PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 PREDATOR HUNTING ƒ WINTER 2015 - 2016 Contents FEATURES

BRUSHDEEP COUNTRY WOODS COYOTES BOBCATS WINTER 2015-2016 TACTICS FOR

PERFECT PREDATORS WHEN THE HUNTERS BECOME THE HUNTED

THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CALL IN A MOUNTAIN LION LURE IN A GIANT WOLF

Access Tough Terrain Judge Distances Master the Wind

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8 The Cat of Many Names 50 Beast Hogs & Song Dogs You will probably fail but calling in a moun- How hog hunting and predator hunting tain lion is the ultiimate challenge in predator go hand-in-hand. By Bob Humphrey hunting. By Jack Spencer, Jr 54 The Quiet Woods 12 Stealth-Mode Bobcats Suppressors are becoming legal for hunting in Everything you need to know about hunting many states. How and why to give them a try. the ghost of the woods. By John Murray By Brian McCombie and Dick Jones

18 Hunting Giant Wolves 56 Reaching Out of the North How to extend your long-range shooting A Candian quest. By BJack Spencer, Jr with confidence. By Doug Howlett

24 The Mobile Hunter’s Triad 58 Any-Country Coyotes A 4WD truck, a motorcycle and a mountain How to master the landscape in any bike. By Ted Stotler terrain that you hunt. By Mark Kayser

28 Calling in the Thick Stuff 62 How Far? How Close? Tactics for hunting in the jungle brush. A survey of predator hunters on everything By Randy D. Smith from driving time to how far they take shots. By Andrew Lewand 34 Predator Hunting on a Budget An experiment in putting together an 66 Conditioned Coyotes economy rig. By Cary Rideout Don’t let song dogs figure you out. By Lance Homman 42 Calling the Crows It’s just like coyote hunting except 70 Get Comfortable the target has wings. By Art Isberg This predator hunting gear takes the misery out of a tough hunt. By Mark Kayser 46 Calling the Mountain Winds

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 5 EDITOR’S CALL | James Card And There I Was WINTER 20152016 David Koester is a travel writer that has a series of books titled, “And h ere Vol. 10, No. 1 I Was” where he chronicles his travels to far-l ung places in Africa, Asia and South America. 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001 I get a kick of his choice of words: And h ere I Was. 715-445-2214 h ose four words are powerful. It signals the start of what usually is a good Editor | JAMES CARD story. It’s those words that get people to stop what they are doing, perk up, F+W Outdoors Editors | CHRIS BERENS lean closer, and pull up a chair next to the campi re. ALAN CLEMONS I can only imagine some predator hunters swapping some tales: GORDY KRAHN Contributing Writers | LANCE HOMMAN JACK SPENCER, JR And there I was with this coyote i ve feet away MARK KAYSER from me and it looked like it had rabies… ANDREW LEWAND BRIAN MCCOMBIE RANDY D. SMITH And there I was, with a dead battery 19 miles TED STOTLER from the nearest town when I thought I should Design Manager | SHARON BARTSCH climb up onto this… Graphic Designer | DANE ROYER Advertising Sales | MARK BEAUCHAINE And there I was, with the fox in the crosshairs SCOTT BUCHMAYR AMOS CROWLEY when I noticed it only had three legs… MARGARET ANN HUGGINS BRAD RUCKS And there I was, looking into the cave where Advertising Assistant | LORI HAUSER the wounded mountain lion ran into…

Here’s one of my And-h ere-I-Was stories: And there I was, sitting on a stump with a compound bow in my lap. I was 14 years old and waiting for a Predator Hunting Magazine is an annual magazine published solely for information to readers. The publisher is not liable for whitetail deer. By mid-morning I had seen a few deer but none of them were authors’ or advertisers’ claims, or for negligence by manufacturers in range. Before bagging it for the day, I decided to try my new predator call. that advertise. Advertising rates available upon request. Address It was a simple wooden reed call and I gave it a string of strangled toots, do- correspondence to: Predator Hunting Magazine, 700 E. State St., ing my best to imitate a small animal dying a horrii c death. h en I waited Iola, WI 54990-0001. and watched for a fox or coyote to come running in. Nothing appeared. I Contact F+W about these quality outdoor magazines: called again and decided to wait another ten minutes before hiking out. Deer & Deer Hunting At er a while I got that feeling that something was watching me, that I Ice Fishing Magazine wasn’t alone. I slowly turned my head, scanning through the brush and there Trapper & Predator Caller was the bobcat. Its body was hidden in the brush and only its head was visible. I watched the bobcat and the bobcat watched me. It was about 75 yards F+W, A CONTENT + ECOMMERCE COMPANY away, too far to shoot with my bow and arrow and I didn’t have a bobcat tag JIM OGLE, CFO & INTERIM CEO PHIL GRAHAM, SVP, Mfg. & Production anyway. It didn’t matter. At that very moment I learned that I had the power DAVE DAVEL, VP, Advertising Sales to summon one of the wildest creatures of the woods, to draw the predator STACIE BERGER, VP Communications near and to look it right in the eyes. F+W MAGAZINE GROUP May this season bring many adventures and upon your safe return from JAMIE WILKINSON, VP, Group Publisher the i eld and forest, I hope you have plenty of And-h ere-I Was-stories to DANIEL E. SCHMIDT, Content Director MARK LILLA, share around the campi re. Production Coordinator

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THE CAT OFMANY NAMES

8 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 GETTING A MOUNTAIN LION INTO RANGE IS THE PINNACLE OF PREDATOR CALLING ■ JACK SPENCER, JR

could smell the piss of the deer-tiger as I crawled along a steep rock canyon wall littered with territorial scratches, turds and the unmistakable smell of rank urine. h is is a well-known historical haven for mountain lions to visit and deposit the last remaining mor- Isels of their unlucky victims. On hands and knees, I scoured the broken terrain; inspecting pugmarks, stride length and direction of travel. An experienced feline hunter can tell a lot from sign if one knows what to look for and how to read into a cat’s passing remnants. h e cougar’s solitary and secretive nature ot en makes them dii cult to observe and nearly impossible to harvest while predator calling. h e elusive mountain lion holds the Guinness world record for the animal with the most names in the English language. Puma, cougar, catamount, panther, screamer and painter are others you have probably heard. I typically refer to them as mountain lions or just “lions” for short. h e years I have spent pursuing mountain lions and discovering the ever abundant amount of deer they kill and consume, I tend to call them by their lesser known name of “deer tiger” as it more appropri- ately best describes these ei cient deer-killing machines.

Calling the Big Cat h ere are many methods predator hunters can employ when tackling mountain lions. h e easiest and most reliable method is by the use of well-trained lion hounds. I have personally treed well over a 100 lions while hunting during the past decade with hounds in my home state of Nevada, so I feel coni dent enough stating the easiest way to i ll a lion tag is by following a proven pack of hounds. Still hunting or tracking in the snow another method, but barely a doable ordeal and a feat seldom accomplished. Sitting on a lion’s kill can also be ef ective; however, nearly most states do not allow shooting big game at night when most lions return to their kills to feed. Calling in a lion is possible, but again, this method also screams failure, but as with most challenging endeavors, perseverance can prevail even in the midst of compounding impossible odds. When I hunt lions in other states that do not allow the use of hounds, calling is my preferred method. h ere’s really no magic sound when calling for lions, there’s only the hard work of scouting and endless calling, calling and more calling. h e best predator caller in the woods is no better than an amateur caller if there are no lions in the immediate area to hear the sounds emitted from the predator caller. In many states, hound hunting is not permitted so calling is about the only viable option besides getting lucky and stumbling upon a lion. In other states where running hounds

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 9 [ THE CAT OF MANY NAMES ]

