to do some calling. The wind had'nt picked up yet. The first spot was a blank, and by the second set the wind was howling. Nothin came. Drove around a bit and the wind only got worse so we ended it.
 
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