When is it too windy?

Rob_S

New member
Hunted yesterday near Sonoita, AZ - about 4,800 ft high. Sustained winds of 15mph with gusts to 30. Found the sound being "thrown" back downwind. We only had one successful stand in calling in a coyote.

When do you choose to stop hunting or not hunt at all? Is that related to the coyotes not leaving their den, or is it related to the scent plume from you being spread so far and wide that it affects your stands?

Thanks,
Bob
 
When your bullet starts to be blown back at you it is probably a good idea to give it up. I have found that at the 15mph and throw in some gust is about the limit on wind that most (not all) coyotes seem to hunker down until the wind backs off a little. Yes it is hard to call under these circumstances and is the one time when I move closer to the wooded areas where they could be laying up out of the wind and then try calling across the wind.
 
Coyotes & Red Fox may choose to hole up, during harsh weather. Otherwise, they don't use a "den hole". Other than near breeding & pup rearing time. Also in bitter cold winds, they may hunker in a dead-air space. Such as, a brush pile, snow drift or a weed patch.


Most often I will not hunt. IF there is blowing snow or a pelting ice storm. One other scenario that often keeps me home. Is the 1st day after a snow or ice storm has passed. As the coyotes & Reds, tend to either hole-up/seek shelter & not travel far. Otherwise, I'm hunting.

It isn't the high winds that effect either[coyotes or Reds] so much. But bitter cold temps with blowing snow or pelting ice will.

I would focus my calling in high winds. Adjacent to "hilly ground cover". As they will bed in those wind-brake areas. Expect them to be on the down-wind in that cover. As that is where they spend most of their daytime hrs, anyway.
 
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My hunt area, is most void of cover. There are a few timber patchs here & there. Along with weeded creek bottoms. Otherwise just open rolling foothills.

Below are some coyotes & a pr of Reds. Both useing the foothills, for a wind-brake. I've seen this scenario many hundreds of times. When I DON'T see any canines on the open foothills. Then they are in cover or useing an old abandoned den hole, or roadway culvert. For hard shelter.

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Originally Posted By: kirby Is the 1st day after a snow or ice storm has passed. As the coyotes & Reds, tend to either hole-up/seek shelter & not travel far. Otherwise, I'm hunting.

. NO , your taking pics
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. i've yet to see your mugg holding a critter
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LOL! DANG! borkon Your like a relentess terrier on my carcass. Say, dead coyotes & fox pics don't teach a new guy nuttin, eh. I'll post a few I hammered in yrs past down in the photo forum.
 
Today with these winds and incoming blizzard. I guess we will be spending the new year warm indoors reading up on hunting stuff and cleaning the guns, maybe do some reloading
 
I'll pass this time, this is a good time for me to get caught up on a bunch of stuff I have been putting off since hunting started in October, Thanks for the offer.----Riflemann
 
I had my best day ever in very windy conditions. On 9 stands, I called in at least one coyote on each stand.

However, since then, high winds have not been good for me so I choose to stay home. High winds would be 15-20+mph.

After a bad storm system, one that lasts at least one day, the hunting can be great. I think most animals hole up during the worst of it and when the storm breaks, they are hungry and I'll see all kinds of game up and moving.
 
I try to find places that I would try to get out of the wind. Places like creek bottoms, brushy draws, ravines and such. It's possible your part of the country may not have that, but, here we do. I don't like calling in heavy wind but ya got to deal with what ya got. Seems like the wind is always blowing here in central ks. Alot of these places are made for the shotgun, alot of close and personal shots. It's not an easy and consistant calling situation but it can be done. I'm in agreement with K-22, the critters are usually up and moving after a storm rolls through here too.
 
If it's blowing over 20mph, I go home. Your call-in percentages go down....way, way down. No need in frustrating yourself and ruining good stands.

Tony
 
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