Leadingn a running yote

[K_Josh87]

Of course a still, broadside shot is ideal when taking most any critter, but with yotes, once they come in to a call and get shot at, they are very unlikely to come in to a call again, so if a missed shot, or more than one yote was called in during the stand, if and when making a running shot does anyone have any good ideas on how to go about leading the critter with a rifle? Running dead away, putting the cross hairs on there head seams to work pretty good... but what about the quartering or side to side shot...

Thoughts?

[Grayfox]

Josh,

Like you said, the straight away shots are fairly easy and I'll take that one any day but when they bug out, I have better luck hitting the pup distress or howling/barking with my voice to get them to stop for a shot than taking a running shot.

Rob

[K_Josh87]

well, what brought this up was my trip to my sister and bro in laws farm in Iowa last weekend... They have had yotes harassing (killing) calves. And saturday morning i went to set up on a few stands, and i parked my pickup, geared up and headed out... walking through one of the pastures up hill, and checking over my shoulder... just in case, low and behold a yote jumped up out of a little creek bed. Not more than 25 yards from the fenceline the cattle where in, and less than 100 yds from where i parked the pickup... needless to say, I was more than shocked, and he was in go mode... i walked his trail back to my pickup after the stands and found my bullet splats to be in line with what should be center of body, just didn't get the lead right... i was not prepped for this... gun was over my head, not just slung over my shoulder, and call was not turned on yet... and he would not have anything to do with a yip to stop him. I do agree though, getting them stopped is best, and a ki yi or pup distress seems to be more effective. GF How have your hunts been going lately?

[Grayfox]

Josh,

I shot one a couple weeks ago and almost got ran over at another set that night. Should of had the shotgun with but ran out of hands.

We haven't been out for a week or so now. The last time Mitch and I went out we called a gray fox in. It came all the way across an open field to the caller and then wouldn't leave. Fox closed on the 15th so he got the free pass. I've got to leave town for work for a few days but I hope there's enough snow left when I come back for a few night sets.

Rob

[K_Josh87]

We haven't gotten a break in the snow department down here... the last two storms we've been forcasted for plenty of snow... and haven't gotten a lick of sticking snow out of it. Kind of frustrating on a few different levels! Sure give the yotes the advantage I would say!

[Grayfox]

60 percent of the moon illuminated tonight and was supposed to be overhead at around 6 P.M. and of course it's cloudy. I might have to try it early in the morning. I've got a couple spots I might be able to get something going at.

Rob

[K_Josh87]

Best of luck to you! I have gotten to hunt by the light of the moon on one night, and that was in December! Hopefully you land something!

[Grayfox]

Just bought 2012 Minnesota licenses for Mitchell and I so maybe we'll get out this weekend and try for some late coon and that one fox we need to put us over the hump.

Good luck Josh if you get out next week.

Rob

[x1957x]

Hey Gray Fox and anyone else. I bought a scorpion Fox Pro call and it's supposed to have a 100 yard distance you can sit away from it right? Well I can only sit (top's) 20 yards and it wont work any farther away from that point. Any thing I am doing wrong, any suggestion's would be greatly appreciated!

[K_Josh87]

I have a fury, and a 100 yds is a heck of a stretch... MAYBE 50... BUT, if possible, keep it up off the ground and in plain sight. I have more problems with mine if i have it on the ground than any other time... also, setting it down hill from you and elevated is prime... I took one of those really cheap shotgun slings and put it on my fury as a shoulder strap... works decent, and gives me something to hang it out of a tree of fence post with... Good Luck!

[Grayfox]

Like Josh said and also make sure your antenae is pointed straight up and when you key your remote it's also pointed vertical. I've never seen the need to put the caller out 100 yards either. Most of the time it's 30-40 max.