Left: Even snuggled tight against a rock crevice, the mountain lion, more often than not, has an uncanny ability to see the hunter before the hunter can get a shot off. Middle: Inspecting a lion-killed deer. Note the surrounding tracks and scattered debris. Right: A cougar in it’s prime winter fur make for an incredible trophy and calling one in is the ultimate in predator hunting.

are a legal method, not everyone has dust they created blow right in my face sight. I do my best to blend in a whole access to hounds or has funds available by a sot gentle breeze. Sometimes it’s lot better than I normally do when I am for a $4,000 to $5,000 guided mountain damn right humiliating to put up with trying to coax in lions as they have the lion hunt. Many guided lion hunts are such embarrassment; however, I keep ability to pick you apart and can catch no guarantee and most hunts average my eye on the prize and I don’t give in the ever slightest of movement. 30 percent to 50 percent hunter success. to some cocky coyote kicking dirt in Last year I had a lion coming into If a hunter is dead set to call in a lion my face. h e truth of the reality is that my calling stand at a decent trot, and at then one is going to have to learn to be a harvesting lion by calling is one of the about 60 yards out, he stopped, squint- more disciplined predator caller. You’re least ef ective methods to i ll a lion tag ed at me, shit ed his head in a circular going to have to learn to pass on other according to mandatory harvest check- motion and ran away. By reading the target-rich animals that will respond in data that is ot en required by game cat’s body language, the lion obviously to your calling more frequently than a departments. detected me as I lay motionless tucked prized lion. I can personally guarantee back in the brush. h ese cats can spot that you will call in more “non-target” They Will See You you even while camoul aged, snuggled critters such as coyotes, bobcats and I will justii ably go on record to state in against dense vegetation matter and fox than lions. I have had coyotes come that from my observations and success- not moving a single muscle. h ere is running to my calling stands when call- fully calling in lions in over the years a huge dif erence between calling in ing for mountain lions on countless oc- that a lion’s eyesight is every bit as good a lion and actually harvesting one. I casions. I have had coyotes 10 yards out if not better than the sharp eyed ante- called in i ve lions before I had an op- barking at me, raking their feet across lope. Lions have excellent diurnal, noc- portunity to i re my i rst shot. the dusty desert l oor only to have the turnal, binocular and peripheral eye- Recently I ventured out one morning

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to do a combination of mountain run- would show itself. I was of a little of on I followed up with two more shots as ning, predator calling and shed antler my educated guess and the lion showed it l ip-l opped itself into a nearby cave. collecting as the morning sun’s rays up 20 feet to my right. h rough pre- At er dark crawl into the cave, one large peaked over the distant hills. I found a vious calling experiences, I dared not prime winter mountain lion lay at my location where several canyons melted move my body with a lion within spit- feet. It is an exuberant feeling when it together with the presence of a few rock ting distance. I did no more than shit all comes together and the harder the piles that looked catty. With a little my eyes towards lion’s direction and challenge, the greater the reward. yellow FoxPro call, I let out a series of blinked. h e lion immediately ran of . h e mountain lion is the ultimate prey-in-distress sounds and not long Many times before I have missed out super predator and is the pinnacle of at erwards across a semi-open canyon I on these close encounters, but I still had predator calling. Calling a lion within spotted two lions. One of the two lions another opportunity across the canyon shooting range is an extremely rare feat was trotting towards my direction with if the other lion would hang around. and for those fortunate predator call- its head up constantly scanning, while I looked over to the other side of the ers lucky enough to connect with these the other stopped, sat on its butt, and canyon and the other lion was looking well-known man-killers, this is the ab- started licking itself about 90 yards out. directly at me. I cursed myself under solute grand slam. On this particular outing I was tot- my breath for not having my steady ing my lightweight single-shot H&R shooting sticks, but I did my best to Handi-Ril e, so I had to be a little picky calm down and made the needed shot. on my shot opportunity. h e oncoming h rough the small smoke cloud, I saw lion disappeared below me, so I posi- the lion somersault in the air at er the tioned myself where I thought the lion report of the ril e on the i rst shot, and

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EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HUNTING THE GHOST OF THE WOODS ■ JOHN MURRAY

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 13 [ STEALTH-MODE BOBCATS ]

obcats are considered h e bobcat hunter must under- NEVER HEAR THEM COMING the rarely seen phan- stand the bobcat’s habits in order to Movement of the bobcat is unquestion- toms of the woods. Most be successful. Many hunters assume able the quietist movement of any ani- people are completely un- that a bobcat is nocturnal because of mal that has a comparable body size. A aware of their existence and lack of day sightings. Instead of being squirrel, which is considerably smaller, Bwould be quite shocked to realize the a true nocturnal species, bobcats are will make more noise. h is is an impor- actual numbers of these animals that re- technically considered crepuscular— tant fact to remember for the bobcat side within their area. h e truth is that a meaning active in twilight hours. Most hunter. Most diehard bobcat hunters bobcat is more likely to see you, rather activity begins approximately three will tell you that they never hear a bob- than you seeing the bobcat. Bobcats hours before sunset and will continue cat approaching. Bobcats are designed are generally quite leery of humans and up until midnight. At about the mid- not to make any noise that will give once they have a visual sighting of a hu- night hour, a bobcat will typically bed their position away to a potential diner man, they will not linger within the area. down to rest. In the predawn darkness, candidate. Bobcats have large fur cov- Not only is a chance sighting of a an hour or so before i rst light, the bob- ered feet and no matter what the terrain bobcat unlikely, but i nding any indi- cat will become active again and will is, bobcats will rarely make any noise cating sign of them within the woods stay active until about three hours at er when they are moving. h is is quite im- is quite a dii cult matter. Possessing sunrise. h is is the common pattern of pressive for an animal that has a body large furry feet, it is almost impossible the bobcat during most of the year. weight that can exceed thirty pounds. to locate tracks, unless there is snow h is movement pattern can vary Not only is their movement quiet, on the ground. Droppings, otherwise due to other factors. During the bru- but also this movement is also slow and known as scat, are also very dii cult tally harsh cold winters, bobcats will methodical. Bobcats are always search- to i nd. Bobcats will generally have a become considerably less active during for prey when they are moving. few toilet areas within their territory, ing the frigid nights because their prey Ei cient visual stalking hunters that and if this toilet area is located on the is much more active during the day possess uncanny eye sight and hearing. ground, they do a pretty good job of hours. Another factor is based on hun- Bobcats possess a tremendous amount covering their scat with dirt. Occasion- ger. Should a bobcat make a kill and of patience. Its approach will be slow ally a bobcat will have a toilet area on have a substantial meal at the begin- and will stop ot en to look and lay while top of a rocky outcropping. Remains of ning of its activity cycle, the bobcat will concealing itself within dense brush. It their prey are not easily found. If a bob- bed and rest and will have absolutely no is a true challenge to see a bobcat if it is cat does not consume nearly the entire desire to move again during that peri- not moving because of the natural cam- prey that it has killed, it will do a pretty od. Sometimes there will be additional oul age color of the bobcat’s fur. through job of concealing the remains hours of daytime bobcat movement A bobcat is a carnivore and will eat by covering it with available forest mat- during periods of storm darkened, or practically everything within its home ter such as leafs. dull cloudy days. range. For a male bobcat, that home

