Hello I'm a new guy here and a dedicated coyote/varmint hunter. I'm willing to travel a day or two to get into some good shooting and am wondering how far other hunters are willing to go, with gas prices and everything else in the world going up are other hunters staying around their home area? Do you camp, motel or couch surf? Oh and does anyone have any recommendations on a good facemask?

I'm in ID. Headed to Arizona next week to hunt predators. Will do some calling in NV and UT. I usually go to WY once or twice a year calling also.
I just got one of theose neoprene white/black "skull" face masks for my snow camo mask. Have been using a knitted/fleece mask but I have better periforal with the neoprene. I use a mask with die cut leaves the rest of the time. I cut the mouth out so I can use my calls.

im from utah and i travel to WY, CO, NV and ID just states cloose to were i live

213.5 miles one way

For me to shoot PDs, the trip is from south FL to Malta, MT and places in between, KS, WY; anywhere I have or invited to go, the Duramax is loaded and ready to go. Later...Dan

I was so desperate with all of my failures in New Hampshire, that I flew to Arizona a few weeks ago to hunt on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. I finally broke the curse!

For the coyote hunting,I can and do most of my hunting within 5 to 20 miles of the house, with very good results. My work takes me out of state yearly so the varmit guns are always packed and ready to go.Two years ago, I did alot of coyote hunting in Mesquite,Nv and around St.George,Ut with outstanding results.The hunting in the high desert was something I will never forget.
For the sage rats we travel about 200-250 miles one way and it is the highlight of my varmit season. It is spent with a couple of members fromthis forum and one of those times that you never forget.

The chickens sqauk, I look out the bedroom window of my blind, I grab the gun.... It's the way my ancestors have always done it.

Also dogs, cats, bears, raccoons, hawks, owls, etc.
We are a full service operation.

And my family is in the blind too. My little son heard a coyote outside and said to me in baby talk," Daddy, get yowa gun!"

MAU MAU

How many dogs did you see, and how many did you shoot on the RES? And what did they charge you?

I hunt all over AZ but have never been hunting on any of the Reservations.

Semper Fi
Will

I saw quite a few Coyotes on the Reservation, but I only secured two. My main goal was to obtain a few Coyotes and use them as Mountain Lion bait at the higher altitudes.
Had I been more experienced, and the Coyotes no so well educated, I may have done better. It was truly a beautiful area and I really enjoyed my solo hunt.
Here is a link to the Game Department with the various fee's and schedules. Good Luck!
http://www.sancarlosrecreationandwildlife.com/

From front door of my house in NW Wash to my property in NE Wash is 429 miles and an average of 6 hours.
Have been heading to Central WA lately. About 4 hours depending on the pass.

Oh I forgot, downstairs to the safe and back out the garage door.

Mike Stevenson: There ARE lots of Coyotes in western Montana! You just do not see them as often as one does when in more "open" country!
I live in SW Montana and the biggest obstacle to my "cloase to home" Coyote Hunting is the airplane Hunters, Government Trappers and Hunters and the snowmobile Hunters around here!
The snowmobile people run the Coyotes down and run them over then shoot them with pistols! The airplane Hunters simply shoot them with shotguns out the windows of their airplanes! So they (the Coyotes) are pretty spooky during the day around my parts! I do better at night.
If indeed you feel the need for more open spaces, I suggest the Tongue River and Powder River drainages of eastern Montana and a virtually untapped resource area for Coyotes is the Fedrally regulated (seasons and no electronics or night Hunting!!!) Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge!
I Hunted there this fall for Big Game and could have easily killed 15 Coyotes, but for my first priority - Mule Deer and Elk!
Check on the web for dates of the Coyote season there and by the way NO Hunting of Bobcats is allowed there on the "Russell"!
This area is 425 miles from my home in SW Montana but its worth the drive!
The last time we did the Powder River Country we got 4 Coyotes and should have taken 10! We also got 2 Wild Turkeys and saw 2 Bobcats but had no permission as yet for where the Cats were.
This is beautiful country and abounds with Deer, Antelope and bird life!
Well worth the "miles" in my estimation.
Both my snow face mask and my sage face mask do not have their brand names in them anymore!
I like the new Prairie Ghost face mask for sage country Hunting and will buy one soon.
I also have a military surplus neoprene and velcro white snow mask that can be "added" to (over) any face covering.
My friend bought this for me in Idaho Falls, Idaho at the big surplus store there!
I like to stay out in the "field" whenever possible - to save both Hunting time and motel money!
It can get real cool in the back of the VarmintMobile but the benefits are worth it in my mind.
Good luck in your planning.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Varmintguy, I hunt quite a bit around your home territory and as a matter of fact I'm heading over saturday to work on some coyotes near a friends house north of glen.

Mike stevenson: Hey Mike my home phone is 406-683-6888 but I am planning on being in Livingston, Montana for the Gunshow there that day!
Call me anyway if you get a chance, and if the weather turns to crud I will be here with cold beer and hot Varmint Hunting stories!
Good luck!
I just came past Fleecer, Mountain (north of Glenn) Saturday, and saw about 600 wintering Elk on its slopes. If you get a few extra minutes this might be a nice "wildlife viewing" opportunity!
Again best of luck on the upcoming Hunt!
I have killt several Coyotes on the gravel road from Melrose to Twin Bridges in the past.
That might be another spot for you to check! Then over towards Twin Bridges (on the downslope of this road towards Twin) the cattle will be calving soon and I have seen as many as three Coyotes just lurking around these pastures watching for a chance at a calf or some afterbirth - in the middle of the day no less!
Again good luck and if my travel partners wimp out on the 145 mile drive to Livingston I may be around. Call me.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

varmintguy, thanks for the info. It will be a short hunting trip for me, about a half day saturday. I can't promise I'll call but if I have a little time I will. My hunting buddy lives between Melrose and Glen on the west side of 15. He is retired and has nothing to do but what he wants to, I on the other hand have work and other life commitments so I have to occasionally make my trips short.