Varmint Hunting

[Rick]

This topic covers everything else, from raccoons to coyotes.

[doubleUcubed]

I have been hearing a lot of coyote's the last couple of nights. I've got a Rem. 22-250 Mag. I just need to get out after them once things freeze up around here.

[Rippinlip]

Lets the yotes HOWL, just can't wait til a little snow cover gets on the ground so tracking gets a little easier. Would like to go with anyone that knows more than I do about this chase, have some good areas to go, but could use some help.

[Sarge]

Thanks Rick!

So are there any other Raccoon hunters out there?

Down here in SE MN we still don't have any snow and the extended warm weather has really increased the length of the "coon" season.

When I got home from work moday night, just after midnight, a good friend was waiting at my house with his dogs. It was a surprise, but with the temps above 50 degrees, and very little wind, he had decided to make his dogs happy and get them out.

I never pass on the oppurtunity to go coon hunting. It is such a blast! Walking thru the woods in the middle of the night is an adventure I would recommend everybody try at least once! And hearing the dogs "open up"(usually on top of the highest steepest hill, and in the burliest oak tree you will ever see) really get the blood pumping.

So we walked behind the house and headed the dogs down the creek. I barely had time to get my eyes adjusted when the dogs started with a hard, steady chop, so we knew we had one in the tree.

Sure enough the dogs were on the only "wooly" tree that still had some leaves on it, and it had to be the tallest tree in filmore county. But after looking at it closely in the dark, we picked up three clumps that didn't belong. So out comes the lights and gun,( shooting coon is a whole story in itself) and take turns shooting till all thre fall out to the dogs waiting below.

So after wrestling the coon away from the dogs, we realize we got three huge bucks, all over 30 pound. The fur was in excellent shape with lots of guard hairs and no signs of wear. Now if the price would just go up.

If anyone else enjoys doing this I'd like to hear some chatter from you!

[Guest]

Could anyone tell me if they have any spots for me to try out in southern minnesota for some coyotes?I would greatly appreciate it...thanks!

[Rippinlip]

Hey Tri,

Where are you looking to go, or should I say where are you from? I am looking for some others to go with because I am new to this and would like to learn. I have access to some land that I here them howling quite often.

If interested post here or e-mail me at
[email protected]

[jighead]

Sarge;
I used to go coon hunting when I was a kid. Had a great time, brother in law got me started. He had two dogs, I'm not really sure of the breeds. Possible blue tick and walker. We used my Colt Diamondback 22 pistol for a weapon. I had to use glow in the dark jig paint on the sights to be able to make clean kills. Made a lot of money during those times. Hides were worth on an average of 45 bucks and up for prime pelts. We were not in this game for the money though, we just liked having more time in the woods. I grew up in the Sauk Centre area, hunted mainly near Ward Springs/ North east of Sauk! This was at least 20 years ago! Although I am getting a little long in the tooth, I think I still have a few coon hunts left in me! Let's share some stories!

[Guest]

Does anyone know of anywhere where there are good populations of coyotes and fox in the southern MN region?If so please advise.Thanks!

[Diago]

Hi Rick

I am a beginner at varmint hunting. I would like to hunt fox and coyote in the Grand Rapids area. I purchased a portable electronic call the call sounds "tinney" I am afraid that the animals will be spooked. I have never had a predator respond to the call. Should I switch to a mouth blown call? What has been your experience?

[Diago]

Hi Rick

I am a beginner at varmint hunting. I would like to hunt fox and coyote in the Grand Rapids area. I purchased a portable electronic call the call sounds "tinney" I am afraid that the animals will be spooked. I have never had a predator respond to the call. Should I switch to a mouth blown call? What has been your experience?

[flyfshrmn]

Anyone do any varmint hunting near Fargo Moorhead, on the MN side. Just curious.
Pete

[Creek Kid]

The first time I ever used my mouth blown rabbit squealer and howler I got every coyote in the county excited! It was dark (no moon) and they lit up from every direction! I bailed after realizing they would be way too close for my taste by the time I could see them. Haven't really thought much of sitting in the dark and howling at them since. It was the first time I ever ever tried varmint hunting. I get ribbed alot about getting spooked by a great opportunity to do some shooting but even after encounters with them since, at much closer proximity, I don't think I'd stay there. They're a strange animal. Sometimes they'll be at a dead run as soon as a brake light comes on and other times you dang near bump heads with them! Have seen a few this year. Now with some snow I hope to warm up the .243! Good luck!