14 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 [ STEALTH-MODE BOBCATS ] range can exceed twenty square miles. A female bobcat’s range will be less. When it comes to dining choices, all creatures large and small are on the diner menu. Moles, chipmunks, mice, rabbits, skunks, porcupines and squir- rels are readily hunted and eaten. Even feathered animals, including many types of small birds, and other larger bird species such as woodpeckers, quail, pheasant, grouse and turkey are also welcome entries on the bobcat’s dining list. Deer fawns are also a potential meal and a bobcat will not hesitate to attack an adult deer, which has grown weary of the struggle to move within deep snow. Bobcats are an opportunist predator who will live where they have readily available food sources. Dense brush provides cover and concealment for all of the bobcat’s food sources. h is is where the successful bobcat hunter should hunt. Prime spots are within the When calling bobcats, the most important thing to remember is that they move very slowly and they heavy cover of thick dense forests that could approach from any direction, including from above. have plenty of new growth. Edges of swamps are great locations, as the wet which will be rabbit distress and bird only exception being new snow that has soil provides great growing habitat for calls. Each of these calls are time tested stuck to most every available branch dense clumps of vegetation. If the bob- and have been proven to attract and and twig within the brush. Late season cat is spending time inside the dining lure most any bobcat within the area. periods will also have most vegetation room, the bobcat hunter needs to get in Woodpecker calls will get the attention shed it’s leafs, which increases visibility there with the bobcat. of a bobcat, and a turkey call should also. A fresh snowfall also revels those also be used, especially in areas that bobcat tracks which would normally HUNTING METHODS have concentrations of turkeys. be impossible to i nd during non snow Bobcat hunting in the dense brush is Every season we hear reports of periods. Track sightings increases your undoubtedly the most challenging type bobcats approaching turkey hunters odds of success because you have a vi- of predator hunting. You have entered who are using a turkey call to attract sual indicator that tells you bobcats are into the realm of the bobcat, who sees a turkey. h is is not some random co- within the area. everything thing that moves and hears incidence that bobcats are responding Night hunting is a tactic used by everything that makes a noise within to these turkey calls. Bobcats will not many bobcat hunters. Bobcats do a the surrounding area. h is predator, hesitate to consume any turkey it en- portion of their hunting during the the bobcat, has a cloaking ability that counters, whether it is on the ground darkness. Bobcat eyes are highly rel ec- makes it very dii cult to be sighted or roosting within a tree. Bobcats are tive and will brightly shine when the and the visibility-reducing brush com- superb tree climbers and many a roost- light beam of a l ashlight is directed at pounds this problem. ing turkey has had their evening rest them. Red or green lens l ashlights are Using an attractant call to attract and interrupted by a bobcat. recommended for this night hunting, lure a bobcat within the hunter’s shoot- A bobcat caller can lure a bobcat at as a bobcat is far less likely to spook ing range is a very ef ective tactic and anytime during the hunting season, yet when this is shined upon them. h ere will increase your chances of having a there is a distinct advantage to calling are some drawbacks to hunting a bob- successful hunt, as compared to sitting a bobcat later in the hunting season. cat within the dark of the night. If you at a stand waiting for a random bobcat h e onslaught of winter has arrived don’t have a hunting partner with you to approach. We know that a bobcat along with the snow that regularly ac- who is performing the duties of a light will eat many types of dif erent foods, companies it. h is snow cover on the holding spotter, it is quite a challenging but the calling hunter should primar- ground will make the bobcat much task to achieve a good shot. It is very ily focus on using two dif erent calls, more visible within the brush, with the important to remember that a bobcat

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Adaptable and aggressive hunters, the bobcat will take to the trees to kill roosting turkeys. They are strong climbers and fast on the ground but their greatest trait is the ability to perform a slow, patient stalk on its prey. can see very well in the darkness and a a bobcat is within the immediate vicin- movements, as the keen eye of a bobcat human cannot. h is gives any bobcat ity, many bobcats are frightened away will readily notice these movements. an advantage of seeing the hunter be- by the oncoming approach of a noisy Move in super slow motion. It is a good fore the hunter has a visual sighting of hunter busting through the brush. idea to inch your back around the tree the bobcat. h ese frightened bobcats will not re- slowly, so that you are able to visually turn to this area for a prolonged period able to scan other areas. SET-UP STRATEGIES of time, no matter how skilled that bob- h ese areas of thick dense brush pro- h is concept of who sees who i rst has cat hunter is at using attraction calls. vide limited range of visibility at best. dramatic ef ect on the success of the A ideal setup location to chose as a In many of these brush areas, the bob- bobcat hunt. h e key to successful bob- stand is where the bobcat hunter can cat hunter may have a maximum visi- cat calling is to be able to see the bobcat get his back up against a tree within a bility sight range of no more than thirty once it has been lured close. So very of- location that can ef ectively provide a yards. Hand held calls work quite well ten, the bobcats are there, but the caller three hundred and sixty degree view to lure a bobcat to the hunter, but the just does not see them. Calling in the of the surrounding terrain. First and hunter can increase the odds by using a daylight hours will level the playing foremost, it is necessary to realize that remote electronic call. h e speaker unit i eld for the hunter because the hunter the bobcat can and will come from any of the remote caller should be placed has increased sight advantage. conceivable direction. Do not ever sit. twenty i ve to thirty feet away from the h e most ef ective calling times to Never. Sitting has a dramatic impact location of the hunter. Any approach- lure a bobcat are at early morning or on hampering the hunter’s ability to ing bobcat will be stalking the source late in the day before evening. When be able to look behind him. Remem- of the sound coming from the speaker the bobcat hunter ventures into the ber that there is a very good possibil- unit and looking for any movement brush to a prospective calling loca- ity that the bobcat will approach from of the prey that the bobcat believes is tion, it is very important for the bobcat your backside. When at the stand, the making the sound. If the hunter is uti- hunter to proceed slowly and quietly. If bobcat hunter should never make quick lizing a hand held call, then the bobcat

16 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 [ STEALTH-MODE BOBCATS ]

next series of calling noises should be about every two minutes and this series will be continued at this time interval.

LOCATE AND SHOOT A bobcat will never or very rarely come running into the area to investigate the source of the sound. Almost every time, the bobcat will sneak in slowly. h e bobcat will move slow, stop, lay and look, then move again towards the location of the sound. Be very, very patient. h e bobcat hunter should stay at the stand for a least an hour during the calling process. It can take that long for a bobcat to come into view. Look hard for any signs of movement. Many times, the bobcat hunter may only see a piece or portion of the bobcat as it is approaching. Ot en, when the bobcat stops moving in its approach, it can disappear completely from the view of the hunter, but it is more than likely still there. Focus sight on the area where the movement was least seen and wait for any sign of movement again. As with every bobcat hunter, the choice for a gun caliber is always a personal preference. It is advised not to use too little or too large of a gun caliber. A properly placed .22 caliber long ril e can hunter is the actual source of the sound. ible l uttering, dancing movements to dispatch a bobcat, but sometimes the h e potential drawback to this scenario a visual attractor. When using a hand bobcat can travel quite a distance at er a is that there is a very good possibility held call, it is not advisable to use a vi- misplaced shot. A heavy caliber such as that the bobcat will see the hunter i rst. sual attractor for the sole reason that a 30-06 will knock a bobcat to the l oor, this visual attractor will be too close to but will destroy the valuable pelt in the LURE THEM IN the bobcat hunter. h e bobcat may spot process. A good choice is to use either A call, either a hand held or remote, the hunter. Better of to make the bob- a .223 caliber or a 12-gauge shotgun takes advantage of the bobcat’s good cat get as close as possible in it’s search loaded with number 4 buckshot. When hearing abilities. h e bobcat hunter can for the source of the sound. the bobcat hunter is hunting within take advantage of the keen eye sight When the bobcat hunter is using ei- thick dense brush, the shooting range of the bobcat by providing an actual ther a bird or distress rabbit call, it is will be rather close most times. source for the sound that has attracted best to keep the volume at a minimum If you are looking for a challenge to it. If a remote speaker unit is used, the realistic level. h e call should not be hunt one of natures top predators, get hunter can tie a piece of feather or fur performed or played longer than a into the thick dense brush and call in a on a length of i shing line or string and minute. At er a minute of producing bobcat. If you are successful, you can hang it over the location of the speak- luring noises, stop and look very care- hold your head high and be proud to er unit. h is visual attractor will sway fully around the surrounding area for recognize that you have called in one in any breeze and is best utilized by any signs of movement. Wait about i ve of the most wary of animals within the hanging it three to four feet of of the minutes and repeat the calling sound. wild. And that, for any hunter, is quite ground. h is will give a good visual at- If there are any bobcats in the vicinity, the accomplishment. traction for a bobcat to key on, which they will hear this initial volley of noise will be away from the hunter’s stand and will have gone into search mode as location. Better still, there are remote – they approach. It is now imperative to controlled decoys that provide irresist- keep the attention of the bobcat. h e

