21-22 Predator Season

[Tisto]

The only time I ever encountered problems with my caller, it always turned out to be the battery in the remote. I carry a spare 9v with me. The caller itself is set up to run for extended time. I wired in a SLA battery which I throw on a smart charger after I get home.

 

[Shoots100]

I swapped batteries in the remote after the first set and no difference.
Call battery was charged before heading out.
I have two fully charged call batteries (with the newest charger) and a new pack of fresh Duracell's for the remote.
This weekends cold temps will be a test of my equipment and myself.
I have the vehicle mounted thermal ready to go too, just in case I want to sit in the ranger and scan, if the wind gets to bad.
Good luck.

 

[JamieZ]

Went out tonight and did 1.5 sets. Only made it through a half a set, before we froze because the wind started picking up.

Heard nothing, saw nothing,,,, not even a deer.

It was to damn cold out there.

Lost my fingers because it was so freaking cold, mainly because of the wind

 

[JamieZ]

Went out last night, still freezing cold but there was no wind. So it was tolerable.

1st set, absolutely nothing at all.

2nd set, seemed like it was going to be just like the first but at least we got a call back.
Coyotes after awhile started calling from our left and seemed like they were getting closer with each individual call but they never came up over the small incline in the field.

When we were walking back to the truck my buddy spotted something in the field, right where the coyotes were calling to us. I could tell whatever it was, was bedded down but couldnt tell if it was a coyote or not. We walked towards it whistling, barking, yelling and doing whatever we could to get it to move. When we got within 50 yds I could tell it was a deer. It didnt matter what we did,,, this deer wasnt moving. It was just to damn cold out. Probably could of walked up to it and got a ride.

 

[Tisto]

I got the new scope sighted in for the .204 platform last weekend, but I wasn't really happy with it. Of course, it was all my fault for not paying good enough attention as I was doing it. I couldn't make the reticle adjustments small enough to get it dialed in as well as I wanted. Today after the 4-1/2 hour coffee meeting I went back to the range and had the scope mounted on the .223 Wylde platform. The scope has the ability to save settings for 3 guns. This time I figured out how to get the point of impact where it needed to be. The adjustments aren't super precise. Each "click" is one mil, so 1.1" @ 100. Certainly that's close enough. Minute of coyote is larger than that. I'll try to get back to the range with the .204 and dial it in a little closer this week, and Friday will be the first night afield with it. Playing with it near my house has me drooling to go out with it.

 

[Shoots100]

Went out Friday PM, Sat at dusk and Sunday at a different location near a pheasant preserve in orange county.
Friday PM was brutal, -20+ below temps with the wind chill and I only lasted about three hours, thanks to the heat in the ranger between stands.
Nothing seen or heard but some deer.
Sat Pm I was only out an hour, as I was scheduled to help with some tractor work in a heated garage at a neighbors place.
A balmy -11 below and while I did hear a few coyote and fox in the distance, nothing seen.
Sunday was a bust also, but I did get to hunt at a new pheasant preserve that's supposedly getting decimated by coyote.
Didn't hear or see anything, which is weird since a storm was rolling in and there was a 50+ bird hunt that day.
I was still happy, as it was warm and another location to hit on my way home from upstate.
I'll be getting my reworked trigger assy back for my semi 243 this week, get it sighted in and maybe get to drop some fur with it this weekend.

 

[squib]

Been out day and night all weekend, no contact or even tracks.

 

[JamieZ]

Another 2 set lonely -6 degree night.

Saw nothing, heard nothing on 2 sets. Not even a deer.

Ohhhh,,, my buddy did see a mouse though

 

[Tisto]

I went out friday night, but I didn't last very long. Went to the place where I can set up in the hayloft of an old barn. By the time I walked out and set up my call and got into the loft my fingers ached. Even with the protection of the barn, the little bit of wind combined with 0° and below made for an uncomfortable set. The temp according to my truck was 0° when I got there and -4° when I left just over an hour later. I didn't see a anything at all. Hoping for it to be in the 20°s tonight so I can last a little longer.

 

[JamieZ]

Went out last night. Same thing, not a doggy in sight.

No deer, no call backs but could of shot a mouse and was considering it.

Dont know if its the weather, all the snowmobiles racing around or what,, but this cold streak is getting OLD!!

 

[Shoots100]

Went out last night. Same thing, not a doggy in sight.

No deer, no call backs but could of shot a mouse and was considering it.

Dont know if its the weather, all the snowmobiles racing around or what,, but this cold streak is getting OLD!!

Bait piles.
You build it, they will come.

