Calling Tactics and Sounds?

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Thanks G C, I did see that thread on shotguns, actually a few, I have been going back through old pages and learnin' like mad!

This site goes really slow... the site I go for rockclimbing gets over two hundred posts a day if you fall behind you'll never catch up.

I have to get some sheetrock and go do some testing, I will bring my camera as suggested in the other thread, as a picture is worth a thousand words. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I just gotta get my little bro, Redrider, to help me load up some shells... I can pull the handle and make 'em but he is the master loader, I am the shooter... though not nearly the master shooter my dad is, Grampa says "you listen to him, he is the best shot I have ever seen!" and Gramps has seen a lot!

Now the real hard part is going to be convincing my Dad to let me camo paint one of the Ithicas (sic). No way on the .243 though, he'd kill me if I even asked. A sock will have to do on it.

Thanks again you guys are alright by me (like that means anything)

Oh yeah thanks for the tip on the Hornet, that is what I'd really like to use. I had one as a young man, and it was the most accurate thing I ever shot at 100yds... though Red's .222 Rem is a hella tool too!

Jeff /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
O.K. I know what to do next.....find a publisher for this book..er... topic.

You don't find this much info. in the books you buy. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

James
 
Roadkill,
The prices are going up some now aren't they? Fur-Fish-Game Magazine has some predictions of the market for this upcoming year and it's better than it has been in quite awhile. Nothing like back in the late 70's or early -mid 80's though. In the early-mid 80's I was struggling to get through college while raising a young family, working several jobs and construction during the summers. During every weekend or break during the winter I'd coyote hunt. Back then most of the counties around here still had a $15.00 bounty on coyotes. Then a fellow could get $25.00-$35.00 for a good hide. Bobcats were where the real money was at the time, bringing as much as $100.00 a hide. Those were lean times for me and more than once a good hunt kept us out of the peanut butter jar for supper the next week. Tough times, and we've came a long, long, way since then. I wouldn't go back, yet, there still seems to be some wonderful memories of those years.
 
GC,
We can only dream of those 70s prices. $80-$100 for a red!
I averaged $25 on coyotes last season through NAFA.
Sorry to get off topic! Keep the info coming!
 
Howls can be as useful as a call sound as anything else.Trick is to know which howls to use. I use the lone howls.Two types just slightly diferent. The first is the common invitation.One or two moderately soft barks then a long drawn out howl. Th eother is sometimes called the female invitation, a howl you'll hear from late december until mid febuary. It's just a long drawn out quivering howl. These two sounds will draw coyote's to you at a setup. You most likely will never get an answer during daylight hours to the howls

If you get a response it will likely be a dominant dog. Listen to him closely and respond just exactly as he did. Take the safetey off and get lined up in the direction they come from as soon as possible. This dog will be HOT and in a hurry. A whistel or a bark is all you'll neeed to stop him once it's in range.

I too remeber the good old days when a coon brought a dollar an inch in length.Fifty dollar reds as well and these were green hides. The forecasters are saying put up your own hides if you want the top dollar for the pelts.Jimmie
 
Good times, good times! Let's talk cold calling. What I mean is this, going hunting into an area without scouting it beforehand. How many do this? Probably, sixty-seventy percent of the time I scout an area before calling it. But, let's face it, hunting time is at a premium, and sometimes it sucks to have the perfect day to hunt, yet for whatever reason your old spots don't turn you on for this day. Or, if you don't have a lot of areas to call, they're tired and you need to go someplace new to you. Or the winds not right, ect... Not having scouted an area means going into it cold. It seems a shame to not actually make a stand or two while there. A Hunting/Scouting as you go sort of deal? Ever done that?

I'm curious how many guys use a topo map ahead of time to plan such a hunt. I hunt large expanses of big timber as my earlier post told. After hunting a certain section you get to know your way around. However, I can always hunt a new area and do so every year, expanding my calling area as much as I want. Yeah, I have hotspots that I go back to every year. But it's fun hunting new territory.