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s the at ernoon pro- black giant that our guide had trail cam threading-the-needle shots couldn’t be gressed I noticed a coy- photos of and had eluded his hunters had. Life is not always easy for a die- ote running out of the for years. hard predator caller while trying to col- trees across an opening lect a wolf pelt. and it didn’t stop for hun- • • • Adreds of yards. A short time later a pair I have experienced some remarkable • • • of ravens made some alarm sounds and predator encounters while blowing A fellow wolf hunter directed me to dive-bombed something in the brush. and sucking air on a varmint call try- Kyler Knelsen of Wingmaster Outi t- I guessed a wolf was near. About 20 ing to entice wolves. I’ve had grizzly ting (wingmasterouti tting.com) in La minutes later a pair of coyotes emerged and black bears come within 15 yards, Crete, Alberta Canada. He was experi- near the same area and they ran out of coyotes within 10 feet and once a curi- encing phenomenal wolf hunting suc- the thick brush and started barking. I ous otter within six feet. I have hunted cess by baiting. By placing hunters in don’t claim to be the best wolf hunter wolves from Idaho to Alaska with some stands nearby and patiently waiting for in the woods or know the most about of the most dismal calling success one wolves to approach the bait, they had wolves, but when I hear a pair of coy- could imagine. Eventually when wolves ample shooting opportunities. Hunting otes nervously barking I know that would come to my stand they either over bait while placed in a stand con- means there is a larger species nearby. managed to run past my position or be cept was all too familiar with me per- I i gured if a wolf stayed so close for sheltered by a forest canopy with veg- sonally on coyotes; however, I virtually so long, it was waiting for darkness to etation so thick not even a locked-on had no experience with hunting wolves hit the bait. I wondered if this was the ril e could i nd a shooting hole. Even over bait. One would think sitting on

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The guide said it was the largest wolf taken by any of the hunters he has guided over the years.

a bait piles in sub zero temperatures Afghanistan. He was as happy as I was the temperature was -41 below. Knelsen would be a cinch to tag a wolf; however, to have the opportunity to hunt wolves cautiously reminded us that we should I quickly learned that is not ot en the in northern Canada. not turn on the heaters before daylight, case. Knelsen has one of the highest so the wolves would not see any illumi- wolf hunting harvest rates in the world • • • nation in the blinds. bar none. Knelsen picked us up from our log h e i rst hour in the blind was ex- To sweeten the deal even more, I was cabin in the mornings and dropped tremely cold, but once daylight ar- hunting with one of my good friends us of in remote blinds located deep rived the small heaters made the blinds and war hero Lt. Colonel Roger Capps. in the bush. He had blinds on and of comfortable. Without the heaters there Roger was wounded a year earlier from the ground that had shooting windows was no way one could sit for 10 hours small-arms i re while piloting Ameri- on all sides and most importantly, had without being miserable. I made it two can troops in a Chinook helicopter in small propane heaters. On the i rst day hours once without the heater but the

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 21 [ HUNTING GIANT WOLVES OF THE NORTH ]

Of six locations with trail cams, the wolves usually came at night and days would pass before they returned.

weather had heated up to a balmy -10 bones. h e coyotes appeared to be av- below. erage size except one that looked to be • • • Knelson showed us trail cam photos in the 40-pound range and most were Darkness falls faster in the far north, so of 21 dif erent wolves that had visited dark in color. Knelsen advised not I thought I should try something and six bait sites during the past few weeks. shoot any coyotes or we would likely sooner rather than later. I opened the He also reminded us that while the jeopardize our chances for a wolf. small window to the blind, shoved my wolves regularly hit the bait, it was rare Roger had a similar experience and head in the narrow opening and let out from them to do so everyday. Some saw may coyotes and ravens but no my best subtle wolf howl. I closed the may only visit the bait sites once a week wolves. On the second day, Knelsen window and used my credit card to and even then only come in at night. A moved us to new blinds to keep us from shave newly formed ice of the window. week before we arrived, a hunter seen being bored. h at day 16 appeared at I had only shaved a small area when I four wolves and shot one; however, my blind and I thought many were the immediately saw a wolf running right Knelsen being the honest man he is, same coyotes that visited the bait, but towards my stand. Let me be absolutely also mentioned that the hunter had sat then I saw several dif erent groups of clear with this statement, there is no six days the year before and never saw three and four coyotes show up at the mistaking a big wolf for a coyote. a wolf. same time. Knelsen had informed me h e wolf looked agitated and it that three wolves where making the neared the bait but it was looking in all • • • rounds to this particular bait site and directions trying to i nd the one who On the i rst day I saw 91 ravens and that one was a huge black male that dared to howl in his home territory. nine coyotes all jockeying one another was shot at three years ago and quickly I didn’t hesitate to take the shot and to feast on the frozen remains of beef learned to hunt at night. I locked in on him. I still remember

22 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 [ HUNTING GIANT WOLVES OF THE NORTH ]

The wolves are unpredictable. Sometimes they are regular vistors, or in the case of one hunter, he sat for six days and never seen one. the big yellow shit ing eyes and then recommends at least a .243 caliber as back and try for him again next year. the bullet hitting perfectly behind the the minimum with larger calibers be- It is likely that less than one percent shoulder. h e big dog whirled around ing better as he has tracked wounded of all the hunters in North America and headed for cover. I knew the shot wolves in the past. One was a wolf shot will ever harvest a wolf, let alone ever was good but I decided to give him an- with a .308 three times before it was re- see one. Wolf hunting success can vary other one on the run for good measure. covered. Shot placement, regardless of greatly. Free-ranging wolves are hard to He made it to the nearby brush line and bullet size, as with all animals, is ot en pinpoint because of their nomadic na- over a small rise. Even though the wolf the key. ture; however, wolves are fairly easy to was running on the second shot, I felt call and bait only if they are in the im- very comfortable with the i rst shot and • • • mediate area. I thoroughly enjoy hunt- the second was nothing more than giv- Roger ended up harvesting a nice black ing wolves and I even like eating them. ing myself a piece of mind. wolf the following day. He mentioned It’s not as bad as people might think Knelsen arrived at dark and we that his wolf came straight to the bait and I am living proof you can eat just walked to where I had last seen the without hesitation. In three days we about any predator that walks the earth wolf and there the beast lay. He said it had two wolves down and later in the and live to tell about it. was the largest wolf taken by any of the hunt I had a huge gray wolf walk very hunters he has guided over the years. I close to the bait, but af orded me no am 6’2’ and well over 200 pounds and shot. h e image of the huge gray wolf at I had to really had to muscle the huge that stand will be etched in my memo- black wolf to get it of the ground. I used ry for the rest of my life, so I guess the a .243 with light bullets, but Knelsen most sensible thing for me to do is go

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 23 The Mobile Hunter’s Triad