[Rippinlip]

I hear ya Creek kid,
I had the %*/? scared out of me about a year ago. I had been varmit hunting for a couple of years, only during the twi-light hours, when I decided to give the night shift a try.
It was a full moon, so i drove to my hunting spot a gave a few howls and I had a response, so I loaded up the .25-06 and set up on a side hill. We kept going back and forth talking, then it almost got deathly quiet. After what seem to be an hour (probably was only 5 minutes) the loudest howl I ever heard was about 20 yards right behind me. I never heard this animal coming, probably because we just got several inches of snow. He must have tried to circle me to use the wind to his advantage. When he howled and ran, I was so shook that I took to pick-up and almost run back to my truck.
It was really a different feeling to be the hunted instead of the hunter.

[Guest]

I've got a neat video of a fox sneaking in behind my partner. We were facing each other across a small valley. The fox comes over the top of the hill, and belly crawls until he's about 10 feet above my partner, carefully peeking over a snowdrift. I left the camera running, and soon enough the fox heads across the face of hill, only to meet up with 25 grains of lead travelling at high velocity from me.
Forgot about leaving the camera on until that evening when we sat down to watch the day's tape. We laughed like heck watching that fox, but the bigger chuckle was seeing my partner go nearly airborn when the shot goes off.
Couple of years ago we were calling coyotes, and I had a group working in on us - right into my partner's field of fire. There were 4 of the buggers, and my partner was preparing to whack 'em when I see shadows on both sides of me and then an absolutely piercing challenge howl lets loose behind me. The 2 packs apparently thought the other was the source of the noise! Nearly crapping my white pants, I managed to slip the .22 pistol out of my coat pocket (these guys were a little too close for a scope dialed up to 12 power). My partner caps off a round, I extend my arm, swivel my head to the right and prepare to punch a hole in the head of the coyote on my right - from about 10 feet. Then I realize there are 3 others standing behind me - even closer.
Yup, I didn't get a single one. Kinda like when a huge flock of ducks whistles into the decoys and you miss 'em all. I made the fatal error many of us know so well, allowing myself to be distracted by sheer numbers rather than focusing on making a clean shot.
My partner got 2 out of his pack, and I had to put up with snide comments for the remainder of the trip.

[Guest]

Hi Sarge, just found this message board on Varmant hunting. YES, i hunt coon. i have and raise Black and Tan dogs,(don't ask me what color they are,LOL). I hunt around Mower County. it was a great Fall, my boys and I hunted untill Christmas Day. we went out about 4 or 5 nights a week for all of Nov, and Dec. I love to hear my hounds sing in the woods. I tell my buddies, they sing me to sleep every night. Coon prices arn't bad, I got $10 apiece for them, and $8 for a smaller one, i could have gotten a little more for them if i would have went up to Owatonna and sold them, but i sold them localy. and i don't have anyplace for the hides sence it was so warm. and if it warms up again i'll be out once more, i hope.

[Rippinlip]

Could someone tell me if they have hunted the W.M.A. just to the north of Hunts lake and to the west of Shieldsville?
Possibly let me know if there is a chance there is some fox or coyotes in the area?
Our area by where I live is getting pounded pretty hard and people are taking some really uneventful shots and making it harder and harder to get a response from the coyotes.
Question for anyone, like Pete said earlier, sometimes when I do get a response they show up to close for my high-powered scope. Is any hand gun legal to shoot for coyotes? I do know the big game regulations on casing size, etc..., Thanks for the advice.

[Guest]

Rippinlip,

Any caliber pistol is leagal for varmint hunting. I would advise not using anything bigger than a 243, so you don't destroy the hide too much. A 22 long rifle will work at close range, but you will want to use at least a 22 magnum for any distant shooting. Thompson Center Arms makes a wide range of calibers for their single shot pistols.

Can anybody tell me where there is a good consentration of rabbits? I would like to find some snowshoes, but cottontails are tasty too.

[Guest]

Anybody here hunt Crows? Whats the most successful way to do this. I need and e caller. I have dekes and a mouth call. Just wondering some tricks of the trade.

------------------
If I'm not in the duck blind or the ice house I'm thinking about it!!......maybe thats why I can't pay attention in class!

[HUNTER2]

My brother and I used to go out hunting racoons at night with a couple of coon dogs. One night we were out next to a dredge ditch with a veteran dog a a biginner dog. We saw headlights coming down the road and they seemed to sway on the wrong side of the road. When we went to find the two dogs, we noticed that the truck had went on the wrong side of the road to run over our new dog. We had Blaze orange collars on them. What a sick feeling to know that there is such jerks out there.

[HUNTER2]

We use the E caller with the fighting crow tape. They are on us in less than 5 minutes!

