Finally after several days of cold-cold weather, we get a decent day to be outdoors. Just 24 hours prior, the ambient temperature was -22*F (wind-chill of -40*F) but how things can change, as this morning I was greeted with +23F and basically no wind. Knowing this warm weather is to be short lived and back into the negative teens by tomorrow morning, I busted a trail into the field yesterday with the truck just to make sure for ease of waking at first light today. My view to the southwest where I expected the coyotes to come from.

Sat for a half hour and other than one raven flying overhead, I hadn’t seen any activity. For some reason I felt I should look to the north and sure enough I see a coyote step out of the bush just a few yards away from me. The coyotes eyes and mine meet simultaneously but I don’t dare move. The coyote slowly turns around and walks back into the trees. I go to reach for the rifle but the coyote walks back out and gives me a second look before slowly retracing its tracks.
Once the coyote is out of sight, I move the rifle into position and figure either the coyote will come back out or I’ll try calling it later.
Five minutes pass and I have almost given up on that coyote reappearing but then I see something that looks out of place further to the north. With the aid of the binoculars, I can see the coyote peaking through a thin stand of trees. I get a range of 148 yards and wait out the situation as I don’t like where the coyote is standing. The coyote isn’t budging, so a few lip squeaks are sent its way. The coyote cautiously walks a few feet and stops but this time its in the clear. A 64gr. Berger sent on its way at 3155 fps finds its target, dropping coyote number one.
My view to the north along the trees. I later stepped off to where the coyote originally came out and it was a mere 29 paces. I guess my camo worked!

The spot where I was sitting

Fifteen minute pass and I see a coyote almost a half mile to the east. This coyote doesn’t really show any sign of what direction it intended to travel but if it did decide to come my way, it likely would scent me long before it would be in range.
I swing my attention back to the south but this area is still void of any coyote activity. I look back to the easterly coyote and see its now sitting down and looks to be enjoying the first sun-rays of the day.
I glance north and there is another coyote standing by the downed one. A few sniffs and it turns to look to the east which presents me a broadside shot. Once again the 223AI is called upon to send a bullet on its way. Coyote number two down which is also at 148 yards.
The pair as I found them.

Congrats on starting the New Year a double bang. What brand of seat is that?

Thank you lockrotor,
The seat is one I ordered off the Les Johnson Predator Quest site.
I see you can get the same seat off Amazon but its called the Beard Buster EZ Chair Camo.

Nice work SS. pics are great also. They really help us invasion how it went down.

I've never used a seat. 95% prone.
A seat is just more to carry in and I want to shoot 3+coyotes on every stand lol

Thank you borkon
If I could get 3+ coyotes on every stand, that seat would be history lol
Actually the seat folds in half and has a long carry strap which makes it painless to pack along. I pack minimal equipment
to each stand but the seat always comes with. I likely use it 95% of time when shooting .

From the looks of all the tracks in the snow I would say you hunt in a target rich environment. It's beautiful there. All but the -40F! We don't get many furred up Dogs like that in Kentucky thanks for sharing. It appears you are a pretty fare photographer also. Please continue.

There's a fair bit of coyote activity in this particular spot and I try to hunt it a few different times every season. One thing about the -40F weather, it does fur up the healthy coyotes but also plays a big role in culling the sickly ones.
Thank you flowj for taking the time to post

Great stuff I enjoy these

Thank you and good to hear.

Nice shooting! I was sad to be stuck in the city during the warm spell but oh well il just shoot em in the cold anyways. Got a few stories up on the old outdoorsman forum if your interested. I don't have much fun posting threads on here anymore. Guys like you are the only thing that keep me coming back.

Our warm weather didn't last very long yesterday, did it. By 11:15 a.m. the wind kicked up here causing whiteout conditions and the rush of cold air to follow. Then more snow overnight didn't help maters. A lot of the back roads/trails were barely passable before but they will be blocked in now.
Another cold week ahead of us and it looks like I'll need to dust off the snowshoes if I want to get out next weekend. ( not a fun prospect)

I don't frequent the AO site too often but will check it out.
Thanks for the heads-up Yotarunner.

If it wasn't for your posts SS, I would very seldom visit PM.

Thank you borkon and Yotarunner for your interest.
That's it, I'm asking for a raise! ( doubt I will get it though)

10% on nothing, is probably more than I'm worth anyways

good work Snowshoes! Ive read your Nov/Dec threads and now this one. You never let up!

I've made 17 stands this fall/winter and only one coyote to show for it. We've been in a cold snap for the last 3 weeks and knee deep powder is hampering coyote movement. Just did a 4 day hunt with a good friend, we made 12 calling sets and never even heard a howl. Snow shoed 37km though haha

keep up the killin'

The snow and cold temperatures have really hampered the coyote activity here too. Probably not so much for the coyotes ( I really don't know what they have been up to ) but for myself. If I see the wind-chill is going to be in the minus forties I don't bother going out anymore and we have seen lots of those temps. lately.
You are definitely putting in the effort!!
The snowshoeing alone is a huge feat! That is 37 km (29 miles) further than I've snowshoed this year.
The weather is suppose to warm up next week and I'll take advantage of that to pack trails into some hunting spots. Most will be with the aid of the snowmobile but a couple require snowshoes to get into the area.
I guess I could walk the hilltops where there isn't a lot of snow but those ole dogs seem to pick me out then

Always enjoy the pics and the read, Thank you

I hoped to go out this weekend but the forecasted wind-chills have me questioning the sanity of that idea. Sounds like it’s to warm up in a few days now. I’ll be looking forward to when it does.