A TRUCK, MOTORCYCLE AND A MOUNTAIN BIKE WILL PUT A PREDATOR HUNTER INTO MORE PRODUCTIVE TERRAIN ■ TED STOTLER

verything was looking good just before i rst chance that I would have called in more than one coy- light, and then the wind reversed its usual ote at dawn. direction. h is meant that breezes would My hesitation about the 4WD truck was its extra now carry my scent toward instead of away cost and also that its increased capability would only from my planned calling area. As I drove I be needed on occasion—in my mind not worth the ex- Econsidered other roads that might allow me an approach pense. On the way home I stopped of a dealership, and from downwind. h e one road that would allow this re- let a few hours later with a new four-wheel drive truck. quired a four-wheel drive vehicle, but I didn’t have one. I have never looked back. Back then I drove a standard pick-up. h at alternative It doesn’t take a serious predator hunter long to real- road was all dirt and had places that were so steep and ize the benei ts of a true coyote ril e over a deer ril e. rutted that a standard drive could not safely negotiate h e latter will work, but a ril e specii cally designed for it. So with my plan foiled by unexpected weather, I just coyotes is much better. Likewise, a battery of specialized pulled over at the i rst likely place and began calling at predator ril es, one for a perfect day, one to buck the i rst light. wind, and a shotgun or semi-auto for close fast action I didn’t get lucky and spent most of the day pondering work, are much better than any single weapon. what might have happened if I had 4WD capability. My h e same goes for mobility. Over the years I have planned choice of a stand that morning was not far from tried just about everything, from cheap combat boots to an old abandoned ranch site. It had a running spring, a new pickup truck. A helicopter is just plain out of the complete with a resident pack of coyotes. If I could have question i nancially, or I would have tried one of those, approached from downwind, there was a very good too. Time in the i eld has taught me that what is true of

24 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 With a slim profile, an off-road motorcycle can navigate tight trails better than an ATV and can be loaded into the back of a pick-up truck. i rearms is also true of vehicles—one will work, more been calling in just about every type of specialized truck will work better. or SUV imaginable, and based on that experience, and It seems to me that the fully capable coyote hunter what I see other experienced callers driving, I would needs both a battery of specialized i rearms and a collec- have to say that the best four-wheeled vehicle for preda- tion of specialized vehicles. h is would include a four- tor hunting is the light to medium 4WD pickup truck. wheel drive truck, a light motorcycle and a mountain h e 4WD pickup truck serves several purposes. It bike. h e main advantage of ered by all of these vehicles can negotiate both freeways and dirt roads, and haul is the time and energy they save opposed to traveling another vehicle such as a motorcycle or mountain bike, slow on foot, and that time is better spent calling. hundreds of pounds of other equipment, and harvested A hunter carrying full gear, a pack, a caller, and a ril e animals. While many SUVs have 4WD and sui cient travels 3 miles per hour on foot. h e time spent walking weight hauling capability they lack the asset of the to a stand is dramatically reduced by any of the three truck’s bed. h is open-air feature allows for storage of vehicles. h ese vehicles of er other benei ts also, such as the messier aspects of predator hunting such as blood- quieter approach, lower scent signature, and more ef ec- ied carcasses, and even more noxious masking scents tive visual concealment. such as fox, coon, or skunk urine. Any of these if spilled, or even stored in a coni ned area such as a vehicle cab, The Caller’s Workhorse can become overwhelming and can prove sometimes A good deer ril e can be used for predators, likewise, impossible to eliminate—a sure way to turn wives, chil- any reliable vehicle can be used for getting you on stand dren, or friends into enemies of the hunt. h e pickup but some work better than others. Over the years I have truck bed allows not only for constant airing but can

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 25 [ THE MOBILE HUNTER’S TRIAD ] also easily be hosed down and cleaned in the event of the unavoidable spill. In the i eld the 4WD capability allows for travel on the worst of dirt roads, and easily moves over or through most mud and silt-sand areas. h e combination of weight hauling, ease of maintenance, and accessibility to dii cult terrain, makes the 4WD pickup peerless among vehicles types. It is the hunter’s true workhorse and main battle pony. h at said, there are times when a truck, because of its size, can be a real liability. One year I had the president of a local calling club tell me that his membership was in agreement that the Carrizo Plains were a real bust, there were few coyotes and none that could be called in. I just couldn’t believe that. My hunch was that over-calling and too many vehicles in the open were putting of the local canines. On the Carrizo, like any plains area, there is very little in Once you get to your target location, ditch the cycle and head out on foot. A camo tarp makes the the way of foliage or terrain that could motorcycle disappear in the desert. hide a truck, and few things can warn of coyotes like the sight of a vehicle. rougher terrain. Like the motorcycle Because it is smaller than a four- Sure enough a week later I took and mountain bike, the ATV’s lack of wheel vehicle the motorcycle is much a drive to that area and made sure I a roof and outer body allow for wide- easier to conceal or camoul age when parked my truck in a rare low spot in open view both up close and distant. parked. Camoul age tape kits can be the terrain that completely concealed One of the best ways to discover tracks purchased from any number of sellers it. h en I moved of down the wash a and other sign over a wide area is to and if you prefer not to mar the surfac- good half-mile before I climbed out and ride the ATV on dirt roads at slower es of your bike there is another way to set up. I took two coyotes that summer speeds, especially just at er a rainstorm camoul age it. I use a section of camo morning in full daylight, one at about has washed all old tracks away leaving netting that can be neatly wrapped and ten o’clock. h e problem hadn’t been only fresh signs of passing. Frequent carried in my pack. It is lightweight, lack of coyotes, but most likely coyotes stopping to glass terrain, both close and easy to use and completely hides the spooked by vehicle visibility. far, is much more convenient than in a otherwise glaring visual liability. Like full-bodied vehicle. the ATV, the motorcycle of ers the ATV Pros & Cons wide-open view for fast easy use of bin- I don’t disparage ATVs but one trouble The Motorcycle oculars, and will also serve as well for with them is that when traveling far Next to the 4WD truck I have found the scouting as actual calling. from home they will need to be hauled most useful vehicle to be the motorcy- My use of the motorcycle has led by trailer, and compared to the truck cle. h e modern motorbike of ers quick me to believe that the ideal is a light- their total carrying capacity is limited. I traverse of broken terrain that is not weight, single-cylinder, dual-purpose do realize that there may be parts of the accessible to the four-wheel vehicle. In type. h is type of motorcycle comes country where an ATV is just the ticket. fact, a motorcycle will go almost any- factory equipped for both on-road and Anyone who can hunt a few miles from place that your feet will take you only of -road use. It has lights and turn sig- home would be a good example of this. faster, and leave you more physically nals in order to be street legal, but also For the caller who takes down two or rested and vigilant on ambush. Mul ed comes with lower gear ratios and of - more coyotes on one stand, the ATV for public places, it makes less noise road knobby tires for better torque that can be much more helpful than a mo- than a larger vehicle and puts less ex- helps pull you uphill on steep and loose torcycle or mountain bike. haust fumes in the air to alarm distant surfaces. h e ATV’s strong suit is as a scouting prey. A motorcycle can also be hauled More specii cally, a 200-450cc engine vehicle. Its four-wheeled drive and nar- in almost any truck bed and is large to is probably best. Anything smaller does row width make it capable of accessing haul plenty of gear in saddlebags. not have adequate power for some ter-

26 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 [ THE MOBILE HUNTER’S TRIAD ]

A mountain bike is one of the best all-around tools for a predator hunter that has to cover lots of terrrain. Sometimes it is the only option in areas where motorized vehicles are not allowed.

rain and anything more means extra two advantages over every other type of other vehicle. In fact, modern moun- weight and more dii cult handling. useful hunting vehicle. First, it can go tain bikes are so light they can even be h e typical 200cc motorcycle weighs some places that a truck, an ATV or a carried if necessary. For hunters like 300-320 lbs. maximum. h is means it motorcycle cannot go. Second, it can be me, who are stealth and scent fanatics, is also easier to load into a truck bed or the most quickly and completely hid- it makes even less noise than walking manhandle when necessary in the i eld. den from predator eyes than any other and puts out no telltale fumes. More power and engine size means the vehicle. additional weight, which is not good I i nd it ideally suited to terrain that The Bottom Line for mud or slit and will ot en bog down is the l attest with the least or lowest Depending upon what part of the less i rm ground. Motorcycles also of er natural ground cover. Laid on its side country we hunt all callers need good a varied at ermarket for racks to carry it requires no netting or special cam- reliable transport to ensure maximum carcasses at er successful encounters. oul age paint or tape. In fact, its biggest success. h e vehicles made available by drawback is that it is so easy to hide modern industry are both useful and The Stealthiest that the caller needs to be especially varied. In order for the caller to realize Last but not least I would recommend careful to remember exactly where he his full potential in the i eld, and reap a 10-15-speed mountain bike. h e only let it. If not he may have trouble i nd- an ever more productive fur harvest, he real drawback to this type of vehicle ing it when returning from a stand. Any is best served not only a battery of spe- would be that it requires more expen- incoming coyote or bobcat would have cialized i rearms but also by specialized diture of physical energy, but even so to pass within 4-5 feet to discover it. mobility. it’s at least twice as fast and half as tire- As with motorcycle, the mountain some as walking. h e gearing allows for bike is a great scouting and hunting easier mobility over steeper and looser vehicle, and it is easier to transport or terrain. Also, the mountain bike has manhandle in rough terrain than any

