nor'eastern approaching, do you prefer pre-storm, during, or post-storm calling?

shawnNwv

New member
As people are rushing to their nearest grocery store to buy up unrealistic amounts of bread, eggs, and milk, im going over my call bag, oiling up my rifles and shotgun,and preparing to call, wind gust willing.

Just curious on what others prefer to hunting a snow storm. one of my favorite times to hunt is hours before the storm, then i scout during the storm to find the most recent information aka tracks, scat and kills.
Then I'll figure out my stand locations for my number one favorite time to call, after the storm! i find when the snow stops blowing and the sun finally shows itself, these preds are hungry and eager to run to the call.

Not to mention you can creep around these thick WV woods easy as cake. Long as the wind isnt blowing really crazy I'll do a few stands during the snow as well and believe that can be prime time hunting too.

So ive blabbered my preferences, what's yalls thoughts and preferences pertaining to hunting the blizzard? And who all is planning to make some stands within the next couple days?
 
Well my seasons are closed, but in the past I have killed coyotes and deer with snow falling pretty fast in the early part of a storm, only fool out there I guess. Judging from the half filled tracks I see the coyotes seem to hunt all through it. Good luck and enjoy !
 
theres been times i sat through it til it was too white to see past 10 yards back when i first started. i can handle some pretty intense cold weather, but ive learned when it pretty much unbearable, most of the game holds up somewhere waiting for it to die down. but in the early onset like you mentioned, a blast. i find that kitten and pup distress work well during heavy snow falls. like a kitten seperated from its mother crying through the cold abyss, especially at night. daytime i cut holes in a white bed spread that ive washed with scent reducing detergent and just wear it over my mossy oaks. until i get me a snow camo killsuit that is.
 
I am headed out this afternoon, figure the wind has settled down, storm coming and it has been cold and blowing the last 2 days. With the time change I can hunt until 7-7:30pm
 
its just getting here in hardy county west by god, deer were out in force this eve along with squirrels and birds. gonna gp see how the wind is and may try my luck tonight into the early morning then again when its all over. we got ripped off on snow here this year, my main thing is i wanna find some clear and fresh tracks for later on!! good luck to anyone braving their way into the storm, and by all means be safe
 
I went out last night around 8:30 pm in anticipation of getting out just before the "storm" hit. The minute I got out of my truck I could hear them howling and yipping over the hills in a clear cut section comprised of 289 acres. The wind was calm and it was warm (30 degrees). I sat at a low point on the farm I was hunting and threw out a few howls. Immediately got numerous howls and barks back, but never saw them. I waited almost two hours. Nothing.

The deer were out, though, and not moving from my location, which makes it hard to identify when a constant set (or sets) of eyes are watching you through the brush.

I've been hunting these coyotes for a few months. The timbered property makes it hard to get them out into the open, and the timbered area is far too thick for a stand. You can't see 10 yards in any direction. However, this is the first time I've had them respond to a call. So, I'm on the right track...I think.
 
awesome brother, atleast you had some talking back at ya. i planned to go just before the storm hit, however by the time i was dressed and geared up to go out, it was starting. by the time i reached my stand we had over an inch and the snow was coming down in straight lines!!! i toughed it out for an hour, only a slight breeze. took the AK with me so i didnt have to worry about the snow ruining my guns. my 12 guage was stolen about 3 years back and dumped in the woods to rust and rot before i found it so the AK is something im not too worried about getting beat and a wet.

anyways, the coyotes here have been lock jawed since before new years, so i barely get an answer til about april or may. i set up in timber above one field on a ridge finger just to the side of a power line clearing and a 100 acre grazing field thats at the bottom of a wma mountain that gets no hunters after deer season.
i tried starting with some lip squeaks and then i went into a house cat distress that sounds [beeep] good and i thought would paint the pic of a cat stuck out freezing in the storm. only thing i call in was a GH owl and 7 nosey [beeep] does lol.

waiting to see how this wind is gonna behave and i may head out for an evening advent. dont give up, if they're where you are, you're bound to hook up with a dog. this has been the hardest winter for me to hunt, ive called one in and killed zero all year. they just havent been hungry here, and this is the most snow ive seen since last winter.
 
Originally Posted By: shawnNwvawesome brother, atleast you had some talking back at ya. i planned to go just before the storm hit, however by the time i was dressed and geared up to go out, it was starting. by the time i reached my stand we had over an inch and the snow was coming down in straight lines!!! i toughed it out for an hour, only a slight breeze. took the AK with me so i didnt have to worry about the snow ruining my guns. my 12 guage was stolen about 3 years back and dumped in the woods to rust and rot before i found it so the AK is something im not too worried about getting beat and a wet.

anyways, the coyotes here have been lock jawed since before new years, so i barely get an answer til about april or may. i set up in timber above one field on a ridge finger just to the side of a power line clearing and a 100 acre grazing field thats at the bottom of a wma mountain that gets no hunters after deer season.
i tried starting with some lip squeaks and then i went into a house cat distress that sounds [beeep] good and i thought would paint the pic of a cat stuck out freezing in the storm. only thing i call in was a GH owl and 7 nosey [beeep] does lol.

waiting to see how this wind is gonna behave and i may head out for an evening advent. dont give up, if they're where you are, you're bound to hook up with a dog. this has been the hardest winter for me to hunt, ive called one in and killed zero all year. they just havent been hungry here, and this is the most snow ive seen since last winter.