I like to get my topo maps out and pore over them looking for terrain features that might indicate good calling grounds. Using the weather channel for the planned hunts weather, especially WIND DIRECTION, helps me to plan a hunt from the house. I can get into an area with the wind in my favor this way, and know pretty close where I want to make my stands from, BEFORE I've ever set foot in there. Last minute decisions as to where to actually sit are made on the ground after looking over the vegatation and visability, ect... I like to plan a route with stand sites premarked on the topo. On a good all day hunt I'll hike/backpack the forest making stands that I've set up ahead of time on the topo, and adding new ones from my on the ground observations. These hunts will take me through the timber from as few as 3-4 miles to as many as 7-8 miles. Having map and compass skills, being prepared, and having a plan gives me the confidence to do this without fear of getting lost and feeling as if I have a real advantage over any hunters tied to the roads. I can easily do the "drive-stop-call-drive again" type hunts. I much prefer to cruise the timber on foot on a cold winter day. Walking in this way there is literally zero competition. It's great exercise in the deep Ozark's tough up and down terrain, leaving you bushed, but soooo relaxed at days end. And what a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday living. Easing through the big woods like this sharpens hunting skills and improves woodsmanship. I never see another soul. And neither do the coyotes, foxes, or bobcats!

Some of my best days have been the first ones in an area using this technique. And you learn as you go adjusting things for the next time you go in the area. I mark this information on my topo map for future reference.

Scouting is never a wasted day. But by utilizing this technique I can combine the two occasionally and end up with some super hunting days at the same time. Anyone else use a similar home scouting/planning routine?
 
While the maps I use are not as fancy, they do give a decent overhead shot of the area. Mapquest has a b/w satilite shot map option, and you can print them out. I heavily use the weather channel, however those last three days of their forcast have yet proven to bet money on. Yet a good report on wind speed & direction certainly helps. As well as helping to plan on what other clothing or supplies to bring.
Speaking of cold calling, I recently picked up a knight&hale split reed diaphram call set, its raspy, and hard to learn but my thoughts are to use it as a supliment, and have at the ready while on the move. What I mean is I've listened to alot of hens just getting around, these sounds could be used as cover in the case of slight noise produced from corn stalks, soy bean twigs etc. Also I've read chatter about these calls being used to produce stressed bird or critter sounds. Anyone else have thoughts on that?
 
Yes GC, I use the maps on occasion. But there are a lot of times someone overhears a conversation and just gives me directions to a farm and it's off to the races.This is most often during midseason. I take a rifle and go to scout the place during a prime calling time. If I come across good sign and a very likely setup I will call it cold there on the spot.This has been the end of many a dog over the years. It makes it a lot easier to talk to the mans neighbors with a dog in the truck you've just taken sometimes.

Danurve, I ise these types of tactics quite a bit. Making sounds like a squirrel foraging or little whistles liek a covy fo quail moving through will get you in there whne things are too dry to even think about silence. I use the squirrel stunt most often. It's gotten me more than one shot at a bedded deer.The turkey call and shuffling your feet will get the same results for you as well. Just don't move to fast and stop often. Jimmie
 
I also use the sattellite photos for all my hunting. I'm always looking for new drainedges/ceder swamps. These are the areas that produce the most for me. I'm often calling "semi" cold. Unless I have a core area pinpointed, I'm hunting in areas I know are used at some point, but often don't have time for a "fresh" sign scout. There is more ground up here available to hunt than ten men could cover in a liftime. This is a sometimes handicap to me , as I give-in to the "run-abouts", and don't cover one area as well as I should.
I guess my favorite is a below zero night with some moonlight, and a fresh snow. I consider myself lucky to get one or two night s a season where everything comes together. Then I'll head out on my snowsled, strap on the shoes and hunt most of the night.
Makes for a tough following day at work /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Sorry Danurve, we all forgot to answer yoru question completely. By all means use that turkey diaphram to call with. The Kee kee run of young turkey's is a good sound where there are plenty of both turkeys and predators. It can also be used to mimic rabbit squeals. I can't get a decent woodpecker otu of it myself though. Single reeds make a pretty good howl and puppy whines. In fact puppy whines are easier for me with a diaphram call than any other. Listen to a few sounds and pratice them. Don't worry about perfect, just get the cadence or rythem of the sound close. Jimmie
 
Keep up the good work guys...