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 27 in Calling the T

28 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 hick Stuff

TACTICS FOR HUNTING IN THE JUNGLE BRUSH ■ RANDY D. SMITH

he ideal predator calling setup comprises yards from the river. Higher, more open ground rose at a well-concealed shooter overlooking a a steeper angle from the opposite bank. h e land was broad expanse of open ground with the full of young, lightly hunted coyotes—easy marks for wind and sun in his favor. Any dog re- calling ef orts. We set up near a cluster of small locust sponding to the call can be seen from far trees. I found a low position at the base of the trees and Tof as it comes in and the shooter has the luxury of wait- did the calling while my partner set up among the trees ing until his target holds up for a nice stationary shot. on higher ground. I was not carrying a shotgun but I’ve watched this scenario played out many times on rather an unfamiliar AR. I was really more interested in predator calling videos. h e shooter waits with his ril e my partner getting the shot. I sat there calling with the balanced in his cross-sticks and his shotgun at his side. ril e wedged between my knees blowing on a howler/ Most of the time the shotgun is only used if the predator barker. A young coyote suddenly ran headlong into me hunter has time to make the switch. It makes for enter- not stopping until he was no more than a foot or two taining and sometimes exciting viewing and a lot can away. Before I could get the AR into position and the be learned about tactics and shot decisions. h ese shots safety of , he was gone. My partner never saw him until are seldom misses. When misses are shown it usually at er my futile shot attempt. We could only joke about involves a far dif erent situation. h e predator comes in me getting caught with my pants down. h e problem is from an unexpected angle, surprises the caller, never that unless dif erent strategies are used this will happen leaves thick cover, or rushes by. A clean shot opportu- over and over. It can get frustrating and a lot of coyotes nity never presents itself. h e caller makes a rushed shot are getting a good education. and ot en misses. In most of the country I call, the later situation is usually the norm. The Set-Up h ick cover and heavy foliage dramatically increase Calling from an elevated site will at least help the hunter the chances for a lost predator. Such areas can be avoided see a predator approaching. A caller doesn’t have to be but if that is where the coyotes are then that is where you real high but high enough to be looking down on cover have to call them. Sagebrush, tall grass and thick under- rather than through it. I have a portable stool that will growth force new tactics and dif erent shooting styles. get my bottom of the ground by at least a foot or so. I am reminded of one situation that occurred not long h is is important on l at open ground of tall grass. Ob- ago. My partner and I were hunting unfamiliar private viously the caller is exposing himself so good camo and land near Black Kettle WMA in western Oklahoma. tall background cover is an aid. I like to position my- We came upon a broad and low river valley with high self with even a small tree or slope behind my calling ground overlooking sand lovegrass a couple of hundred position or have taller cover in front of me as long as

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 29 [ CALLING IN THE THICK STUFF ] it doesn’t obscure my shooting angles, try to break through thick brush that approach. If an open area of low cover and I try to use anything that will break might entangle them. h ey like to move is near I’ll place the call or set up so that up my outline. swit ly and see where they are going. If I can get a shot opportunity there and I watch for well-used game trails I am using an electronic call, I’ll place it concentrate on the game trails that lead whenever possible. Coyotes will ha- near, above, or right on the game trail. into the open ground. bitually follow those trails rather than If I have a decoy I will place it where it break through tall grass. h ey will not can be seen from the game trail upon Gun Management I nearly always carry both a shotgun and a ril e when I am calling and I always call with the shotgun in my hands and the ril e at my side usually wedged in cross-sticks. It is a tactical mistake in thick country to do it the other way round. You nearly always have time to switch to the ril e for longer shots or at predators that have hung up but grab- bing for a shotgun and getting a ril e out of the way when a predator surprises you is nearly impossible. I carry a shotgun set up dif erently than most do. I have an Aimpro Predator pump action shotgun customized from a twelve gauge 590 A1 Mossberg. It has a 1.5-4X-circle reticle shotgun scope that is always set on the lowest magni- i cation level. Red dot and tactical elec- My primary shooting rig for heavy grass and brush areas in this 12-gauge Aimpro Predator pump tronic sights also work well. I prefer the shotgun with a Bushnell 1-4X circle reticle scope. The 3-inch magnum Winchester Coyote loads teamed with an extra full choke allow for a credible killing range of 60-70 yards.

I prefer to set my electronic call in open areas when possible to draw a predator out of cover. If this is not possible I look for established game trails as most coyotes will usually follow them.

30 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 [ CALLING IN THE THICK STUFF ] circle reticle scope for quick shots and Tight shot patterns shoot through the shooter time for a second, more have never felt hampered by it and the brush or tall grass much better than lethal hit. If the predator goes down batteries never go dead on a scope. h is ril e bullets do. At er taking my shot I always approach or track it with the shotgun is equipped with an extra full I always try to concentrate on the tar- shotgun at the ready rather than a ril e. choke and loaded with 3-inch magnum get to see if it is going down or moving Marginally hit predators will bolt from Winchester Coyote loads since #4 buck of . h e same tactic should be used if cover at close range and a shotgun is and 00 buck is illegal in Oklahoma. you have a ril e. At longer ranges a sec- more likely to bring them down. h is gun is very versatile and lethal ond round is good insurance if there out to sixty or seventy yards with this is doubt that enough shot reached the Calling Strategies load yet there is still enough spread in mark. Coyotes seldom go down from When I call in thick cover, whether the pattern for quick shot resolutions a shotgun hit like they do from a ril e with a hand call or electronic call, I at close range. If I am calling in heavy hit unless the shot is closer than thirty go with very sot calls at i rst. Preda- sagebrush or plum thickets the shot- yards. h ey will spin or stagger giving tors, especially if you have made a gun is sometimes the only gun I carry as there is seldom a credible long range shot opportunity anyway. I focus the Even a slight elevation rise can prove a definite shot attempt on the predator’s head if advantage when calling heavy cover. The possible with both eyes open to keep higher you can get with the least exposure is a definite advantage in heavy cover. my bearings on the target in relation to the background. In low light it is easy to become disoriented if you take your eyes of the target.

I often use this inexpensive folding stool when calling over flat areas in heavy grass or brush. It gives me just enough elevation to see approaching predators before they are right on Coyote taken in thick cedar woods with a scoped 30-30 Marlin. top of me. The .243 Ruger American rifle is held While not generally considered a good calling round, a .30-30 lever in reserve for hung up dogs at longer ranges. action rifle is deadly and usually produces minimal hide damage.