Rob

[K_Josh87]

Rob,

Do you move in fairly tight to the spots you are calling, or do you stay further out and try to get them out into the open? We typically have been staying further out, hoping not to push critters out, however while in Iowa, I pretty well was romping right up the the edge of their territory, would make one stand, then turn around, move maybe 700 yards, and wait 20 25 minutes, and have them pop out in the first couple minutes just like we missed them on the first go round, and dropped int there back door on the second stand... Maybe this needs to be more of the approach we take more often????

[Grayfox]

I usually set up farther away and try to get them to show themselves but I'm not in the big field country either. The properties I hunt are typically are under 100 acres in size and my sets are typically 45 min. to 1-1/2 hrs in length. I hunted last night until 2 A.M. and only had one group come in at the 1 hr mark as I was getting ready to leave but unfortunately they were across the street. I should have got up earlier and relocated when I heard them aways off but I really though it was a different group and was targeting the ones on my side. I'll be back out tonight agian so we'll see what happens.

Good luck if you get out.

Rob

[RangerJack]

Grayfox, last night I was trying for some yotes, and had them respond probably 3/4 of a mile away. Should I have moved? This wma is pretty big and I thought they'd come in after 30 minutes or so, but my buddies decided they were cold........err. I was upset until I called in 2 fox at different stands later in the night, but my buds (3 people extra besides me) messed it up anyways. I had the crosshairs on both fox, but they spooked right before the shot both time. One was a red, one was a gray.

Good luck

[Grayfox]

Jack,

3/4 mile isn't that far for them to come but 30 minutes was probably too short of a time. I would have stayed put for at least an hour. Sounds like you had too many cooks in the kitchen last night. I like to hunt solo or at the most with one more but it's not ideal. There's just too much noise and commotion going on to control and like you said,somebody gets cold or moves and the jigs up.

I've had them cross roads before to come in but it's been later in the morning.

The night I had them across the road, several cars had gone by and when I left I saw a set of tracks coming from that side of the road crossing to where I parked my truck. I think one did cross and came in from behind me. Maybe it saw me?

Went out last night and couldn't pull in a thing. Heard dome howls a long way off in the distance at a couple spots but nothing close. It was pretty loud walking in after the refreeze so I'm not sure if that was a factor or my call selection. I tried howls only and distress then howls

with no takers. Maybe I've lost the touch?

Rob

[RangerJack]

Rob, I have yet to find a partner that sits still. I don't move a muscle! My success rates are higher when I hunt solo.

I put all the traps away, and tonight will probably be my last night of calling for the winter. Hopefully I can connect with a critter one last time. I'll do some spring coyote calling for some farmers too. Spring beaver trapping here I come.

Good luck

[K_Josh87]

hmmmmm............ more tactics to try..........

[K_Josh87]

Rob,

Are you hunting the moon over snow yet? Or are you using lights and the scatter blaster? I would love to get out at night here, but we have had ONE night down here in December we made it out on snow, and it was less than prime conditions... Kind of frustrating in that department! Oh well... tis what it is. Good luck!

KJ

[soldoncass]

Yotes are pretty good size, so they SHOULD BE EASY.....ha! Years ago I hunted jack rabbits, with a rifle, out in western stearns county, with a buddy of mine. Practice, practice, practice! Hit some, missed more! There are too many variables...speed ,distance, angle, bullet speed etc. I can tell you to swing up from behind, keep rifle moving, til you get past the front shoulder, squeeze the round off....keep it moving til it goes off. If you stop the rifle, you will shoot behind the target. My buddy always said, foxes, deer are easy, after you can hit jacks. Good luck.

[Grayfox]

Josh,

I hunted Friday and Saturday night under the moon with nothing to show.

Friday night it was windier than heck early on and then it started snowing but it never affected me. I could see real well until around 2 A.M. and hunted until 3 A.M. Saturday morning. Snowed early on and then cleared off real nice.

I'm down in Nebraska until Wednesday afternoon, then heading back home for my sons Dr. appointment on Thursday so hopefully they'll be enough snow to hunt a couple nights yet. They just haven't been responding like I thought they would so I'll have to go a little deeper in the bag of tricks.

Rob