# New Season



## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

Today was the official launch of my 2012-13 yote season.  It should be a good one, at least from what landowners have been telling me. Coyote numbers are up, maybe a result of the last couple winters where temperatures and overall conditions have been optimal for them plus the fact we're getting more cattle into our part of country all the time, a development that seems to result in greater coyote numbers.

After filling up mornings goose hunting and days tied up with family commitments --and waiting for the hides to prime up -- I got out this morning. The wind was a little higher than what one would like but it's a 'take what you get' situation. First stop, and after getting out of the truck and suiting up, it was obviously too windy so I never even bothered to set up.

So on the first official stand, I parked on the southeast corner of a wooded lot, about 25 yards out, with a west wind. Faced north but expected to pull a yote out of the trees to my left. Started singing and half a mile away a yote broke cover to the north and headed across a summerfallowed field. I lost sight of him for most of his run in because the field was fairly rolling but I could tell from the way he started off that he was a taker. :beer:

Sure enough, when he did appear he was probably 120 yards out, in a slightly northeast direction. He was too excited to come any closer so after singing him some Rabbit Blues a couple times, he started to head slowly toward me. About 60 yards away with him at a slow trot, I barked him. He didn't give me a full frontal but I thought I better take what I've been given.

Touched off the .204 CZ American with 40-grain Bergers. He did the spin and I could see a big red spot on his right side. The bullet tore through a small portion of chest and exited. When I went out to pick him up, I could see he had a gaping wound, one as big as I've ever had with .204.  My fault, had I aimed a little to the right to get more of his body and more mass for the bullet to pass through, there wouldn't have been this mess. Oh, well, my fault. 

Next three stands -- dry. Fifth stand, with a west wind, parked on edge of a bluff, facing north. The first interrogation howl drew a response. I give them a tune of sick rabbit and several minutes later, a fury guy pops over a hill directly to the north and stops. I sang him another rabbit melody but all he did was look. Ah, huh, a pup not wanting to bust up some big guys dinner. A couple more tunes and he sat down.

I wasn't going to take the chance so I put the crosshairs of the 3200 Elite on him, squeezed off. Lit him up with a hit just behind the shoulder. He was dead before he hit the ground, 140 paces away. I couldn't find the entrance and the exit didn't appear to be bigger than a dime. A lot better result than the first yote. 

So, it was a good day to start the season. Two yotes (plus another couple seen from half a mile that weren't interested in what I had to say) in six stands is good by my standards. I'm hoping to hit 'em hard the next three weeks before it's time for aother Montana rooster hunt and just before whitetail season up here starts.

Has anybody else started the season? If so, how's it going?

For us guys who sell the hides, it looks like the upcoming year should be decent. From what I've heard prices should be up more than they've been in quite a few years. Unfortunately, that means raod hunters and, when the snow is deep enough, guys running yotes on snowmobiles. C'est le vie.

In the meantime, hoping you guys have a good year.

Good luck and shoot straight. :sniper:

Saskcoyote.

PS Waiting to hear from KDog and everyone else with some good stories.

I


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## kdog (Mar 13, 2007)

Hi Sask,

Glad to hear you are still kickin'. Congrats on your first yotes of the season! I don't think I will get any hunting in until December, so no stories until then.

Again nice job, and keep shootin' straight

KD


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## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

Next weekend I will be startin again. Sighted the 22-250 in again yesterday so I am ready.


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

I've had the chance to get in a few more hunts since the official launch to the 2012-13 season and I've put down several more dogs. In my part of world there are plenty of coyotes but that doesn't necessarily mean stacking 'em up.

Today was the perfect example. I called in four, three of them within 60 yards, but events unfolded such that I got one shot, a DRT from about 40 yards.

When I set up, I always look for the factors that will make the best stand -- wind, visibility, sun-shadows, etc. Well, wouldn't you know it, after realizing I wasn't going to get the perfect stand, I settled for the next best thing. First stand, based on where the response to my first howling came from, I planted looking straight west with the wind in my favor. Yup, a youte slipped in from southeast, handcuffed me. He slipped back behind cover without me even getting a chance to swing on him. (A little aside -- Harris bipods aren't worth a damn for trying to ease a rifle around for a shot nor for taking a running shot.)

