The weather is cooling off and the days are getting shorter. I have been feeling it in my bones and my trigger finger has been twitching. Its time to dust off those calls and get after it. I am looking forward to a good season, but really looking forward to hearing all your stories. I will be finishing up the editing on our video and spending a little ammo soon. We are hoping to have it out before Christmas, but that’s if we find a few more sponsors. Look forward to a lot of great stands and some very cool film. We have footage from all over AZ, NM, TX & OK. Some interesting clips of Coyotes, Fox, Cats and some great clips with decoy dogs.
What sound should I use, Is a question I hear asked often. It may sound like a easy question to answer and certain times it is. It has a lot to do with what time of year it is, what kinda terrain you are hunting, what are you targeting and a few other variables like hunting pressure. Then there is the easy answer ” Confidence “, You will call more animals with the sounds you have personal confidence in then any others. The sounds you have confidence in are the sounds you are going to be using more often. No mater what you hear, there is no secret, magic or best sound. There are some sounds that are going to work better at certain times, places and conditions.
Every caller has a different idea of what sounds good, and there are a lot of opinions on what type of sound works best. Whether it be rabbit distress, bird, exotic distress or the targets distress. Every caller will adapt there own technique for the way they call and no two callers will sound the same on a call.
I recommend getting a few calls for each kind of distress you are planning on using and practice, practice and practice. As you spend more time in the field it will be like a switch being flipped and your confidence and success level will rise.
Rabbit
I have good success using both cotton tail and jack sounds. I do slightly favor cotton tail over jack, but that is just personal preference. I like a smooth, repetitive, mildly aggressive sound, while others prefer wild, loud aggressive sounds. Like I said, its personal preference and has a lot to do with confidence. The reason I prefer a milder sound is because in my eye it will call aggressive animals in and still have a good chance at bringing in a more timid animal. I recommend getting out there and finding what works for you, try a little of everything.
Bird
Bird distress is a great sounds for cats, coyotes and fox. It is usually a more busy sound, which I believe cats prefer. A bird sound is typically a great sound to use in areas that receive pressure and most likely it wont scare off or intimidate sub dominant animals.
Other distress
Sounds like fawn, chicken and exotics are good sounds to use in pressured areas and for bigger targets, like lion and bear. I will rarely use these sounds (Deer/ fawn), almost only when I am targeting lion and bear. There are a lot of guys that swear by them and use them often, I am just not one of them. Give them a try and find out what works for you.
Vocals
Whether it be coyote, bobcat or fox vocals, they all will work. But some will work better at other times and in other situations. I have never really been a big vocals kinda guy. I do call a lot of coyotes in with howls, but I almost always use non aggressive howls.
Targets distress
Great sounds to use for the animal in question and sometimes other predators will come too. A few of the sounds that I use often are, coyote distress/ pup distress, fox distress/ fox pup distress and kitten cries. They all work well for me and I call a lot of animals with each every season. Coyote distress is a great sound to use after the shot, a lot of times it will bring in a second animal or bring back a missed coyote. Grey fox distress is a very good sound to use when calling in foxy areas, it works great and really brings them in. Plus you have a good chance at calling in anything from Lion to Bobcat.
For those who only dabble in predator hunting it isn’t always necessary to have a predator hunting specific rifle. There’s nothing wrong with using the old deer rifle, in fact it is a great opportunity to build more confidence with that rifle. But if you’re looking to get out there and get serious there’s nothing like having the right tool for the right job. And that job usually requires more than one tool, most predator hunters find a need for a center fire rifle and a shot gun.
When choosing your center fire rifle the first thing to decide on would be the action. Each action has its pros and cons, depending on your style of hunting and personal taste will determine what suits you. Whether you prefer both action, semi auto, single shot, pump or lever action, a lot of the particulars will stay the same. Like barrel length, weight and caliber. I prefer a short barrel, and wouldn’t have anything say longer than 20 inches. Barrel length has a direct link to the weight of your rifle. It is also linked to the speed in which are bullet travels, and in predator hunting most times faster is better. As for caliber there’s no shortage of them out there, and a lot of them perform similar. In deciding a caliber one thing to consider would be if you’re going to reload for it or shoot factory ammo. There are more than a few great calibers out there that will require you to reload for, but if you do not reload you won’t have a problem finding a suitable round.
With that let’s start with action, I personally enjoy most actions out there. But there are a few that I’m more partial to, bolt action and semi auto are my two favorite actions. It is hard to beat the semi auto when you’re out coyote hunting and are expecting multiples. In semi auto I prefer the AR 15 platform, these days it can be had in an assortment of great calibers. On my personal AR 15 I run a 16 inch barrel which is lite and easy to swing. And in my honest opinion it is hard to beat the 223, ammo is readily available and it is very easy to reload for. In a bolt action rifle my personal preference is either the Remington 700 or model seven, both are reliable and inherently accurate. The 700 is more readily available and hard to beat, but the model seven is basically a lighter scaled down version of its big brother. Both can be had in an array of effective calibers. Your decision will come down to terminal performance, recoil, availability of ammunition and of course affect on fur. Now if you’re not going to be saving fur than your decision will be that much easier.
Here’s a short list of the calibers I use.
.243
A great multi use caliber with a lot of knock down power, good wind and brush bucking abilities. But a little hard on fur. It is a good caliber to own, best for game up to deer size. With ammo being readily available.
