Too Cold To Coyote Hunt

[17cal Fan]

Haven't been out in a few days now. High temps have been below 5 degrees, lows like -12 or so. Snow cover on the ground for several days now, wind speeds 5 to 30 MPH. Plowed fresh snow off the driveway yesterday with the ATV which had to be started with starting fluid. Was out there working for maybe 20 minutes before I froze out.

Might catch a break tomorrow. They are saying high of 30 with a low tomorrow night of 17 (not the -9 we had last night).
Hell I might even try right after dark tomorrow evening.

Thinking the yotes will be competitive inbound. Should be fun but I may not last long.

When I was a young man I tried it once at -14. Mouth calls turned into a frozen stick. Didn't try that again but will usually go if it is 20 or better with little or no wind. Ready and waiting

 

[Larryh128]

Good luck.

 

[J_idaho]

It’s same here in idaho. 8-10” snow and 0 degrees. Some of the best coyote weather in years but I’m stuck in the house recovering from flu. I heard Montana has had the low temp in minus 50’s. Ouch

 

[JB10]

I went out sunday with no luck in the area i was in. I think right now over the counter archery deer season is on. Saw a few hunters. That always effects my hunting.

 

[jds holler]

Back when I was young and tough, we would go CAMPING and calling when it was sometimes minus 10 or 20 degrees. It was brutal, but the coyotes were hungry, and we killed a lot.

What I've never had luck with was the wind. That seems to shut them down completely - at least with the methods I use. -- Heck, I guess I oughta say "used to use." I hardly do it anymore. No longer young and tough. jd

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

I draw the "Line" at, 20 degree's, ABOVE Zero for, Target Shooting OR, Yote Hunting and, the Wind needs to be,.. Light at, 2 to 3 MPH,.. Maximum.
When Younger, I have Hunted Muley's at, 5 to 8 Degree's with "some" Wind,.. Yikes,. NO,.. More !

 

[Plumsask]

Here in Sask, the best calling day I ever had was -36 F, hard charging coyotes, calm and cold day. The colder the better, prefer low wind as too much wind makes them hunker down or at least not seem to come to the call. I'm sure they hear it, but do not want to stop out in the open as willingly due to wind.

 

[ohlongarmisle]

Haven't been out in a few days now. High temps have been below 5 degrees, lows like -12 or so. Snow cover on the ground for several days now, wind speeds 5 to 30 MPH. Plowed fresh snow off the driveway yesterday with the ATV which had to be started with starting fluid. Was out there working for maybe 20 minutes before I froze out.

Might catch a break tomorrow. They are saying high of 30 with a low tomorrow night of 17 (not the -9 we had last night).
Hell I might even try right after dark tomorrow evening.

Thinking the yotes will be competitive inbound. Should be fun but I may not last long.

When I was a young man I tried it once at -14. Mouth calls turned into a frozen stick. Didn't try that again but will usually go if it is 20 or better with little or no wind. Ready and waiting

Not here,-15 2 boys plastered over bait bucket 17 hornet both shots at 85 yards.One through the ear, one on tailgate in throat made a big water blister in neck.

 

[RCL]

Just cannot get ready to go in 0 degree weather.
My sincere admiration of those who do.

 

[centerlineseal]

Back when I was young and tough, we would go CAMPING and calling when it was sometimes minus 10 or 20 degrees. It was brutal, but the coyotes were hungry, and we killed a lot.

What I've never had luck with was the wind. That seems to shut them down completely - at least with the methods I use. -- Heck, I guess I oughta say "used to use." I hardly do it anymore. No longer young and tough. jd
View attachment 1513190

That looks like a place I used to frequent east of the Steens!

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Went to a pop up blind a couple nights ago -11, plus a gusting to 25 mph wind. Had the buddy heater running enough to make sure the thermal scope would on/off. No visitors at the bait while I was there, showed up later on the game camera. Coyote were tougher than me. I stayed about 4 hrs.

 

[farmerjohn]

Haven't been out in a few days now. High temps have been below 5 degrees, lows like -12 or so. Snow cover on the ground for several days now, wind speeds 5 to 30 MPH. Plowed fresh snow off the driveway yesterday with the ATV which had to be started with starting fluid. Was out there working for maybe 20 minutes before I froze out.

Might catch a break tomorrow. They are saying high of 30 with a low tomorrow night of 17 (not the -9 we had last night).
Hell I might even try right after dark tomorrow evening.