Second stand, same thing. Howls came from the southwest. Dog slipped in from the southeast about 60 yards away and apparently detected my movement. I tried to shift the rifle to get a crosshair on him but he had me dead to rights. I didn't swing the rifvle more than a few inches and he disappeared back into the cover.

The third dog, instead of coming in from south as I set up for, came in from the northwest. I was doubled busted. Not only would he have caught my scent on the southeast breeze but he also would have caught sight of the truck on the trail running alongside of large tract of bush I was calling.

Talk about discouraging. When I got into a set, I try to do a quick analysis of what I can work in my favor and what the shortcomings of the stand will be. Well, today, the shortcomings turned up in spades. Looking back, I don't think there was really anything I could have -- or would have -- done differently.

Even the fourth dog I called in. He was very, very tentative and, again, came in from the west and not the south direction I expected and had set up for using the southeast wind. Had I not been using a decoy on this set, I just may not have anchored him because he showed no real interest in committing for the last 75 yards.

Well, tomorrow is another day. I'm heading back to the same area which has a great many parcels of landlife lands and which last night's snow tells me has plenthy of yotes. Hey, it's my turn to get some breaks, the yotes have been getting most of them so far.

Good luck and shoot straight. :sniper: Saskcoyote


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## ay tee (Jun 11, 2007)

sask, that isn't too far off my day today...

First set, calling west wind out of the west-north west... First off walked in 1/2 mile to find a guy about a mile away working on his deer condo, then decided it was a good idea to blast off a few rounds... Sat and waited for him to leave, kept glassing looked over my shoulder relatively often... Then after about 25 glassed down wind to see nothing, continued around and came back down wind to see ole wiley lookin over his shoulder at me.. Gave me enough time to get swung around, but not enough to get my eye down the scope, over the hill and gone...

Second one, got in and 20 mins spotted one a good 1/2 mile out... Got his attention, but never did get interested... Sat there and looked around for a little while then turned and walked away, not sure if a vehicle went by behind me and turned him off, wouldn't surprise me with all the pheasant hunters around or he just didn't want to do anything... Not sure, but nothing got him to turn around...

Third, just pulling into a nice low spot to hide the pickup and I look over to see one running off over the hill... Figured at that point it wasn't worth trying, don't want to educate all of them on the third day out.. haha


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## duckp (Mar 13, 2008)

Haven't started yet but plenty here have.Twice last week we heard obvious electronic callers while laying in fields waiting for mallards.Seems to be plenty around though.Saw 5 one morning from a bowstand and missed one this morning from a bowstand.Hair,no blood-think I was underneath.


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## ay tee (Jun 11, 2007)

duckp said:


> Haven't started yet but plenty here have.Twice last week we heard obvious electronic callers while laying in fields waiting for mallards.Seems to be plenty around though.Saw 5 one morning from a bowstand and missed one this morning from a bowstand.Hair,no blood-think I was underneath.


look me up when you get after em... I can't seem to get the job done lately, maybe some pro help could get me back into the danger zone.. haha :sniper:


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## duckp (Mar 13, 2008)

Aytee,
That's funny re 'pro help'.Wish it was true.
I'll look you up after deer season but then you'll see how to really not get the job done.If by some miracle my bow and I find the one decent buck left in our County before rifle season,I'll look you up before.Here in my area that rifle season kills calling.


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## ay tee (Jun 11, 2007)

haha.. well at least then I won't feel bad knowing it isn't just me.. I hear you on the deer season deal... Usually give it a couple weeks after rifle season closes before calling again... Helps to actually get a little snow also..


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## bearhunter (Jan 30, 2009)

keep after them Sask :sniper: 
i'm in the same boat as Duck. no time yet for calling. was hoping to soon but missed my bowbuck this a.m. :crybaby:


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

Hi all: Some days the dogs get the breaks, some days they don't. They must have run their string yesterday because today they weren't quite as lucky.

Beautiful morning, just below freezing with a slight SE breeze. Headed out to the wildlife lands again. The wildlife lands probably a lot different than the geography than any of you in ND or SD are accustomed to. There are sectons upon sections of heavily wooded areas interspersed with farmland. It's a widlife paradise -- coyotes, deer, elk, moose, even the odd wolf (although I've never seen one).

