Nov. & Dec. 2020 hunts

Originally Posted By: nr123For some unknown reason, I haven't visited the Great White North in a while, but sure glad I did. Great pictures, and the write-ups! I went along with you on every hunt , felt like I was right there. Us Ga. hunters don't see much snow, but going along with you is just as good.

I haven't seen a coyote in the daytime in years here in my area. The only ones I kill are at night with a thermal, and that's not very many. Keep the hunts and pictures coming!

Thank you nr123 for the comments, The snow can be either a blessing or a curse.... just depends on how much there is
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Glad to hear you ventured back to the Great White North section
Originally Posted By: lockrotorSnowshoes on the 11th, that whore frost is bad to sit in, just plan out cold. Great picture. Very nice looking coyote on the 12th. The sunrise on the 23rd is beautiful. No good for viewing coyotes as you stated. Those dam shoulder mitts sure do ruin a nice looking coyote. As always thanks for taking us along with you on the hunt. Keep at it.
Thank you and everyone for taking the time to post comments. Much appreciated. I don't recall seeing coyotes with shoulder mites prior to the late 90's. Shot ones with mange in the 70's and 80's but don't recollect one with shoulder mites. Maybe its just a old age memory thing for me
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Finally caught up to the current date
December 26 2020
With no concrete plans for where I would hunt this morning, I decided to jump in my truck and take a short trip around the countryside. With a 20-60 x 80mm spotting scope sitting in the seat beside me and a set of binoculars hanging around my neck, it seemed like I was on a sightseeing tour. The truck thermometer displayed sixteen degrees Fahrenheit and with it being a calm morning, I thought I might see a few coyotes in my travels. Five single coyotes in five different remote areas wasn’t quite the numbers I hoped but still better than none.
A breeze out of the northeast isn’t common for this area but before steering the truck homeward bound, I knew of one spot I would try calling first.
Pulled onto an approach and from there walked a quarter mile down a treed shelter belt to a little slough bottom. A 10 acre bush patch, a 100 yards east of the slough has always been home for a coyote or two. Its been a year since my last visit and nothing really looked to have changed.

Shortly after setting up in front a small patch of cattails, I flood the trees with distress sounds from the Catnip call. I’m not sure a minute had passed before seeing a coyote standing at the edge of the trees. Before the cross hairs could be properly placed, the coyote turns around and slowly trots back into the safety of the trees. With a swap of calls, the trees now echo with the sounds of coyote kiyi’s.
It takes very little time before seeing a coyote standing in the field to the south of the trees. Not sure if its the same coyote but this time before it leaves, the cross hairs are steadied on its chest. The report of rifle is instantly followed by a coyote dropping in the snow. The first coyote sighting was ranged at 97 yards and the fallen coyote ranged in at 107 yards.
 
Originally Posted By: borkonAre you skinning them this year?
I do have a guy skinning for me again this year.

Originally Posted By: jnormanGreat pictures and stories. Are there any other folks hunting fur or trapping in your area,or is it all private property?
There is three different guys that I know of snaring coyotes in the area and of course some weekend coyote hunters also. Its all private land and I have permission on more land than I can probably hunt.
 
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I'm so happy to see your posts again. Looks like your making the best of the odd weather this year! Sucks your seeing so many rough furred coyotes in your neck of the woods
 
Originally Posted By: Neighbor_Guy-15* last night here. Nothing wanted to play, but it was great to be out under the full moon again.
It wasn't as cold here last night (10*F) but it was very bright under the full moon as I drove to work this morning.

Originally Posted By: YotarunnerI'm so happy to see your posts again. Looks like your making the best of the odd weather this year! Sucks your seeing so many rough furred coyotes in your neck of the woods
Thank you Yotarunner,
I agree, everything from the weather to the coyotes themselves have made for a very odd season.
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Originally Posted By: crazyyoteSnowshoes keep those hunt diaries coming. Wonderful reading and pictures. Thank you.
Well thank you crazyyote! I'll try to make sure and post as many future successful ( and non-successful ) hunts as I can.
 

A southwest breeze and a temperature of 10*F would be well suited for a spot I had in mind. I hadn't been back to this spot in two months and there was no snow then.
I set up on a fence line with choke cherry trees at my back and big block of bush to the south.

