Las t week on the Eastside

[AWS]

Picked up my B in L on the 8th in Spokane and headed back to the camp down by the Potholes.  We sighted his rifle in on Sat. morning and then started hunting.  We do this hunt every year for the past six years and do very well.  This year was a total BUST.  For the whole week we called in 11 of spookiest, paranoid, dogs we've ever seen.  We only got three to actually leave cover most would sneak in through a tree line or brush giving no shot.  Many of the spots that were sure things in the past didn't even have a dog show.

I think breeding season is starting early this year with the warmer weather, we saw allot of scratching on the ground.  One suprising thing that if we were withing a mile of an orchard the coyote s--t contained allot of apple skins, the first time we've seen this.  Also the weather was really against us.  The weather was really warm and the coyotes weren't in need of allot of calories or were willing to go any distance.   The wind had to be the worst, it was constantly changing,  we'd head into a spot that would be perfect for the the wind when we left the truck and it would change sometimes two or three times during the set.  We were busted half the time by shifting breezes.  The rain wasn't a big help either.

I think the coyote numbers are down also,  when we were in the tent at night or on early stands you would hear a coyote howling in the distance The might be only one answere.  In past years there would be answers from all directions.  Also we were flushing allot more pheasants and quail walking into stands than ever before.  In the past you might hear a rooster or two in the distance and flush a hen or two but this year we were flushing groups of 5-6 birds regularly in many different locations and the quail seamed to be scurrying everywhere.

We are already planning another hunt next year,  I think my coyote hunting is done for the year as I have allot of projects to finish.  B in L still has a few months of winter to hunt back in NW WI and the coyotes are thicker than ever back there.

AWS

[wastickslinger]

Coyote numbers are not down at all. Your biggest problem is that you are hunting educted dogs, which is never fun. The desert gets hammered with hunters more and more every year. We saw more activity out there Saturday that I have ever imagined to see.

And about the apples. They love them. Wait till you walk by a carrot field. There will be orange landmines every five feet arount the field.

[b23]

I too agree dogs are getting much more spooky.  Far to many people are taking shots at them that have little to no chance of connecting.

 If you don't have a good shot that you feel will connect, don't pull the trigger.  Don't just snap one off in their direction because "well maybe I'll get lucky".  It makes for some weary spooky coyotes.

[carpsniperg2]

yote hunting is getting crazy there are way to many people educating them like said i have seen one guy pull over along side of the road next to a piece of our property i did not think much of it until the windows rolled down and i heard the fawn distress start up. i drove over to him and he did not even shut it off. i laughed at him and it pissed the guy off. but i did not care . i told him it was not legal to have a loaded rifle in the car to shoot from the car and to shoot from the road and it was our private property he said he wasn't doing anything wrong and i said you must be that dumb i guess you are trying to call a yote in sitting in your truck sippin your pop with the caller stuck out the window like a jack ass and he drove off some people

[FALFire]

E-callers, everyone has one these days and many still don't don't how to hunt properly. The thinking is, just turn it on and the coyotes will come running to ya from every direction, what a bunch of BS.

 
 

 

[Jerry malbeck]

The potholes , man you picked the wrong location it gets hammered hard by everyone from the coast and the local newbies.Kinda like going to the Yakima fireing range.
 there are some good spots out that way if you know where they are , I quit hunting that whole area about 7 years ago .
 Sorry you had a bad hunt, its sad to put in the time and money just to end up with a screwed up week . 

[AWS]

I wouldn't call it a bad hunt just different.  We did call in 11 and saw a half dozen more.  I believe that if the temp would have been colder and had a little more traditional wind patterns for the area we would have done as well as in the past.   We only shot at one dog and I misssed a chip shot.

We are looking forward to next year, tough dogs just make it that much more intresting.

AWS

[littletoes]

I think its the weather, and the availability of food.

Been seeing quite a bit of sign that the dogs are "there" and are feeding on mice. Several new areas that have been dug up day to day. Finding mice, and finding them easily. Its almost like summer hunting for them, but a bit colder.

I've also been seeing "people" tracks everywhere too. Saw 4 rigs out there, and it was the middle of the week, so that tells me quite a few folks have taken off from work to hunt dogs....just like me. And THAT was early in the morning.

The dogs won't come near the roads with all the road hunters out there, made me wonder if I was seeing any of the folks from this board. Seen one guy in a white pick-up driving around, calling out his window, then moving on.....LAZY.  Nothing like getting them ed-ju-mi-cated with moves like that.

Been getting lots of answers to my calls, but nothing coming in.....and with the breeding season about to come on its going to get a lot worse.

Seen a few, and watched them out there about 600 to 800 yards...they were hunting each bush, walking around and totaly ignoring any calls that I tried....just didn't pay me no-mind and went on with thier business.

[bearmanric]

i'll stick with the wetside. a bunch killed this year on the eastside. will see how good it is next year. i love moses lake area but get's hit hard. tried today rained hard. Daughter's birthday at 5 pm she is turning 21 better be there. i learned several year's ago the farther i hiked out into the area the more coyote's i seen or called. drive by's suck more into calling these day's. I might get rid of my ecaller. liking the hand call's more. just tough calling cougar. get alot of back door cat's kinda spooky at times. Rick

[littletoes]

Planning a long hike tomarrow.....hope most folks are home watching foose-ball so it will be clear and free.

At one stand, me and my partner was calling and two guys came up behind us and set up  with thier e-caller, and started calling 200 yards behind us. Don't know how they didn't hear us calling.

Funny as hell, even with them calling, and us calling, we called one in to 37 yards.

I was more worried about getting shot by the two guys behind us, than shooting the 'yote. Ya know, when folks show up in the woods, you don't know how careful they are, what kind of training they have had, etc.
Am I the only one that worries about this stuff? 

[Shootmoore]

Sometimes Tech is not so great in my opinion.  Back in the day when it was mouth calls only there was much less pressure on the yotes, you had to learn to call to hunt them.  It kept the numbers of hunters who were willing to learn and get good at it down.

Now days you just need to buy an e-caller and push a button.  While it is effective it pretty much just increased the numbers of hunters who educate dogs and puts more hunting pressure in more area's.

Shootmoore

[AWS]

Littletoes,  I posted this awhile back but will repeat it . 

A few years back I started using a howler in combination with distress calls and was having pretty good luck.  When out one weekend and almost everytime we set up and used the howler we'd see some one trying to sneak up on us.  We ended up calling more hunters than coyotes.  Quit using a howler on public lands.

It is pretty suprising how short of distance a human can hear a call.   Alot of time my partner and I will split up, him watching a backdoor or a blind aproach that can't be seen from the main calling stand, even at 50-100 yds we need to use a radio to comunicate as we canot hear the call.

AWS

[jds15151]

It is sure interesting to hear y'alls stories. Seems that Washington is very similar to Texas. I am new to varmint hunting down here but will be up at Yakima this summer for 14 months training National Guard soldiers. Hope to get in a lot of hunting while I'm there and hope to meet up with some of you. Jeff

[Rudy]

It is sure interesting to hear y'alls stories. Seems that Washington is very similar to Texas. I am new to varmint hunting down here but will be up at Yakima this summer for 14 months training National Guard soldiers. Hope to get in a lot of hunting while I'm there and hope to meet up with some of you. Jeff

If your ever gonna be over around Kennewick (bout an hour and a half east of Yakima) let me know, a friend of mine got us permission on all sorts of private land, we can probably get you on some dogs!

[jds15151]

Rudy, Doesn't sound too far to drive and meet some good people and do some hunting. I really appreciate the invite and look forward to meeting you. Jeff