Sitting in the open at night.?

0321tony

0321tony

New member
I was thinking of going to a very large lake to do some night hunting. I have herd that the light will keep you hidden from eyes. I would like to hunt a certin section of this lake and the lake is a few miles wide so sitting on the other side and shooting across is out of the question. I am wondering if I was to sit out on the lake in my snow camo in the wide open and set up the call will I stay hidden from behind the light or is it out of the question. There are a lot of animals in there and the shore is very rocky and steep so it would be hard to sit on the shore and see whats coming in especially since they would be coming in from behind me.
Thanks

Tony
 
you can do it. Sometimes we sit in the middle of a field. The snow camo and your light will do the trick. Just get on them quick or they'll see you first. Had that happen a few times sitting out in the open.
 
Originally Posted By: 0321tonyI was thinking of going to a very large lake to do some night hunting. I have herd that the light will keep you hidden from eyes. I would like to hunt a certin section of this lake and the lake is a few miles wide so sitting on the other side and shooting across is out of the question. I am wondering if I was to sit out on the lake in my snow camo in the wide open and set up the call will I stay hidden from behind the light or is it out of the question. There are a lot of animals in there and the shore is very rocky and steep so it would be hard to sit on the shore and see whats coming in especially since they would be coming in from behind me.
Thanks

Tony

Only if you are shining the light in there eyes while they are looking at you. If the light is not directly in their eyes, they can see you.

Without knowing your exact setup, I'd suggest staying closer to shore so the bank behind you prevents critters from sneaking up the backside. Use the wind to your advantage and but also the terrain. If you are out in the middle of the lake you could pull something in from any direction and risk getting winded. I like my setups to that I'm only scanning 180 degrees or less. In the middle of the lake, you'd have to scan 360.

Also, keep the caller very near you...like in your lap(very near). You want the critters looking directly at you when night hunting/spotlighting. If the caller is out in front of you (20 yards for example) they will be looking at the caller and not you. Won't be able to see their eyes that way.

I've seen wolves on two separate occasions on Camp Island off of SRR. What are you after?

Mark
 
I am after everything but Lynx that closed yesterday. I fish Camp Island a lot in the winter and always bring a rifle but I have never seen anything out there have not called there but always thought I would see something on the ice.
Thats good to know about keeping the call close I would have put it out away from me like calling in the daylight.
Unless I get something to come in for a long ways I dont think I have to worry about anything from behind as the area I will be in is about 2 miles to the other shore. It is possable though. I know there are wolves close to where I will be I see the tracks a lot and it would be great to get one to come in but I still have never called in a coyote only cats, not for lack of trying, Just have to get over this learning curve and start getting things figured out.
 
"Also, keep the caller very near you...like in your lap(very near). You want the critters looking directly at you when night hunting/spotlighting. If the caller is out in front of you (20 yards for example) they will be looking at the caller and not you. Won't be able to see their eyes that way."

Not true. This is some kind of old wives tale. I Never keep the call near me. Especially sitting out in the open, you want them distracted. You will see eyes just fine.

Last night I had the call 20 yards in front and to my left. Watched a fox come all the way in and nail my decoy.
 
If that works for you Takem, thats great...
but you are in the minority.
Most will say to keep the sound close to the light, and you should be behind the light.
Good Hunting
 
Originally Posted By: sharkathmiIf that works for you Takem, thats great...
but you are in the minority.
Most will say to keep the sound close to the light, and you should be behind the light.
Good Hunting

I think eyes are the same everywhere. Not an opinion, it's a fact. Spreading bad advice is why most people think that.
 
I have never had a problem seeing eyes whether they were looking right at me or if my caller was way off to the sides. Certainly the eyes are brighter when looking directly at you, and it could be a big advantage if the critter is in heavy cover.

Regarding the original question - I'd give it a try. The one thing about being out on the open ice is that the critters may be much less suspicious about an object out on what is normally an area of low danger.

You may also benefit by dragging something like an old christmas tree, etc. out to your spot and leaving it there - they'd get used to seeing it over time. Good luck!
 
Originally Posted By: TakemOriginally Posted By: sharkathmiIf that works for you Takem, thats great...
but you are in the minority.
Most will say to keep the sound close to the light, and you should be behind the light.
Good Hunting

I think eyes are the same everywhere. Not an opinion, it's a fact. Spreading bad advice is why most people think that.


I try to keep my caller 75-100 yards from me in the general direction I wantthe critter to come in,So I agree usually the only time you cant see eyes is when they are running away....
 
Originally Posted By: Takem"Also, keep the caller very near you...like in your lap(very near). You want the critters looking directly at you when night hunting/spotlighting. If the caller is out in front of you (20 yards for example) they will be looking at the caller and not you. Won't be able to see their eyes that way."

Not true. This is some kind of old wives tale. I Never keep the call near me. Especially sitting out in the open, you want them distracted. You will see eyes just fine.

