Of course. I will drop by the farm later today to check the trail cam to see if anything showed up at all.
Upvote 0
Bad timing...
- Thread starter Max115
- Start date
We did rotational overwatch in the sandbox with the same issues you encountered. There are lots of tools that help you remain still for long periods without overwhelming fatigue.
-Lay down. Remove the stress points and get as comfortable as you can. Consider a modified prone position where you are not pinching your neck or arms.
-Enter sleep mode. Lay down early, snooze, set a buzzer only alarm. Pee and don't drink before you lay down, you don't drink while sleeping, so you won't die if you don't bring water for your watch. Same goes for eating.
-Toes and knees. Roll up a towel and rest your ankles on it. Feet splayed out or toes sticking down will fatigue quickly. Bend those knees when lying down. Take turns, take a good 30 seconds per cycle.
-Hyper focus. This will fatigue you faster than a tired body will. Be vigilant but not manic.
8 hours was very common for overewatch. It takes discipline and determination. Good luck with that Yote!
-Lay down. Remove the stress points and get as comfortable as you can. Consider a modified prone position where you are not pinching your neck or arms.
-Enter sleep mode. Lay down early, snooze, set a buzzer only alarm. Pee and don't drink before you lay down, you don't drink while sleeping, so you won't die if you don't bring water for your watch. Same goes for eating.
-Toes and knees. Roll up a towel and rest your ankles on it. Feet splayed out or toes sticking down will fatigue quickly. Bend those knees when lying down. Take turns, take a good 30 seconds per cycle.
-Hyper focus. This will fatigue you faster than a tired body will. Be vigilant but not manic.
8 hours was very common for overewatch. It takes discipline and determination. Good luck with that Yote!
Upvote 0
@Firewalker Thank you so much for these invaluable tips. I definitely didn’t know most of these. I like the idea of shooting prone but I will have to see if that would work inside my blind.
Currently I have a table setup and a window opened enough for me to see the target area and my IR to see down range without obstruction from the window. If I am too far in, the IR light might cause white splash bouncing light s off thr tarp.
Staying low will conceal me better. I didn’t know about napping with food or drink. Thanks so much!
Currently I have a table setup and a window opened enough for me to see the target area and my IR to see down range without obstruction from the window. If I am too far in, the IR light might cause white splash bouncing light s off thr tarp.
Staying low will conceal me better. I didn’t know about napping with food or drink. Thanks so much!
Upvote 0
Unfortunately it does not and 60 yards is a bit far for me to connect via WiFi. I might have to get a cellular type trail cam.
Upvote 0
A driveway dinger is what we use. No noise at the sensor, throws the signal 1000'. I put a pvc tube over the sensor and you can laser focus what it picks up.
Upvote 0
Thank you for the suggestions. I might have to invest in one of these to aid my hunt. I didn't go back last night but I will return later in the afternoon to check the trail cam footages in the past two nights. Hopefully it has returned.
I will try setting up mats on the ground inside the blind to see if I can see the target downrange as there are grass on the field. If I get a clear line of sight, that will be the position for me to try. I can then rest comfortably in between intervals. Thanks Firewalker.
I will try setting up mats on the ground inside the blind to see if I can see the target downrange as there are grass on the field. If I get a clear line of sight, that will be the position for me to try. I can then rest comfortably in between intervals. Thanks Firewalker.
Upvote 0
I went to the farm this late afternoon and unfortunately no coyote sightings with trail cam, just the farm dogs digging through the dirt during the day.
I removed my table and chair from my blind and reposition the blind so that the entry section with the zipper is facing the target area. I laid down some mats on the floor and positioned my Impact with the bipod partially sticking out of the tent. Only the barrel, bipod and the IR torch are outside.
I took some zero test shots at my shooting box at 60 yards and I was able to hit the bullseye repeatedly, just a slight hair high. If the coyote is standing on top of the mount, then the shot placement should be good.
I took a shot at a starling 98 yards downrange on a post. The 25gr slug connected and the starling explored on impact. That makes my day. My Impact is shooting straight again.
I will bring a sleep bag and pillow so that I can be comfortable and hopefully staying warm throughout the night. I plan to go back there by 11 or 12 midnight. Fingers crossed that the coyote will return after two nights of absence.
I removed my table and chair from my blind and reposition the blind so that the entry section with the zipper is facing the target area. I laid down some mats on the floor and positioned my Impact with the bipod partially sticking out of the tent. Only the barrel, bipod and the IR torch are outside.
I took some zero test shots at my shooting box at 60 yards and I was able to hit the bullseye repeatedly, just a slight hair high. If the coyote is standing on top of the mount, then the shot placement should be good.
I took a shot at a starling 98 yards downrange on a post. The 25gr slug connected and the starling explored on impact. That makes my day. My Impact is shooting straight again.
I will bring a sleep bag and pillow so that I can be comfortable and hopefully staying warm throughout the night. I plan to go back there by 11 or 12 midnight. Fingers crossed that the coyote will return after two nights of absence.
Upvote 0
Yep, that’s still hunting. It’s not for everyone. I do it every year for moose hunting (not at night, although it is legal in AK, being a “natural light state”) if it’s a bright moonlit night you can hunt.
Sometimes it only takes a day, last year it was 8 days straight sitting in the cold rain. Took my marauder to pick off the noisy squirrels sounding the alarm as needed.
I totally get why people like to hunt actively but sometimes a stand and waiting is the only way. Good luck connecting! If you keep after it you’ll get him!
