Want to try coyote hunting.
Just received an electronic call, FoxPro FX3, still charging batteries.
Sighted in 243 at 100 yd.
Sent for three different 3" 12 gauge rounds for shotgun. Need to pattern.
Plan on hunting local, about 1-2 hrs. before & after sunset, with shotgun. Pittsburgh area.
If I get up north (Clarion PA) on weekends I'll try Before & after Sunrise also.
Looking for brand name of Red filtered Light.
I know they are around, so do they run into the call or sneak around you?
Best info I have says try a spot for some short time. If no reply to locator call move on.
Is a two man team better? One shotgun, one rifle, or in my case pistol.
Thanks in advance.
Carl
Yotes will do anything. I have seen them run in headlong but the older wise ones sneak in.
They like to circle down wind, the wise ones anyways. Give a spot 10-20 minutes before moving.
Also take along some good binoculars too. Have fun, it is a blast when all goes right.
Coyotes killed an Australian shepherd in daylight near one of my daughter's home. >:( My grandkids have a Blue Heeler who will defend her turf against all comers. I am afraid she will be next. I'm going to try calling some in back of their place and see what I can do. Anyone with experience please give me all the advice you can, as I have never hunted coyotes before.
Faron, I've called in my share. I prefer the mouth call, but I'm old fashioned. The new electronic calls do quite well. Pick an area with a good field of view. Be quiet going in. Watch the wind. If possible, take a buddy and set back to back, as Mr coyote likes to circle. Don't wear any clothing with fur on it, unless you like being dive bombed by hawks and owls. Don't be surprised to see coons, possums, skunks, crows, and bobcats respond. Be prepared for fast shooting, because in an area with a high population, you might call in a pack. In February, during mating season, you will see a lot of pairs. Don't look for a whole coyote, look for a horizontal back line in a vertical stand of twigs, or a pair of ears pointing at you, or something else out of place.
Most call instructions say to call for 30 minutes before moving on. Most of the coyotes I've called have responded in the first 5 minutes. The only thing that ever took more than 15 minutes (that I'm aware of) was a bobcat. They are a little spooky, as they just suddenly appear.
I was turkey huning several years ago and a a pack come up on me. I'm sitting there thinking, "Ok, great, I have 3 shots and 5 coyotes". The stupid things start comming closer because they know somethings up. They got within about 10 feet of my deek before the lead dog caught my scent. I wish I would have had a camera becaue the look on it's face was priceless. My hunt was over for the day but the close encounter was too cool.
Be careful taking those wiggle shots. It might be another coyote hunter in those verticle twigs. I'm not a coyote hunter, but I've read many stories of young fellows being mistaken for deer or turkey and killed by someone passing in a truck, who is taking wiggle shots.
Get into some good cover and don't move.
Cover your face and don't move.
What ever you do, don't move!
Hands down the only thing harder to trap or hunt in our area than coyotes is the red fox. If you fool one with a call and don't get him it will be the last time it'll be fooled by one.
One cool thing they used to do around here was hunt them with big greyhounds. They'd drive around with a pack of greyhounds in the back of a pickup until they caught a scent. Turn them loose and watch for them to hunt. Iowa roads are laid out in a grid pattern and they'd go the next mile over and wait for the dogs to chase them in. Coyotes were no match for the greyhounds.
These are two Timbers that were called out using the FoxPro.
This was near Wawa, Ontario just a little north of the Sault.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10030/wolf_call_n.JPG)
Kevin, on my foxpro fx3 I got 32 calls, coyote,fox,kitten,rabbit,rat, etc.
Plan : Set up call and some sort of decoy.
Start with locater call, switch to medium volume rabbit distress, go down on volume.
Shoot coyote, or spook same.
Please give any tips.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10030/winter_coyote_2.JPG)
I called this guy in with a DR. Sceery hand call.
You probably won't need the decoy.
When you start setting up decoys you contaminate the area with your scent and movement.
Locating is good to do in the dark prior to hunting so you spend more time covering many locations and already know the animals are there prior to setting up.
Keep the volume low, they can hear it.
Try to back into a bush or tree to break up your silhouette and just let your eyes move to watch for coyotes when you can.
We have the larger Eastern Coyotes up here and they can be really wary.
