well we just got dumped about 8" of snow. I guess my coyote hunt will have to wait. Good luck with your adventure.
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How tough is it to shoot coyotes in the dark?
- Thread starter Max115
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Depends what you use. When I hear then in my area in large packs, they come and go. I'll put a remote control electronic caller down in a draw behind my house and sit there a few hours the next few nights, occasionally playing rabbit distress call. Only get lucky a couple times a year when trying, and only once got two. As targets of opportunity over the last 10 years, I have killed two lung shot with my cricket 25, missed one trotting 120 ish yards, hit one trotting (loud thud on impact) same place but no blood found nor the coyote.
When I am actually trying my preferred weapon is an AR pistol, subsonic, suppressed, Trijicon IR Hunter MKIII 35mm, mounted on tripod. Very easy to take one out with it.
When I am actually trying my preferred weapon is an AR pistol, subsonic, suppressed, Trijicon IR Hunter MKIII 35mm, mounted on tripod. Very easy to take one out with it.
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Some animals can see IR whether it's 850 or 900 nanometers. So a useful technique if you were using a bait station at a known location is to set up infrared webcam pointed in the right location. Then you can use IR night vision scope without any Illuminator using the camera's illumination. The animals are more freaked out about the movement of IR light than IR light that is constant in illumination and isn't moving. Also the webcam can substitute as a trail cam which you don't need anymore and send alerts to your phone.
Also since it's winter time unless you live in the southern hemisphere it is cold and windy. That is not conducive for animals picking up a scent trail. I find that on a hot, low wind days, animals can smell bait from a long ways, but on a cold windy day it never works.
Also since it's winter time unless you live in the southern hemisphere it is cold and windy. That is not conducive for animals picking up a scent trail. I find that on a hot, low wind days, animals can smell bait from a long ways, but on a cold windy day it never works.
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@Karl-h. nice rig you got there.
@BlackICE. They don't seem to mind the IR from the trail cam as they continued to feed and be in front of the camera. I guess the light is stationary and they might have gotten used to it? I have set up the trail cam directly facing me, pointing down to the ground. Hopefully with me up above in the loft area, my recording would not get white washed if I point at it. That was what happened last year when I did the same thing except I was shooting from the ground. I will have to see if I get the opportunity this weekend. But so far my trail cam had captured them at different time slots. I would not hunt in another stormy night again, lol.
@BlackICE. They don't seem to mind the IR from the trail cam as they continued to feed and be in front of the camera. I guess the light is stationary and they might have gotten used to it? I have set up the trail cam directly facing me, pointing down to the ground. Hopefully with me up above in the loft area, my recording would not get white washed if I point at it. That was what happened last year when I did the same thing except I was shooting from the ground. I will have to see if I get the opportunity this weekend. But so far my trail cam had captured them at different time slots. I would not hunt in another stormy night again, lol.
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Coyotes around me are spooked by trail camera's with 850nm led's, whether set for distance or low power. I have one camera with 940 led's, some spook with it set to high power, but not low power. Just like all animals, different area's they react differently to the same circumstance. One time trying to call them in I was using a gen 3 NV scope on a cloudy no moon night, a couple came in to the call but I couldn't pick them out in the woods well enough to shoot, turned on the illuminator on low and like lightning they were gone. Got my thermal a few months after that, not because of it - I had been looking for a good while already. I got mine for far far below MAP pricing, it was a showroom demo.
On scent control, I don't go to any extremes, just clean clothes washed in no scent detergent, fresh shower and go. They aren't that upset by light human scent around here, I find scat from them within feet of my house many times a year. Even just off the front steps where my scent is strongest.
On scent control, I don't go to any extremes, just clean clothes washed in no scent detergent, fresh shower and go. They aren't that upset by light human scent around here, I find scat from them within feet of my house many times a year. Even just off the front steps where my scent is strongest.
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Could be. I'm not sure I've ever used 900. Main point just sharing what my experience is. And you can get busted. Some Dawgs don't even notice.
Typically I get busted also moving the action to load the round. White lights seem to be a distraction to this. That's a theory.
