Howling

New to the forums and coyote killing. Killed my first two coyotes this year while deer hunting. I was up on a cliff looking down on a deer trail. First coyote was moving along perdy good, only 105 yards below and I just could not resist dropping him with my 308 bolt gun. It was really cool being in a spot and all of a sudden here he comes running along the deer trail. Second one was 178 yards away (a few days later same area), but moving a tad slower, dropped him just like the first one. What got me interested in killing coyotes was learning they may be killing the deer I hunt.

So after that hunt, I purchased a mouth call and tried it out a few weeks ago at a friends home in a rural area. I had a coyote come running right at me after the first try! With no time to shoot him with my bow, he got away. Fast forward to this morning. I now have a FoxPro Shockwave and tried it out in the same area (had my bolt gun this time). I did a few female in heat calls, and a Lone male call. Then I switched to a Jack rabbit distress call. Not 10 minutes into the job and I had a nice size coyote run out from behind some brush and stop right out in the open at the same time I muted the Jack Rabbit distress call.

Now here is where it gets interesting… I learned something this morning that I am going to pass along so the rest of you fellers can avoid the same mistake I made. I normally hunt alone back in the wilderness and sleep on the ground with my rifle next to me, or hanging from a tree. But this morning my rifle was in the back of my Jeep all night. I removed it from the case it was in and walked down to the stand where I set up to call in the coyote (it was 31 degrees F outside). By the time I had the coyote in view, my scope had fogged up (unknown to me at the time). When I put my face behind the scope to take the shot, all I could see was a big blurry spot in the center! I could see the coyote in the outside edges of my field of view, but the cross hairs and target where not as clear as Id of liked. Needless to say I missed the shot and the coyote ran away!

Lesson learned: Optics may fog when the temperature in the area of operation differ from the area where the optics are stored.
Optics used: Leopold MK4 (52128) 3.5-10x40mm.
Fix: Let temperature of optic equalize with temperature in area of operation before initiating calls.

A little off topic, but I would say that using coyote calls in combination with the rabbit distress call worked well this morning.

Gar
 
Gar,,,,If your scope is warmer than the outside air your ok, if your scope is the same temp as outside air your ok. if your scope is colder than the outside air you can have a problem. they do make an anti fog coating you can apply that will help but not totally eliminate condensation on your scope lenses...
 
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Originally Posted By: Goe BlowGar...If your scope is warmer than the outside air your ok,

Maybe ya did not get a chance to read the entire post (it was a bit long winded), but I can not agree with that statement seeing how I was not "Ok." My scope did fog, and I missed the shot.


Gar
 
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Triple this morning, used vocals and jackrabbit.

20151127_Coyote%20Hunt-22W.jpg



Started with jackrabbit, three minutes in had one come all the way in but he managed to get all the way back out without me getting a shot. Couple minutes more of jackrabbit, then I used a couple of lone howls. Two coyotes stepped out from the brush line on the top of a small ridge 100 yards away and stood there. Then one broke off and ran down into the brush below me and I lost sight of it for a second. The other was still standing in the open at 100 yards so I shot it. The other came back into sight, leaving, but it stopped at the dead one and I shot it too.

Went back to jackrabbit and less than a minute later another came in from my right and stopped a few feet from the caller for a slam dunk.

Good day today. Killed six. Four of them on stands I used howls. But, I also used jackrabbit on every stand.

- DAA
 
Originally Posted By: Gar...this morning my rifle was in the back of my Jeep all night. I removed it from the case it was in and walked down to the stand where I set up to call in the coyote (it was 31 degrees F outside). ...When I put my face behind the scope to take the shot, all I could see was a big blurry spot in the center!

Lesson learned: Optics may fog when the temperature in the area of operation differ from the area where the optics are stored.


I've never had that happen. Even taking scopes out of toasty warm pickup trucks out into 20 degrees below zero. But your scope was in the Jeep all night. Unless you had your Jeep running, why wouldn't it have been the same temp as the outside air, or at least pretty darn close? Makes no sense.

Sure you didn't just accidentally breath on the ocular? I've done that a few times...

Regardless, the advice you were given is a lot more accurate than the advice you are trying to give.