I don't hunt them per se, but I do shoot them when they need it. There is enough small game around to keep them away from the cows right now. I have used .22LR, .22WMR, and .243WIN for yotes. .17HMR is very popular for night hunting around here, as you are limited to rimfire at night here. What ranges are you going to be shooting? I have my .243 sighted for 200 yards. It's an inch high at 100, and I think 5 low at 300. This basically allows you to shoot "point blank" to about 250 yards without having to worry about elevation corrections. Around here you won't get them into shotgun range.
Dave
I'm thinking 60 yds. will be a good average.
Around this area, Pittsburgh,Rimfire and shotguns are required.
You could use an in-line if so inclined.
Shot size is regulated to #4 buckshot.
I bought a 17 HMR rifle today , for local and chuck hunting.
Put a 4 x 16 , lighted recyicle on, also a bipod.
I might get to try fox Sun.evening.There's 60 acres of old strip mine
behind the house.
Is a Red light nessary?
You might use the light for hunting at night, our regs don't allow night hunting.
Younger years all I did was hunt. Coyotes at night not so good. I had better luck in the day. Not just morn and eve. I would set up in an open field about a 1/8 mile or so from where I thought they were hangin. Used 2x4 wire fence with a camo around it. You would think this blob in the middle of the field would scare anything away. Not so.
I used a decoy. Dead rabbit with about 60 foot of mono on it. When they stop progress or look like spooking I would twitch the rabbit. (works great for the owls and hawks too :D) that usually caught their eye and brings them on in. Never within shotgun. My buddies use coy dogs and work in teams . They like open country with like a fence row. Start dogs on next road over while shooters set up at the end of fence on next road. He said they always use shotgun , coys will be on top of them worried about the dogs behind them.
A week ago there was a coyote came out into the field at sun rise, down at the end of the field, about 3/4 mile away. He was sitting there howl'n and yip'n like he was looking for his buddies. After about 2 hours of that he figured it was time to move on. Even had the neighbor's dog howling. :D :D :D
I like coyotes. :)
Kevin,
Why are the timber wolves hunted?
Well last night I was awaken by a darn fox around the yard bark'n at a pack a coyotes. So, finally I had to get up at 2:30 am and take the flash light out in the yard to settle the dispute. Dang fool canines. ::)
I never thought of it until just now, but I'll have to shoe down to the back of the lot and see if she has a den in an old ground hog hole. They do come there once in awhile.
We've got motion sensing lights outside our bedroom. The deer will usually set them off every night or two as they pass through. Last night they came on half a dozen times, just too tired to get up to check on what was doing it. Today I noticed a few tufts of gray/white fur on the lawn. Believe a coyote sat out there and scratched himself real good.
He has taken to leaving a pile of scat right in the middle of one of my trails up the hill behind the house. Think he just wants me to know he is around. Late this afternoon heard a couple of them yipping farther up the mountainside.
Had a pet coyote when I was a kid in southern Alberta. Got him before his eyes were open. Tamed right down. I remember looking out the window seeing him curled up asleep with a kitten curled up on top of him. Got a few of the ducks but they got wise to him. Never was tied up. Folks didn't know what to think when they came to visit and a coyote run out to greet them. The preacher wouldn't get out of his car till we got there. Got to wandering when he grew up. Was over at the neigbours playing with their dog and the hired hand shot him.
Dutchman good post, I find it real interesting. Can't help you, cause we don't have Coyote's down here, got enough problems with wilddog /dingo's, red fox's "Volupes Volupes", feral pigs. >:( I sight my .243 in at 100yrds, the .243 has a flat shooting tradjectory, I find it a good allround calibre for Australia....Good luck with it.
QuoteWhy are the timber wolves hunted?
They aren't hunted to any large extent but they are treated as a game animal by predator hunters and a threat to moose, deer and livestock by many others.
More are trapped during the winter for the fur than are actually hunted.
The neighbors here had a pet silver fox, but it never tamed down like you suggested with the coyote. There was a breeding program in Russia to produce domestic silver foxes and it was successful and even changed the coloration or markings somewhat on the animals. The animals looked distinctly different that those on the fox ranches where they raised them for fur.
That leads me to believe it wasn't just a matter of raising a coyote pup to become domesticated. Even with wolves, they are not trustworthy to be called domesticated when raised this way. I would not leave them around small children.
