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Yotarunner

Yotarunner

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
34   0   0
Location
Eastern Alberta
With the family in the city for the last 2 days I was excited to get out calling after work. Yesterday was deemed "too cold" and although today was almost exactly the same I decided that it didn't matter and I had to try anyways.
Checking the wind status I saw the windchill factor was sitting at -37. Sitting in the truck I stared at my phone for a moment questioning my life choices. Oh well. Man up.
I had a spot in mind where 2 days ago I saw a pack of 5 standing on a distant hill.
On the way there I realized my path led me past a location I haven't hit for a long time. Pulling into the lease I parked my truck next to a pile of pipe in hopes any coyote spying over the berm would think its an operator like usual.
PXL_20250219_001011414.MP by brad er, on Flickr
Previous experience taught me coyotes always come from the east despite the excellent cover to the south so with my back against an old wood cattle chute I began wailing away with one of my new cottontail handcalls. Immediately 5 magpies burst from behind the hill in front of me which was a good sign. Sure enough a pair was not far behind them coming fast.
Now with the cold I had donned a coyote fur hat which was about to come into play.
PXL_20250219_005242544.MP by brad er, on Flickr
The pair circled around into the open 100 yards out as i keyed vole squeaks on the FoxPro. They seemed unsure but tentatively the female began walking in. "Sweet I'm going to get a shotgun kill!" As she dropped below a snowbank I readied the shotgun. She had just cleared the bank when she turned and saw me and my big hat and whirled. The perfect broadside shotgun shot presented itself as.... CLICK "oh for fox snakes!!!" I racked the gun and rushed the next shot sending half the pattern into the snow 2 more long distance shots failed and 2 more running shots at the male had me cussing and swearing like no tomorrow. 6 min into the stand I had 6 rounds fired and nothing to show. If you look close you can see her tracks by the shadow of my head at the top of the picture.
PXL_20250219_001141641.MP by brad er, on Flickr
the scattergun was left in the truck the next time (not the first time this gun has failed in the cold)
The next stand was what I had been waiting for. parking in a low spot I trudged up the road and across the fence and 2 steps in sank in up to my knees. The snowshoes in the box of the truck would come in really handy right now. Oh well I'm halfway there. Man up. After crunching and slogging my way through the loud snow i found a spot of shade and once more began the bunny blues on the handcall. No takers. Did some howls with my Riled Runt handcall hoping to sound like a subordinate intruder. After a minute of scanning I spied bumps moving around on the hill to my left. Sure enough 4 coyotes sat watching.
PXL_20250219_003031779.MP by brad , on Flickr
PXL_20250219_004017141.MP by brad r, on Flickr

Now no matter how hard I tried these coyotes would not come unglued. Pup distress, Jack distress, howls nothing was working. Finally a Tony tebbe fight sound pulled one off and behind them the rest began to lazily start down the hill. She was almost invisible in the failing light as she came over the hill. She stopped. Looked at the FoxPro which was obviously not a bunch of coyotes fighting and then at me. Once more I think she saw the hat but this time tentatively began coming closer. What was now 4 more coyotes sat 300 yards away and just watched her approach. 150 yards away she looked at me once more and decided I wasn't a coyote after all. A wood and a KER-WHOP was my answer to that. The rest left unscathed.
PXL_20250219_010034730.PORTRAIT by brad , on Flickr
 
What gun, scope and ammo are your choices ?

Most of my hunting theses days is coyotes and I know there's something better than my XPR 223 / Freedom 4-12 I could be using
 
FatCatsDad said:
What gun, scope and ammo are your choices ?

Most of my hunting theses days is coyotes and I know there's something better than my XPR 223 / Freedom 4-12 I could be using
Click to expand...
I'm using a semi custom tikka t3 in 220swift running handloaded 50gr vmax. My scope is just a vortex diamondback tactical 4-16
My recommendation would be to look long and hard at tikka's in 22-250
 
Had 2 clicks last week. Had just rebarreled a 204 to 223. After zeroing the rifle I put in a new factory striker assembly without first degreasing it. -38 temps were more than it could handle. 2 misfires on a running coyote, third shell fired. CCI 450’s
 
Degreased bolt and trigger assemblies are mandatory in those temperatures!
A rifle that is stone cold reliable in -18c may be about as good as a stick at colder temps if there is even a smidgen of grease in the trigger and bolt assemblies!:unsure:
Cat
 
iron cat said:
Degreased bolt and trigger assemblies are mandatory in those temperatures!
A rifle that is stone cold reliable in -18c may be about as good as a stick at colder temps if there is even a smidgen of grease in the trigger and bolt assemblies!:unsure:
Cat
Click to expand...
Yes sir both are dry as a bone. This shotgun is notorious for slowing down in cold temps I have run graphite, drylube, synthetic lube, winter oil etc etc if it can be used I have tried it and even still it's not %100
all the time
 
Great hunt. Any one of us that hunts cold weather could have a frozen firing mechanism. If it hasn't happened to you yet, it can and will eventually if you continue cold hunts.
It happened to me on a deer hunt, and it was not nearly as cold as the temps in the OP's post.

There are tricks to prep your rifle or shotgun for cold. ask those who hunt the serious cold for the best advice. My rifle had been stripped of lube, but it got wet, and froze. Stuff happens, that's hunting.

Congratulations on the hunt, and your perseverance.
 
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