Know whereabouts of some coyotes?Foxes?

[Lunker]

Once most of the other seasons wrap up I'm planning on trying for some coyotes and foxes this winter. Was wondering if any body who hunts public or private land within an hour of the cities has seen or knows of much sign from these critters on the land they hunt(especially 'yotes), or have heard complaints from land owners, game farms, etc. Thanks

[Lunker]

bump

[BLACKJACK]

I live in Kandiyohi county about two hours from the Cities, lots of coyotes and foxes around, I see the foxes when I'm bowhunting, and hear the coyotes, you'd be welcome to come out here after bowhunting ends in Dec.

[Steve Foss]

Well, if it's after December, the furs aren't worth as much, because they're worn harder than they are now.

If you're out to hunt predators for the fur (yeah, prices aren't much, nothing like when I started doing it in the late 70s), do it now through mid December.

If you're out for sport, any time will do.

You can head an hour or more out of the cities in any direction and find fox and coyotes. Coyotes in particular have expanded their ranges in the last 20 years. Find a turkey or chicken farmer in rural Minn. and ask permission to hunt predators near his farm, then stand back and watch him offer you the pick of his daughters.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[Lunker]

Hey, thanks guys. Yea, I'm doing it more for the sport. The hides(if acquired) will find their way to a deer camp wall.

[Steve Foss]

You calling them in with rabbit scream call while wearing camo? I did that for a number of years in eastern N.D., but that was back before coyotes expanded their range and numbers. Only saw a handful in all the time I did it. Lots of fox, though.

Great time. I've seen them come from over a mile away in that open country after hearing a couple bursts from the call, and almost every time that happened, they made a beeline in my direction and would have passed within 20 feet. Heckuva sense of directional hearing on those critters.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[Lunker]

Figure I'll start after I can't hunt pheasants anymore. Though cold, a sleeping bag with a white sheet over it to blend in with the snow will keep me warm. Korn_Fish, You'll be gettin an email from me.

[korn_fish]

Lunker....we are trying to thin out the coyote population on our pheasant hunting ground this winter after Bow season. The land is down by Madelia MN. Maybe too far from what you want to travel, but if your interested, shoot me an email [email protected]

[BLACKJACK]

So what do you guys use to shoot them, a shotgun or a rifle? What time of day is best, sunset or sunrise?

[HunterLee]

the best time is usually early morning or right before sunset. but they respond all day. its just you need to be in the right spot at the right time. we do alot of moonlight calling is probly the best and thats a blast. coyotes and fox at 10 to 20 yds sometimes is quite excting. if you get out away from the road or see a fox or coyote you should be able to call them anytime. but sometimes they will come and sometimes they wont. just have to keep trying. one night we got 3 coyotes and 1 fox and missed a couple in couple hours and others we are out from 9pm to 7 am and dont see nothing. kinda like fishing. hope this helps

[Guest]

Lunker;

I'm on the very south end of Dakota County. We have those dam things all over. After deer hunting, feel free to travel around and talk to the farmers. People down here won't hold back if you tell them your intentions of killings thes B-terds!!!!!!! Your more than welcome to most farmers around here. Look for hills next to heavy woods.......you'll find them.

I average 2 a year while deer hunting. I could take many, many more, but I always hesitate while in the stand, that I may "spook that buck of a life time".

[Lunker]

Big G, thanks a lot! Are there any livesotck farmers in the area or just agri.? Either way is good though. Would you mind emailing me to whereabouts you are in dakota if you don't mind? Thanks [email protected]

[Guest]

Lunker, you've got mail.......

Gary

[Ruttin' Buck]

There was another post similar to this no so long ago. I remember someone saying to make sure you're mobile and I agree.

I live west of the cities about an hour and I see sign and hear the coyotes howling all the time. I've also seen many fox while bowhunting.

I go out at night. Most of the critters I've seen while in the bow stand come out early morning or late afternoon. I hunt at night because they feel more comfortable. Now that we have snow, go out next week as the moon starts getting closer to full (Dec 8th). You can see like it's day time.

Call quietly at first. Give it some time. Work up to a fury of a call. Make it sound like a struggle. Run your hand back and forth in long grass, break branches, and call with more intensity. Wait another 15 minutes after that...make sure to watch down wind. Coyotes love to circle around.

If there's nothing, pull out, go 200-300 yards and do it again. You could bring a sheet, sleeping bag is probably not necessary if you're mobile. I use white camo but get most of my cover from the cedars scattered on the area I hunt.

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"Aim small...miss small"

[Iceman77]

I used to hunt fox and coyotes in the early '90's in N.D. until the mange came through and cleaned them out. Now there are tons of jackrabbits destroying crops. I used my cross country skis, strapped the .22-250 two my back, brought some water and snacks, and of course the distressed rabbit call. Out there I would find the highest hill top around overlooking a bunch of rock piles and start calling. It's a lot of fun watching a fox come running into the call and not able to pick you out. The fellow that mentioned to watch downwind is completely correct. I've had fox that I did not see come right in behind running at me and stop only about 5 yards away trying to figure out what the heck was going on. He was probably thinking that I was one helluva big jackrabbit and licking his chops. With that one I was able to turn around and put the gun on him and he still stood there. I then decided to throw a little dirt clump at him to get him to run away so I could actually get a shot off since he was too close for the scope.

[Steve Foss]

BLACKJACK:

Two ways we used to do it in N.D. Two guys driving wetlands and creek bottoms on foot. One guy with a rifle on the top, other guy with a shotgun ploughing through the thick stuff. Worked well.

The way I liked best was calling them in, and the highest-percentage round for that kind of shooting is a flat, small-caliber round. I shot a Ruger M77 in .22-250. Other common flat calibers for varmints at the time were .222, .223, .220 Swift and .243.

Many, many fox and coyote came right in and the shots were short. But sometimes, as other here have said, an animal would come in from downwind (your call travels further downwind than upwind, after all) or circle downwind. That's when you may be looking at a 200 yard shot.

I also hunted them at night a couple years, and that was always with half a moon out or better and with shotgun and No. 4 shot. Definitely quite an experience.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[CASTnBLAST]

I agree with most of the above posts but would save making sounds of a struggle by breaking twigs etc. for perhaps rattling up a buck.A fox or coyote will come right up on top of you providing you have wind in favor and the right camo but throw any quick movements into the equation and you might as well stay on the couch.After the first series of calling these guy's have your location pegged within feet.I too have seen predators come directly to my spot from as far away as a mile out in the Dakota's after just one series of calling and rest assured they are keeping one eye on your location.The one thing I stress while taking newbies out is stealth and no quick movements,that even includes slow head movements while scanning the area.I have had critters come unglued hundreds of yards away by simply rasing my gun or dropping my call,this is at night with full moon.Also realizing how far a call can travel I like to put at least a mile between stands.Just listen how far away the farm dogs start barking some night in response to your call to get an idea of how far it's carrying!

[Steve Foss]

I second the distance between stands. On a fairly still day, a call will travel to a fox or coyote's ears a couple miles away. That means your call is going out in a 2-mile radius, so, in that example, you should move four miles away from where you're calling for your next stand.

I miss that excitement these days, but still have all the gear and am planning on showshoeing into some Bdub lakes this winter, blowing the calls and photographing the predators that come in instead of shooting. Who knows what might come in? We have lots of a fox, not many coyote, lots of wolves, scattered lynx and have had confirmed mountain lion sightings near Ely this summer.

Plus, I've had crows, magpies, hawks and eagles come in really close over the years, not to mention the odd farm cat or stray dog. Once, a snowy owl landed on a fence post 20 feet away.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]