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coyote or fox sightings?

muddy

muddy

Well-Known Member
My buddy absolutely smoked (literally) a big buck 'yote this morning. Anyone else seeing any song dogs? My hunting season was also made 2 days ago, I squeaked in a pair of fox right under my stand. I havn't seen a fox in 3 or 4 years, something I won't soon forget. It was so cool to watch them come through the timber running on blown down logs to be quieter as they snuck up on the "mouse".
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Coyotes are all over southern Iowa, can't hardly walk without stepping in their scat. My son squeeked in and shot a female earlier this fall--now that the other seasons are closing we'll be going after more. There's a big dog in the timber that lets loose every evening as the sun goes down, makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, that we'd especially like to take. There are packs in every direction, though.

Conventional wisdom is that one wouldn't see many foxes where the coyotes are thick, because the coyotes will kill the smaller foxes to protect their territory. Not like they're going to drive them into extinction though.

The trappers all report that bobcats are really increasing in numbers. Haven't seen or heard any personally.
 
I saw two foxes and shot one coyote during shotgun season. Alot of coyotes around where I hunt in N. Central Iowa.
 
I'm glad sombody else brought this up. I've wanted to ask several questions about 'yote hunting. I was trying to decide between a .223 or a .22-250 when another guy said the best varmint gun is a Bushmaster in .223. So I found them on the 'net and Bushmaster makes two variants in a varmint gun. Just happens there was a gun show in CR again this weekend. Saw one Bushmaster varmint modle for about 1K, no scope, bipod, sling or anything. Wondered around for awhile and came across another vendor with the similar style but different brand that was several hundred less. He was a likeable guy and said I really didn't need the longer barrel lenghth and the brand he carried was better than Bushmaster. I belive he had PDM(?) and said there were four companies that made about the same gun, Bushmaster, Colt, Armalite(?) and his.

So here are my questions:

1: Semiauto or bolt?
A: .223 or .22-250?
B: What brands are best?

2: Scope.
A: Power?
B: Is Leopold(sp) worth the money?
C: Anybody use night vision scopes?

3: Callers.
A: Anbody use electronic?
B: Howlers and squeekers?

4: Anybody intrested in letting me tag along to learn?

I figure when it comes to hunting and fishing, if you want success you have to hunt what is most plentiful. So I fish for carp and want to hunt for coyotes.

Thanks,

The 'Bonker
 
Bonker

My sentiments exactly. Hunt and fish for what's plentiful. Carp and coyotes. From my limited 'yote hunting I've found that a 22-250 tends to shred coyotes up pretty bad, I'd stick with a .223. The 223 would also not be too much gun in case you get a fox to come in, a 22-250 would make a REALLY big hole in a thin skinned fox. My buddy and his dad just got some Leupold scopes and really like them. They let in a lot of light for when you're in the dusk, dawn, and super moonlit nights. You wouldn't be disappointed I'd bet. I've always used 3-9x40 for a scope whether it's on my muzzlelaoder, .22 hornet, .17 cal, .220 swift...yadda yadda yadda. As far as bullet weight I don't know cuz i don't pay attention. Sorry. All I do know is that a .220 swift will literally, and I mean literally, gut a cat at 25 yards.
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Callers, we use a Johnny Stewart cassette caller but it's pretty heavy. It is the only one that has automatic restart I believe but I'm not that sure. Some of our new callers are pretty sweet. The Phantom caller is nice, it's light, compact, loud, and can play 2 sounds at the same time. Like I said with the climber treestand, come on down and we can go through some of them. Speaking of that climber, how is it working for you and how is your season winding down??
 
I think a lot of this depends on where you'll be hunting and how. I'd say .223 for shorter shots in more timbered areas and semi-auto for getting off several before they make it back into cover or if you're pushing them with a group of hunters or dogs. If you'll be hunting more open areas with only light cover and mostly setting and calling, go with bolt in .22-250 or 220 Swift, possibly even heavy barrel. You can't go wrong with better quality optics on a smaller target such as this. Tailor scope to weapon and type of hunting, a fixed 6X would probably work on .223 semi-auto, big variable on .22-250. I mostly use mouth calls. Good luck.
 
Today when i was out bowhunting i saw my fist coyote, i wanted to get it real bad, didnt come close enough though, it was rather small too. But i wasnt sure what to think beings i been out all this time and today was the first time i seen one. Ill get that sucker next time though
 
I shot a decent size female coyote on the first day of 1st shotgun with my muzzleloader. The distance was 28 yards and the critter never flinched.

