NoDak Question

Post by **Dcoy** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:37 am

Hi.Anyone care to share what,if any,snow cover there is in South Central NoDak?I'm interested in the Edgeley,Wishek,Linton north to I94 area.Thanks for any info.

Post by **Prairie Ghost** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:58 am

that area gets called A LOT if thats what you're looking into not saying you can't go kill a few coyotes up there but there might be some better area to go.

Post by **LeviM** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:09 am

I know personally that area has been pounded this year, Lots of hunters and lots of tournaments went on in that area

Post by **Fallguy** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:36 am

Yeah go hit up those areas. Whatever you do stay SOUTH of I-94.

Post by **Dcoy** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:45 am

Yes,I was afraid I'd hear that.Used to be great but more hunters every year.
Any info on snow cover though?

Post by **lyonch** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:00 am

last time levi and i were in the area there was very little snow. That was about a month ago too so who knows. sorry wish i could help.

Post by **Dcoy** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:41 am

OK,thanks.

Post by **Coyotehunter** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:23 pm

call the Wishek Inn.

Post by **Dcoy** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 7:20 pm

Just walked in the door from quite a day in NoDak.(long day)Drove up this morning very early with the intent of getting one or two 'moon sets in pre-dawn.A flat tire north of Aberdeen at 5 below zero cancelled that plan.
Got to my first spot just as the sun was coming up.Hugged a lake shoreline for about 3/4 mile to save time and then set up.Two minutes max of a rabbit distress call and bang flop.Alright,things looking up!
Hit one more spot without seeing anything and then headed west fast to check out an area sent to me via a PM from this site.THANK YOU!
Drove around,found a section that was about 4 miles by 5 miles without many rds and a few tracks visible in the skimpy snow there.Packed up and headed in.Covered about 6 plus miles over the next 7 hours or so.A brutal bit of exercise with a backpack load but it payed off.Only got one more but he's my biggest of the year-a 'booner'coyote.

Made six 'sets' in there and saw 4.Should have had two more but forgot the rule of 'a bird in the hand is...'.
What follows is embarrassing and made me so mad I was beside myself for two hours or so.Only now can I laugh about it.On the other hand I'll fess up cause there's something to learn here which might help someone.I'm walking and glassing in mainly range or hilly pasture but there's some water(cattails)and some CRP in the area.While proceeding I see a chunk of CRP and a 20 acre type slough with cattails and shoreline brush thickets ahead.(one of my favorite type spots)I get about 150 yds from the CRP and realize with the breeze the way it was and the lay of the land I probably better set up where I was if I wanted to see what might come in.I set up just down from the top of a long tapering ravine that leads to the cover.
I start with 2 howls and immediately after the second have a doe and two fawns or yearlings run over the hill and stop above me.They are looking my way but don't make me.Then across the slough-maybe near half mile away I see about 20 more deer running.Then the 3 near me face towards the grass and slough and start stomping,milling in circles,then more stomping but always looking toward the grass and slough.I'm not always the brightest bulb but even I figure someting is coming.Wait about 5 minutes but nothing.Then the 3 deer go tearing off but I still see nothing.Heck,why not try a fawn distress call I think,so I do.A minute max and I see a coyote running wide out in the grass,right at me.Just as he's clearing the fence coming into the open-still wide open and right at me-I see # 2 coming about 50 yards behind him.Now greed takes over and I've already skun and sold both in my mind so while the first one bears down on me and starts looking very big at 10 power I pass and wait for the second.NEVER AGAIN.When the second clears the fence I'm on him and shoot-miss!How?No fricken idea!By now the first one is going away fast to my left.Try to swing but the bipod and everything else catches/hangs up and goes wrong and only after rolling to my knees do I manage to miss him as he just goes over the ridge-75 yds away maybe???How again???No fricken idea.No fricken excuse.
I jump up and run to the top but they are hidden til out at least 400 yds or so but I still shoot 3 more times.So from a cinch double,I go to 5 empty pieces of brass.I may recover but not sure.
Anyway.I redeem myself a little bit the last set of the day cause while waiting for one I'd seen coming about 7-800 yds out,I see another at exactly 532 'ice shuffle'paces(450 yds maybe??)out on another lake coming toward me.When he stops,turns sidewise,walks a few steps,then stops again broadside-bang/flop.
One of my most exciting days ever despite my most monumental screw up ever.Thanks to the guy who sent me the PM,I'll be back there soon.
God I love NoDak for coyotes!
Good hunting all!

Post by **Coyote 22-250** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 7:57 pm

great story. I think just about everyone has gotten reallly excited like that at some point in time and then the old grinch mr. greed stops by the set and fumbles things up really bad. been there before.. sounds like you had an awesome time though. congrats!!!!

Post by **Coyotehunter** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 6:09 am

great story. sets like those made me start caring a shot gun. Hard to do though when you are packing that far in. great post.

Post by **Jerry Hunsley** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 8:11 pm

I kinda have to chuckle. Been there done that. I think that has happened to a lot of people. Anymore, I take the first one that I have a chance at and the rest is all bonus. Things can get pretty wild sometimes. One time I had seven coming all in a line. Talk about getting excited. I did manage to get two out of the group. LOL!!!

Post by **Prairie Ghost** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 8:18 pm

Did the same thing on Monday with a triple figured i would let them all come into shotgun range and just start tipping them. Ended up tracking a shotgunned coyote for awhile and getting the donut hole not such a good deal. I'm having trouble laughing about it yet

Post by **LeviM** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 6:11 am

Prairie Ghost wrote:I'm having trouble laughing about it yet

I will laugh for you Brad

J/K We had that samething happen our first stand of this coyotehunting season. Actually it was in the Thompson Tournament. We had a pair of yotes fly over the hill and we both thought we were going to wack em' and stack em' with the shotgun! Well to make a long story short we ended up with No coyotes and some very long faces. Chris ended up pasting one in the face and knock it over. Well before you know it, its back on its feet and running faster then ever

Post by **Coyotehunter** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 6:39 pm

I shot one on Tuesday in the face with the shotgun at 15 yards. He just layed bleeding all over himself. 4 buck will do that.