I just started hunting coyotes around late December, so I'm really, really new. However, I killed my first one last weekend. I've called the ones in above my house on three separate occasions, but could never get a reply, and had no idea when they were coming in. The lay of the land isn't very good for sound to carry, and I think that might be the problem.

I don't even care if I get one. It's just exhilarating sitting out there in the dark, alone, hunting the hunter (as the PMF emblem states). If I hear them it's even better, if I get one it's better yet, but if I neither hear or see a thing, I'm still having a good time!

I would love to hunt West Virginia. Just being in those mountains is enough for me. We don't have big mountains in western PA, so it's awe inspiring when we drive south.

Keep at them, and remember, the view you have while hunting (even at night) is better than the view you have from any sofa.
 
Flesh Eater, i agree 100%. I never get discouraged or aggrivated enough to give up on em. My family property borders 10,000 acres of wildlife management public grounds open to yote hunting year round, and ive never seen 1 predator hunter in my 20 years pf roaming it. even when i have a bad winter i still have a blast. and when i get bored this area i go 20 minute's down the road to whats called short mountain, about 3000 acres of public hunting. when i scout ill cover miles. theres bobcats and coyotes all tracks all over these ridges and big rocks, but this year i havent had any luck for some reason, theyve just been able to hunt whenever they wish and the rodents are flourishing here this winter. i always see something that makes it worth my efforts regardless. from the amazing views to finding a shed antler from time to time. i was out on the public ground next door the other week, and stumbled on a big natural pond on top the mountain in behind some thick laurel, that ive passed a thousand times and never knew was there in all these years. there was bobcat tracks and scat as well as coyote tracks all around it. im gonna go back and set up after the pups are born and try some pup distress and see what happens there. i love this addiction. just had my first born daughter on the 2nd so time is thin at the moment but i will hit it hard again in another month or two. at the moment i only get to go when the oppurtunity presents itself.
 
i agree t-bone. ive called in a few foxes and a couple of coyotes during a heavy snow before, but not a whole lot. mainly the hour's leading up to the start and then the day after once the wind and snow has left. but sometimes i cant help myself and i go out ane freeze my [beeep] off! wind looks like its died down a bit here. tomorrow gonna be windy but Thursday may be my day here. found a spot on this pipe line land owned by columbia gas and the ridge rest above a bunch of chicken houses and a nice cow pasture. next to the gas co property is a big field on top of the same ridge, with thorns and briars on the edge. i had permission to hunt it so i was scouting and saw dozens of cottontails and grouse in those thorns. not to mention some nice coyote scat filled with rabbit fur. think i may try my luck up there soon as possible.
 
Sounds like you have a lot of fun every time you go out. My wife thinks I'm crazy when I come home empty handed and wet with a picture of an owl or an old bottle or something. One of my best hunting buddies is from Morgantown WV. That any where near you ?
 
I killed 2 last night at about 9:15 it was snowing pretty bad and the snow saved 2 coyotes couldn't see them with the nv. Killed them in Wv think it was Hampshire co. Tried to get there before it started but it beat me. So I guess before the storm and a specially if it's new land just picked up.
 
Originally Posted By: masshunterSounds like you have a lot of fun every time you go out. My wife thinks I'm crazy when I come home empty handed and wet with a picture of an owl or an old bottle or something. One of my best hunting buddies is from Morgantown WV. That any where near you ?

Your wife sounds like mine. The other night I came to bed at 10:45 (had to be up at 4:30 am for work...ouch), and she rolled over and said, "Did you get your stupid dog?" I said, "No, but they were everywhere howling back to me!" This is an experience you have to witness in person to appreciate. Stories, no matter how well they're told, never live up to the real deal.

The next time I head south I'll be scoping West Virginia spots!
 
Masshunter, im about 2 hours from morgantown. lol my girl thinks im crazy too! especially when i came inside the other night completely covered in snow with nothing to show for.
 
non couch killer, im about 10 minutes from the Hampshire county line. you ever hunted short mountain outside of romney near augusta? I've scouted and found cat and dog tracks everywhere but havent made it back to hunt. i know where stephen city is, been through a few times. my brother works for home paramount in that area. my daughter was just born in winchester 2 weeks ago. have you heard of nathanial mountain wma in hampshire and hardy co? i live at the foot of it on the hardy co side, 3 minutes from the access and family owns 200 acres bordering that side. get ahold of my sometime if youre ever interested in a 2 man hunt, i cant get these hillbillys to go out there with me hardly. ive never even done a 2 man hunt except a few times with my uncle! called in two cats, killed mine and his got away. lol i told him on 3, but guess he couldnt count. i want to hunt dolly sods sometime, about an hour from here. looks like northern canada in the sods. amazing country. anyways, maybe we can kill a few mutts sometime if youre in the area.
 
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