Over the years I have missed coyotes with my bow three separate times, but one of these days that will change!!
 
Had one swim a river and beach 20 yard's from me,I nailed him but never found him,they are tough customer's!!
After I said something to my bowhunting partner he said "you Shot a$10 coyote with a $20 arrow". .
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That sure look's to be a wolf in the pic,or somebody lost there pet wolf.
 
Here's a pic from a few weeks ago here in Nebraska. Our Game and Parks took this from the person who shot it so it can be DNA tested to see if it's a pure wolf or not. I haven't heard any more news yet. Sure makes the yote look small. To me it looks pretty good sized to be a wild, free roaming wolf.
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Here is my reply to fishbonker questions out a varmit gun. I shoot a Ruger .223 with a varmit barrel. I have a Simmons Atex scope on it and let me tell you I love it. Here in Northwest IA we have a few fox and I like to spot and stalk. Last year I had 2 days of snow to work with, 4 shots 4 dead fox. I love this setup, 2 other buddies of mine have the same gun and it is money!!!! Good luck with your decision and bring on some snow!
 
That picture of the wolf doesn't look much like the ones we saw at the Wolf Institute up by Elly Minn. They were real long legged and thinner in the body. They were much lighter weight and the head looked different than the one in the picture. What ever it is I wouldn't want a half dozen under my bow stand about dark.
 
Now that everything else we hunt has been hunted, we're going after coyotes again. This year my son and I are using AR15's. His is a DPMS (16 inch) and mine is a Bushmaster (16 inch). After years of using a bolt action, I've decided this is really the best way to go. Spent much time on varmint websites, so that is my decision. My scope is a 3 x 9 Ziess and his is 4 x12 Fujinon. His gun shoots better than mine but mine is lighter. We use shooting sticks and mouth calls. Kinda hard to add emotion to electronic calls, but a lot of hunters use them sucessfully, so I don't have a problem with that. We picked up some Fall Flight camo at the Ankeny Wal Mart the other day, should be good when there isn't snow, like NOW. Priced cheap. We use Crit R Calls and some decoys, etc. I'm going out Saturday for the first time this year. In a few weeks, we are going to South Dakota for some coyote calling.

I decided on this gun because of the many times you see more than one coyote come in and the scope is very bright and the reticle is bold.

I hope we post our success and failures often. We do have a good population but not always easy to call in.

Good hunting.
 
Does anybody else hang their kills off a basketball hoop in front of their garage? What is the advantage, if any, of using this method? Is it new? I haven't seen any articles or episodes of Realtree Outdoors featuring it.
 
to fishbonker. you can't go wrong with a 22-250. i've used one for years and it always rolls them. i have custom loads with 52 gr. hollowpoint boatails and have dropped dogs out to 400 yards on a calm day. I shoot an old Remington 788 which they do not make any more cause they shot better than the more expensive 700's. Leupolds are nice but overpriced in my opinon. Go for a good $200 scope and Leupold mounts and rings. I have also heard and read many good things about Tika rifles. I think I am gonna get one (338 Ultra) for my next trip to Alaska.
 
During late season two buddies and I saw a group of 5 coyotes that kept spooking deer away from us....so with only 30 minutes of light left we got our revenge on one of them. After several shots ranging from over 100 yards to 40 we managed to put him down.
My dad is a longtime coyote tracker/stalker and has killed more coyotes that I can count with his .270 semiautomatic. He has actually shot a coyote at over 400 yards, running, with it......witnesses and all. I believe he uses 100 grain bullets for yotes. I have only killed two coyotes in my life.....both while deer hunting. One with a slug gun and one with a pistol. For some reason they always seem to outsmart me when I put on the whites, pick up the rifle and try to stalk them.
Good luck and good hunting!

-GunnerJon
 
During bow season I seen 1 fox and 2 yotes and heard them running every night while I was leaving. I went up squirrel hunting Saturday and seen 2 fox and heard at least another 5 more. Had three fox within 20 yards but I don't have a furbearers license. One was barking and running a rabbit along a cut cornfield right towards me. He stopped at 15 yards and decided he better not. I've never heard so many fox in my life.
 
Shovelbuck,
Do you know any specifics on where that guy harvested... Cujo.
I have bowhunted Nebraska the last couple of years but definatly haven't seen anything like that. Several farmers in the area I hunt talk about Mountain Lions running around though! From the looks of it I better start carrying a few more arrows in case that thing has any relatives.
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