- DAA
 
Originally Posted By: GarOriginally Posted By: Goe BlowGar...If your scope is warmer than the outside air your ok,

Maybe ya did not get a chance to read the entire post (it was a bit long winded), but I can not agree with that statement seeing how I was not "Ok." My scope did fog, and I missed the shot.


Gar
I have had a scope fog from my breath, but the whole lens fogged like a pair of glasses.
Frustrating for sure.

Other than that in 60+ years of hunting only ever had a scope fog internally once. A new bushnell. I sent it in and they replaced a ring/seal.That was in 1969. I still use that rifle and in fact will use it today to get a deer. Never had another issue with the scope and believe me temp change is the easiest thing this scope has dealt with.

DAA well I followed your lead last night. I usually run my 5 dog pack about midnite. a couple labs a shepherd and a two mutts. Last night I took one of my horn howlers with us. A couple hundred yards from the house, out in the pasture, I let out one howl.
The place lit up. There were coyotes howling from 4 different directions. One was challenging from the orchard within 75 yards of the house. Two to the south were inside my fenceline which is 1/2 mile away, and the rest were small packs to the north and east. The farthest was likely near the Sask border which is 2 miles away.
Between the moon and the 2 inches of snow, zero wind and the temp at about 26F It was sure tempting to let the air out of a few. Problem is we can't hunt here at night.

I have to get a deer today but I imagine the coyotes will be in the crosshairs tomorrow.
 
Around my area you never hear coyotes howl during day light. I do it anyhow with sucess, usually start out with a invitation howl. Knowing what howls mean and when to use them is the key. I only challenge unless I am challenged or if I hear a raspy male when calling at night.
 
Originally Posted By: DAAOriginally Posted By: Gar...this morning my rifle was in the back of my Jeep all night. I removed it from the case it was in and walked down to the stand where I set up to call in the coyote (it was 31 degrees F outside). ...When I put my face behind the scope to take the shot, all I could see was a big blurry spot in the center!

Lesson learned: Optics may fog when the temperature in the area of operation differ from the area where the optics are stored.


I've never had that happen. Even taking scopes out of toasty warm pickup trucks out into 20 degrees below zero. But your scope was in the Jeep all night. Unless you had your Jeep running, why wouldn't it have been the same temp as the outside air, or at least pretty darn close? Makes no sense.

Sure you didn't just accidentally breath on the ocular? I've done that a few times...

Regardless, the advice you were given is a lot more accurate than the advice you are trying to give.

- DAA

Its never happened to me before either, and it is possible I could have "breathed on the ocular" as I got into position to take the shot. The weapon was in a case, which was in a closed vehicle. The weapon and the sights were warmer than the outside air, and when exposed to the colder air, they fogged, possibly from my breath, but not likely since I was not laying down behind the glass waiting for the the target to present itself.

Like I said, normally my rifle is outside next to me all night, and I've killed deer when the temp outside was 24 degrees F, and never had the scope fog, even if I breathed on it. It is what it is, if ya don't like the info submitted, or it does not apply to you, very well, but your "opinion" does not invalidate the accuracy of my experience.

Gar
 
Originally Posted By: GarLike I said, normally my rifle is outside next to me all night...

Gar

Well... Let's just say I agree that leaving your rifle in the truck overnight caused your problem. I still can't agree that leaving it outside is going to solve it.

This is what stuff looks like after being left out overnight on a coyote hunt, in my experience.

IMG_5267.JPG


That's not what I want my rifle to look like in the morning
laugh.gif
. I'll just continue to keep mine in the truck, and take my chances on what happens when I expose it to the outside air in the morning.

- DAA
 
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Originally Posted By: DAAOriginally Posted By: GarLike I said, normally my rifle is outside next to me all night...

Gar

Well... Let's just say I agree that leaving your rifle in the truck overnight caused your problem. I still can't agree that leaving it outside is going to solve it.

This is what stuff looks like after being left out overnight on a coyote hunt, in my experience.

IMG_5267.JPG


That's not what I want my rifle to look like in the morning
laugh.gif
. I'll just continue to keep mine in the truck, and take my chances on what happens when I expose it to the outside air in the morning.

- DAA

That is some cold gear right there! Did the camera still function in that condition?


Gar
 
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