does anyone here night hunt?

bigben · November 15, 2006, 08:39:47 AM

just curious seems that most here hunt during the daytime. I do both here in pa. awesome rush having them red eyes bouncin to ya.

studabaka · November 15, 2006, 08:44:05 AM

Only coons/possum w/dogs allowed to hunt nights in NC. It was discussed last year as a possible change in the regs, but got shut down.

stevecriner · November 15, 2006, 09:30:30 AM

Night huntin is for SISSY's jus kiddin

Hawks Feather · November 15, 2006, 10:39:27 AM

In Ohio the fur season just started so I will be heading out before long. Caught a couple of coon and the fur is pretty good, but not as good as it will be in a couple more weeks. When that happens I will be out there calling and shining.

Now about that night hunting being for sissies, we have lots of polar and grizzly bears in Ohio and they just love to eat night hunters. It is one of the ways that we keep the number of hunters in control. Just send them out at night with a candle for a light and a .22 LR for a gun. They are never heard from again.

Jerry

Jrbhunter · November 15, 2006, 10:39:43 AM

Night hunting is for those who know how.... AR's are for sissys.

I night hunt quite a bit, more this year than ever before, it can be done succesfully in certain situations. Terrain dictates a lot of your night hunting effectiveness... as does the residential population (Ambient light).

browning204 · November 15, 2006, 11:21:38 AM

In NH, only coons are allowed to be hunted at night.

coyotes also but it has to be on private property with WRITTEN land owner permission filed ant NH F&G.

I have been thinking of trying my luck at coons at night.

stevecriner · November 15, 2006, 01:46:16 PM

QuoteNight hunting is for those who know how.... AR's are for sissys.

:roflmao:

dcmtex · November 15, 2006, 02:42:37 PM

Yes. Its taken a while to get the right setup but its one of our favorite times down at our place in Texas. With the addition of an electric golf cart, light force lights and the FX3, we have a blast.

canine · November 15, 2006, 04:43:34 PM

Criner, ....I'm gonna kick your Ass

...

.........................................................jus kiddin...LOL

canine · November 15, 2006, 04:51:12 PM

Sorry, I got off on a tangent in my last post....

Bigben.
I haven't night hunted for years because the coyotes have reaked havoc on our fox population. I used to hunt fox at night for many years and you are right. What a blast!!!

I don't coyote hunt at night much for a couple reasons: 1: Can't film at night right now. 2: Like JRB says, coyotes are rather different at night versus a fox. I found that they were hard to get a shot on. Probably cause I huned alone, no one else was man enough to go out at night

(Criner Included).. That's my story...LOL

I will however be gettin with KeeKee and were gonna try some fox this year.

JD

browning204 · November 15, 2006, 05:46:38 PM

Just got some Coon sounds on my caller and ordered a light from cabelas. Been thinkin of doing some night Coon callin. Any tips would be fantastic!!

Thanks guys

bigben · November 15, 2006, 05:59:36 PM

get a coon fight sound and a coon puppies sound. use one or the other and be ready. i like to place the call or speaker between my legs and scan the whole time. I keep my light on all the time also. I do not like to turn it off mainly because of the critters sneakin in so close and scarin us both. I got a 6 volt light from eveready that uses the big 6volt block style batts. then painted the lens red with red dykem. worked out great. it acts like a shooting light also. just hold the light normal and hold the gun normal. a buddy showed me this. awesome. 10.00 light and I have been able to see eyes to 300yds mst fields here are not long. and I am able to identify at 200yds.

browning204 · November 15, 2006, 06:23:43 PM

I got the light that connect to the rifle scope. I did get the following sounds for coons

raccoon adult distress

raccoon baby calling

raccoon babies fighting

what types of forest do coons like? hardwoods, softwoods, swamps?

Bigben, you should get that package saturday or monday. thanks again!!

Hawks Feather · November 15, 2006, 07:31:05 PM

Coon like about everything. If you can find an area with a creek or small stream going through it you might check it out. They like the easy pickings along them. Old growth trees are also a plus since they can den up in a hole in the tree. Just stay awake and keep looking. Like BigBen said, they like to come in rather quickly. They also like a fight and if there isn't another coon to fight with they will take after the person making the sounds. FUN!

Jerry

FinsnFur · November 15, 2006, 07:56:53 PM

Can't do it here either.
Coon with dogs is about all that's allowed.
I got to experience it in Texas though with Randy Watson and Randy Buker, December before last. I'd give my left leg to be able to do it again

browning204 · November 15, 2006, 08:12:09 PM

ok Hawksfeathers, thanks for the info. We have a mixture of hard and softwood trees, plenty of swamps and creeks (run offs).

When I get the light that I ordered in, I go out and give it a shot.

Are coons most active and any particular time of night???

Hawks Feather · November 15, 2006, 08:24:10 PM

I have never gone out much before 9:00 p.m. and it is usually 10:30 to 11:00 when they really get moving. They are a little funny in that one night you will see several and the next night with the same conditions there will be nothing. They will usually move just before a snow. They don't like cold feet.

Jerry

Jrbhunter · November 15, 2006, 09:22:10 PM

Coons are actually like cornflakes... their made with a mixture of corn and water.

Find cornfields that border some water. Perhaps ponds, swamps, creeks, drainages or rivers. You can find a coon about ANYWHERE but the big numbers lie amongst water and corn. What we call riverbottom rowcrops.

Coon will often come into the area of my setups and climb a tree for a better look. That's where they catch a 22 to the skull. Some guys let them pile up amongst the stand, waiting on 3-4-5 coon to tree up around them before they start shooting. I have no patience and I can't stand waiting so I shoot them as they come in.

We killed 14 one night last week, 6 another night. I just kicked off my muddy britches after spending the last three hours climbing the banks of the Ohio River in search of coon. I was alone, hunting solo in honor of that wussy Criner, and had no luck. It's a little windy tonight and I probably should've waited until later to even leave the house.

Something else about coon calling, the weather is important. At least when you get into "Big" number nights. During the winter I like to watch for a little warm spell, sometimes this means rain, and hit them hard then. It's not uncommon for my partners to get 30-40-50 and even 60 coon a night when weather permits and the corn/water mix is just right.

Hawks Feather · November 15, 2006, 09:40:04 PM

Jrbhunter,

No wonder the price of coon around here is low if you are getting those numbers. The guy I take coon to had one guy bring in 29, which was the highest number from one hunter. Then he told me that the guy had been "dog" hunting and then putting them in the freezer since opening day. That made more sense for around here. Even years back when I hunted with a guy that had good dogs we never got over 10 in one night. With fur, it seems that muskrats are the name of the game this year. $5 for a large coon and $5 or $6 for a rat.

Jerry

Jrbhunter · November 15, 2006, 09:56:18 PM

We just sold our coon for a flat $5 in the round... kits and all... buyer said the market looked reasonably strong. Rats are much more efficient, we just have a low population in my area. I have to travel 150 mile to get into good rats. Then again, I have to travel 250 mile for all those coon! LOL!

does anyone here night hunt?

dcmtex