Below are a few links that some may find handy:

Is it raining outside?
Check out The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA) also known as the National Weather Service website.

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/

The sun will come up tomorrow…
Find what time at the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department
Data Services:

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/

Or even if you need to know what’s over that next ridge:

http://www.topozone.com
 
Roadkill,
Below zero huh? I've hunted single digit temps a few times, but most often the teens and low twenties are more common. I'll bet that does make for a tough day following that!

Anyway, back on topic. In my recent post detailing my first hunt this year I didn't explain this there, but will here. When I sat up to begin calling, I was looking down the old logging trail. I expected any oncoming critters to use the trail there because of it being on a fairly narrow ridgetop, the clearcut was on one side, and the heavy timber on the other. The trail was a natural travel lane between the two. Sure, I think coyotes could use any of that cover. But, imagine this, if you were trying to get someplace quickly, would you bust through side hill heavy cover? Or use the trail? I figured I'd get a young of the year coyote or two. Instead, this was an adult coyote. But it's early in the season so he's probably not been called to yet. And in my situation, probably never has been anyway. Callers are darn few and far between here. Like Roadkill, I have more ground than I can ever hope to hunt in my lifetime. There is very, very, little pressure from callers here in my area. So, I wasn't too worried right now that one would circle on me.

I said that I killed the coyote at 38 yards, and I did. The interesting thing is this, there was a slight hump in the trail at about forty yards. I liked that set-up because an approaching animal couldn't begin scrutinizing me as it came loping down the trail from long distance. This coyote had to come over that hump to see the prey animal that it imagined was making the ruckus. That put it in easy shotgun range. Why sit in a spot that a coyote might see me from 100 yards and have a chance to figure out that I was a fake? I was toting my shotgun because of the heavy cover in the woods now anyway. Might as well get everything working for me in this situation by minimizing the chance that the coyote could see me before I could shoot it! As the coyote ran over the hump in the trail it slowed and checked up to scrutinize the new territory it had just ran into. This happened during a calling pause and I glimpsed the coyotes head bobbing just before it topped over the rise in the trail. That allowed me time to snuggle down and remove the safety. That little bit of thought in stand selection made for an easy shot.
 
I whole heartedly agree with that last post GC. I always take a few moments to check a chosen call sight. Just a couple of feet in position can make a great deal of difernece in which ,you or the coyote, gets the surprise.

The scene you described is that perfect edge cover one should be looking for in such a site as the one you worked.The old road formed the breakline between the covers.Add easy travel up a slight incline as opposed to the steeper sides of the hill and it makes the perfect aproach.

In choosing a stand site look for the edge cover, the incline of the ground, oddities that can block your view to the better aproach lanes,Cover to hide your silhuette and the down wind cover. You've already spent several minutes walking in a few more may make the diference in a succesful hunt.Jimmie
 
Well I just wanted to thank you eastern fella's for all those tips and suggestions in this thread.

Clearly one of the best threads I've ever had the pleasure of reading. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Well..... are we wrapping it up here? Or are we going to discuss DECOYS? How about COVER SCENTS? Other than these two items (unless I missed it somewhere in the last 100 post or so) we've covered a lot of territory here. Whadda ya say, anyone want to close it out with a good round on these two topics? Ya'll pitch in and I'll stomp in too.
 
Actually GC I was hoping some of these guys would ask some questions about whatever they might be stumped on.Some of the recent post's show they are missing things that are in here.There is a boatload of info here and it's got to be a lot to digest at one sitting.I think we might actually have hit a record for an information topic here, 150 + post's!

Decoys, why bother?

Several reasons! An atractor , something to add some realism to the set. For the animals attention, we need something to keep it's mind off of the human in the bushes.Coyote's in particular are sight oriented. Movement draws their attention like a magnet draws steel.They will definately prevent hung up animals at a set!