My experiences are limited and 98 percent are within 20 yards. But at night, I have had the most encounters. So I found that if the IR is in a static condition, I get way more shots. It's all an idea. There's an explanation why I get more kills when I'm using that tactic. I'm not a scientist.
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When calling coyotes at night, I have watched my 940nm led game camera trigger on coons and other critters over 50 yards away, I can clearly see 850nm game camera's trigger from well over 200 yards, tested that on a power line at a hunt club I used to be in. By see, I mean the red glow looking directly into the led's. LED's have a fairly wide frequency band. I can also see 910nm laser glow at low (fcc eye safe) power from a very long distance, it is very dim but can see it. I can't see the reflection of that laser off a surface past about 1 foot with fully adapted eyes to night. I can see my bosch 850nm illuminator from over 400 yards away only limited by line of sight, but it has something like 40 high power leds, each running over 1 watt of power, can be cranked up to almost 3 watts a piece. I sometimes plug it in on the porch and light up the 140 yards to the wood line in front of my house like daytime, then use NV to kill pests with suppressed 22lr from the front porch.
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@karl_h. thanks for the scent tip. I don't think the coyotes that I am currently hunting are too afraid of the IR from the trail cam. At least not to my knowledge, but I guess they soon get used to it and just proceed to the bait with caution. I have yet to return to do another ambush. Too much snow and cold right now. Not sure if they would come out in this cold weather. But I guess if they are hungry enough, they would come out. I might just have to suck it up to get out as I have two other locations where the owners have told me about coyotes sighting as of late. So I will be quite busy in this next little while.
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The scent thing works at my property, anywhere I've ever been where they are regularly hunted/pressured I've never seen one sniff around and think, hmmmm, could this be a problem. They just bolt like lightning on first whiff of human, but then that was also where the only human scent around would be a hunter, no homes. I'm on 17 acres, and in one direction on my road I'm one of the smaller properties in nearly 1/2 mile, about 1/3 mile the other way. Directly across from me is a cattle field over 70 acres, owners live elsewhere, just cattle(coyote bait during calfing). Many years ago they paid for professional trappers who got a lot, coyote sounds/sighting got rare for two years but they came back in force. I wish they'd pay to bring them back. On other side of that is several hundred acres of nothing but woods, probably a good mile+ to next road over. Packs typically show up and hang around a week or so, then it gets quiet for up to a month or little longer before you hear the packs again, I've heard as many as 4 separate large packs talking to each other. Just last night there was a huge pack crossing beside my house, they were spread out over 100 yards, just kept coming yipping the whole time. I grabbed my firearm with thermal and went to the edge of my woods looking with the thermal, saw at least 10 but no shot, to far away with too many tree limbs to deflect a shot, to shallow an angle as they were only in sight up the other side of the draw, just not safe. They come from the big woods, cross the cattle field, and hunt at night behind the houses on my side of the road for a few days and move on. Two of their biggest crossings come directly on to my property before they fan out. They are used to smelling humans on my side of the road but there is good hunting for them between the homes near my road and the next road over is 650 yards at the closest, nothing but woods in between. Several people here used to let their pets run free when I first moved here, hated it. The people that replaced their pets have fences now, and pets go in for the night. So that's the only good thing about coyotes around here.
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@karl_h. Sounds like a wonderful property you have there. Coyotes are definitely smart creature and they learn quick.
I just came home from a 4 hours stakeout up at the loft. No coyotes around but there were lots of tracks in the snow. It was -6 deg C, needless to say, my hands and feet were hurting from the cold. I think I am going to postpone this hunt till warmer weather. It is not working for me and I definitely don't want to get sick doing this free service. Even the rats were not coming out at this cold. I was at another farm the night before and happened to hear and spot a big coyote came out of the tree line at 250 yards away. No chance at least not with my Impact, lol.
Anyway, my hands and feet are thawing as I type this entry. Sorry I don't have a good news to report, but hopefully one day soon before I get my coyote#5. Thanks.