We had a couple foxes also. They were older when they were caught. Never did tame down very well. They finally wondered off after there was no food left out one weekend. There was a red one and a silver one. They bit. The coyote never did, but I remember Dad said a coyote he had when he was young put the run on my uncle. Had him on the roof of a shack I think. Uncle was teasing the coyote as I recall. Guess the coyote had no sense of humor. I'll have to ask Dad about it again to make sure the facts are straight. This was all in Southern Alberta.
There is a dang cagey fox that's getting too cute for his britches. Today I came home and unloading groceries from the car. Left the door open in the garage and the car door while taking a load inside. Came back out for another load of groceries and the dang thing was making his way to the open garage door. Dang thing already caught and ate the neighbor's chickens this spring. Now he's after it all pre-packaged. ;D :D :D
Ok, here's the latest target in PA.
Feral swine are to be eradicated in Pennsylvania.
The Game commision has opened the season except in counties where
there are trapping operations in progress.
What does it take to knock down a swine?
Just saw an article where one was taken with an air gun.
If you're serious, don't arm yourself with an airgun. Take something that will knock him down and make him stay there. Shotguns are great in the bush.
Opening season for hunters isn't going to get it done. It's going to take some serious trapping and it won't be done all at once. :) Pigs are smart!
Quote from: dutchman on June 11, 2008, 10:31:52 PM
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What does it take to knock down a swine?
Just saw an article where one was taken with an air gun.
Must have beat it to death.... ::) ::) :) :) ;D ;D
Feral pigs are a major problem down here, my work involves inspecting properties for pig activity and organising control programs. Hope I don't ramble on too much. It's not uncommon for our boars to reach 350pounds. Like Tom said they are smart, second to a dog.
Calibre's should be heavy, commonly used 30/30, .303, .270, .243, 30-06, .308, for our hellicopter shoots we use .308 semi autos with red dot scopes. Bow hunting is effective with good sharp broad heads.
Trapping can be usefull, there are a number of styles simple mesh silo types up to manufactured square framed mesh with doors that are set on an angle to automatically shut each time a pig enters.
1080 poison baits work well.
Dogging is a common method here and New Zealand, I personally don't like it, i get too attached to my dogs to see them injured.
I wouldn't like to tackle a pig with an airrifle, not sure what your feral swine are like but our guys can sport some serious ivory and know how to hook with it. I've had a few close calls, one of my mates lost his calf muscle to a young boar, he was shooting in scrub with a lever action .44 magnum, these days he likes the .444
Feral pigs, think real smart black bear and arm yourself accordingly. Prefered weapon here is a 12 gauge shotgun loaded with buckshot. We have some big ones down here in the swamps. A big old sow with small pigs is something to approach with lots of caution. I've seen dog's ripped open from one end to the other with one swipe of them tusks.
Wildog what kind of dogs are used? Here we have an un-official breed called a cathoula cur that has been purpose bred to deal with pigs. They aren't overly large problably 50-75 pounds, have glassy blue eyes, so there's probably some aussie in there somewhere. Aren't especially bright as dogs go, but they are very stubborn and extreemly agile.
Pineywoods we have a specially bred dog "Australian Bull Arab" recently been recognised as a breed, developed in the mid 70's about 27inches for males, large powerfull muzzle and skull, strong neck without loose skin, medium size chest, muscular thighs, good tempermament, has stamina to hunt and strength to tackle cranky old boars.
On any Friday night in our town you can see the utes loaded up with pigging dogs, swags and young blokes heading out. These dogs are usually crossbreds, with Bull Mastiff, Irish Wolfhound, Pitbull, Bull Arab for lugging and often a more agile intelligent dog for finding.
The pig is stuck with a large knife when the dogs have lugged it.
When my son Tim was 12 i'd let him go off with a .22 Bruno chasing rabbits and foxs but for safety the gun was allways left unloaded with the mag in his pocket untill he was ready to shoot, one afternoon while I was stem injecting trees at about 20yrds away I could see him in some blady grass putting his hand in his pocket pull out the mag, then i saw a medium size boar about 10feet in front of Tim, face to face, Timmy cocked the rifle, as he was bringing it up I went to yell out, then the pig tail turned and bolted off. We never did get that boar, he hung around for a while before disapearing.
From what I've read, American bulldogs, pitbulls, and dogo's are popular breeds for hogging. There are kennels that breed especially for it. Google 'catch dog'. There's a lot of info there.