Starting to get ramped up

[picksbigwagon]

My right index finger is starting to get itchy......have a new battery coming for my Minaska M1 Bandit caller, I was starting to have major battery issues last year towards the end of the season.

I have 5 or 6 different developmential loads to get sighted in for my New to me savage 243. This is gonna be my windy day rifle, or back up in case it is needed, or the rifle to borrow to someone if they need it. I have some 58 grain vmax's loaded up with 2 different kinds of powder, varget and IMR 4064, and also some 70 grain nosler ballistic tips with the same powder and some 100 grain Hornady interlocks as well. Oh yeah, I have some 62 grain Barnes varmint grenades loaded as well. Man I have got some shooting to do.

I have been talking with some people that I have access too and they have been seeing and hearing the coyotes, but I just haven't been able to get outta here and down there yet.

How about the rest of you? What's your new trick for this year, or new call that you have recently bought that sounds super in the truck while you are stuck in traffic? I have tried the mouth calls (like turkey calls) but I just can't get the volume I want for howling.....

[walleyes12]

Nothing new this year, same bag tricks!

[HunterLee]

Nothing new here yet either. I guess the 243 I picked up late last winter will be a surprise for some coyotes. Got my vacation for the 25th of Oct- Nov 6th. Plan on trapping and calling til i drop. Hope to smoke a big one with my bow so i don't have to hunt deer during that time. Set my buddy up last night and he missed a huge 9pt, I did pass a basket 8. Trying it again tonight then mabe in the am, then have to wait til next thurs.

[Scott K]

My new trick for the year is I got a coon dog. I havent had one for many years, and am excited to get out chasing some coon. I really havent been into small game much since I had my first kid, now I am getting back into it. And I am pumped!

[picksbigwagon]

My sister in law's boyfriend has two coondogs and I have yet to go out with him.. I might have to try that this year

[Scott K]

My sister in law's boyfriend has two coondogs and I have yet to go out with him.. I might have to try that this year

I havent been out in 15 years, for what I can remember it was a blast. But now I am older, and more lazy, so I was told. I just hope my dog ends up to be good. I used to have one coon dog and it was a night mare to hunt him, he liked to chase deer. One season of that and I gave up on him!

[picksbigwagon]

from what I have heard, coon prices are going up, someone said they were getting 25 bucks for a coon late last year, that is unskinned

[Brownie77]

from what I have heard, coon prices are going up, someone said they were getting 25 bucks for a coon late last year, that is unskinned

Prices are going up but where was he getting $25 unskinned I will a few hundred for that buyer in a few months.

[walleyes12]

$25 does seem alittle high for unskinned. None the less, the prices are projected to go early and fall off as winter progresses. The fur market was loaded with terrible fur last year and they are projecting the same this year.

[picksbigwagon]

I thought down around owatonna, maybe it was closer to 20, but for an unskinned coon, I was shocked at the price he got....course, it was in a tavern, so I guess in hindsight, I am sure it was the bourbon talking a little too. He was trying to tell us that marshmellows were the best thing for trapping coons as well.....

[HunterLee]

Well they are good racoons, so that wasn't a lie. They are good when there are pets around. I myself use other things, plan on using some of them and some syrup besides this year.

The price wasn't that good at the end of last year, I was getting $10 for skinned late caught ones. I hope to put up some of my fur this year and maybe send it to auction, as that is where the money is/can be if you do it right and send quality stuff.

I like when the price goes up, but it has its downfalls, everyone wants/is a trapper and then you get alot of stuff that you usually don't have to deal with.

[Brownie77]

I hear ya Hunter, I love my $10 coon because there is nobody else trapping so I can catch twice as many in half the time

[picksbigwagon]

Have you guys ever tried calling racoons? My electronic caller has abou 15-20 racoon calls. The company (Minaska Outdoors) has a video out about calling racoons at night. Of course they set up just off of a silage pile, but it looks like they are pretty successfull at it..... I might try that this year, if I find a couple of trees that are used as dens.

[walleyes12]

I have seen it done, its a blast.

[Doug Smotherman]

Picksbigwagon

I have a lot of success along creeks and rivers. I hunt a lot along the Ohio river. I have canoed the ohio river a night calling from the water, also along cut corn field that are surrounded by thick woods. When calling coons I like to use a bow, because you can shoot one and then another will come in.