Making the Most of a Windy day

300magman

New member
Me and 2 friends decided to head out for a few stands today in some of the more open country that we call in. We have had it planned all week, and today was the only day that worked for all us...unfortunately, when we got up around 5am this morning, the wind was howling at about 30mph, and gusting to 40...needless to say, we weren't expecting too much from the day!

The first 2 stands we called were both blanks, and we were fighting just to get some sound out between wind gusts...we had a little discussion, and decided that after a couple more blanks, we would head home and call the day a right-off....Then, on the 3rd stand we moved in really close to where we figured they were, and started playing cottontail distress (I like the higher pitched sounds on windy days) at full volume right from the get go. At about the 3 minute mark, a really nice female came slowly in, and my friend dropped her at about 70yds! This was great, because with rifle deer season only being a couple days away here, he picked up a brand new Tikka T3 in 300 mag for the season and we had just gone to the Range to sight it in on Thursday night...this yote was the first animal shot at with the new gun, so we were all pretty pumped! Unfortunaltely, on this stand, we had left the camera in the truck, so we had to take pics once we were back at the truck, not where the yote fell (which is what we usually try to do). You can tell by the bugged out eyes of this yote that he got it right in the head.

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With a renewed interest in the day (and the camera in the pack), we headed off to the fourth stand, the location of which has always been a favorite of mine...we called with cottontail for about 10 min, then switched to pup distress. After 3 minutes of pup distress, a double came in at a slow trot...I dropped the lead dog (male) at 60 yds, and unfortunately wasn't able to get a shot off at the second yote (it had hung up at about 150 yds coming in, and made it over a ridge before I could get a shot off after taking the first one, neither one of my friends had a view of the second dog either). Two down now!!!

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The 4th and 5th stands of the day were both blanks, but we did spook one going into the 5th, just never got off a shot. For the 6th stand, we went to an area we had had permission on for quite some time, just had never called before. After taking a look at the area as best we could from the roads, we came up with a plan on how to call this location. My one friend who hadn't pulled the trigger yet was on point (or so we thought), and me and the other guy would watch the downwind and backdoor. We knew that there were yotes in the area as we had gotten them to howl earlier, and with all the success we have been having lately with pup distress, I went straight to that call. About 2 minutes after the first call, we hear the friend on point take a shot...we looked at him and got the thumbs-down, a clean miss. While we were "hand signalling" back and forth, I hadn't been watching my area, and when I turned around to take a look, there was a single female coming in HARD. I tried barking to stop her before she ran us over, but she wasn't slowing down so I took her at 20yds. Let the call keep playing and about a minute later, heard another shot from the guy on point..another miss on a double. The double swung around and started heading over in my and my other friends direction, and at 50 yds the guy I was sitting with took one of the pair...I missed the double at 70yds max (yote fever at this point I think)! That was it for action on this set.

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After taking a double on this set, we decided that it was time to call it a day and head home. It was a heck of a day for such windy conditions, and a blast with 2 good buddies. Its unfortunate that the 3rd guy didn't get to take a yote (not for lack of chances), but it was a great time all the same (and nice to have a picture taker)!

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I was using a ruger .300 mag, and the other guy was using a Tikka T3 .300 mag, we both used bog pod shooting sticks, and as always the trusty FX3. Thanks for looking and happy hunting!!

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Good post. Thanks for sharing. I guess you are 300magman for a reason. Thats what I shoot too and it will really put a yote down. They don't make as big a mess as most would think either.
 
Originally Posted By: yotezapperGood post. Thanks for sharing. I guess you are 300magman for a reason. Thats what I shoot too and it will really put a yote down. They don't make as big a mess as most would think either.

haha! I know, I have said the same thing several times on this forum!
 
Great job man. I just joined and was wondering if there was anyone from canada on here. What part of the province are you from? Nice lookings pictures too.
 
Niice work on those beaut yotes ! Two .300 mags on the same stand? Haha, but I cant say anything because at times I bring the 30-06 along in more wide open spaces.

Thanks for the story and pics,
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Keep at it
 
Originally Posted By: yoteliminatorGreat job man. I just joined and was wondering if there was anyone from canada on here. What part of the province are you from? Nice lookings pictures too.

There's a few guys from Canada kicking around here actually...I'm from North Central, a bit outside Edmonton...send me a PM, let me know where your from, maybe we could get together for a hunt one day if your in this neck of the woods. Thanks for looking and welcome to Predator Masters!
 
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