A Good Yote

[Zhe Wiz]

Shot her about 30 minutes ago. Adult female, 190 yards. Neck shot with 22-250, 35 grain bullet.

I was woken up by my Chamberlain motion detector near a bait pile behind my house just before 1am. No light used, but on 8x and with the snow I could easily tell it was a coyote. Crosshairs on her and BOOM, DRT.

Zhe Wiz

[allblue bandit]

nice

[BigRed44]

Good job on the kill. Thats a nice looking yote.

I just looked up some info about that motion detector. Thats a great idea for coyote hunting. You can hunt 24/7 without taking a step outside.

[Zhe Wiz]

Yes, I got the idea from these forums when someone asked about motion detectors for yotes. It's a Chamberlain CWA2000, selling for less than $60 on Amazon.com. It's sensitive enough to pick up small critters - foxes and probably smaller even, but I rarely get false alarms. I had a few when it was REALLY windy last week, but otherwise it's been dead on. The only thing I do NOT like about it, is that behind the motion sensor lens is an LED that flashes when it senses motion. Seems to BRIEFLY spook the yotes, but not enough to keep them away. They tend to trot off then come right back.

Range is really good too. I have it 180 yards away from the house and it triggers the interior receiver even when it's on the opposite side of the house. It's a LITTLE quiet if there's a lot going on, but it's loud enough to wake you up at night, that's for sure.

BTW, I weighed the yote, she was exactly 40lbs. Biggest I've ever shot, but I just started hunting them last year when we moved into this place.

Zhe Wiz

Edited February 5, 2013 by Zhe Wiz

[BizCT]

Thats awesome! congrats. I havent been all out winter in NY predator hunting. I plan to go out saturday morning before fox/bobcat close on 2/15.

[Lawdwaz]

Very interesting, a motion detector for yotes? Thank goodness for the snow 'cause without that you'll be SOL unless you have some superb glass on your stick.

[josephmrtn]

Yes, I got the idea from these forums when someone asked about motion detectors for yotes. It's a Chamberlain CWA2000, selling for less than $60 on Amazon.com. It's sensitive enough to pick up small critters - foxes and probably smaller even, but I rarely get false alarms. I had a few when it was REALLY windy last week, but otherwise it's been dead on. The only thing I do NOT like about it, is that behind the motion sensor lens is an LED that flashes when it senses motion. Seems to BRIEFLY spook the yotes, but not enough to keep them away. They tend to trot off then come right back.

Range is really good too. I have it 180 yards away from the house and it triggers the interior receiver even when it's on the opposite side of the house. It's a LITTLE quiet if there's a lot going on, but it's loud enough to wake you up at night, that's for sure.

BTW, I weighed the yote, she was exactly 40lbs. Biggest I've ever shot, but I just started hunting them last year when we moved into this place.

Zhe Wiz

take it apart and cover w duct tape? Nice dog!!! Congrats

Edited February 5, 2013 by josephmrtn

[Zhe Wiz]

Very interesting, a motion detector for yotes? Thank goodness for the snow 'cause without that you'll be SOL unless you have some superb glass on your stick.

I have good glass, but not superb. It's a Bushnell Elite 4200. I can say that you are correct. Without the snow it would have been difficult to verify it was a yote, and even if I were able to do that, picking the spot to shoot would be near impossible. MAYBE if there's a good bit of moonlight? The other alternative is to try moving the bait pile closer when the snow melts, should be easier to see them at 75 yards than it is at 180/190. But then I'm not sure I want to deal with the smell. It's bad enough up there where it is when the wind blows the "wrong" direction. :-)

I do have a spotlight mounted on top of my scope - a green LED spotlight. It's apparent, however, that they do not like light! The INSTANT i light 'em up, they are GONE. Foxes (and young coyotes) seem much more tolerant of the light. That's why last night I tried going lightless and it worked. Hopefully I can get one or two more before the snow disappears again.

Zhe Wiz

[Zhe Wiz]

take it apart and cover w duct tape? Nice dog!!! Congrats

Thanks!

Good idea, or just disconnect it. I put it up the day I got it, so didn't look to see how easy it would be to take it apart and cover or disable the LED. I'm annoyed that the damn LED is behind the same lens as the sensor. Would have been an easy fix if they had kept that LED separate. Additional sensors are "only" $22, so I'll order another and see if I can do surgery on it. I'm sure I'll need to do something, as the smart ones won't stick around for me to shoot.