.223
My favorite of them all right now. Good stopping power and average wind and brush bucking abilities. The .223 or 5.56 is a good compromise on fur and stopping power. Most states will allow you to hunt deer with it, but I feel it is a litle lite. Ammo is also easy to come by.
.221 fireball
The .221 fireball is a great round with just enough stopping power for coyotes yet just light enough to be fur friendly on fox and cats. It is a good round but does have limits, you need to limit your range and be sure of your shots. This round is the easiest on the ears.
.204
This is a peppy little round, and just like the fireball has its limits. It is quickly gaining popularity in the predator hunting community. Being an alternative caliber for the AR 15 has helped.
Now on to a shotgun, just like the center fire rifle you probably already have a shotgun you use on clay’s or upland game. It will work just fine to use what you have already, but there are shotguns more suited for predator hunting. But I prefer a shorter barrel on my shotguns, my personal dedicated predator shotgun has an 18 and half inch barrel, and more than likely I wouldn’t use anything over 24 inches. Just as in the center fire rifle the shorter barrel makes for a lighter gun that’s easier to swing. As for actions I use a semi auto, but the pump action will also do the trick. I use a 12 gauge 3 inch loaded with either number four buck or anything from BB on up. There are people out there that have good luck with a 20 gauge, but you will need to limit you range and be picky on shot placement.
Stand selection for beginners,
I feel the biggest obstacle for beginner predator hunters is stand selection. A lot of new guys are more wrapped up with the sounds they are making than where they are making them. I’m not saying that sound choice isn’t important, but successful calling has a lot to do with being in the right place at the right time. You can’t call what isn’t there. If you aren’t within ear shot of your target you can call until your blue.
Predators have the same basic necessities that we have. They require water, food and shelter “Habitat”.
Water,
Every living creature requires water from some source, whether it be moisture from the food they eat, or a tank or spring. During drought conditions or in areas where water is scarce, it’s a good bet that there are predators in the area. If you’re going to set up a stand on public land I recommend not setting up directly on the water source, as more than likely it has been called several times prior. I find that I have better success setting up a short distance from the source and calling towards habitat likely to hold animals. Whenever possible playing the wind and sun to my advantage.
Food,
Predators, just like all living creatures have to eat. Most predators are creatures of opportunity, they will utilize any food source available. Sometimes it is obvious what is on their plate other times require a little detective work. It is always a good idea to scout the area for your selected preys food source. Constantly keep your eyes out for sign, whether it be tracks or scat. Tracks will show travel routes, routines and availability of your prey in that area. Scat will give you a good idea what they’re currently feeding on and what they have been feeding on. Fresh scat will help you in deciding good locations for stands. Sometimes scat is used as a territorial marker, so keep your eyes peeled at road intersections, trail intersections, on ridges and in washes. And remember most predators are omnivorous, so don’t discount such food sources as fruit, seeds, bugs, carrion and their typical diet of rabbits, rodents and birds.
Shelter/ habitat,
Can be a lush river bottom or wash to a lone group of trees or bushes. Just like any other animal predators need cover from the elements. Sometimes it is very obvious, a brushy drawl winding down through the prairie, or cover between a few agricultural fields. Other times not so obvious. Once you develop and eye for your preys habitat, stands selection will become second nature. The more time you spend in the field, the greater the acceleration of the learning curve. It will be like a switch being flipped and your success level will rise. Then you will find yourself picking the route they will take to respond, in-turn setting yourself up for the optimal shot.
When you can get all three basic necessities in one area it will greatly improve your odds. Just like hunting any other animal, with trial and error your stand selection will improve and with that your success! But try not to get too picky with your stand choices, they won’t come if you don’t call. And remember, the game is to call them to you, so try not to intrude to deep in their territory. Work on finding that happy medium, one where they are close enough to hear your call and be motivated to respond, yet far enough not to be spooked while you set up.
Two up your odds try picking stand locations with natural and unnatural barriers that will help funnel them into your shooting Lanes and keep them from circling downwind. It can be anything from a rock ledge or cliff, a water source, a roadway or fence. By keeping the wind in your face and you’re back to an obstacle it will detour your prey from circling and help entice them to present themselves for the shot. This technique can also be used with a cross wind situation.
Also another important factor of stand selection is your viewpoint, whenever possible try to set up with an elevated position. While elevated you will be in a good position to ensure you see anything approaching, plus more than likely you will be out of the line of sight as they advance to the call. Also setup with something to break up your outline, you don’t wanna be sky lined, or silhouetted. That will make it much easier for your prey to pick up any movement that you might make. And always make sure before you commit to your stand location that you have shooting Lanes, and remember things always don’t look the same after you sit down.
Teacher Candice Berner, 32, was attacked while out jogging near Chignik Lake, a Native Alutiiq village, in Alaska.
Snowmobilers found her severely mauled body in a pool of blood and tracks from four wolves in the snow.
The Alaska State Medical Examiner listed “multiple injuries due to animal mauling” as the cause of death for Candice Berner, 32, a special education teacher from Pennsylvania who began working in Alaska in August. Her body was found off the road a mile outside the village of Chignik Lake on the Alaska Peninsula, which is about 474 miles southwest of Anchorage.
Colonel Audie Holloway, of the Alaskan State Troopers, said: “There’s no other carnivores in that area that are out and active. There were wolf tracks all around the body, and drag marks associated with those tracks.”
Candice Berner is apparently the first person in the U.S. killed by wolves in modern times.
