Optimal conditions have arrived

With the snow and the cold temps that have finally arrived in west central WI, coyote hunting should really pick up. If someone were to ask me the optimal conditions for hunting predators, I would tell them right now Anytime you get a heavy snowfall and below zero temps, coyotes will need to hunt harder and longer to get a meal. Also, coyote activity is actually better during daylight hours as well. A coyote needs X amount of food to be able to survive. The colder it gets, the more food it takes. This in turn equals more time out hunting for food. When there is heavy snow a coyote has to hunt harder to find mice,rabbits, and other rodents. I know I am very excited to get out and hit the coyote hunting hard. Now all I need to do is get enough land rounded up to be able to hunt a full day. I am optimistic that Dodge Boy and myself are going to connect in the upcoming week or so on a few coyotes. So if you are thinking of giving coyote hunting a try, this is your best chance for success. Grab your calls, rifle/shotgun, and some camo and give it a try

Great report Mike Good hunting!

Great report Mike Good hunting!

I gotta go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Mike!!

I gotta go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Mike!!

Got up to balmy -30 on sat. morning with my hopes high that we would call in a yote. My fist set was on a fence line splitting a field in half. After setting up I started calling. Not much happening, so we move to another spot and hunker down. After the second set of calls I catch movement just inside the woodsline. I throw up the binos and the brother-in-law is on the rifle. But the little bugger won’t offer a shot and get’s hung up. After a few light calls he disappears in to the brush. We give him a few minutes to see if he is gonna circle around but nothing. Are final set is over looking a small creek and marsh. I start with a challenge howl, and bam! There he is, on a steady trott right twards us. I toss up the binos again and see he’s a good looking yote. Brother-in-law is on him, safety off, ready to squeeze off a round. All of a sudden I catch movement off to my left, I turn slowly to see another one off a little point. I tell the brother-in-law to wait a second cuz we have a double going. Gun up, safety off, finger on the trigger. I give him the count down and we both squeeze off a round about a second apart. I see mine go down so I turn to the brother-in-law and see a big grin on his face. We go pick up the dogs and make the long walk back to the truck. We get to the truck and it warmed up to -25, but braving the sub zero weather paid off. A few pics and we are off to get a cup of coffee and breakfast.

Forgot the camera at my parent’s house but will post pics as soon as I get the camera. So get out there and brave the weather for some hot yote action.

Got up to balmy -30 on sat. morning with my hopes high that we would call in a yote. My fist set was on a fence line splitting a field in half. After setting up I started calling. Not much happening, so we move to another spot and hunker down. After the second set of calls I catch movement just inside the woodsline. I throw up the binos and the brother-in-law is on the rifle. But the little bugger won’t offer a shot and get’s hung up. After a few light calls he disappears in to the brush. We give him a few minutes to see if he is gonna circle around but nothing. Are final set is over looking a small creek and marsh. I start with a challenge howl, and bam! There he is, on a steady trott right twards us. I toss up the binos again and see he’s a good looking yote. Brother-in-law is on him, safety off, ready to squeeze off a round. All of a sudden I catch movement off to my left, I turn slowly to see another one off a little point. I tell the brother-in-law to wait a second cuz we have a double going. Gun up, safety off, finger on the trigger. I give him the count down and we both squeeze off a round about a second apart. I see mine go down so I turn to the brother-in-law and see a big grin on his face. We go pick up the dogs and make the long walk back to the truck. We get to the truck and it warmed up to -25, but braving the sub zero weather paid off. A few pics and we are off to get a cup of coffee and breakfast.

Forgot the camera at my parent’s house but will post pics as soon as I get the camera. So get out there and brave the weather for some hot yote action.

Great report This weather is awesome for coyotes. Congrats on the double Now, get those pics put up

Great report This weather is awesome for coyotes. Congrats on the double Now, get those pics put up

Hey, congrats on the ‘yote action… sounds awesome! What kind of howler are you using? I’ve been working w/ the Dan Thompson Red Desert and I think I finally have it down. Now I just need to get out and put in some more time. I called in a pack of four last Saturday evening but without the snow and the fading light I couldn’t get on one of them fast enough to get a shot. It was pretty wild watching the group criss-cross their way through the marsh down below me. I’ll get ’em next time?

Hey, congrats on the ‘yote action… sounds awesome! What kind of howler are you using? I’ve been working w/ the Dan Thompson Red Desert and I think I finally have it down. Now I just need to get out and put in some more time. I called in a pack of four last Saturday evening but without the snow and the fading light I couldn’t get on one of them fast enough to get a shot. It was pretty wild watching the group criss-cross their way through the marsh down below me. I’ll get ’em next time?

