Anyone Hunting in Cumberland/Perry

[smd189]

I just joined this forum.  I never hunted coyote until this year in IL.  We hunt archery there every year, and every year, we get chased through the woods at night while tracking deer.  The yote's seem to be everywhere out there.  This year, I decided to take a 30 dollar e-caller and my encore pistol along.  I figured I would give it a try over lunch one of the days. 

Finally halfway through the week, I went back out around 10am to give it a try.  I set the caller on the ground 30 yards away, and sat down.  I turned the caller on, and the woods erupted with coyote's.  I had them coming in from the front, rear, and from both sides.  I tried to concentrat on the one's in front of me.  The first one stopped, and I shot it at about 40 yards.  My pistol is a single shot so I had to reload quickly, I then got a shot at the second one which was still coming in.  I missed that one.  For about 10 second the woods were quite, and then I had one come running right up to me from behind.  It caught me off guard and I missed it too.  So that was it.  I took my first coyote back to the cabin and now I'm hooked. 

I think I might be a little spoiled as well.  From everything I read, hunting coyote's here is not like hunting them out there.  Any suggestions for the Cumberland/Perry areas would be great.  I never seem them while out, but the tracks outnumber deer tracks 100/1.  Thanks.

[Lookn4Fur]

First let me say congratulations on the Coyote.  You must have gotten in a pocket or you may have been right in their living room, either way, good for you.  I live in Cumberland and hunt both countys on occaision.  I find it better hunting in the northern counties though.  Maybe we can get together sometime and give it a whirl..........Tim

PS.  Are you a member of the PPHA?  If not, I would like to encourage you to join.  There are a lot of good predator hunters and they are willing to give advice and help.

[smd189]

Either way, it was sure exciting.  What part of Cumberland are you in?  I just moved from Cumberland to Dauphin.  Do you ever have luck in the southern counties?  My friend has a cabin in Lycoming.  I would like to give it a shot up there as well.  I am not a member of PPHA yet.  I didn't even know about it until yesterday.  I will take a look at joining. 

I would love to go give it a shot somtime.  Despite my beginners luck in IL, I know I have little to no idea what I'm doing.  I just read an article about Coyote hunting with only a shotgun.  What do you use?  Do you hunt fields or forest?  I only have access to forest but I do see quite a few tracks.  Thanks.

Shawn

[Lookn4Fur]

I live on the outskirts of Mechanicsburg off rte 114.  No, I have never had luck in the southern counties for Coyote but Fox and Coon, yes.  Coyotes are in every county in PA.  I feel most coyotes killed in PA are accidental.  They aren't that difficult to call in if they are there.  Maybe I shouldn't say that because I am in a very long dry spell.  Just when I think I have them figured out, they fool me again.  That's why I like to hunt predators so much.  If it was easy it would get old quick.  Lycoming county should be a decent area to hunt if you can find an area that holds them that has little pressure.  Best chances are in October because they are not all educated by guys like me.  

I am a rifle guy but I am finding myself more attracted to a new shotgun set up for preds.  I use a Browning A-Bolt in .204 Ruger for coyotes.  I use the same gun in 22 Hornet for Fox and Coon.  I hunt both woods and fields but mostly woods for coyotes.  I'm not very lucky calling Coyotes out into a field in PA.  They just don't like to be exposed and like to hug the cover.  Remember my views are just that, my views.  Many others will tell you different and that's fine.  You have to follow your heart and what works for you.  I like the last two hours before dark and first two hours in the morning.  Fox and Coon 90% nite hunts.  Stick with it and don't get discouraged.  Good Luck.......Tim

[smd189]

Thank you.  My parents live right off 114 as well.  I am going to work on upgrading from my 30 dollar caller to somthing better and then give it a shot.  I will let you know how it goes.  Thanks again.

Shawn

[smd189]

I have another question.  It regards licensing.  I know you can hunt Coyote with a Reg. Hunting license.  Is it still true you need a Furtaker license to hunt fox?  If you have a furtaker license only, can you hunt coyote and fox?  I also want to confirm you can use electronic decoy's for coyote, but not fox?  Thank you.

[BP]

I am going to work on upgrading from my 30 dollar caller to somthing better and then give it a shot. 

Why?  You have already proven that your caller works.

[smd189]

It did work, but the remote only allows it to be 20 feet or so from my location.  The ather problem is that is only play 2-3 sounds.  The howls and the yelps are the same sound over and over and over.  Maybe all calls are like that, but I figured the better one's would do more.  Thanks.