Cover scents, personally I don't use them.I prefer to play the wind current and the terrain.I don't believe in them either. The predators nose is so well tuned that it can pick you out of a rotten carcass at several hundred yards.But in some cases there are advantages to using them. The biggest one is psychological, if you believe they are working for you then you will stay at a set as long as you need to. It's a confidence factor.Confidence in yourself and your equipment is probably the most important thing you will take with you into the woods and fields.If you believe in it strong enough then it's working for you.Jimmie
 
Jimmie, I too was hoping for more input from some of the other members, both experienced and the newer callers too. That's why I brought up these two topics because I know they're some of the most asked about.

DECOY's: I use a motion decoy most of the time. As long as the cover isn't so thick that an approaching critter couldn't possibly see the decoy, I'll normally set one up. I like to set the decoy up slightly upwind from my position and on the upwind fringe of an open area. This open area is my hoped for kill site. By placing the decoy as I do if a coyote wants to swing slightly downwind of the decoy to check it out, this places it in a good position for a shot. The critter has to get in the open to get the wind and thus has actually put itself closer to me, and in a more shootable position.
The decoy can absolutely lock a coyote up like a champion bird dog! My experience has seen them stop and stare at point, I've seen them stalk a decoy, and rush the decoy. A couple of times the coyote caught me moving, but instead of bugging out, it kept looking at me and then the decoy. Big mistake for the coyote! In any of these cases the decoy has done it's job. The decoy has given me the opportunity for a clean shot by diverting the animals attention from me, to it.

COVER SCENTS: I spritz just a touch of Red Fox, Coon, Squirrel, Rabbit, or some other kind of pee on the ground just downwind of the decoy. Just something to give the coyote a bit of confidence or at least something to consider while pondering the decoy. I use a tiny spritz of cover scent on the downwind side of my position too. That's for my confidence! Remember, don't overdo the use of a cover scent for this purpose. Small animals have small bladders, too much can really be just that-too much!

OK, pitch in here now gentlemen. Comments or questions, let's cuss and discuss!
 
Cool! Yeah let's talk decoys.

After my recent experience with a bobcat, which you can read about here... http://www.predatormastersforums.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=002052

I really need to know more about them, I am pretty sure some kind of motion (other than me) would have produced my first bobcat!

How elaborate do they need to be?

Are the electric ones way better than say a yote tail tied to a string?

I have seen many guys pics showing a small styrofoam or stuffed rabbit and an enticer. How does one use these together? How close do you place your decoy and e-caller to each other? Does the decoy need motion of its own? Does anyone use a remote for this purpose?

And as far as attracting scents, my brother thinks having some fresh blood for a scent would work well, has anyone ever tried this.

I am with those of you who think it is not necessary to use cover scents... then the coyote just winds a guy who got pissed on by a critter. What good does that do? But I could see using something near the e-caller/motion decoy. Besides I always end up with a wet pocket and my dog wont leave me alone for days after a hunt, she'd be a great hunting dog if she didn't freak out everytime she hears a gun go off!?!

There you go guys, I hope this gives you all something to work on for awhile... I am all ears, and eatin' this stuff up!

And to step off the subject a little... I figure we can probably get a twenty spot for each yote, how much is a green bob pelt worth (roughly), more or less than a coyote?

Thanks again,

Jeff /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
I have several decoys. My favorite is the enticer from Tailwagger.A decoy does not have to be an electronic gizmo to work. Wings from quail or pheasants or even the wing feather from a white chicken.Th ewhite feather on a string works as good as anything there is as far as decoys go. Just place whatever decoy at about thirty to fifty yards from you where it will be noticed.I used a white goose feather for years before hte enticer. Jimmie
 
Quite a few years ago I was bear hunting, had skunk scent and coyote urine on my clothes, no camo. Sat on a log to rest, look around, saw a coyote out of the corner of my eye, coming from my right. I sat real still, wathing out of the corner of my eye, it hopped up on the log beside me,sat there a minute or so, hopped off and left. I always used skunk scent and coyote urine, had lot of unbelievable shots at coyotes. I'm a firm believer in cover scents.
 
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