Yesterdays trip

[Jimmie in Ky]

I went to the LBL late yesterday. Late because I stopped to buy a new pair of gloves at the benton wally world and got to talking calls and calling with a couple of fellows. At any rate I chose to hunt an area where the group has always been stable since the winds were right for it. They were not home! Not even sign that they had been in there .

They had moved nearly a mile from where they have been for five years. Found that out at sundown when I was walking out. While on stands I could hear tree dogs barking in the distance and on my last setup even heard the men talking to each other. On the second setup about five minutes into it the squirrels said something was out there, but it never showed or I didn't see it. I know it was on the ground because I was watching the squirrels and thier reactions to it.

On the way out I spot howled to locate a few groups. I had spotted an odd looking place on the way in and stopped there on the way out. Sure enough the group I had been trying to locate for three years was there, but not where I expected.

Another group that has been stable for years, since the first LBL hunt was either not home or refused to answer. They have never failed me before. Lots of human activity in th area.

Last stop was another odd spot. I got my answer by way of being charged by something. It made it to the road and turned back. It came in almost instantly after te howl so it was right there. This was about an hour after dark , I knew I was pushing it to be locating that late and the charger proved it to me.

Not seeing sign where it should be. Something is changed but not for sure what yet. I will have to spend a lot more time in there to figure out what. But from signs of human activity and the fact there were a large number of folks in there with the weather the way it was, I would have to say humans are causing the movement.

My first trip a week ago, the sign was not where it should have been.  Haven't even seen a cat track yet where they should have been either.  Jimmie

[Driver]

Jimmie in Ky,

I assume you are hunting on the KY side of LBL.  I am coming up/over from Springfield, TN in Jan and hunting on the TN side of LBL.  Do you have any recommendations on where a good area to start may be at?  This is kind of a scouting trip for the end of Feb (when we can hunt with center-fires) when I am going to take a few days off work and hunt with my new Bushmaster AR-15.  Thanks.

[Jimmie in Ky]

 Anywhere you go in th LBL is good. I don't have an idea of how hte pup crop faired this year yet, haven't sampled enough groups. Pup crop came up short th last two years in a row.  And what I know right now wouldn't help you much then. Pressure changes these animals habits quickly. Jimmie

[hammeryotes]

hey jimmie,  i noticed the same thing at a spot down the 109.  last year there was a group living in there and it produced two kills for me.  there was also about a 25 lb cat working it hard.  this year i have not located anything in that particular spot.  last year there was crop planted back there and this year there is nothing. just dried up stubble.  do you think that would have anything to do with it.  maybe the rodents, rabbits or whatever can't sustain in there.  that may be far fetched  but it seems wierd to me.  i don't know a ton about coyotes, but i have hunted cats avidly for 20 years.  usually cat crossings don't ever change unless there has been some major disturbance to their routes like a clear-cut or a brand knew road or forest fire or something.  i checked this particular spot during wet weather when tracks should show up good.  nothing.  don't know what to think.  oh well, they're somewhere.  i do have several family groups of yotes located and plan to hit them hard just as soon as it cools down again.  good luck out there.