JDReno
New member
Alright, well, I guess this is kinda my introduction. I'm Jesse, I live in Reno Nevada. Just getting started in predator hunting, with a focus on coyotes for now. Yesterday I headed out at sunrise for my first time, and while out there I came up with a few questions for the experienced ones.
Found a great area that is about a square mile of grassland(which is rare up this way), that is bordered on three sides by the base of some hills that work their way up into mountains. Dense sage brush about thigh high. I walked along the dirt road a ways out from the flat area and saw tons of coyote tracks and sign. So I knew I was in the right place.
Made my first stand on a little bump that let me look over a ton of land, mostly sagebrush, facing the northeast. Had my back to the hill and a nice big clump of brush in front and behind me. Set my Johnny Stewart call about 40 yards down range started calling. Within about a minute I saw a dog 400 yards or so out, headed straight in towards me. So I let the call go for about 30 seconds, then took a minute break. Got back on it right as he was dipping down into a little gully about 250 yards out. I was following him through my scope and lost him when he went down. Only to disappear from there... Continued the routine for about 10 minutes thinking he was just circling around, and never saw him again.
Next stand about a quarter mile down the road facing the north and closer to the grassland area, no luck in 15 minute stand.
So I headed about a half mile down the road to get set up right on the edge of the grass that would give me a view of about 270 degrees of pretty flat grass and low some rolling hills. Right as I crested off the dirt road to head down I see a dog taking off about 50 yards in front of me headed across the flat. So I pull my gun off my shoulder, struggle to set up my shooting sticks, adjust the scope and start trying to track him down. By this time he's nearly 200 yards out and in some tall sagebrush, and I'm breathing heavily and a little unsteady from the rush... Needless to say, didn't get a shot off on him.
I set up about 50 yards away and called for 15 minutes, no luck...
Set up one last stand another two hundred yards down the road with no luck. By this time it was 9:30ish...
Cliff Notes: First time out, Four stands made, Two coyotes spotted, no shots taken...
At least I know I'm in the right area, and that there are coyotes around. While sitting out there contemplating if I was doing things right, I came up with some questions...
-What kind of distance should I put between stands?
--Is it wrong to only move 200 yards away if you're facing a different direction or over a little hill?
-If I do take a shot(and hit or miss), how far away do I need to get before I can set up another stand?
--Meaning, does taking one dog pretty much blow that area for the rest of the day?
-If a dog is coming in pretty hard is it okay to let the caller keep going?
--Only matters if I'm using the wireless call, when using the new eCaller I just built(see the thread in the electronic calls section of the forum) then I have no control over stopping it or volume cause I'm 50 yards away or whatever...
-What time do the dogs settle down for the day? or do they?
--It takes about an hour to get out and to my first stand of the morning all for a couple hours of hunting, so I'm wondering if I can stay out for more than two or three hours or if it's pointless more than a few hours after sunrise.
-Second part to the above question.
--Sunset is at about 4:30 these days up here, what time would be good to start hunting for an afternoon/evening hunt?
Things I did learn:
-Always be prepared, not having to set up your sticks or gun saves valuable time if you stumble across an animal... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
-Along with being prepared equipment wise, I found that it's best to walk slowly and calmly. Rather than hiking briskly and getting into a situation where you need to take a shot and can't control your breathing, walk everywhere as if you need to be ready to drop to a knee and stay steady...
-It's a rush! Pulling your crosshairs on a dog really gets the blood pumping and breathing sped up. Relax! Take your time...
I'm gonna head up again in the next few days and will get some pictures to go along with the narrative. And hopefully a picture of my first dog.
Found a great area that is about a square mile of grassland(which is rare up this way), that is bordered on three sides by the base of some hills that work their way up into mountains. Dense sage brush about thigh high. I walked along the dirt road a ways out from the flat area and saw tons of coyote tracks and sign. So I knew I was in the right place.
Made my first stand on a little bump that let me look over a ton of land, mostly sagebrush, facing the northeast. Had my back to the hill and a nice big clump of brush in front and behind me. Set my Johnny Stewart call about 40 yards down range started calling. Within about a minute I saw a dog 400 yards or so out, headed straight in towards me. So I let the call go for about 30 seconds, then took a minute break. Got back on it right as he was dipping down into a little gully about 250 yards out. I was following him through my scope and lost him when he went down. Only to disappear from there... Continued the routine for about 10 minutes thinking he was just circling around, and never saw him again.
Next stand about a quarter mile down the road facing the north and closer to the grassland area, no luck in 15 minute stand.
So I headed about a half mile down the road to get set up right on the edge of the grass that would give me a view of about 270 degrees of pretty flat grass and low some rolling hills. Right as I crested off the dirt road to head down I see a dog taking off about 50 yards in front of me headed across the flat. So I pull my gun off my shoulder, struggle to set up my shooting sticks, adjust the scope and start trying to track him down. By this time he's nearly 200 yards out and in some tall sagebrush, and I'm breathing heavily and a little unsteady from the rush... Needless to say, didn't get a shot off on him.
I set up about 50 yards away and called for 15 minutes, no luck...
Set up one last stand another two hundred yards down the road with no luck. By this time it was 9:30ish...
Cliff Notes: First time out, Four stands made, Two coyotes spotted, no shots taken...
At least I know I'm in the right area, and that there are coyotes around. While sitting out there contemplating if I was doing things right, I came up with some questions...
-What kind of distance should I put between stands?
--Is it wrong to only move 200 yards away if you're facing a different direction or over a little hill?
-If I do take a shot(and hit or miss), how far away do I need to get before I can set up another stand?
--Meaning, does taking one dog pretty much blow that area for the rest of the day?
-If a dog is coming in pretty hard is it okay to let the caller keep going?
--Only matters if I'm using the wireless call, when using the new eCaller I just built(see the thread in the electronic calls section of the forum) then I have no control over stopping it or volume cause I'm 50 yards away or whatever...
-What time do the dogs settle down for the day? or do they?
--It takes about an hour to get out and to my first stand of the morning all for a couple hours of hunting, so I'm wondering if I can stay out for more than two or three hours or if it's pointless more than a few hours after sunrise.
-Second part to the above question.
--Sunset is at about 4:30 these days up here, what time would be good to start hunting for an afternoon/evening hunt?
Things I did learn:
-Always be prepared, not having to set up your sticks or gun saves valuable time if you stumble across an animal... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
-Along with being prepared equipment wise, I found that it's best to walk slowly and calmly. Rather than hiking briskly and getting into a situation where you need to take a shot and can't control your breathing, walk everywhere as if you need to be ready to drop to a knee and stay steady...
-It's a rush! Pulling your crosshairs on a dog really gets the blood pumping and breathing sped up. Relax! Take your time...
I'm gonna head up again in the next few days and will get some pictures to go along with the narrative. And hopefully a picture of my first dog.