I just came home from a 4 hours stakeout up at the loft. No coyotes around but there were lots of tracks in the snow. It was -6 deg C, needless to say, my hands and feet were hurting from the cold. I think I am going to postpone this hunt till warmer weather. It is not working for me and I definitely don't want to get sick doing this free service. Even the rats were not coming out at this cold. I was at another farm the night before and happened to hear and spot a big coyote came out of the tree line at 250 yards away. No chance at least not with my Impact, lol.
Anyway, my hands and feet are thawing as I type this entry. Sorry I don't have a good news to report, but hopefully one day soon before I get my coyote#5. Thanks.
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Hello Fellas I got out last night with dual tube NVGs and a Steiner IR laser sight on my 25cal FX Impact. I put my IOC electronic caller on cotton tail in distress, and added a few female coyotes yelps in
After about 10 minutes I saw a coyote walking about 50 yards to my left. He disappeared then 5 minutes later I saw him walking towards my caller at 30 yards
I put the dot on him but he wouldn’t stop walking but I took a shot at him anyway and missed! He just trotted away
What an exciting hunt, and believes it or not, I can see the Empire State Building in the distance from my calling site
I think that a decoy would have helped stop him so I just ordered one
After about 10 minutes I saw a coyote walking about 50 yards to my left. He disappeared then 5 minutes later I saw him walking towards my caller at 30 yards
I put the dot on him but he wouldn’t stop walking but I took a shot at him anyway and missed! He just trotted away
What an exciting hunt, and believes it or not, I can see the Empire State Building in the distance from my calling site
I think that a decoy would have helped stop him so I just ordered one
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Another failed attempt last night as no coyotes showed up when I was there 8-10pm. This is a lot tougher than I had anticipated. Cold temperature definitely made this hunt even worst. It has been over a year now that I have been trying to get one at this location. Everything is setup perfectly IMO, but just the timing wasn't right for me. I will return again tonight to retrieve the trail cam footages and see when and if they showed up last night or early this morning to take the bait I left behind. I will then stalk them according to the footages.
I am not giving up yet...
I am not giving up yet...
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Have you tried calling them when you are there? Maybe once or twice a month, they get educated real quick to a call.
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@customcutter. I did use the caller last week and I thought I saw movement but nothing actually came into view. I didn't use the caller last night though. I am hoping to go back tonight to retrieve the TC footages and see some activity. I bought new Energizier Lithium batteries that are supposed to last in the cold weather. will see.
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update. Reviewed the footages last night and only captured one clip showing the coyote at 10:34am this past Monday. Other clips were blurred out due to rain drops. All my baits got taken so they are coming back. I might have to include some morning stalking as well to increase my chance of success as these coyotes don't have any set time that they stick to. I have recorded them at early am and late pm. Timing will be a key factor here. Wish me luck.
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Cold works to your advantage too.
coyote are not a fat animal, they have very little reserve. They must eat or freeze.
The baits get more important for them when its cold. It will be a place they check regularly. A free meal.
coyote are not a fat animal, they have very little reserve. They must eat or freeze.
The baits get more important for them when its cold. It will be a place they check regularly. A free meal.
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@Heavyopp. That depends as I was unable to ensure the cold lol. I am continuing to leave out bait for these elusive creatures. Hopefully one of my visits will yield good result.
@Ezana4CE. Yes they do come out in all weather as my trail cam had revealed as well. I need to get one soon at this farm as I have two more locations that I need to get to. Ya busy winter for me.
@Ezana4CE. Yes they do come out in all weather as my trail cam had revealed as well. I need to get one soon at this farm as I have two more locations that I need to get to. Ya busy winter for me.
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Update: I finally got my coyote#5 tonight.
I went to the farm at 9:15pm, dropped the two duck carcass and a bunny that my dog had killed two nights ago in our backyard.
Got on to the loft and just sat and wait. Luckily it wasn't as cold as the other nights and I had a good feeling about it also. I kept myself warm by sipping my hot tea and just sat there visualizing what I would do if I saw a coyote tonight. I knew I had to be quick to the trigger and with no hesitation as that had caused me many missed opportunities in the past.