[Lookn4Fur]

Shawn, I'm sure your $30 E-caller is just fine but that's your choice.  You may want to add some hand calls to that arsenal plus they are not that expensive.  I have used hand calls exclusively for years with good success.  I just got a FoxPro Scorpion this year and it is a nice addition especially when you don't feel like blowing a call all night.

Yes you need a furtakers license to hunt Fox and Coon.  You can hunt all predators including Coyote with a fur takers license.  You are correct with the decoy question.  I don't use a decoy very often but they can help with certain open sets.  Feel free to give me a call if you want to talk.  I'll PM you with my phone number.........Tim

[bigben]

what part of cumberland are you in?  I am in and around the bloserville newville area.  coyotes are here but spotty.  I have done a good bit of scouting this year on state ground and there are not as many out there as the deer hunters say there are.  with fresh snow during thanksgiving I traveled 40 + miles of road and hiked a good many side trails and I only seen 5 or so set of tracks.  for the miles I put on that is not too promising.  though I had a pair run within 100 yds of my house last saturday.  they were traveling through I believe. 

[smd189]

I actually just moved to Dauphin from the Mech. area.  I use to be just up the road from CV high school.  My friend has a few acres in Shippensburg bordered by State Forest.  We also hunt Tuscarora SF in Perry.  You have me worried now when you said you are not seeing tracks.  Over the last two years, while deer hunting in the snow, I was seeing dog tracks everywhere.  They were equally heavy in both Cumberland and Perry.  I know they were not domestic due to the complete lack of human tracks, and the fact that they all crossed the dirt roads in strait lines.  For the most part, the tracks were not running with the roads.  The tracks went is strait lines.  They did not run in circles like a domestic dog.  In all cases, the tracks were roughly 2-2.5 inches long by close to 2" wide.  I am by no means an expert, but I felt this was much too big for a fox. 

Last year, my uncle walked 3.5 miles up a dirt road closed to vehicle traffic in Perry.  It had snowed on Wed. of that week, and it was Sat. when we walked the road.  It was the last week of buck season, there was about 5" of snow on the ground, and there was not one set of human tracks after the first 300 yards.  Over the 3.5 mile walk, we crossed 1 set of deer tracks, 2 sets of bear tracks, and tons of these dog tracks.  Do you guys feel like I am seeing somthing other then coyote tracks?  Thank you.

Shawn

[bigben]

your probably seeing coyote tracks but one or possibly two coyotes running a certian area because there is food there can make a bunch of tracks look like alot of coyotes.  I had went up there when it was fresh within a day.  maybe I did not look in the right spots.  I did find some bobcat tracks in one area alongside fox tracks in the same general area. 

[smd189]

Thanks for the info.  I do know that a few deer can make it look like a herd went through an area.  The coyote tracks were just single sets running across the road about every 20 yards or so.  I tried to follow them down off the road to see if it was just one dog running back and forth, but it appeard that they went a good distance off the road.  If it was one or two dogs, they were making very large sweeps back and forth across the road.  The other thing like I mentioned, is that they were consistant for over three miles. 

How big of an area does a coyote travel?  Is it common for them to sweep back and forth, or do they normally just run and run in a strait line?  Thanks.

[Lookn4Fur]

They say a coyote has a home range of 11 to 15 miles but I think that's more out west than here in PA.  Maybe Dave Dunbar can chime in on this.  If they are casually searching out food, I have seen where they will sweep back and forth, especially if they can look down over a hollow or lower terrain.  They like to cruise a road or path, sweep over to the edge to look down over than sweep back to cruise down the road some more.  They will repeat this thier whole trip.  Like Ben said two coyotes can make a lot of tracks if they go up and back and prance around.

[bigben]

I would like to see what hern says also.  he could be able to awenser this question.  knowin him though he is out hunting right now. 

I am not saying that there was not alot of coyotes there then.  I just did not see alot of coyote sign where I looked.  I was on most every road the state had open that day that are normally gated.  I was planning on hunting it on friday after thanksgiving but with little sign that I found I thought it a lost cause.  if you find a area that looks like coyotes are using in the manner tim describes I would be calling it.  they are runnin through that area daily for a reason get out there and hunt em. 

as for a call that would do well johnny stewert or foxpro both make callers.  depending on what you want it to do should determine what you should buy.  johnny stewert just came out with a wireless call this year.  should be a good one and every one of their sounds have stood the test of time and produced for many fur hunters.  foxpro is starting to come out with some decent sounds.  just do not get to carried away with bells and whistles.  they are nice but not needed all the time.