Spot/stalking

[1snafu]

For roughly 15 yrs now or more. During road hunting. Looking for a fresh lion track. I've not spot/stalked a coyote. This Winter I plan to do a few. Take still pics/video of a sleeper from long range from the roadway. Then make a video of my stalk. Take some footage when I get up on one for the shot. Take a video/still pics from it's blindside, prior to the shot.

I've spot/stalked hundreds of coyote. I love it, when I can overcome their senses. A few stalks I've been less that 50' away from a sleeping coyote. A lot harder to do than most can imagine. I've been with 15' from a sleeper Red Fox. I've awakened them right before I killed them. To give them a chance to see me & escape the hammer.

When I've spotted a coyote or Red Fox from long range. I triangulate their coordinance. So I can sneak in from any angle from their 10:00-2:00 angle/(up & cross-wind from them). I'm well versed in triangulation & stalking. Not to brag, but I'm pretty damn good at it. We'll see how that all pans out. Once we get some quiet snow cover.

[Okanagan]

Describe more about how you triangulate an animal at a distance. That's a hugely useful tool for spot and stalk, because when you get over near him, things look different and sometimes you're not sure exactly where he is.

I use a combination of compass and landmarks to find a distant blood trail (maybe across a big canyon), a distant bedded animal, etc.  Not sure but think it is similar.   

Enjoy the stalking this winter!

[1snafu]

In a perfect World. I park directly down wind from where it is laying. I imagine the coyote is in the center of a clock dial. Then I look for a reference point on the horizon beyond the hillside of where the coyote is bedded. I note all reference points as they become a part of the clock dial. The coyote being the center of that dial.

If no horizon reference point(s). I look for other reference points clockwise from the exact spot of where the coyote is laying(center of the clock  dial). It's nice to have at least 2 reference points/land markers..thus I tirangulate the 2 reference points from the coyote. Reference points Such as; a perticular tree, bush, building, exposed large rock, fence post, ect. I also count hills. Including all hills beyond the hill where the coyote is laying to the last horizon hill top. I also take note(count hills) down wind of the coyote to me.

I also from where I'm parked doing my triangulation. I look directly to my down wind. From where I'm parked. Noting any & all land marker reference points. As to whether they are to the left or to the right of the coyote. All of the above info I take into account. Should on the way in. I can adjust my stalk path accordinly if need be.

I hope that makes sense to you.

[1snafu]

There were instances after triangulating numerous land markers/points. I was mere feet away from that bedded coyote as I toped the last hill where it was laying on    . The coyote being angled away from me. It never knew I was there until it was to late. Other stalks, I typically am accurate enough on my triangulations. I was within a 50' radius on average. Hey, close enough in my book.

By the way a coyote & other canines. Have a very wide angled view. They can see movement from the outer corners of their eyes. Well beyond 180 degrees. Realizing this early in my hunt years. I also figure. If I can see any outer corner/edge of a coyotes eye. It can also detect my movement as I draw near. It is BEST to just avoid seeing any part of the side of it's head. Sometimes while bedded with their head up. They'll slightly pan their head to either side to scan for movement. If they do, I freeze in place. I've had coyotes do that to me right before my shot. Some will stare my way for a very long time. Before they figure I'm a threat or not. Which is hard for an old hunter. To remain dead still & not move a muscle until it looks away.  It has also, been my experience. An alpha female is the most wary of all. I view the female as top shelf in her senses & wariness. Versus that of a male. Which are sometimes block heads, 

[Okanagan]

Thanks.  Very good stuff.  Yes, it makes sense.  The clock dial is a new idea to me and I will use it.

I have done similar triangulation using a compass and landmarks.  I'm usually in steep big mountains and canyons or heavy forest.  Our wind is notorious for changing direction, so is not reliable and its changing has cost me a good many critters.

I like to take a compass bearing from me to the distant critter, and line up a peak, tree etc. on the same bearing, something easily identifiable from anywhere and either way beyond the critter or between me and him.  If need be I will take a few steps to one side in order to line up a good landmark with the critter.  If it is something like where a blood trail crosses a distant ridge, don't take your eyes from the spot while you move.

That only gives me one line, but the critter is on that line.  Then I usually go by the terrain around the critter looking for a landmark that I will recognize as I circle around and come down the compass line to the critter.  I look for a ridge, ledge, rock formation, tall snag tree etc. that lets me know I am close to the critter and maybe exactly where he is in relation to it.

Using that system I was six feet from a blood trail across a huge deep canyon when I got over there and lined up my compass.  I stalked a deer bedded half a mile away on a ledge on a huge mountain side, and it was still lying there when I saw it at 25 yards. 

This is like a mini course on spot and stalk!

[1snafu]

Well it appears you don't need any help from me. By reading what you have said. I don't hunt anything but coyotes & of course a lion. Which has eluded me since 2006. But every season I hunt hard once we get snow cover. I want a lion bad. Not try & call one. But stalk one that is laying. However, I'm not opposed to hitting one with my truck(should that occur). Then putting a bullet in it, sounds desperate eh 

Deer hunters oh boy. Some of them around here. Chug some beers then hunt in a group(plumb crazy). Speaking of deer which I'm not interested in. When they bed down. Most often they to are on the down wind slopes. Come shotgun season when everyone & their brother hunts them in my area. After the 1st week of filling the timber with shotgun slugs a flying. Most deer will move out onto the open hills 1 mile away. Parallel to any timbered areas. Their not completely stupid. But most deer hunters in my hunt areas. Do not grasp that behavior. I would need more fingers & toes. To count the times. I've meet deer hunter groups. Coming back to their trucks...Nope, no deer in this timber. When in fact a handful of times. I seen numerous herds bedded down on the open hills. Adjacent to the timbered areas those guys just hunted. I felt sorry a few times & told them where those herds were located. Otherwise I never said a word about those nearby deer. My take on some hunters. If you are not smart enough to understand your quarry's behaviors. Then learn the hard way, have at it.

However, predators hunters I do like in general. Well most of them anyway. And I do not mind helping the nice guys out when I can. For what thats worth anyway.

[1snafu]

To bad I can't edit my posts. I have some mis pronounced/spelled words. Oh well.