2019-20 Hiunting Season

[GOYABEAN]

Glad I'm not the only one with a crappy year.

First, I had to take down my tree stands second week of October. The guy who was leasing the property moved and the landlord wouldn't let me keep my stands there.

I ended up with no place to go opening day of rifle. I did get a place to sit 2nd day but saw nothing. I have access to a horse farm but not opening weekend.

I was able to get out the nest two weekends. I don't know if it was me or the rifle. I'll have to check in the spring to see if the scope got knocked off zero. I missed the two shots I was able to take. One at 187 yds and the other at 146. The last weekend my m-i-l died and I helped my wife with things for a few days.

Oh well, maybe next year. I have a co-worker invite me to Maine for ice fishing end of January and I have a dairy farm looking to eradicate some woodchucks come spring.

My Condolences to you and family

 

[1075tech]

My Condolences to you and family

Thank you. I commented at the wake/funeral to one of my s-i-l that no one was crying. It was just another family get together with her mother the center of attention. 7 children, 32 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, soon to be 2 great-great-grandchildren.

 

[Robin]

Did a little sneak n' peek around the woods, cold but nice in the woods. Tough to beat them this time of year, they're all bunched up and despite best efforts, always one outlier you don't see! Damn, eighteen or twenty sets of eyes and ears is hard to overcome. Probably my last day out this year, Hah, I say that but always get that feeling of good juju on the last hour of the least day, we'll see.
Good luck fellows!!!!
Robin

 

[NY Leatherneck]

Yeah no deer movement this morning for me either. Enjoyed the time out though.

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

Hoping to get out tomorrow and maybe Tuesday morning. Time is short.

 

[pjzwtl]

Spent the first half of the day doing drives. We filled some doe tags for donations and put down a couple of yotes. Now it’s time to catch up on the honey do list and get ready for some predator calling

 

[FrankenCub]

Spent the first half of the day doing drives. We filled some doe tags for donations and put down a couple of yotes. Now it’s time to catch up on the honey do list and get ready for some predator calling

I still need to get my license lol. Wife wants a couple hides. Going to track down a could farmers to see if I can hunt coyotes on their property. Hopefully the guys running them with dogs won't interfere.

 

[pjzwtl]

I still need to get my license lol. Wife wants a couple hides. Going to track down a could farmers to see if I can hunt coyotes on their property. Hopefully the guys running them with dogs won't interfere.

A quick word of advice if you haven’t predator hunted much. The electric calls can be great but sometimes the cheapest mouth calls work best.

 

[Saltwater60]

A quick word of advice if you haven’t predator hunted much. The electric calls can be great but sometimes the cheapest mouth calls work best.

You guys hunt them at night or during the day? Both? I want to go coyote hunting since I think they are snacking on my turkeys.

 

[FrankenCub]

A quick word of advice if you haven’t predator hunted much. The electric calls can be great but sometimes the cheapest mouth calls work best.

I have a couple mouth calls I bought a few years ago from a guy on Preditor Masters that makes them, they're really nice. He does great work.

 

[FrankenCub]

You guys hunt them at night or during the day? Both? I want to go coyote hunting since I think they are snacking on my turkeys.

Both, depends on when they seem to be more active and when the locals are running them with dogs.

 

[pjzwtl]

You guys hunt them at night or during the day? Both? I want to go coyote hunting since I think they are snacking on my turkeys.

Both you can hunt them all day. We enjoy nighttime with red lights more for the fun of it. First light is a good time to be out. Key things to remember.

Be quiet from the time you close the car door to the time you leave. In fact park as far from your calling location as possible.

Watch the wind, coyotes use it and will sent you long before a deer will and no amount of cover scent and spray will hide you from most.

Watch your back they will circle to your back trail looking to smell what they hear.

When your done calling a location before. You move sit quietly for another 10 min or so and carefully scan the edges once in a while the come in late sit back and watch. Bobcat are notorious for this as well.

Fox are the easiest to start off with. They do not seem to try to scent you and often charge in a bit reckles

 

[Saltwater60]

Both you can hunt them all day. We enjoy nighttime with red lights more for the fun of it. First light is a good time to be out. Key things to remember.