The howlers are kind of a pain to use at first, but once you figure it out, they are a peice of cake Congrats to you for calling in a pack A few years ago out in Colorado I was set up on a fence row seperating 2 large cattle pastures. I made a series od howls and waited for a few minutes. All of a sudden off to my left, a herd of mule deer came running toward me I just sat perfectly still and watched them for a moment. Then they quickly bunched up in a tight bunch and all were looking in the same direction which was to my 10 o’clock position. So, I focuseed my attention in the same direction. Over top of the sage covered hill came 6 coyotes single file at a dead run. Once over the hill, they started to do the zig zag criss crossing each other. Talk about nerve wracking trying to remain calm and watch all those coyotes. The first one in the group blew right past me at about 50 yards and ran over a small rise. The next one stopped broadside right in front of me at 50 yards as well. At that time the first one came running back hauling the mail in the same direction he had came. I settled the crosshairs on the one in front of me, and missed him Then all I got to see was all six coyotes running back over the same hill that I first seen them come over. It was an awesome experience, and I still can’t believe I missed the chip shot

The howlers are kind of a pain to use at first, but once you figure it out, they are a peice of cake Congrats to you for calling in a pack A few years ago out in Colorado I was set up on a fence row seperating 2 large cattle pastures. I made a series od howls and waited for a few minutes. All of a sudden off to my left, a herd of mule deer came running toward me I just sat perfectly still and watched them for a moment. Then they quickly bunched up in a tight bunch and all were looking in the same direction which was to my 10 o’clock position. So, I focuseed my attention in the same direction. Over top of the sage covered hill came 6 coyotes single file at a dead run. Once over the hill, they started to do the zig zag criss crossing each other. Talk about nerve wracking trying to remain calm and watch all those coyotes. The first one in the group blew right past me at about 50 yards and ran over a small rise. The next one stopped broadside right in front of me at 50 yards as well. At that time the first one came running back hauling the mail in the same direction he had came. I settled the crosshairs on the one in front of me, and missed him Then all I got to see was all six coyotes running back over the same hill that I first seen them come over. It was an awesome experience, and I still can’t believe I missed the chip shot

These are all great posts…I’ve never coyote hunted before but think I should take it up! I went out Sunday afternoon shed hunting and scouting for next bow season. I’m not sure if they were coyote tracks or the neighbors dogs, but they were hot on some fresh turkey tracks! I saw a nice one this past fall while bow hunting…do they generally stay in the same area year round?

These are all great posts…I’ve never coyote hunted before but think I should take it up! I went out Sunday afternoon shed hunting and scouting for next bow season. I’m not sure if they were coyote tracks or the neighbors dogs, but they were hot on some fresh turkey tracks! I saw a nice one this past fall while bow hunting…do they generally stay in the same area year round?

Went out with a group of guys in NE Iowa this weekend. We bagged ten coyotes in our hunting party. My dad got 3 of ’em! I missed an easy shot , but its great to finally have the right weather for hunting dogs!

Went out with a group of guys in NE Iowa this weekend. We bagged ten coyotes in our hunting party. My dad got 3 of ’em! I missed an easy shot , but its great to finally have the right weather for hunting dogs!

Dartman-You should give coyote hunting a try It is a blast, especially when you call your first one in Coyotes typically stay in the same area year round. They do have a pretty large territory so you may not see them everyday, but they are around. As far as the tracks, coyote tracks are smaller and more oval shaped than most domestic dogs. They also tend to be in-line with each other.

Dartman-You should give coyote hunting a try It is a blast, especially when you call your first one in Coyotes typically stay in the same area year round. They do have a pretty large territory so you may not see them everyday, but they are around. As far as the tracks, coyote tracks are smaller and more oval shaped than most domestic dogs. They also tend to be in-line with each other.

Anchor Man-How did your group hunt the coyotes? Do you guys drive small woodlots, use dogs, or call them? That would be awesome to get 10 in a weekend Great job

Anchor Man-How did your group hunt the coyotes? Do you guys drive small woodlots, use dogs, or call them? That would be awesome to get 10 in a weekend Great job

We have a pretty large group of guys and drive the woods and sloughs with walkers. It’s pretty exciting when you get 3 or 4 dogs running at one time!

We have a pretty large group of guys and drive the woods and sloughs with walkers. It’s pretty exciting when you get 3 or 4 dogs running at one time!

the only way i’ve hunted is yotes and it’s awsome!! but 10 in a wqeekend is awsome!! did ya let the dogs catch them or shoot them??

the only way i’ve hunted is yotes and it’s awsome!! but 10 in a wqeekend is awsome!! did ya let the dogs catch them or shoot them??

Sorry, the “dogs” I was referring to were the coyotes. We don’t use actual dogs to chase em, but my dad says I do a pretty good job of barking in the woods!

Sorry, the “dogs” I was referring to were the coyotes. We don’t use actual dogs to chase em, but my dad says I do a pretty good job of barking in the woods!

You’re probably right Wats…I should take it up! Gives me another excuse to hit the woods…and I’m sure the wife would like that! All Ive got for a rifle is a 30-06…is that too big for dogs?

You’re probably right Wats…I should take it up! Gives me another excuse to hit the woods…and I’m sure the wife would like that! All Ive got for a rifle is a 30-06…is that too big for dogs?

The .06 will definitely take a coyote out If you are wanting to save the fur it is too much gun. If you just want to do predator control, it will do the job It is like most other sports, once you start, it is hard to stop