Through out the three hours I was there, I would hear dogs barking in the distance which usually mean they saw/sensed coyotes in the area. Of course I was on high alert during these barking moments and I would also listened to the ducks in the field to quack when something disturbed them.
Nothing happened for almost three hours and I was just resting my eyes and I suddenly heard this crunching sound. I quickly grabbed my Nikon Monarch 10x42 binoculars and looked into the field. OMG two coyotes were in the field with one of them already chewing on the duck carcass.
I immediately put my binoculars down and pickup my Impact MK2 with a slug already loaded in the breach. I carefully placed the gun onto the cradle of my tripod. Pressed the power button on my Pard007S and began the recording before turning on the external 850nm IR.
When the camera came into focus with the IR shining downrange, I saw two coyotes in the narrow field of view of the night vision unit. I zeroed in onto the one coyote that already has the duck in her mouth. She was the dominant one that was chewing on the neck of the duck that had alerted me a few seconds prior. Checking the recorded footages, it took me a total of 12 seconds from the moment the camera records to me waiting for her to stay put. But it took me only 1-2 seconds to squeeze off a shot when I got the cross hair on her forehand.
She dropped like a stone without a fuss. I paned to the right to see if the other coyote was still in the field but it was long gone after the shot went off.
Wow, the H&N 27gr Gen2 slug hit her so hard and the placement shot was exactly where I had aimed. I was shooting these 27gr slugs at 926fps, 52ft.lb. She was only about 30 yards away from the loft where I was set up. It took me 23 days from Nov.25 to finally got this coyote. This is my coyote#5, a first at this location. Last year I had missed one, possibly the same coyote. Now there are at least two more coyotes left.
My patience and persistence finally paid off. I had to endure long hours in the cold and multiple nights of disappointments of unsuccessful stalkings.
Video to follow, so stayed tune and thank you for the support and encouragement.
Cheers.
I went to the farm at 9:15pm, dropped the two duck carcass and a bunny that my dog had killed two nights ago in our backyard.
Got on to the loft and just sat and wait. Luckily it wasn't as cold as the other nights and I had a good feeling about it also. I kept myself warm by sipping my hot tea and just sat there visualizing what I would do if I saw a coyote tonight. I knew I had to be quick to the trigger and with no hesitation as that had caused me many missed opportunities in the past.
Through out the three hours I was there, I would hear dogs barking in the distance which usually mean they saw/sensed coyotes in the area. Of course I was on high alert during these barking moments and I would also listened to the ducks in the field to quack when something disturbed them.
Nothing happened for almost three hours and I was just resting my eyes and I suddenly heard this crunching sound. I quickly grabbed my Nikon Monarch 10x42 binoculars and looked into the field. OMG two coyotes were in the field with one of them already chewing on the duck carcass.
I immediately put my binoculars down and pickup my Impact MK2 with a slug already loaded in the breach. I carefully placed the gun onto the cradle of my tripod. Pressed the power button on my Pard007S and began the recording before turning on the external 850nm IR.
When the camera came into focus with the IR shining downrange, I saw two coyotes in the narrow field of view of the night vision unit. I zeroed in onto the one coyote that already has the duck in her mouth. She was the dominant one that was chewing on the neck of the duck that had alerted me a few seconds prior. Checking the recorded footages, it took me a total of 12 seconds from the moment the camera records to me waiting for her to stay put. But it took me only 1-2 seconds to squeeze off a shot when I got the cross hair on her forehand.
She dropped like a stone without a fuss. I paned to the right to see if the other coyote was still in the field but it was long gone after the shot went off.
Wow, the H&N 27gr Gen2 slug hit her so hard and the placement shot was exactly where I had aimed. I was shooting these 27gr slugs at 926fps, 52ft.lb. She was only about 30 yards away from the loft where I was set up. It took me 23 days from Nov.25 to finally got this coyote. This is my coyote#5, a first at this location. Last year I had missed one, possibly the same coyote. Now there are at least two more coyotes left.
My patience and persistence finally paid off. I had to endure long hours in the cold and multiple nights of disappointments of unsuccessful stalkings.
Video to follow, so stayed tune and thank you for the support and encouragement.
Cheers.
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