Be quiet from the time you close the car door to the time you leave. In fact park as far from your calling location as possible.

Watch the wind, coyotes use it and will sent you long before a deer will and no amount of cover scent and spray will hide you from most.

Watch your back they will circle to your back trail looking to smell what they hear.

When your done calling a location before. You move sit quietly for another 10 min or so and carefully scan the edges once in a while the come in late sit back and watch. Bobcat are notorious for this as well.

Fox are the easiest to start off with. They do not seem to try to scent you and often charge in a bit reckles

Thanks.
I have no interest in shooting a fox. I like them and I don’t think they cause me any trouble where I hunt. I’m sure they eat some small critters like grouse, squirrels, and rabbits, but that’s life I guess.
I must have encountered a dumb coyote. I was hiking up to my turkey spot quietly and a red squirrel sounded off at me. I heard something in the woods and thought it was a deer running away. Heard it again and said damn that’s getting closer what is it. Pivot to my left and I see a coyote running at me. He was about 30-40 yards out the slinked off the ridge line. I hard bird shot so that meant I had not shot. I was very surprised. They also seem to assemble early in the am and go after the rooster in the valley where I hunt turkeys as well.
I’d like to do some coyote hunting and give my 6.8SPC a workout.
what mouth calls do you guys recommend and how hard are they to use? Should I start with a sound box? I’m a coyote virgin.

 

[pjzwtl]

Simple rabbit calls are easy to get the hang of. Just remember not to loud and long, rabbits have smaller lungs then you so overdoing it sounds unnatural. Not for nothing if you know their going for turkey some turkey calls can’t hurt. I don’t think I know any turkey hunters that haven’t called in a yote. Learn to make a good lip squeak for coaxing one in that’s hung up. Howling, yelps and barks take some practice you can get reed or diaphragm calls but you will need to practice.

 

[Airborneguy]

Well NY is done for me but I will probably hunt NJ a handful more times before Feb 15th. I’m so glad I got back into hunting NJ again!

 

[Saltwater60]

Simple rabbit calls are easy to get the hang of. Just remember not to loud and long, rabbits have smaller lungs then you so overdoing it sounds unnatural. Not for nothing if you know their going for turkey some turkey calls can’t hurt. I don’t think I know any turkey hunters that haven’t called in a yote. Learn to make a good lip squeak for coaxing one in that’s hung up. Howling, yelps and barks take some practice you can get reed or diaphragm calls but you will need to practice.

Thanks for the help. That red squirrel brought that thing in fast as hell.
I don’t know they are eating turkeys but there were tons and now there aren’t very many so it’s my guess.

 

[pjzwtl]

Thanks for the help. That red squirrel brought that thing in fast as hell.
I don’t know they are eating turkeys but there were tons and now there aren’t very many so it’s my guess.

Oh they eat turkeys when they can most of their diet is rabbits and other small fur. No problem with the help. Look online for free calling videos I believe Foxpro still has a bunch out there

 

[FrankenCub]

what mouth calls do you guys recommend and how hard are they to use? Should I start with a sound box? I’m a coyote virgin.

This is what I use. The howler, bigger one, takes a bit of practice but can mimic howls and different barks pretty well. Loud as fuck too so practice is best when your alone lol.
The small one is a rabbit distress. You can make some morbid sounding squeals with that thing.

 

[Saltwater60]

This is what I use. The howler, bigger one, takes a bit of practice but can mimic howls and different barks pretty well. Loud as fuck too so practice is best when your alone lol.
The small one is a rabbit distress. You can make some morbid sounding squeals with that thing.
View attachment 59257

Nice picture and nice set up.

 

[NY Leatherneck]

Weather is crap today. So much for a final fix here on last day in Southern zone for big game.

 

[BDinPutnam]

Weather is crap today. So much for a final fix here on last day in Southern zone for big game.