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 31 [ CALLING IN THE THICK STUFF ]

When moving from one calling site to another it is good practice to sling your rifle and have your shotgun in hand. Predators occasionally flush from cover during such transitions and a shotgun is better for quick response shots before the animal in lost in thick brush. stealthy approach to your calling site, it isn’t playing. open. h is scenario calls for the ril e. If are ot en very close. Whether or not Call longer and sot er than you the dog keeps on coming through open you announce yourself with an open- would over more open ground. I ot en ground and back into cover without ing howl involves more of a gut feel- call the thick stuf for thirty minutes stopping switch back to the shotgun ing than anything else. I will howl in and carefully watch the fringes for wary and wait him out. more open country but don’t very of- predators. Bobcats also prefer thick Finally, work in and out of your call- ten in extremely thick cover. If the sea- country and they respond better to lon- ing site as quietly as possible. You just son is right and coyotes are talkative I ger calling times. I call continuously for might l ush a predator passing in the might try aggressive challenge barks bobcats lowering the volume as the cat area. Again, I carry the shotgun and but generally I stick to estrus calls and approaches. sling the ril e for approaches and with- distress cries for thick cover. On the If you have a clear, good shot oppor- drawals. I sling my electronic call and hunt described earlier there were sev- tunity on open ground with tall cover my chair so that I have both hands free eral young, aggressive coyotes in the closer to your position take the shot at while moving. I avoid approaches that i eld. I had a lot of good responses from longer range. Experience has taught me will take me through thick brush that short barks and challenge cries from to take a good open-ground shot rather might tear at my equipment, or create my mouth calls. In cold weather when than trying to lure a predator closer unnecessary commotion. h e i rst place coyotes are hungry I’ll stick to distress through thick cover. h e closer a pred- I always look when I’ve i nished call- calls. If at er i ve minutes or so I do not ator gets the more likely he will make ing is directly behind. I can’t remember have a response, I will increase the vol- out the caller and the easier he can how many times a coyote was standing ume to try to cover longer distances. If withdraw without you having a shot. behind me when I i nished my calling. I suspect or see a predator approach- Try vocal barks, yips, or even a “hey ing I will decrease the volume or stop you” to stop the predator for an open calling altogether. Coyotes have good ground set shot. I very seldom have hearing and will usually approach the time to switch to a hand call to “bark” original sound source location even if them to a stop unless the ground is very

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34 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 NEW IS NICE BUT USED IS SOMETIMES THE ONLY OPTION CARY RIDEOUT ■ PHOTOS BY LORAIN EBBETT-RIDEOUT

ew stuf is great and nothing beats a be equipped with otherwise this would be an added shiny new ril e. But a new shootin’ iron expense. Any well-rounded predator-hunting outi t re- is not always possible. With the ris- quires a shotgun and I expected this part of the search ing popularity of predator hunting and would be the least dii cult or so I thought. h e low cost more hunters becoming interested I de- rule made used i rearms the only choice and I would try Ncided to see if I could put together an economy outi t. A to complete the rig with all the additional equipment I true predator-hunting rig that could tune the song dogs could i nd or scrounge. but leave enough cash for the other bills as well. Bore Size Parameters h e starting point for this experiment was the ril e/ With economy in mind I decided to be open to any type scope combination. A used varmint ril e today ot en of action—be it single, lever or bolt. All would be ac- comes down to either a .223 or .22/250 along with the ceptable if the ril e was in decent condition and used hot .17 and .204 calibers. But I approached the search a capable cartridge. Speaking of cartridges I set my with little concern about what’s popular and more about sights on a .22 centeri re and not necessarily the current price. h e dealers used racks had plenty of choices but I market darling either. Along with the ril e, an accurate found most a tad too pricy. Being on budget doesn’t al- scope would be needed which hopefully the ril e would low for much wiggle room and very few ril es met all the

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 35 [ PREDATOR HUNTING ON A BUDGET ] criteria. A Ruger Model 77 in .22/250 for my research purposes so the search taking accuracy and a muzzle velocity was a possibility but slipped by as did a continued. of 4,000 fps it still ranks as a predator Remington 788 in .222. Actually I shot One ril e I briel y considered was a round worth considering. But speed the Remington several times and the Model 70 Winchester in the classic .220 like that couldn’t help but result in pelt old Bushnell 4X did a i ne job at er 40 Swit . h e Swit is a legendary cartridge damage so I wasn’t interested. Little did odd years of knocks. h e owner how- that set the shooting world on its ear I know that .220 Swit would play a part ever was unwilling to drop the price when it was i rst of ered. With breath- in my varmint outi t later.

History Lessons It took much longer to run down a ril e than I expected and at er multiple dis- appointments I fell back on the best search engine ever: WOM, as in word of mouth! It’s amazing how the i rearms community works. All you have to do is put out the call and pretty soon some- one’s trying to sell you just want you need. But instead of a stranger it turned out a local dealer contacted me and I hustled over to view his of ering. Sitting on the store counter in a frayed ratty old case with a broken zipper was a ril e. We talked a while and i - nally he pulled the scoped ril e out and handed it over. I recognized the Savage Model 340 right away and checked the barrel markings expecting either .22 Hornet or .222 but it was stamped .225 Win! Never heard of that one I told the trader who proceeded to educate me with a detailed explanation including visual materials.

To round out the Savage 340 rifle, the author picked up a well-worn Mossberg 500, a classic pump shotgun that could shuck shells faster than grease lightning.

36 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 [ PREDATOR HUNTING ON A BUDGET ]

On paper it was pretty much a .22/250 phone or email any day. As an interest- I doubt it has ever seen any attention in Remington with very close ballistics ing aside the Savage was a 340V which the way of linseed oil. Action wise it’s except it had been out of production for was the Varmint model and a true hide- never jammed up and while the of set decades. Hmmm. When questioned on hunter’s gun. scope mount isn’t too attractive but it is ammo availability he pulled out a worn solid, and once properly screwed down cardboard with an antique looking Lee On Closer Examination the ril es accuracy is i ne for the i eld. Loader plus powder, primers and bul- h e scope proved to be a Bushnell 1.75- lets. He also had four full boxes of Win- 5x20 mounted on a set of Weaver 11H Up Close Arsenal chester factory 55-grain PSP ammo 1-inch rings sidesaddle style. I contem- Besides a long-range option I wanted a plus another of unprimed rounds to plated replacing it but since I was go- shotgun for those sneaky varmints who boot. I really didn’t know much about ing economy it had to stay. h e scope drit up close enough to count their the Savage 340 itself but once the dealer proved a straight shooter able to place eyelashes. A shotgun is the ticket here made it clear the whole works was go- lead into a coyote’s vital at 150-200 but I wanted to see how low I could go ing home with me we quickly agreed yards. For the woods/farm country in keeping with the project. Once again on a price: about what the ril e cost in shooting I do this is acceptable. h e the local hunting community came to 1970! I asked him to keep an eye out for ladder and post iron sights provide the rescue with a contact. An elderly more ammo and he has since located close range back up. h e ril e feeds hunter was selling of a Mossberg 500. additional ammo. Having a good rela- from a 3-round detachable clip and a Now to say it was battered would’ve tionship with a friendly dealer is vital second spare was in the old gun case. been a compliment. Not a speck of for anyone that is a hunter and work- Lock up is tight and the ril ing while stain in the stock and the faintest of ing with a local neighbor is better in used is still in good condition. h e memories of bluing. h e barrel lacked my experience then a voice on the tele- stock has the marks of rough usage and a front bead and the action practically

The Savage 340 in .225 Winchester with a Bushnell 1.75-5x20 scope. The author bought it for what it sold brand new in 1970.

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 37 [ PREDATOR HUNTING ON A BUDGET ]

worked itself. It turned out the decades old pump gun was his “rough” weather special but at er he told me price I dug out my wallet. Once I got home I broke down the “rough” weather special. It was a standard Model 500 with a 3-inch chamber (on the plus side) and a 30-inch modi- i ed barrel (not on the plus side) that was pocked inside and out. Remember that loose action? Well I have never handled a faster working pump or lever in my life. h e darn thing is like lighting with a broken in feel that’s tough to describe. It just slams home the bolt, i res, ejects and reloads like a corn shucker. h e next step was to load up for fur. I knew that buckshot or heavy non-toxic shot is the recommended round for coyotes but in keeping with my budget I checked around for other options. At one time I remember every shot

Although the author got a good deal on a rifle in an obscure caliber, eventually he would have to reload cartridges to keep up a supply of ammo and keep costs down.