Thinking the yotes will be competitive inbound. Should be fun but I may not last long.

When I was a young man I tried it once at -14. Mouth calls turned into a frozen stick. Didn't try that again but will usually go if it is 20 or better with little or no wind. Ready and waiting

Hey Feller,, 50yrs ago we were trapping hard in the daylight and calling at night. In weather like we're having now we always carried antifreeze for the mouth calls...100 proof peppermint snapps, applied liberally to the inside of the mouth it would keep the call from sticking to your lips. Worked well on duck calls also.... John

 

[hpasquet]

I am 81. I set bait 200 yards from my house with a driveway alert. When coyotes come in, the alert beeps and I get out of bed, raise the window, turn on the night scope on the rifle on the rest on the shooting bench, squeeze the trigger, and retrieve the coyote the next morning. It takes only a few minutes at 75 degrees. Just killed 2 this week. All I want is dead coyotes so they won't kill my calves.

 

[17cal Fan]

Hey Feller,, 50yrs ago we were trapping hard in the daylight and calling at night. In weather like we're having now we always carried antifreeze for the mouth calls...100 proof peppermint snapps, applied liberally to the inside of the mouth it would keep the call from sticking to your lips. Worked well on duck calls also.... John

50 years ago I had just started calling. I would have gone with you. Could have used some good advice. But, I've had fun for the last 50, just not gonna freeze off any part of me for a coyote now. The weather will break in time for breeding season and it will be game on.

 

[17cal Fan]

I am 81. I set bait 200 yards from my house with a driveway alert. When coyotes come in, the alert beeps and I get out of bed, raise the window, turn on the night scope on the rifle on the rest on the shooting bench, squeeze the trigger, and retrieve the coyote the next morning. It takes only a few minutes at 75 degrees. Just killed 2 this week. All I want is dead coyotes so they won't kill my calves.

Sounds like a good set up.

 

[butchlambert]

Back when I was young and tough, we would go CAMPING and calling when it was sometimes minus 10 or 20 degrees. It was brutal, but the coyotes were hungry, and we killed a lot.

What I've never had luck with was the wind. That seems to shut them down completely - at least with the methods I use. -- Heck, I guess I oughta say "used to use." I hardly do it anymore. No longer young and tough. jd
View attachment 1513190

Wyman's comment on your photo.


That’s quite a day, or however much time it took to get the coyotes!
My brother and I used to try and break our previous day long hunts but we don’t do that any more. I recall one icy day in the 80’s when we called from sunrise to sunset, calling in 26 coyotes and bagging 22 of them. Both of us were shooting .222 Remingtons, both 700 Remington BDL’s. Good memories but I don’t have the energy to do that any more! LOL!!!

 

[jds holler]

Wyman's comment on your photo.


That’s quite a day, or however much time it took to get the coyotes!
My brother and I used to try and break our previous day long hunts but we don’t do that any more. I recall one icy day in the 80’s when we called from sunrise to sunset, calling in 26 coyotes and bagging 22 of them. Both of us were shooting .222 Remingtons, both 700 Remington BDL’s. Good memories but I don’t have the energy to do that any more! LOL!!!

Wow! 22 out of 26 called is a better rate of success than we've ever done. That little pile of dogs in my pic, I think was 10. To kill those ten, we had at least 5 "got aways". We were at a time in our learning where we were getting a handle on things, but still made plenty of mistakes. I was using a Rem 700 in 222, and my pard was still with his Savage 243, which was waaayy too much gun for the pelts we were selling. He got real good at sewing. We were two gun hunters -- both carrying a 12 ga. along with our rifles - and many times thankful that we did. When the hunting was good, we killed as many with the scatterguns as with our rifles. jd

 

[17cal Fan]

Warmed up for a day and half. Went last evening, saw nothing but heard some in the distance. Went this afternoon, saw nothing, heard nothing. That's why it's called "hunting" and not "shooting" I suppose. Right now we're at 19 with 35mph wind and flurries headed for +1 overnight with a high of 10 tomorrow.

 

[dunraven]

Some successful hunters have said that coyotes are more vulnerable in extreme cold weather. Anyone else experience this? What call sequences work under those conditions?

 

[ohlongarmisle]

Some successful hunters have said that coyotes are more vulnerable in extreme cold weather. Anyone else experience this? What call sequences work under those conditions?

Very true, any distress type prey animal works , as winter is lean for coyotes and an easy meal at these times , especially this years pups throw caution to the wind.