Got to the area just about legal shooting time. As I was driving to the spot where I planned my first set set a yote ran across the back road. I drove 3/8 of a mile to the west, followed the road which hair-pinned to the north, for another 3/8 of a mile. WIth the wind from the SE, I set up looking east, expecting him to come from wooded area to the E. Sure enough, within 3 minutes after giving a howl and singing him some rabbit blues, he bust out, about 300 yards due east. I let him come, turning off the call but leaving the JIB running. I could see he angled to get downwind of the decoy. Not wanting to give him a chance to get my scent (particularly after yesterday's painful experiences) I decided to take him at the first chance. He stopped about 120 yards out, still not in the call-decoy scent cone. With a full frontal I put the crosshairs from the 6500 Elite on him and squeezed off.

Whop! The 50-grain TNT HP chroned at 3165 out of the .223 Rem BDL dropped him dead as dirt. Hey. first stand and fur on the ground, gotta like it.

Second stand, despite plenty of sign, turned out to be a dry hole. Next stand, breeze from the SE. Set up with call-decoy straight south 50 yards. Heavy bush to the east, south and west but the area I was overlooking was about 10 acres of rolling pasture land.

Hit the call, immediate response from east. A the 3-minute mark a coyote came in directly from the south. Now here I was, yote directly south, with the call-decoy just a little bit to the southwest. Fortunately, the yote was so fixated on the decoy's movement (I have a brown sock for the decoy) he didn't see me shift my rifle. Lined up the crosshairs on a full frontol, squeezed off, whop, dog down.

Kiyi-ed and then went back to rabbit blues. Within two minutes, another hyoute popped out directly west of the call-decoy, about 20 yards away out of cover. Oh, oh, trouble, with the SE wind. As the dog turned north to get the SE breeze, I quickly shifted the rifle. Yup, before I could get the crosshairs on him, he got into the scent come, turned on a dime and bolted back in the direction he came.

Luckily, I had shifted enough so it was a matter of picking him up in the scope and touching off. I'm certainly not a good shot when it comes to runners but from the angle he was headed, with no need to take a big lead, I squeezed off. Lit him up.

Two dogs within three minutes. Got to be happy with that, especially after yesterday's experience. So what was the difference? I don't want to sound like a Foxpro JIB salesman but running the decoy and having the dogs fixated on it allowed me to shift my rifle for the shots.

The next three stands, nothing, and headed home at noon. It was a good day. I'm going to hit 'em hard the next week, g to get out three or four more times. Then it's down south to Montana for the annual November rooster hunt and then by the time I get back, deer season up here has started and every coyote will be so worked over that calling is tough for the rest of the year.

Anyway, wife's calling, supper time. Just thought I'd share the day. :beer:

Good luck and shoot straight. Saskcoyote


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## bearhunter (Jan 30, 2009)

good job Sask. always enjoy your write-ups.


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## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

]Here is a story of my weekends adventures. Thursday afternoon I had 2 wisdom teeth pulled and the dentist said take it easy fro a few days. By Friday afternoon I was bored so I went coyote calling. I went to my honey hole just out of town. I ended up calling there for about 25 min before packing it up. As I walk back to my truck bummed out my honey hole failed me I look up and see a coyote about 140 yards away. He is slowly loping towoards me at this time and has not seen me yet. I still don't know if he was coming to my call or I just caught him on his way back to the valley I was just calling at. I do know he had to have went right by my truck to get there. Anyways I quickly sit down and fold the legs out on my bipod and do a few lip squeaks. The coyote speeds up and gets on a ridge 125 yards out. I quickly bark at him and he stops. All I can see is his base of the shoulders, neck and head. I aim right where the neck and shoulders meet and boom down he goes. In hindsight with quartering angle I should have aimed a little further up the neck because the 22-250 bullet hit the shoulder blade leaving me a large hole to practice my sewing skills on. Thats the 3rd year in a row that the 1st coyote I shoot ends up with a giant hole in it.

The 2nd set of the afternoon I called for about 6 minutes when I noticed a coyote that had snuck to within 150 yards of me. I figure he is fixing to leave so I rush the shot and miss him standing and twice more as he runs off. In hindsight I think if I would have lip squeaked him I could have got him closer.

The 3rd set of the afternoon I tried calling an area I have never called before. I end up calling about a 1/2 mile down the valley from an old dump. After calling for 30 minutes a coyote finally shows up. By this time the wind had swung a bit making it marginal for the stand. This coyote sneaks along the valley following a low spot before being forced into the open to try and catch my wind. I crank my scope up to 9X sit up and squeeze the trigger. Boom the coyote drops at 300 yards according to the range finder. This coyote had about 6 magpies following him, which is why I stayed a little longer than usual on this stand, as soon as I shot the coyote two of the magpies dropped in and were walking up to start eating him!

