how many guys have been out scouting?

[bigben]

right now is the time to start getting out there and getting permission to hunt on farms.  start scouting now.  look for food and good cover.  tracks scat right now many critters will run the main roads to avoid busting brush.  check in gutters along fire roads in the state forests for sign also.  check arieal photos for clear cuts that are not other wise seen from the road.  get out and look.  so has anyone been out scouting at all?  did a good bit this weekend again.  gonna head to the north central part of the state here closer to the end of september.  hopefully I will be looking for bobcat sign because I might be lucky enough to finally draw one.

[muttbuster]

I've been out scouting. As a matter of fact I never stop scouting. I just secured 2 great farms over the weekend. One farm had a pack of coyotes killing a red fox and howling as the fire whistles went off.

[predator77]

I've been scouting my areas but I guess I should make sure the places I had last year still welcome hunters this year. Still never seen a coyote. Heard them but never seen one that I know of.

[swarter2]

I've been out scouting every week and checking cameras once a month.  Just like P77 said I might be losing my one spot I've been hunting over 10yrs.  New Property manger is an (*&%^&%^#.

[Duffman]

There are a few of the properties I need to scout some but some of the others I check out when I walk the field/wood edges when I am hunting whistle pigs. I had shot a hog along an edge of a field a few weeks back. When I went past it a few days later hunting hogs, I noticed the hog was gone. Beside the hole I saw what looked like a pile of old blood and a few feet from that was either fox or coyote scat. I'm looking forward to calling this property this fall. Already saw a gray on this property back in June while hunting hogs also.

[Critterslayer51]

Waterfowler1183 and I just got back sunday from a trip we took up to Tioga Co to ask permission to hunt predators...all together we got access to about 10 farms, all in which had stated that they had seen and or heard coyotes in the past few months...some told stories of coon and fox as well...one farmer invited us up for bear season, as he had some bears running along the stream behind his barn...we only had 2 farms turn us down, and they seemed as if they were very animal "friendly", one sheep farmer that turned us down even stated that they had "friendly" coyotes, and they do not harm their sheep, so Tony and I kinda smirked to each other and calmly walked out to get back into the truck...all together we did ask most of the farmers how many acres they own, and we're looking in the ballpark of 1000+ acres to hunt...now that was driving from 7am to 530 pm, and about a tank and a half less of gas, but all the farms look very promising with the habitat and the farmers first hand knowledge of seeing and hearing yotes...we did not have a lot of time to get out and walk around all the properties, but driving around the boundaries we could tell its some good land to hunt...we also carried around buisness cards with our names and numbers, handing them out to the farmers to get in touch with us if needed, and tell thier friends...we started our search out stopping by the local AGWAY and asking the clerks there if they knew any farmers coming in complaining about coyotes, and it led to our first permission...which then led to permission of the entire street worth of farms...just got to take your time and get out there boys, there is endless amounts of places to hunt you just got to get out and ask!

[Hern]

A few years ago I killed a 'sheep killer'.
After that I was not welcomed on the property.
The sheep farmer said I solved the problem of the 'sheep killer' and he hasn't had any problems with other Coyote (but they are still in the area).
He stated if I kill any more Coyote on his property, a 'sheep killer' may move in and cause problems.
Reasonable thinking.

[bigben]

another thing you guys can do is find out if your county has a tax mapper available online.  this has helped me narrow down who owns that farm over there or how many acres the farm is.  property lines that I can see on a overhead map instead of the farmer saying it follows the fenceline.  it also helps me find out who is bordering property I have been turned down on.  many times I find a nice looking property and get turned down.  so I look who is next door and if they have some huntable areas then I normally ask them.  all depends on the situation of course though.

[Critterslayer51]

Yeah we were talking about just exactly that, getting the property maps from the county or township and highlight where we can and can not hunt. Hern, yeah they gave us the same reasoning, this coyote doesn't hurt nothing and if you kill that one a different alpha may move in and not be so friendly. Now that is true, if we wack'm, more will come in, but comon a "nice" coyote? To sheep at that?

[bigben]

I would say that their luck will run out someday they get a coyote that is a bit bolder.  about 5 years ago I had a farmer friend that I asked about trapping his property.  he had about 50 acres that had good coon trapping on the back side away from his farm.  he said no because he did not want any of the cats caught because they kept mice down.  around early december I get a phone call from the same farmer asking me to stop on by someday.  sure nuff a couple coon had cleaned out his stash of plantin corn.  he asked me what I could do about it.  I said best thing i can do is trap em and maybe do some calling for em, at that time I just started calling.  he said if you could trap em without hurting the cats then go ahead.  I called a friend of mine and he offered up his cage trap.  I caught 4 big coons that went over 25lbs.  two were over 30lbs.  after getting 4 of em there was still sign of coon there but there was no more plantin corn left at this point.  I left the trap set but with nothing to bring the coons across the field I never caught anymore.  never caught a cat at all either.  caught one skunk though.  boy that was a interesting situation to say the least.  ever since that year he has allowed me to trap that run for coon and fox as long as I used friendly traps.  not sure what he meant by that but I hit it a few times for the following three years with a buddy that had a coon hound and we allways got a few big ones.  his dog died and since then I never went back.  I might call some coon there this year though.  woods beside the run and a field along the one edge that doesn't get cut makes it pretty good habitat for greys and coon.  

[predator77]

I'm getting excited just thinking about predator hunting. After seeing a couple reds and hearing from the property owner above me saying he seen 2 reds. One with 2 kits and one with 5 I am pumped up and waiting for October. Hopefully I get my cat permit. I did see a red with the worst mange I've ever seen on a living animal before on the D6 groundhog hunt. I hope he doesn't infect any others.

[waterfowler1183]

Hey Bigben when I get to a farm that has alot of potential I always turn to my "friendly" traps.  one of the best coon traps on the market is the LIL GRIZZ and although the price is pretty steep its well worth it.  I can set those right in the barnyard and not worry about catching cats at all.  And for canines those soft catch traps are often overlooked and it gets me on farms where most trappers are turned away.  Just a few ways we have to adapt to the situations at hand to keep stringin steel.  I also set a pile of cage traps every year and really pile up the skunks and coons with em

[payotechaser]

Ive been out looking for sign, scat and tracks.Want to find some areas for trapping and calling.Just bought a lightforce hunting light need to get spots lined up for some night hunting.Trying to find totally new spots.

[bigben]

I was out this weekend and found some good area for greys and coyotes.  good thick cover. 

[bigben]

the rest of the thicker stuff looks like this.