Sometimes it only takes a day, last year it was 8 days straight sitting in the cold rain. Took my marauder to pick off the noisy squirrels sounding the alarm as needed.
I totally get why people like to hunt actively but sometimes a stand and waiting is the only way. Good luck connecting! If you keep after it you’ll get him!
Upvote 0
Update: I went out Saturday night 11-3am, but no luck. I did, however, heard a coyote howling behind me in the nearby farm around 12:30am. I thought it would come by the pit as there were no activity in the past couple of nights with the trail cam.
After setting up in a prone position with a sleeping bag and pillow, I was pretty comfortable and I actually took some intermediate naps in between. I wasn't cold like before when I was using my shooting table and chair.
The night got windy by 2am and I did a bit of recording at 2:38am just to show what my view was with the Pard007S mounted on my Impact MK2.
I will continue to monitor the trail cam and hopefully my luck will change in the next week or two. So stay tune..
After setting up in a prone position with a sleeping bag and pillow, I was pretty comfortable and I actually took some intermediate naps in between. I wasn't cold like before when I was using my shooting table and chair.
The night got windy by 2am and I did a bit of recording at 2:38am just to show what my view was with the Pard007S mounted on my Impact MK2.
I will continue to monitor the trail cam and hopefully my luck will change in the next week or two. So stay tune..
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Have you considered getting or borrowing a foxpro varmint call and trying bringing him in that way?
Upvote 0
I have a caller but I didn’t want to disturb the farmers as they sleep early and work early. There are plenty of food at the pit with all the dead cows and calves. I just need to get my timing right.
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Why do you have so many cows and calves dying? Or being killed by something? Just wondering
Upvote 0
Still born calves are common at this farm for some reasons. Cows died either from old age, injuries or sickness. I guess these occurrences are quite common in the dairy farms.
Upvote 0
Checked my trail cam today and the coyote was there this morning at 1:15am. It was digging for a bit and left after 2-3 minutes. I guess the buried cow has already disintegrated and nothing left food.
It is amazing how fast the body decomposed under the compost especially in the heat.
I have asked the farmer to let me know as soon as there is another dead calf or cow.
My hunt continues.
It is amazing how fast the body decomposed under the compost especially in the heat.
I have asked the farmer to let me know as soon as there is another dead calf or cow.
My hunt continues.
Upvote 0
Coyotes are smart creatures.
You endured 4 hours waiting...
Imagine enduring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for many years!
60 yards is very close to your target.
Coyotes are smart, travel far, and have a extremely great sense of smell, and hearing.
Usually, they send a lone "scout" out to check things out, and then the scout reports back to the pack, and communicates.
I assume that the live cattle are 100% protected, and no threat from coyotes.
Have you considered seperating the dead from live, FAR AWAY, and simply letting the coyotes have a free meal?
If the live cattle are NOT 100% protected, then allowing the coyotes to feed nearby, is a bad idea, and I would not bury the dead, anywhere near the live, as eventually, the yotes will want a fresh meal, and get ahold of the living.
Good luck!
You endured 4 hours waiting...
Imagine enduring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for many years!
60 yards is very close to your target.
Coyotes are smart, travel far, and have a extremely great sense of smell, and hearing.
Usually, they send a lone "scout" out to check things out, and then the scout reports back to the pack, and communicates.
I assume that the live cattle are 100% protected, and no threat from coyotes.
Have you considered seperating the dead from live, FAR AWAY, and simply letting the coyotes have a free meal?
If the live cattle are NOT 100% protected, then allowing the coyotes to feed nearby, is a bad idea, and I would not bury the dead, anywhere near the live, as eventually, the yotes will want a fresh meal, and get ahold of the living.
Good luck!
Upvote 0
This is not a large diary farm and the live cows are inside the barn, well protected from outside. This new pit is located at the back of the property, near the cattle barn. Yes, 60 yards is not ideal especially my blind is setup just at the end of another work barn. I would need to move back to 100 plus yards if I want to locate the blind just beside a power pump station to help conceal myself better. But shooting at that long distance at night is not to my liking.
I am not giving up just yet, lol. I am heading there soon before 10pm and hopefully my luck turns.
I am not giving up just yet, lol. I am heading there soon before 10pm and hopefully my luck turns.
Upvote 0
The coyote finally came back Tuesday morning at 1:15am after MIA for 6 nights. My trail cam recorded it digging for food for a couple of minutes and then left. Perhaps the buried cows had decomposed or too deep for it to get to.
I tried my 3rd hunt last night from 10-2am, but no luck again.
Farmer texted me this morning and told me he just buried another dead calf. He also texted me a picture of a large coyote running thru the plowed field not far away from him while he was on a tractor.
I guess I will try my 4th attempt tonight.
I tried my 3rd hunt last night from 10-2am, but no luck again.
Farmer texted me this morning and told me he just buried another dead calf. He also texted me a picture of a large coyote running thru the plowed field not far away from him while he was on a tractor.
I guess I will try my 4th attempt tonight.
Upvote 0
Not trying to sound "crass", but Never relieve yourself where you hunt. Use a Plastic bottle and dump it elsewhere. A Coyotes nose is "Second to none"! lol I agree with an earlier poster. Use a Caller, you won't have to blast it, but it may peak their curiosity. Good Luck! ps, if your Blind "scent"is blowing towards your shooting area you may never see one. Wind is both Friend and Enemy.
Upvote 0