It warmed up some and I needed to get out and try my luck calling, even if it meant snowshoeing in.
The temperature was -15°F but the breeze put a bite to the air, feeling like -29°F..
The first location I headed for had me going through a couple thick stands of snow covered cattails. I appreciated the snowshoes but my legs were getting a real workout.
I set up a half mile from the truck and although a decent area, nothing showed.
The walk back with the big feet on was considerably easier.
Next stand I wasn’t overly excited about the walk but being an area that usually produces coyotes, the 3/4 mile walk in, seemed worth it.
After breaking trail in 2.5-3 foot deep snow, a few rest were required. It’s times like this that I remember that I’m not as young as I used to be.
Once I reach the trees that surrounds a large cattail infested slough bottom, I kick off the snowshoes and follow a coyote trail that worked it’s way through the cattails and into open area of the slough. Historically coyotes have come on the ice from various locations so I range various spots where I thought the coyotes may show from. Distances varied from 106 to 238 yard.
After my second series of calls, I do see a coyote but it just skirted the cattails for a few feet before ducking into them. At first glance it was encouraging but then realized the coyote was going away from me. It was then I realized the wind swirled directions which put an instant end to this set.
Packed up and worked my way back to the snowshoes. Once again the walk back was somewhat easier following my trail and after cresting the last hill,
the relief of seeing the truck is welcomed, even it was still almost a half mile away.

Oh, thats too bad, no coyotes
Sure looks like a workout for sure.....
Thanks for sharing what you got to go through to get into some spots.... We are lucky down here, so far only a couple of inches of snow

...Thanks for taking us along so far...beautiful country

I was on the road yesterday and 45 minutes south of here I would have been able to drive through any field or back roads. We really got a dump of snow here making where I hunt a challenge.


I do enjoy the countryside, unless I have a snow shovel in my hands. It loses its appeal rather quickly then

Haven’t been out for awhile but with the weather warming up considerably, it was a treat to be out.
I hadn’t been down to the creek valley yet this season, so that was the plan of where I would head.
Parked the truck and was in the process of walking down a tractor trail when I see a coyote cut across the same trail a couple hundred yards west of me. The coyote never noticed me and its attention seemed to be focused to the west. There was a round bale a few feet in front of me, so I quickly got behind it before pulling out the binoculars to investigate the activities to the west.
Three coyotes came out from a row of round bales and met the single on the trail. I watch the group of now four coyotes start trotting down the trail and I just know it will be away from me but they proved me wrong. Sometimes luck is on a guys side and it was proving so, as I watched the coyotes close the distance. At roughly 100 yards I stopped the lead coyote with a bark and a 64 gr. hollow point put an abrupt stop to its easterly travels.
No shots at the other three.

Continued my travels to the creek valley and what I see is very encouraging to say the least. A group of 4 coyotes are mingling down by the creek channel and I can see three singles laying on different hill tops. Using the lay of the land, I knew I could make a sneak on the one coyote as I have in past hunts and I put the plan into motion. No sneak peaks before getting to a rock pile where I would set up. Using the rock pile to hide my final approach was rewarded with the sight of the coyote still laying on the hilltop. I never ranged the coyote as I knew it was under 200 yards and proceeded to put cross hairs on fur. Once again a 64 gr. HP finds its mark and coyote number two is added to the morning total.
My view of the valley from the rock pile

Coyote #2

Never did see the group of four but the other two singles slowing trotted off to the safety of the bushes. I then caught movement between me and the downed coyote and here is a bonus coyote standing roughly 125 yards away and looking at its fallen brethren. Cross hairs placed on its chest and with a touch of the trigger, the coyote count is now three for the morning.

I had plans of calling but figured to leave that for another time. If the wind direction is right next weekend, I know where I will be heading.

Congrats on a 3 dog morning. They look good.

good work Snowshoes! Yesterday I was enjoying the return trip in my snowshoe trail after a couple more dud stands.

[beeep]!, that terrain just SCREAMS coyotes.
Many others hunting your area?

Every coyote I seen that morning was decent.That was a nice change!

When it warmed up a few days back, I went out and packed a few walking trails with the snowmobile. Last night we had a blizzard here and likely those trails are now buried.

One guy is snaring in the area and a couple others are hunting but they don't like to get too far from their truck. I'm the only one that has permission on this property though.

Beautiful pictures.

It's been a complete nightmare here in Maine 2022 so far. Everyday has been frigid cold with unrelenting wind.

2 fox so far that were at my bait spot, no coyotes yet.

Havent been out night hunting simply because of the cold and wind.

Thank you Campower

Our weather has been all over the map this last while also. Last week the winds varied from basically nil one day to gust of 50 mph the next. Temperatures varied also from 41*F to -24*F and to just top things off, snow and wind caused extreme white conditions the one night and then raining hard two nights later.

Nice going, really enjoy your stories and pics....

Thank you fratri.

Just a heads up, there won’t likely be a February thread as I sold my truck ( the dealership made an offer I couldn’t refuse) and I’m not confident I’ll find another hunting rig anytime real soon.
My wife said her Camry is not an option for temporary use

Ha Ha, I once put a road kill coyote in my wife trunk. Won't be doing that again. The job site was shut down today because of temps. Went out last night -15 with -28 wind chill. Saw 1 fox and had some vocal responce only. Been a tough year so far as for seeing coyote. Stay warm and keep looking for a new truck.

OH, I am going to miss your threads.... Here's hoping you find something soon