Night Calling

[coyotejohn]

Was wondering why most of you guys night hunt as opposed to daytime hunts.  My perception may be wrong but I see very little on daytime calling.  We have some area where night hunts are allowed, primarily those areas that see a lot of depredation on our antelope, big horns and mule deer.  Have tried it a number of times but don't really care for it.  My enjoyment, now, is being able to see a coyote running in from hundreds of yards away or the stealth a bobcat and/or lion uses in response to a call. 

When Bill (from UB old site) came out for a week of calling it was rather exciting to watch a bobcat that came sneaking in on us, also to see a coyote come running in hell bent for leather.  I would suggest you guys try more daytime hunts, you may find it more enjoyable.

This is a picture of the bobcat we watched sneaking from sagebrush to sagebrush until Bill shot it.  Since I did not obtain his permission to post his picture this is a photo of me and his cat. 

[Misterjake23]

CJ    Most guys work during the day so they only have nights to hunt.  Plus around here night hunting is synonymous with predator hunting.  Not sure why, but when most people are taught predator hunting they are taught to do it at night.

     I have been doing more and more daytime calling with great success.  Perhaps the day hunting is the best kept secrets!!

[coyotejohn]

We watched this guy come down the two track from over a mile away.  Took a while as he would stop along the road and sit but not for long then start again.  He came into about five or so yards from the caller and died as he stood looking at it.  The point is that you can learn a lot about a predators reactions to calls if you can see them.
Some sneak in, some make a mad rush for the sound and other come in very slowly and not all circle into the wind. 

[Misterjake23]

Love to see the pictures

[Pa Goosehntr]

  CJ you have been/lived in Pa and know watching a coyote a mile away coming in is not realistic  yea the developers did us in  now iffin you have a brush pile we'ins can use a scatter gun for sure. Ernesto likes 300yd shots but that is not the norm here...wish I had the open space you have....Iffin my memory is correct "Bill" was from western Pa and got a job in WVa....last name began with a P.

[coyotejohn]

Goose I left PA in 1960 been back twice, once when mom passed away and then when dad passed away.  We lived in farm country when I left and you could see almost forever.

You are correct Bill was from Irwin and got a job in WV. 

But look how thick it is out here, you can only see about ten miles maybe a tad more.  I have a follow-up to this picture I'll post later, gotta go watch Bama beat the Gators.

[coyotejohn]

These guys are following that small antelope herd looking for an easy meal.  It's fawning time and they give birth out in the open, coyotes get them as they are being born.



When Ernie visited I don't think we even called in anything. 

P.S.  Both these guys died shortly after the picture taking session was over.

[bigben]

I call a good bit during the daytime in mountianous areas. Calling daytime in the fields we hubt at night is problematic.  Totally different setup strategy IMO.

Great pics as always Mr.John.

Heres one of the daytime greys i got over the years.



I think i killed him on a early morning subday hunt. I havent been calling as much as i usually do. In fact i bet i have inly been out a dozen times in the past three years.

[Pa Goosehntr]

  CJ I love the wide open spaces  I got stuck in a town with sidewalks and folks are still tryin to figure out why?? Guess life deals some strange cards... I would really like to have some land and live in South Dakota...I really like that area 

[Brushwolf]

John I don't know why I don't daylight hunt that much at all. For me it is seeing them red eyes at night come at you does something for me. But when I do go daylight hunting it is just as awsome to see them come to the call like u said. Actually I would say my % are better then at night. I think I made a total of 4 stands in the daylight for cats and 2 years ago crippled one and unfortually did not get it. Then last year made one stand and killed this female.


I must admit this was a better thrill then watching the red eyes come in at night. Just truly awsome watching it hunt for my call.

Then my other kill in the daylight was this nice male. Now I probably have only 5 total stands made for yotes during daylight hours since I started predator hunting.


After these daylight kills it is just good if not better then night hunting like u mention. Doing more daylight stands is on my list this winter.