I ended up sleeping in till about 10 on Saturday morning because it was an east wind. Most of my east wind spots are hit hard by mule deer hunters and with this being the 1st saturday of mulie season I knew it would have been a gong show. Anyways after waking up I load some more bullets before heading out.

The 1st set is in a valley and about 3 minutes after my original call series I watch a coyote run in from 1/4 mile out to 130 yards. By this time I have lost my patients and coyote fever is getting a hold of me. Obviously coyote fever was too much because I missed and easy 130 yard shot.

The 2nd set I walk in about a 1/2 mile to another valley and start calling. I just put my call down and there is already a coyote only a 150 yards out. Within seconds he is at 70 yards. By this time I don't even have my earmuffs on. As he gets to 70 yards I sit up and he stops quartering towoards me. I ended up messing the shot up some how and I hit him to low. He gets back over the ridge before I can shoot agiain. I spot him again running off at full speed at 160 yards away and I make a nice running shot hitting him right at the base of the neck and folding him up like a cheap tent as my grandpa would say.

The 3rd set of that day is dry and then the wind picks up so I called it a day.

On Sunday I called 3 spots before lunch and had no takers on them.

Sorry about the long stories. There should be more to come this weekend. Here is a picture of Fridays coyotes. The one I shot on the way back to my truck was the smallest coyote I have ever shot. He only weighed 19 lb. Also when I skinned him out he had a porcupine quill stuck in his face.

http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q61 ... v22012.jpg


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

Well done, Sask hunter. Are you seeing any sign of mange or have you talked to anyone who has seen it cropping up? I found the early stages of mange on one I shot Sunday. I talked to two guys who've got 17 so far and al their yotesl appear to be OK. Anyone else seen any?


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## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

I hunt lots wether it is geese, deer or just about anything. I have not seen a coyote with mange in almost in a year.


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

So much for that idea. I've got off to a good start dumpin' dogs and thought to add to the numbers with Saturday-Sunday-Monday open for calling before heading south for another Montana rooster hunt Tuesday. Trouble is, you guys sent us one of those 'Colorado Lows' that kick our butts. With the forecast calling for plenty of wind and snow, it could be a write-off for the next three days. And by the time I get back, deer season up here is open and history tells me calling hits the skids.

Well, got out this morning for three quick stands before work obligations called. Tipped one over and wouldn't you know it, another case of mange.

Keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow but odds are it'll be a no-go if the weather forecasts for wind are accurate. They'll have to pay the price in December, I guess.


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## ay tee (Jun 11, 2007)

i hear ya there saskcoyote plans where to hit up some new land that is promised for dogs this weekend.. problem is it's 60 miles away so it was supposed to be a weekend get away.. but the way the weather sounds we shut down that plan.. if it is somewhat decent, i may try some local ground.. i'm trying to get as many sets in as i can before that all mighty deer opener hits... then it'll be shut down until the first of the year almost...


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## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

I was out this morning too. It was too windy and I probably shouldn't have went. My coyote hunt turned into deer scouting and chicken hunt. I was suprised to shoot a limit of chicken this morning with 7.5's none the less!

It is supposed to be not too windy tomorrow. I am crossing my fingers hoping the weather man is right!


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## ay tee (Jun 11, 2007)

I went out... after about 15 mins decided calling in the rain is the most useless idea I have ever had.. I convinced myself that even if something would have come to the call I wouldn't be able to see through the scope anyway.. It's snowing now so we'll see what happens the next couple days...


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

Well, snowfall has slowed but from the dump we've had since Friday, I'd say it's screwed a good part of my yote hunting for the season. That's because so much of the area I hunt is accessible only by back road and once the wind comes and starts to move this fluff, those back roads will be impassible.

It looks like tomorrow the sun will shine so I'll take a tour (with the snowshoes loaded up as well) and see what kind of a mess I'll have for the rest of the winter. Yup, I was really hoping to put up some respectable numbers Saturday to Monday --and through the rest of the winter -- but it's going to be tough to do that.

Talked to a friend in ND last night and they're getting the same system we're getting. With all the snow, it might be a difficult task getting around when we head into Montanta to chase roosters Tuesday. Well, that's hunting.