 

[squib]

I haven't had any luck either. Heard a few calls way off. The place I hunt has a shit ton of bait. I think they may be moving during the day?

 

[Shoots100]

Went out last night a little later at the new farm.
Saw a dog at a bait pile as we were heading in, but couldn't get a shot at it.
Snow was crunchy as corn flakes.
My protégé said he saw another dog as we were cleaning up to head out, but I didn't see it at all.
Haven't heard any type of calling at this spot, but the farmer says he hears calls from three different areas as he's headed to the barn before sunrise.
Saw over 30 deer, a couple of rabbits and a crap ton of mice running around.
Plenty of dog tracks and trails in the snow around the bait piles, so we think their visiting during the day.
We also set up a cell cam on one of the most recently hit bait piles and will hopefully get a time their visiting and drop a few, day or night.

 

[Tisto]

I had every intention of going out tonight, but with - 20° and colder wind chills, I'm just going to have a grilled cheese sammich with some tomato soup and maybe spend some quality time at the reloading bench. Ugh !

 

[Loworange88]

I’m going tomorrow evening at dads, only because I’m in town and need to pull my cameras. It’s going to be cold, but hopefully I can get lucky. Got my heavy bibs in the tote.

 

[JamieZ]

Went out last night, quiet as hell for about a half hour and then a whole pack opened up their mouths, right on the edge of the woods.

Which happened about 5 mins after playing female invitation howl.

I waited for about 2-3 mins and played female estrus chirps. Then waited for 2-3 mins and played a female getting humped.

NOTHING!!!!

and these damn things were close,,, even tried a challenge call late in the game. Spent over an hour out there.

Think next weekend I will try a early morning hunt, before the sun comes up.

 

[Loworange88]

Went out last night, quiet as hell for about a half hour and then a whole pack opened up their mouths, right on the edge of the woods.

Which happened about 5 mins after playing female invitation howl.

I waited for about 2-3 mins and played female estrus chirps. Then waited for 2-3 mins and played a female getting humped.

NOTHING!!!!

and these damn things were close,,, even tried a challenge call late in the game. Spent over an hour out there.

Think next weekend I will try a early morning hunt, before the sun comes up.

I did 3 setups last night, first 2 were a bust, just deer moving. The last setup I could hear some yipping but never saw anything and then they went quiet. I figured with the ultra cold it was a 50/50 gamble anyways. I didn’t try any coyote calls. Just my squeaker and a rabbit distress. I’m still new at it.

 

[JamieZ]

I did 3 setups last night, first 2 were a bust, just deer moving. The last setup I could hear some yipping but never saw anything and then they went quiet. I figured with the ultra cold it was a 50/50 gamble anyways. I didn’t try any coyote calls. Just my squeaker and a rabbit distress. I’m still new at it.

Ive been hunting them for a long time,,,,,, Im absolutely still new at it !!!!

First with lights, then with Night Vision and now with thermals.

Thermals has been a game changer, compared to the others.

There is so many different ways to hunt them properly and I always think Im making the wrong decision, then they come in.

My cold streak started a couple of weeks ago.

When the season first started we knocked a few of them down and seen fox on almost every stand. Now,,,, Nothing comes in, not fox, not yotes,,, havent really seen any deer.

Kind of getting bummed!!!

 

[JamieZ]

I did 3 setups last night, first 2 were a bust, just deer moving. The last setup I could hear some yipping but never saw anything and then they went quiet. I figured with the ultra cold it was a 50/50 gamble anyways. I didn’t try any coyote calls. Just my squeaker and a rabbit distress. I’m still new at it.

When using coyote vocals,,, make up a story. Female howling, male howling back after a couple of mins. Then a pair howl or some sort of coyote porn scene calls. Then end your calling sequence with pup distress.

From shit Ive read,,, always tell a story.

Does it work? Sometimes it does and other times it for sure doesnt.

And it matters for what time of the year,, you are using certain calls for your story

 

[squib]

When using coyote vocals,,, make up a story. Female howling, male howling back after a couple of mins. Then a pair howl or some sort of coyote porn scene calls. Then end your calling sequence with pup distress.

From shit Ive read,,, always tell a story.

Does it work? Sometimes it does and other times it for sure doesnt.

And it matters for what time of the year,, you are using certain calls for your story

I have been using location howls, then foxcast pre set calls followed by pup distress. I haven't had any luck yet. I have a ton of bait at the sight and little activity/tracks. Luckily I have nightime superpowers which keep me interested.