[kupcho]

I usually will sit on the edge of a field for crows and put an owl decoy about 50 yards out. Then I put 2 crow decoys right next to the owl. This works for me. Crows always swoop at the owl. I would also have tape call going too.

The question I have is for Coyotes. I use a 223 and its a good gun. I have a varmit call(dying rabbit) and I will use this call and I can hear the coyotes come in but I can never see them. Is this because they suspect something or what? It might be wind too, but last time the wind was blowing at me when I could hear them. Anyone have any solutions? Or tips?

[Guest]

Best luck I have had hunting Coyotes is using dogs. We got over 13 coytes and 6 fox over this last year. I have hunted Coyotes for years without dogs. It sure increases your chances to run dogs. Well just thought I would add my two cents. By the way Coyotes have a great sense of smell. Pay real close attention to wind direction. They love circling up wind.

[Guest]

Kupcho- what probably happened is they either saw you and vamoosed, or circled downwind, caught your scent, and got the heck out of Dodge. You would be amazed how well they can use the tiniest fold of land to remain undetected. Couple of months ago I was looking over a nice snowcovered field, roughly 10 minutes after starting my calling sequence, when something caught my eye - looked like a mouse moving along the top of the corn stubble. Put the binocs on it, and was surprised to see a set of coyote ears. That bad boy was nearly downwind of me by that point - so I put the scope on the ears, but didn't have a shot. Pulled out the .22 pistol, laid a round in the snow just in front of him, and picked him off with the rifle as he jumped up to run. Imagine my surprise when 2 other coyotes jumped up at the same time - within 20 yard of the first one.

[kupcho]

Thanks for the tips fellas. They must have saw me because they were coming with the wind and they couldn't have smelled me. They must have detected something out of the ordinary. I'll keep these things in mind for next time.

Kupcho

[Guest]

Kupcho - another thing that happens with coyotes is that they get real smart real fast - in other words they may have been called to before. This is real common here in Minnesota, especially the southern half of the state where there a quite a few guys with a bunny call and a rifle looking to kill a little time (and maybe a coyote). What you described above may have been an educated coyote, who will stop well outside of normal rifle distance, and usually behind some cover, and yap at you to draw you out.
You then have the classic "hung up" situation, where you can't move any closer to the coyote (who has figured out your exact location by sound) and the coyote won't come any closer to you. Your only options in that situation are to either shut up, let the bugger get away, and carefully slip into a new location to try getting a bit more in his face OR pulling a totally different call out of your pocket and making the coyote curious. I've used a number of different oddball calls with varying degrees of success, including howlers, turkey diaphragms, crow calls, hawk screams mixed in with the bunny and turkey calls...... My partner gets exasperated with my experimenting sometimes, but it is kind of fun to mess with the coyote's mind.

[kupcho]

LOL!!! I bet the coyotes you hunt for are thinking there is a whole family of animals over there. Or what in the H E double hockey sticks is going on over there. Either way they are curious. I hunt in northern minn. North of Bemidiji. Lots of coyotes and fox around there. I will try these things and see if I can't get a few. I also heard to put a dead rabbit on fishing line about one hundred yards away and drag it too you. Real slow and twitch it. Has anyone heard this?

Kupcho

[Guest]

Decoys can help. My current model is a squirrel skin, mounted on a piece of an old fiberglass fishing rod. The rod was spraypainted white to match the snow, and I've got 50 feet of line on it. One little tug gives plenty of movement. A friend uses a piece of deer hide, and I've seen the featherflex bunny decoys (but never tried one).
I don't use the decoy all of the time, mostly because there are some set-ups where I would have to expose myself in order to get it into position.

[TUMBLEWEED]

Anyone gone out and gotten one of those
new Hornaday 17 rimfire magnums yet??
I can't wait to get one of these things
in my hands!! So far they are only in long
guns,but I bet they will soon get out a pistol or two going.

Early tests, show fine accuracy out to 140 yards on ground squirrels. Amazing, since we are talking a rimfire cartridge here!! I have
a nice Marlin 22 mag, but I feel a new purchase coming on soon. I think this new
cartridge will fit in fine,when I don't feel
like lugging around the 22-250 or 270. Or
even for some hi-power can shooting, etc.

Has anyone got any firsthand info on these
guns yet,please let me know,thanks....

[Guest]

My buddy has one. We never got out last year but he says he has used it successfully on yotes. This year I hope to get out a few times. The hardest part is having a place to go.

[Nels]

Anyone here going crow hunting in March?
I have never been, but a couple of my friends(also rookies) are thinking of going.
Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions for this early season.

Thanks,
Nels