Zhe Wiz

[wmig2]

Very nice.

[SteveNY]

That's sweet!

[PREDATE]

That's cool.

I was out for 5 hours last night and only seen eyes for a split second.

I've thought about trying a motion sensor, but where's the hunting in that?

[josephmrtn]

I have good glass, but not superb. It's a Bushnell Elite 4200. I can say that you are correct. Without the snow it would have been difficult to verify it was a yote, and even if I were able to do that, picking the spot to shoot would be near impossible. MAYBE if there's a good bit of moonlight? The other alternative is to try moving the bait pile closer when the snow melts, should be easier to see them at 75 yards than it is at 180/190. But then I'm not sure I want to deal with the smell. It's bad enough up there where it is when the wind blows the "wrong" direction. :-)

I do have a spotlight mounted on top of my scope - a green LED spotlight. It's apparent, however, that they do not like light! The INSTANT i light 'em up, they are GONE. Foxes (and young coyotes) seem much more tolerant of the light. That's why last night I tried going lightless and it worked. Hopefully I can get one or two more before the snow disappears again.

Zhe Wiz

the yotes ive shone my 1,000,000 candelpower handheld spotlight w a red filter on didnt even seem to notice.... change from green to red?

[Zhe Wiz]

That's cool.

I was out for 5 hours last night and only seen eyes for a split second.

I've thought about trying a motion sensor, but where's the hunting in that?

That's true, not sure I consider it hunting. My admitted goal is killing. I literally saw more coyotes hunting behind my house this year than I did deer. They need to be thinned out. I'll save the sport for later. :-)

Zhe Wiz

[josephmrtn]

does your green light have a filter or are the led's green? new red filter?

[Zhe Wiz]

the yotes ive shone my 1,000,000 candelpower handheld spotlight w a red filter on didnt even seem to notice.... change from green to red?

I've tried both. There seems to be no reaction difference between red and green. It seems to be animal specific. Deer typically don't care - they just stare into the light, foxes tend to come toward me, though I've seen some of those run too. Young yotes have hung around and gone back to feeding while spotlighted.

The yotes that have hit the pile over the last few nights have run at green and red. I have a handheld red. I sometimes use it to confirm the presence of "shiny eyes". That light was spooking them so I went straight to the gun with the green light. Still spooked.

Zhe Wiz

[Zhe Wiz]

does your green light have a filter or are the led's green? new red filter?

It's a green LED, no filter. The handheld is a white light with a red filter. I do have a red LED for the same light, but I honestly don't see a reaction difference between the two. At least none that I can specifically say was the result of the light's color.

Zhe Wiz.

[josephmrtn]

hmmm thats strange.... the ones i spotted were fully grown (a pair that lives on our farm) i was about 150 yards away sitting in my truck w it turned off shining the field they didnt mind at all....

wonder if they were shot at before and know what a light red/green means?

[Zhe Wiz]

hmmm thats strange.... the ones i spotted were fully grown (a pair that lives on our farm) i was about 150 yards away sitting in my truck w it turned off shining the field they didnt mind at all....

wonder if they were shot at before and know what a light red/green means?

That's certainly possible. I've lived for for 13 months, the previous owner was a deer hunter as well, though I don't think he hunted in general as much as I do. If he tried to thin the yotes, he failed miserably. The other thing too is that my house is set back 1/4 mile from the road, but otherwise it's a light residential area down there. I can see how they may be light shy due to back porch lights, headlights, etc. Or, I'm right next to state land too, it's possible they've been hunted with spotlights.

Zhe Wiz

[PREDATE]

Zhe Wiz,

There's nothing wrong with your method. I wasn't implying that. It sounds like you have a good setup.

I've done some baiting and logged many, many hours sitting in a ladder stand watching the bait. Just not as productive as stick and move calling IMO.

I've become a believer in red filters. They're not totally unaffected by the red either, it just doesn't burn their eyes as bad.

A 1,000,000 candlewatt light is highly unnecessary for picking up eyes. Red filters pick up predators eyes best and red is easiest on our eyes. The theory with red is that they can't see past it. Sort of like a shield and it works as long as you don't burn them with the main beam. Green lights them up a bit better for the shot.

An idea for your setup could be just to spot eyes with a smaller red light, but don't burn them with it. Keep the main beam above them and just let the bottom of the halo illuminate their eyes. Then when they turn their head or start eating then burn them for the shot with your gun light.