 

[JamieZ]

I have been using location howls, then foxcast pre set calls followed by pup distress. I haven't had any luck yet. I have a ton of bait at the sight and little activity/tracks. Luckily I have nightime superpowers which keep me interested.

Hate to say good, but Good,,, I dont feel as bad now lol,,,, I see Im not the only one having no luck

Ive been the luckiest using pup distress. Ive called them in only using pup distress.

 

[Tisto]

I very rarely use any coyote vocalizations. The only one I use with any regularity is pup distress. I have that programmed as my FoxBang noise. If you shoot and miss, or there are more than one animal coming to your call, I have found that they will stop running from the shot in order to see if one of their friends has been hurt. This can allow you a follow up shot. Other than that, I mostly use noises that sound like an easy free meal. Rabbits, kittens, baby goats, pigs and calves, chickens, turkeys, all of course applicable to the area. Occasionally I will take a turkey decoy that I modified. I added real wings to it, but only one will flap with help of a spring and a length of string. It looks like a wounded bird. Used in early morning it's a serious attention getter. At some point I will go to the RC hobby store and see if I can make it work by remote. I believe most people's biggest mistake is playing their sounds too loud.

 

[1075tech]

A friend of my brother went to NM.

A whole lotta General Tso's there

 

[squib]

Going out in the late evening. I hope they visit the bait with the "warmish" temp today.

Planning on playing some sweet love songs in the moonlight.

 

[JamieZ]

Me????? I blew off the whole weekend. I aint walking through 2ft of snow to get to my setup. Screw that, thats to much exercise and would push me close to having a heart attack.

I just laid back and thought about next weekend when my buddies and I go down to the PA border to camp and hunt. In a cabin of course.

Buddy is hoping to score a silver fox. Me??? I hope to call in a Bobcat, even though their out of season. Just the thrill of having one come in will be good enough for me.

 

[Shoots100]

You need to get those farmers making trails to and around your stands with their tractors.
The coyote will be walking the same trails, right into your lap.
I'm more worried about breaking my ass slipping on ice, but I'm going to give it a go tonight, if I don't get called for work.
Next weekend, I'm going to head upstate and see what's hanging around the cattle farms with the semi auto .243 topped with the latest AGM rattler scope acquisition.
Got a couple of new call sequences I want to try out too.

 

[Shoots100]

A friend of my brother went to NM.

A whole lotta General Tso's there

View attachment 145793

Those cats are so cute, who wouldn't want to snuggle with one !

 

[squib]

Sunday evening was a beautiful and treacherous evening to spend in the woods. Nice stary night, warmish, but the crusted snow was deadly. Finally located a group of dogs on the opposite side of the valley @7:30 but ran out of time. Hopefully Presidents weekend conditions will be more favourable.

 

[Shoots100]

With a layer of fresh snow, I'm planning on going out tonight to a few locations that have recent coyote activity on the bait pile cell cams.
After dropping my rifle and missing shots at 50 yards in two stands, I called the last hunt early, being I didn't have a backup rig available to keep hunting.
The rifle fell out of the tripod and landed on my boot, but I didn't think it was enough to cause a zero loss.
I was wrong.
I was able to make it to the range yesterday to check zero, sight my hunting partners rifle, sight the newly acquired AGM rattler on the 20 cal and finally test some reloads for function + accuracy with the .243 Rem 7400 rifle.
The X/Y numbers were the same in the XG scope, but it was shooting a foot high at 50 yards.
The TS25 rattler scope performed great and the earlier issues the scope had were taken care of with the latest firmware update.
Wile e is in for a rude awakening tonight.

 

[JamieZ]

Spent the weekend at a friends camp down on the PA border, in Little Genesee NY.

Cabin was directly in the valley of 2 mountains. Looking out the front or back window, 50yds away the mountain started.

Our first hunt was directly off the back deck of the camp. We called something in but it wasn't a fox or a coyote. It was a huge owl that dive bombed the caller and then landed in a tree 25yds from us. I started taking video of it and all of a sudden it made 2 huge, loud hoots. It was freaking awesome.

Same thing on the next set, we saw nothing. Didn't see an owl this time though.

It was a really great time though, with the amount of food and liquid we had down there. Made some killer bacon cheddar venison burgers.

Took my buddy home and dropped him off,,, he calls me at 9pm last night to let me know he was either walking over to a fox or a coyote. His first kill calling something in with the caller I sold him. Ended up being a fox.

Video of the owl??? Well that's going to have to wait because my scope wont stay connected to my computer long enough for me to find it. Either something is wrong with the scope, computer or even the cable. Maybe I will find out tonight after taking a ride over to moms house to try her computer.