Last night I had the call 20 yards in front and to my left. Watched a fox come all the way in and nail my decoy.

It is still to your advantage to have the caller by you. Having it out in front of you decreases your chances of picking up eyes depending on what direction the animal is coming from. Yes you will obviously get pick up eyes if he is coming straigt towards you. May not be the case if he is traveling from left to right or right to left.
 
Originally Posted By: TakemOriginally Posted By: sharkathmiIf that works for you Takem, thats great...
but you are in the minority.
Most will say to keep the sound close to the light, and you should be behind the light.
Good Hunting

I think eyes are the same everywhere. Not an opinion, it's a fact. Spreading bad advice is why most people think that.

Who is the one spreading bad advice???
 
if its a moonlite night i put it upwind...and in the middle of a field...aiming the call towards the coroner where the fur has came out years prior...

takem lives in PA. also...we have legal deer spotting all byt 2 weeks of the year...any animal this time of year has likely been burnt a few times....by spoters...when you hit them with the light there in vacate mode.....

now when you get the very few that cooperate keeping the light on them in front of you works great...

i went down and just went out with a buddy from WV. 2 years ago...no spot lighting there...

we called 2 fox they came strait at us the whole way...

doesnt happen like that often here anymore...

sometimes its best to put the call in the field let it run 5 minutes hit the light and there sittin 15 yards away lookin at the call...then you got a 3 to 5 second shot placement window before they catch on...

as far as being a predator hunter and deer hunter i would like to see spoting stopped...like other states...

we have many families who spot and dont even hunt...and like i said they just love to unknowingly burn the fur till its far into the woods...some even rev there car engines to make them run faster...

the best way to find and kill a nice deer is to scout just like for coyotes...i usualy find my buck in the evenings grounhog hunting...
 
Originally Posted By: sharkathmiIf that works for you Takem, thats great...
but you are in the minority.
Most will say to keep the sound close to the light, and you should be behind the light.
Good Hunting

Huge +1. Keep the caller right next to you. Let's say the caller is at 9 o'clock 30 yards in relation to your position. Let's say the critter comes in at 3 o'clock 30 yards out. It's gonna be super hard to pick the eyes up. When I lived in Ohio I remember one instance where I had my buddy sitting right beside me. Had a gray come in and even though my buddy was only a few feet to the left of me my buddy could not pick up the eyes to make the shot.

You need the critter looking directly at you. Maybe some situations are different but thi has been my expereince

 
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I'd say after spending many nights on the prowl for coyotes on the backroads of the prairie you want them looking directly into the light and you want the light as close to you as possible. As the light and the beast get further away or at a wider angle it will get alot more difficult to see their eyes and it will happen quickly.
Anyone who ever had one in their headlights on the highway knows that.

A fact is only a fact if you can prove it....otherwise it is still just an opinion.

Nobody was spreading bad advice, they were making suggestions based on personal experiences.
 
Originally Posted By: skb2706I'd say after spending many nights on the prowl for coyotes on the backroads of the prairie you want them looking directly into the light and you want the light as close to you as possible. As the light and the beast get further away or at a wider angle it will get alot more difficult to see their eyes and it will happen quickly.
Anyone who ever had one in their headlights on the highway knows that.

A fact is only a fact if you can prove it....otherwise it is still just an opinion.

Nobody was spreading bad advice, they were making suggestions based on personal experiences.

Obviously you'll have the light close to you (you'll be holding it). The whole purpose of a ecaller is to direct the coyote away from your postion,day or night.A coyote coming in straight at you,right to left,left to right or upside down if you are scanning properly chances are pretty [beeep] good you'll see eyes.....
 
Originally Posted By: ultramagThe whole purpose of a ecaller is to direct the coyote away from your postion,day or night.

All depends. There are times when using a shotgun I want the coyotes coming directly at me and I want em to get in close. I'll put the caller right in front of me or next to me.
 
Heres one for ya'll do any of you use ICE-SHACKS for fishing well we all do... when were not fishing were hunting coyotes at night and these shacks make great places to hunt from.... We make bait bucket's full of ya favorite bait Meat from the butcher or fish parts that is cought during the day put it in the bucket fill with blood/water or whatever ya got on hand top it off with water freeze it outside till ready bring it in the shack to thaw a bit so it will dump out of the bucket frozen still go out to a couple hundred yards and dump out... the coyotes love it... leaves a nice red spot on the ice during the day and at night the predators come a running to it..... O'h yeah the ice shack fold out windows make great rifle/pistol rest to wait and watch for coyotes you'll get the picture it's fun on a cold winters night to be hunting from a heated ice shack for your favorite predator.....
 
its all what u think works for u. i personaly put the call beside me even if im hunting fields at night. the only time its not beside me is if im hunting out of a tree stand or during the day.
 
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