How was your season?

[Hern]

1) How was your overall predator hunting season?
2) Did you learn anything?
3) Did you try any thing new? (calls, techniques, equipment)
4) What will you do different next season?

Every year I observe, in the snow, that there are more Fox/Coyote tracks then I expected. Year after year, still amazes me.

[Huntin 4 yotes]

Mine was one word, terrible!! The coyotes taught me a lesson this year!

[HDRoadking3058]

I did better than last year. I think that's everyone's goal. I learn something new about every time I go out. As far as changing anything I'll will shoot for more property to hunt. I will practice shooting at night with the lights running. What was new for this year was a new fury II and I programmed a couple of half hour sequences. It was great to turn the call on and let it run for 30 minutes. I was much more able to sit still and scan. And I will be doing more lip squeaking. I had one at one hundred yards and lip squeaked him in for a 20 yard kill. I am completely in love with this kind of hunting, it has become a true passion. Hern, about the tracks, I agree. I keep killing them in places and there is always fresh tracks when I go back. It blows my mind.

[Hern]

I programmed a couple of half hour sequences. It was great to turn the call on and let it run for 30 minutes.
Did you put any of your favorite songs on that segment?

One thing I learn each year, there are more guys out calling than I think, even though I don't bump into them. I usually find this out in the off season.

Our Fox populations was the lowest ever in my area. My harvest show that.
I did have a good run of Coyote kills since New Years, but I did hunt more often this season.

 

[Bigcat]

This year I hunted more then I ever have. The further I got into the season the better it got for me (minus January).

I learned a lot about calling fox that I feel will really help me next year. I also learned I have no idea what I'm doing calling yotes. Pretty much been targeting fox but I would think a yote or two would check me out. Thinking its my setups.

I got a 17 hornet that I love. Also the scan light and carnivore2 gun light which is awesome which made it easier to identify. Thank you EW

Next year I'm gonna to look at my setups and try to get in better position for yotes.

[HDRoadking3058]

Hern. My #1 sequence this year was: dsg cottontail, baybee cottontail, titmouse tantrum, nutty nuthatch and gray fox distress six minutes each. Each sound volume started off low and gradually increased not higher than 14 on my fury.

[Bowman66]

This season started hot and fizzled after Christmas then picked back up toward the end of season. Last year was about the same but would still pull doubles in, not so much this year.
I learned the value of a good bulb squeaker and just how well a fox can hear over 300 yds away over the knoll. I also learned that when hunting with a partner for fox as I do most of the time, in our area where coyotes are becoming more prevalent it's a great idea to be armed for both fox and yotes. I prefer the .17 hornet for fox and the .204 for yote hunting. I use factory loads and the .204 is not a fur friendly round for fox with Hornady VMax so we go two gunned due to the random yote coming in periodically.
I ran into more predator hunters this year out hunting than ever before. Even on property that I was supposed to be the only one with permission to hunt. That's the nature of the beast though.
Next years plan is to get back out there and keep trying to get better!

[BedfordQDM]

1) This was one of our best seasons. I was able to consistently able to call in stuff through out the season. I can only remember 1 night with no eyes.

2) I learned that I can start out howling for coyotes, and still call up a red fox on the same set. Also learned I need to do more rifle shooting this summer! I got into a shooting slump late in the season.

3) This season reaffirmed that I do much better with my mouth calls than I do with my Foxpro. Much better...
    The squeaker bulb is my #1 call...
    I really took the time to place a downwind shooter on most stands this year, and that worked out well.
    We had sets that I was able to put a fox going downwind, right into the lap of my DW shooter. 
    Ernie's lights were a big improvement to our gear.

4) Continue working on refining the approach to my setups.

[Misterjake23]

Overall, I had a great season.  My kills this year were about the same as last year.

     I learned that hunting with a good buddy is invaluable.  He's someone to keep you motivated to get off the sofa and into the woods when it's cold and you need that little extra incentive to get out there.  A good hunting partner also appreciates the kills, misses and hard work it sometimes takes to get those critters into range.

     I learned there are more coyotes out there than most people realize, and the numbers are growing quickl   


     Be prepared for anything and everything.  Just because you are calling for fox, expect that house cat, coyote, owl, or even a deer !!

     Most importantly,  I learned to just get out there and have fun!!!  I may not get a shot opportunity, and I may miss a few now and then,  but a bad day of hunting is better than a good day of working !!!   Life's to short....  Enjoy every minute.

[uncle buck]

it was a real good season for me.. I was real impressed with the Encore 17 Hornet as a fox gun. Combined with the EW Ranger Rest, and the Carnivore 2 lights it was one heck of a fox getter... My son did well with it too.. So I don't know if you guys are into Encore rifles. However www.eabco.com 17 hornet barrels shoot so well with that factory ammo.. I just got some  Berger 25 grain HP today from Brownells. I might reload some of that and some of the Nosler Armageddon bullets and use the LIL GUN powder to see how they shoot this Spring.
sometimes it seemed like a waste of time using electronics. however I did call in one coyote using the Alpha Dogg and the Coyote/rabbit Expert hunt sequence..  the coyote came in about the 15 min mark..however you can just jump around with your FoxPro and do the same thing.. Just allow some silence gaps in between your calling..
That last  5 years I have been taking two different people calling.. Next year the 2nd person is going to get dumped if he doesn't buy his own Carnivore  2 light systems.. My son and I both have them and I supply this person with lights...During the Mosquito Creek I felt that if we were going to get anything I would have to allow him to use the best ..the Carnivore  2 shooting light and the head light.. Low and behold I call the coyote in with my mouth calling and I was using my older red led head light.. While the coyote didn't see me the light just wasn't adequate and I missed it with my  10 gauge. NEF. so you can see why I'm a little fed up with taking people for extended periods of time of calling and they are actually taking advantage of using my equipment and not buying their own...I know if I would have had the  Carnivore 2 head light on instead of the other light  I would have probably nailed that coyote.. by the way the guy uses my guns and a Primos Power Styk tripod of mine too.  So. yep next year it will be just my son and I hunting in the MC.

I have no problem with letting new people try out my equipment... it's just when time passes and they kind of use you that's when things like this get old!!! by the way 3 years is the enlistment period in the U. S. Marine corp. thats a heck of a long time not to be starting to buy your own lights. Yesterday I cleaned 12 guns. see that just plain burn out for any human..