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## ay tee (Jun 11, 2007)

Yea.. that's the same system that went trough here.. I'm just lucky enough to be far enough south most of it was rain, about 1-2 inches of snow that seems to be slowly melting now that the sun's out... I wouldn't mind another couple inches though... Good luck in Montana, roosters might be a bit tricky now...


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## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

I made it out for 3 sets before lunch. Should have done more today, but not going to bed until 2:30 tires you out a little bit. 1st set I call a single in after about 8 minutes of calling. I originally spot him at 460 yards and lip squeak him into 70 yards. As he goes in a small dip I sit up and get ready. He comes over the rise and stops. One shot results in the 1st coyote of the day.

The 2nd set is dry.

The 3rd set I spot a coyote in the middle of my 1st calling sequence and he is only about 300 yards away. He instantly charges in but, the wind swirls and he gets my wind at about 40 yards before he stops. Once he gets my wind he burns out of there full speed followed by 3 warning shots and some very bad language. I guess I will get him later this year. Might have to bring the shotgun to this spot last year I called one in for a buddy who procceeded to miss a standing broadside coyote at 40 yards (I did shoot that same coyote about a month later and I know that because it was a pair that had a really dark one and a really light one).


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## saskcoyote (Dec 30, 2006)

Hi all: Well, didn't even get out for a drive; between a few hours at the office in preparation for tomorrow (heading rooster hunting in the morning) and digging out, it just didn't happen. I have to be honest, though, I had no appetite for strapping on the 'shoes today although the yotes may have been hungry.

I'll get back by the weekend and it looks like the temp-wind should work out. I expect a lot of the areas I hunt will be inaccessbile because of the enormous dump of snow we've had but -- on the upside -- there'll be one hell of a lot fewer deer-gas hunters out and about so the dogs won't be worked over quite as much.

Sask hunter, what part of the province are you from? What kind of terrain are you hunting? I'm about 20 miles north of the Q'A Valley, NW of Crooked Lake, so I'm working a lot of slightly rolling farmland interspersed with woodlots and willow sloughs-runs-coulees.

Farmers tell me there are loads of yotes around. Trouble is, I still have to work as hard as ever to whack 'em.

Ay Tee, always enjoy hearing about your adventures.

Good luck, shoot straight. :sniper: Saskcoyote


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## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

I am at Rosetown. I mainly focus on pastures or a large valley with a creek in the bottom. This valley runs well over 20 miles with lots of little brush filled draws. When the wind is right I can hop scotch along this valley all day long calling about every mile. The pastures are usually rolling hills as well with long grass, buck brush or both. I also started hunting around an area thats is flat stubble fields dotted with small pockets of bush. I like hunting this area best because I can see coyotes farther off and the flat ground allows me to use my bipod.

I was able to make it out for 3 sets this morning before I had to get back to town. All 3 were dry sets. I would have guaranteed myself a coyote at 2 of those spots. Last year I called the same spot and called in and missed the whitest coyote I have ever seen.

The good thing about this spot is it is only 600 yards off a maintined road so I will have access to it all winter. I know I always hunt spots that I can't access later in the year first. On the plus side when I was calling this awesome looking spot I found a spot to sit for whitetail once the season opens.


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## ay tee (Jun 11, 2007)

yea sask.. I wish my stories could be better.. haha.. Been really slow around here, too many pheasant hunters running around the country side... then this front went through now it's cold, but windy... tried it this morning but i sat about 30 mins and was too cold to care.. so I just went to work.. nice thing about being the boss, I can stop and hit a few spots on my way to the shop... Maybe tomorrow afternoon right before sun down if the weather allows


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## ay tee (Jun 11, 2007)

going to try a few sets tomorrow then the project will be shut down for at least the next 4-6 weeks.. rifle deer season opens saturday... I'm really not at all excited.. hah


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## Sask hunter (Sep 11, 2008)

Went out this morning, but only had time for one set. I decided to go to a reliable spot about 10 miles out of town. After about 6 minutes of rabbit distress I spotted a coyote about 600 yards away. I let him come and lip squeaked him in to 165 yards. When he got to that distance he did not want to cross the creek so the next time he put his head down to investigate something I got into position and dropped him. I continued to call after I shot which resulted in me seeing two other single coyotes, but they showed no interest.


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