Three series of distress using the Catnip call brought magpies and chickadee’s but nothing for coyotes. After the last series of distress calls, I waited roughly 3 minutes before switching to coyote yelps ( kiyi’s) using a diaphragm call.
As I was in the process of doing my best “hurt coyote” sounds, I see a coyote standing at the edge of the bush. All I could see was its neck and head but it looked to be plenty in the scope as the cross hair were pulled onto target.
The recoil of the shot kicked the scope off my target and I had no confirmation of a hit. A few more yelp sounds were sent into the bushes and after a few minutes, it seemed I wasn’t getting anymore company. I then packed up and headed to where the coyote had stood. ( I ranged the spot at 147 yards)
Once reaching the bush and walking along the edge of the trees, my anticipation of seeing a coyote on the ground was slowly slipping away as I made my way to where the coyote should have been. I walked well past that spot and re-walked the edge of the bush 2 more time in hopes I missed something.
Oh I missed something alright, I missed the shot by the looks of it.
In hind sight, why didn’t I wait to see if the coyote would walk into the field or why didn’t I lip squeak to bring the coyote closer.
So many scenarios that I could have tried instead of taking a low percentage shot but it seems I need to be humbled every now and then to get my head back into the game.
The coyote was standing left of the rifle barrel (in the picture ) and at the edge where the trees tapered down.

Mornings like this, I feel like a novice coyote hunter 😊
As I was walking back to the fence line I see a coyote in the field to the east but it has me pegged, so I just continue my journey to the truck.
 
Snowshoes, at the time you thought I got this one. Afterwards all the other things come into mind. This morning while pushing snow with the bobcat, I got out and slipped onto the bucket edge. Broke 3 ribs, I'm out for awhile on hunting. Keep shooting and writing about the hunts.
 
Originally Posted By: lockrotorSnowshoes, at the time you thought I got this one. Afterwards all the other things come into mind. This morning while pushing snow with the bobcat, I got out and slipped onto the bucket edge. Broke 3 ribs, I'm out for awhile on hunting. Keep shooting and writing about the hunts.
Yes, hind sight is always 20/20 isn’t it
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Sorry to hear about your mishap. I thought things went south this morning but compared to your morning, the saying “ things could always be worse “ comes to mind.
Hope you have a speedy recovery
 
Snowshoes I like reading about your hunts, but what really gets me is country you hunt in maybe you wrote some about it and I missed it. Tell me alittle about it. Looks like some great whitetail country? Are there Mule deer in this area? What small game and birds ? Pheasants grouse turkey ? All those marshes got a lot of Muskrat, mink. Man it just looks like heaven to me! If it's as good as it looks and was 35 years younger (no family back then) l would have packed up and move there! To old now so I will have to live it through your stories! Keep them coming! And the photos, almost feel like I'm there looking across the field!
 
Originally Posted By: luderLots of reading, great write ups as always and looking forward to alot more, congrats...
Thank you luder, I hope I can add a few more stories down the road.
Originally Posted By: jmeddySS. As others have said, l always enjoy! Thank you.
Thanks jmedddy
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Originally Posted By: deathraySnowshoes I like reading about your hunts, but what really gets me is country you hunt in maybe you wrote some about it and I missed it. Tell me alittle about it. Looks like some great whitetail country? Are there Mule deer in this area? What small game and birds ? Pheasants grouse turkey ? All those marshes got a lot of Muskrat, mink. Man it just looks like heaven to me! If it's as good as it looks and was 35 years younger (no family back then) l would have packed up and move there! To old now so I will have to live it through your stories! Keep them coming! And the photos, almost feel like I'm there looking across the field!
Thank you deathray, We have good numbers of whitetail and mule deer in the area. A fair number of moose and a few elk. Usually see a few antelope also but for the most part they tend to be further south on the prairie lands.
Not much for pheasants or Sharp tails anymore but there is ruffed grouse and grey partridge. Lots of ducks and geese.
Muskrat's and beaver are abundant and as a young lad, they kept me in cash in the 1970's.
Springtime is filled with shooting gophers ( Richardson ground squirrels) on pasture lands.
 
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