[Hern]

Good Question
The reasons Pa. guys don't hunt much during daylight has several answers and some were mentioned.
-More action during the night time, predators more active in Pa.
-Most folks work during the day, giving way to night time calling throughout the work week.
-Every day, more people in Pa. outdoors, farmers, hunters, joggers, cross county skiers, firewood cutters, hikers, atv riders, snowmobile riders, trappers, fishermen, ice fishermen and so on. Lots of human activity and the critters seem to avoid that. Folks tend to hole up at night and critters come out. Not much 'free range' in my area.
-Most guys learn to hunt at night in Pa. (because we can) and we tend to stick to what we learned or when to hunt or have time to hunt.

cj, if your area permitted night calling and you did it as long, as much, as some members, you may have different perspective on night calling. (don't take that the wrong way, am not stepping on your toes)
When I am mad at 'em and want to slam 'em, I will do 40%-50% of my stands during day light hours for Fox/Coon. I am 100% day light calling for Coyote.
Personally, I do alot of day light calling. When I was working a full time job, I would call early daylight, then go to work, may make a stop or three on the way home from work in the dark. Weekends off at the time, I would work the weather fronts as they moved, day or night. Even called my work and took 'sick days' to work weather fronts during daylight hours.
Winter conditions, extended cold and/or extended snow cover, I hunt daylight (along with night hunts) but critters are on the move during these hard times.
cj, we live in two different hunting method worlds...lol.

[Hern]

cj, during daylight hours, I ran into folks over the years.
Wondered why I couldn't spook up a Coyote, drove around the ridge (to re-position) and 2 guys cutting firewood & moving tractor and wagon.
Had avt's drive to me or nearby
Had snowmobiles wiz by or nearby
Had a walker, another time, jogger try to fine the crazy sound they were hearing.
Even called in a Beagle, Bird Dog, Farm Dogs, Barn Cats on  different outings during daylight...
Not complaining, just some things happen on the east coast during daylight hours because we have more people using the woods and fields.
So adjustments are made throughout the years to try to avoid these daylight happenstances.
Enjoy calling during the day time and sleeping at night. Agree with you cj, love seeing Fox, Coon, Bobcat or Coyote responding to the call during day time.

[coyotejohn]

Hern, I asked the question in good faith and all replies have been in good faith.  Never would I think that you of all people would be stepping on my toes.  And if you did I wouldn't feel it as they have cut all the nerves in my feet.

I am not a complete novice at night calling, have called:  Iberian wolves in the basque country of Spain and in Italy have called wolves in the Apennine Mountains.  The wolves in Italy and Spain are now protected but at the time were not.  The sheep herder in Spain could care less they shot every wolf they seen and although it was over thirty years ago I would bet even money they still are.

Dingo and Red fox in Australia at night and day.  Only killed a few dingo as they are as smart if not smarter than a coyote.   However did see a lot of eyes, rather see the critter.  We could and a few times did kill fox by the truck load (just a figure of speech)

Boars, red fox, badgers in Germany night and day, again preferred the day hunts.  The German day hunts were as you stated, joggers, hikers, etc.  But we still did well during the day, I think the critters get use to it....

I understand your statement about different terrain as I have called in just about every state in the union and several countries. But I have found that most if not all canines act/respond the same way.   

I night hunted a few times out here but not anymore, matter of fact I can hardly walk enough to hunt.  A few reason why I gave it up - I'm out there with a gun, so are the illegals w/guns (dope runners), Border Patrol w/guns, ranchers w/guns, DEA w/guns.  Just to darn many guns to contend with and beside the fact I just don't like night hunting.     

[coyotejohn]

Brushwolf, thats a long legged coyote, ours are no where the size of yours, most average in the mid 20's.  The largest we killed was 34 pounds and that was a rarity. 

Your bobcats seem a bit darker and not as spotted are ours.  Do you guys have a limit on them?  We don't we can kill as many as we are capable of calling in.  We do have a season 1 Sep through the end of Feb.  Do you have a full length picture of that cat?

[Brushwolf]

We have to buy a permit for one cat for a three week season.





Not a big one but my first called and killed. Sure don't have the spots like the ones in the west.