My wife spotted a sharp tined six just milling around in the front yard yesterday, about 20 feet from the garage. I was sorely tempted to stay home today but the weather is shit for it and today is my last day at the office until 1/2/2020 (whoo hoo) so I said fuck it. Sorry for the shitty picture.

 

[Bustedknees]

My wife spotted a sharp tined six just milling around in the front yard yesterday, about 20 feet from the garage. I was sorely tempted to stay home today but the weather is shit for it and today is my last day at the office until 1/2/2020 (whoo hoo) so I said fuck it. Sorry for the shitty picture. View attachment 59300

I was hoping you'd make another kill so we could see your father in law in his ghost buster outfit

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

My wife spotted a sharp tined six just milling around in the front yard yesterday, about 20 feet from the garage. I was sorely tempted to stay home today but the weather is shit for it and today is my last day at the office until 1/2/2020 (whoo hoo) so I said fuck it. Sorry for the shitty picture. View attachment 59300

Looks about like the guy I let walk opening day.

 

[BlackDragon]

2nd year with my license, 2nd set of wasted tags. Rug pulled out from under me 2 years in a row now. Next year I’ll either be walking state land alone, or paying someone to teach me.

 

[Bustedknees]

2nd year with my license, 2nd set of wasted tags. Rug pulled out from under me 2 years in a row now. Next year I’ll either be walking state land alone, or paying someone to tea

2nd year with my license, 2nd set of wasted tags. Rug pulled out from under me 2 years in a row now. Next year I’ll either be walking state land alone, or paying someone to teach me.

Not wasted, you're learning if you're in the woods.. There's a reason it's called hunting instead of shooting deer..

 

[BDinPutnam]

2nd year with my license, 2nd set of wasted tags. Rug pulled out from under me 2 years in a row now. Next year I’ll either be walking state land alone, or paying someone to teach me.

Couple things-

A "wasted" day in the woods is always better than a good day at work.

It took me 44 years to get my first deer. Granted I started big game 4 years ago.

Like @Bustedknees said and like @Robin says often- it's called hunting, not shopping.

What gave you problems? Weather? Location? Tracking / locating game / knowing where to set up? Just wondering what you'd be looking to pay someone to teach you and where we here can help even if just in advice/pointers. Like I said I only really got into big game a few years ago. But I have spent a lot of time in the woods most of my life, which I find has been really helpful.

Far from a great white hunter. Just looking to pay it forward.

 

[Saltwater60]

2nd year with my license, 2nd set of wasted tags. Rug pulled out from under me 2 years in a row now. Next year I’ll either be walking state land alone, or paying someone to teach me.

Me too. Stick with it. I was a bit disabled too. I was in a great spot with lots of acorns and tons of deer prints/activity I just never connected with one.

 

[NY Leatherneck]

2nd year with my license, 2nd set of wasted tags. Rug pulled out from under me 2 years in a row now. Next year I’ll either be walking state land alone, or paying someone to teach me.

"Next year" are the key words you wrote...the dedication is there. Disappointment is part of hunting and makes every success even more enjoyable imo. I personally like hunting alone. Deer are not ignorant creatures and have heightened senses we wish we could have. Lots of hunters on this thread. Feel free to ask. No need to pay anyone.

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

2nd year with my license, 2nd set of wasted tags. Rug pulled out from under me 2 years in a row now. Next year I’ll either be walking state land alone, or paying someone to teach me.

I don't judge peoples success by the number of deer on the wall or freezers full of meat. If they enjoy the season and are ethical and responsible hunters, then they are good in my book. I respect a hunter with the restraint to hold off taking a deer that isn't right vs someone who'll take a fawn just because it was unlucky enough to get too close.

 

[Harry Hood]

2nd year with my license, 2nd set of wasted tags. Rug pulled out from under me 2 years in a row now. Next year I’ll either be walking state land alone, or paying someone to teach me.

Don't give up, I have hunted for 20+ years and was skunked this year, only saw 4 deer in the woods the whole season. A lot of it is just the joy of sitting in the woods and watching nature and maybe reading a book or posting on this forum. It will come and perhaps your wait will pay off in a big way some year.