[El Gato Loco]

Here in Missouri, nighttime predator hunting is not an option because we cant hunt with artificial light. I don't like the rule, but gotta follow it anyway.

I was hoping to hear from some of you guys who do hunt at night. I'll be moving to Texas soon and look forward to blasting some cats and dogs at night. Any tips / tricks or suggestions?

 

[Fox Commander]

I hunt foxes at night. I have never tried hunting during the day. I use a raccoon light for fox hunting around here. I spread the light out real wide and keep it held up it the air. You can see their eyes right away. Don't know if this will help you or not but good luck!

 

[coyotekidd]

Just got back from some evening calling. No luck. Had a couple of conversations w/yotes but couldn't get them to come in close enough. If at first you don't succeed try try again.

 

[GritGuy]

I've never hunted at night with spot lights always felt it a large negative with bringing in dogs and it plays heck with your eyes, even the red lens's mess you up if to bright.

So I invested in a 2nd Gen Russian Sniper scope many years ago, and had a friend machine a mount for a light weight 223 bolt action short barrel winchester. I sighted it in for 100 yds one night with some help from a friend.

Now prior to this purchase I had already bought several different types of observation monucalurs in 2nd gen as well, I used these to observe called in dogs at night and watch how they came in and their actions, which were surprising.

Most ran right in on top of the call and never stopped till close, it seemed they never bothered to check for wind, just came on in.

This knowledge came in handy when I started night calling with the scope and no light, I would go with a friend and we would alternate calling and shooting as we only had my night scope, I had a electronic call which I had already grown accustomed to using, and also so I would not be winded when I needed to shoot. This was years before the new remote digitals too, I just sat it in front of us.

We sat up in elevation when ever we had the chance and when calling the guy observing would be able to pick the dog/s up out at about 200 to 330yds on a nice moon night. He would give direction and the other would scope up on them and wait for them to stop. Then drill them.

Now that all sounds great until you realize at night you lose all depth preception and you should learn real quick to range you out some spots, LOL it took us about three stands to realize we were missing cause we guessed the dogs to far out and were shooting over them.

I still have this setup and it works very well, however it's difficult to night hunt with so many people out now days.

Great times I'd reccomend it especially for private or locked out ground.

 

[IBGunner]

We cannot use artificial light in Kansas but went out Saturday night after heavy snow, with no wind, and under a full moon. Visibility was excellent and the Bushnell Legend scope on my .223 Ruger worked very well. I have often called under a full moon using a shotgun and it works well. I have very good luck in the spring during breeding season.

 

[AdamK]

We night hunt in Wisconsin with snow and the moon. I still find it a little difficult to spot them moving in the fields at long distances, but once you do, with good optics it is very easy to get them in the crosshairs. I am looking for advice on using lights. Red, green, white??? I saw a scope mounted laser light in Predator Xtreme, pretty pricey, but no battery pack to carry. Has anyone used one?

 

[IBGunner]

Went out again and called last night before I lost my moon. Icey fog rolled in around 10:30. I used a MAD Minaska M1 Complete and started out with bank 2-2 coyote challenge. Had dogs all around me. Received immediate howling response from several directions. Simply could not pick them up in my scope at 50 yards and they refused to come on it... but I spotted four moving about in the distance. Switched to Bank 1 - 7, a jack rabbit distress call that is very successful in day calling and the dogs broke contact. Hunting sandhills near a cattle feed yard. Clearly the last week, the social calls seem to be of more interest to the coyotes than distress cries... just haven't work up a sequence that will close them in.

 

[GritGuy]

Pretty hard to call dogs with distress sounds this time of year, they are not really on that train of thought even with a hungry belly.

When I was working a bird ranch some years ago, I used some high power lights with a red lens I made , to call raccons in with to be able so see them and shoot with out losing my night vision, but I've never called dogs with lights, for it's just to much hassle to fiddle with, one slip up with a light and your night vison eyes are gone for another half hour or so, time wasted for me.

 

[jeffrey22]

what is the best color light to use at night for hunting dogs?

 

[fox]

Light force nighthunter if you can afford it. The light has dimming switch to cut down the power. Use it at minimal power to spot them then when your ready to shoot hit em with full power to make sure you can see.

 

[fox]

I live here in Virginia and i havent really hunted much during the day most of my predator hunting is done at night. We really dont have a good coyote population but it is growing. I just won an awsome light made my light force in a predator hunting compatition we were in last weekend, and i use a foxpro FX-3 but plan to upgrade to the FX-5 this summer.

 

[wilded]

Watch two DVDs. Hunting the Night Shift and The Ultimate Predator. Those two dvds will answer most all of your questions. JMHO ET

 

[badger]

Going on my first night hunt tonight. Three days shy of a full moon tonight. Very clear so far. I'm hoping to find out that I don't need any artificial light. I suspect with snow cover and bright moon I'll have enough ambient light to see the 'yotes but I'm curious to find out if the crosshairs on my Vari-X II will show up. Guess I'll have to let you know later

 

[mjllag]

I've had some success night hunting for coyotes. I use a team hunting approach. One guy is the shooter, the other is the spotter. The spotter has a handheld spotlight with a red lens, when the spotter sees eyes he alerts the shooter, when the coyote is in range and the shooter has eyes in the scope he turns on a scope mounted spotlight with no lens. The shooter has to be ready to shoot quick, because when the white light hits, the coyotes run.

 

[badger]

Badger's first night-hunt update: Cold, clear, bright, coyote-less. Not even a distant reply, unless you count the hound dog at the farm down on the corner
badger
<><

 

[lyotehunter]

i have hunted at night for fourty years,we had spotlights on our truck and would drive around all night.we find a good area and stop and call,the average shot is about 250yds.used a 22-250 with a 8x kahles scope,30mm.tube and 56mm.obj.i have shot over 1500 coyotes this way it is still a blast to do.out of all the guys i knew a friend and our son's are the last of a very few that do this. we hunt until midnight most of the time then day call.there is still something special about shooting them at night,then going out to find them,lots of great memories.

 

[rong]

look into led style lites,dont need a filter with led,incandescent style you need red or amber,filters also restrict the lite somewhat,nite hunting is much harder but its a blast.....

 

[thowle]

The best combo i have found is a light force with red lens, this way you can spred out beam or make pin point. I also have used brinkmanns varmint special for many years.