38 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 [ PREDATOR HUNTING ON A BUDGET ] shell ammo box listed BB as fox loads. the curious predator closer. While there my wife, she beckoned me over and Well I wondered if this recommenda- are countless modern choices in var- held up a nice camo jacket. It was too tion still worked. I purchased a box of mint calls this classic i ts nicely in with expensive I said, and then she turned lead BBs in 3-inch magnum. While pat- the low budget varmint rig. the price tag over. h e coat was $15 and terning the load, I expected to see gaps insulted AND a decent forest pattern to but at 25 yards it ripped up a test paper Clothes Make The Man boot. Turned out it was knock-of but with authority. Pacing back to 35 yards Hunters today have the greatest selec- heck it was $15 and all it lacked was the aim point still had decent multiple tion of duds imaginable that wick mois- a zipper tab. I quickly found the store hits with a decidedly non-modii ed pat- ture away and keep you toasty dry. But manager and asked if it was priced cor- tern. For varmint work tight chokes are like most outdoors folk I wear some rectly. She coni rmed it and I made for supposed to be the best but at least in ragged looking clothes. Stained torn the checkout. For a facemask I picked this old pump the more open constric- and faded are the watchwords of my up a thin mosquito head net and a cou- tion seems to print very well. It shoots wardrobe. At er studying what the wish ple pairs of cotton camo gloves at the tight and a dozen or more lead BBs in books of ered I wondered about maybe feed store and completed a simple low- the breathing apparatus of any predator fudging a bit on my low budget rule. priced predator hunting outi t. will make it game over. h en while mall crawling one day with

Squeaks, Squawks And Squeals The floppy Scotch Model 1503 varmint call from the Once I had the ril e/shotgun combo 1970s. Keep an eye out for old predator calls as they still work in the field but also for their historical value. looked at er it was time to call ‘em up. As luck would have it an uncle of mine had mentioned an “old” coyote call and I was able to get my hands on it. A Scotch Model 1503 Varmint Call circa 1970s. h e long rubber bellows is attached to a hardwood throat and the whole apparatus is 12 inches. Talk about retro! Using this is a serious interactive experience but the darn thing is pretty good at producing a decent series of sounds. Volume is really good and as a bonus it doesn’t take two hands to operate. At er a little experimenting I found it possible to work from various posi- tions even hanging from a shirt pocket and merely nudging it. I like the big bellows and can get the artillery in action even as it continues to squeal drawing

ABOUT THE .225 WIN In 1964 the varmint-hunting world was awash in wildcat the speedy Remington round, the .225 Win offered a wise cartridges and the big gun makers noticed. Winchester had combination of useable power, a round that maintains it its .220 Swift in the Model 70 frame but this fine round velocity and had excellent reloading qualities. But as we was already 30 years old and the company was casting all know the .22/250 had a long head start with legions about for an updated offering. Over at Remington the of wildcatters familiar with the round and a slight edge in long awaited release of a wildcat round, the .22/250, was speed at the muzzle. With only a couple rifles (Winchester sure to be a hit. So Winchester put its own world-beater 70-670/ Savage 340) and Winchester as the sole ammuni- together. But unlike the scorching wildcat Big W’s round tion maker, the .225 drifted for a decade. Eventually rifle was based on a different premise. Winchester took the production ceased but the round hung on with enthusiasts Donaldson .219 Wasp and its own .219 Zipper to produce keeping its name from completely disappearing. As a round a balanced more than capable varmint round. Rimmed that never received its due and one that actually makes the and looking like a necked down .30WCF the new round grade, the .225 Win is worth a look for any predator hunter was called the .225 Winchester. Rather than try to out run whether they are on a budget or not.

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 39 [ PREDATOR HUNTING ON A BUDGET ]

As an experiment in spending, the author put together a budget- priced predator-hunting outfit and as this bobcat indictaes, it proves it doesn’t take much to get into the predator hunting game.

Post-Season Conclusions Of course no experiment yields 100 percent satisfactory results. It is dii cult to i nd ammo for the .225 Win so reloading is a must. While I never intend to load the round to the max, I am not sure the Savage would be up to the repeated pound- ings anyway. h e pointed sot point 55-grain bullets that came with the ril e are a bit i erce on fur pelts and I probably should on the go with a look at a .224 option that is gentler. Most of the reloading sup- pliers are now of ering what are touted as fur-friendly rounds. But being a cheapskate I will likely wait until I reload all the bullets I have in stock now. A higher priced modern scope would be a smart move as well but the Bushnell does what www.deeranddeerhunting.com/ I’ve asked of it so far. h e dated Scotch bellows call produces a deer-hunting-magazines useful series of attracting squalls but it requires some practice as any call does. It would likely get me laughed out of a stand You’ll get the full issue with but it works. My “rough” weather Mossberg is a i ne shooter live links to great hunting with the retro choice of lethal lead BBs. I have never checked resources online & have all to see if it is safe with steel loads and if it becomes law for your issues in one, convenient upland work in my area I’ll just set it aside for a deserved rest. place with you all the time with Final analysis? h e tools are up to the task. a digital subscription. For the person willing to work at it a low cost predator hunting rig that doesn’t’ eat up the greenbacks in today’s cash tight world is possible. h ere are some surprising choices once you begin looking and it might just be a nice enough you’ll want to keep. I know I am keeping mine.

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42 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 IT’S LIKE COYOTE HUNTING EXCEPT YOUR TARGET HAS WINGS. ■ ART ISBERG

veryone is familiar with the old adage, “curiosity killed the cat.” Somehow I believe they’ve pinned that moniker of the wrong critter. h e reason I’ve come to this is because of what took place on my front yard just days ago. Let’s call it a little experi- Ement I cooked up to prove a point with a group of crows that regularly cruise up and down my street. I set out full-body plastic crow decoys in my front yard next to busy street trai c. Back inside the house I sat at my oi ce window watching and waiting but not for long. Five minutes later the decoys got the crows’ attention. h at’s where their endless curiosity kicks in. Four birds swung over the lawn making a quick U-turn before dropping down to a gentle landing two feet from their plastic cousins. h ey eyed their artii cial brethren to see what they were doing that was so interesting. It only took a few seconds for the four to realize their new pals were frauds and they vaulted back up into the air. But I’d proven a point conclusively. h e unbridled curiosity of crows is something they cannot resist and any would-be crow hunter can capitalize on it. h ese birds are smarter than any other American game bird but they can be outfoxed. Almost all i rst time shooters and a good deal of veteran hunters crow hunt by passing shooting birds as they move around each day. However, using crow decoys is a more successful and more exciting way to hunt these very same l iers. You’ll get more shooting, get it at birds in closer for surer kills and have the satisfaction of bringing birds to your decoy sets and your calling skills.

Decoys One of the most important things never pointed out about crow decoying is that you don’t need the huge spreads that waterfowl hunters use for ducks and geese. Ten or twelve full-body crow decoys will pull in live l ocks many times their number. I like to place mine three to four feet apart and spread them out in a feeding pattern, facing them in dif erent directions as live birds do when foraging. h e clincher to small numbers like this is by adding one or two l ying decoys. h e Motto Crow, is a ground-staked decoy with wings that actually l ap and adds life-like movement that increases the drawing power of your i eld sets. Another winged decoy is the SilloSocks brand, which is a fabric stretched over a frame and staked on a tall pole. A third option to add power to your i eld sets is that standard full-body plastic decoys ot en have a small hook in the back so they be suspended on tree limbs or wires. h ese appear like live birds that have landed and are inspecting their pals below. h eir drawing power comes be-

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 43 [ CALLING THE CROWS ]

Crow decoys on the ground will make up your main spread but also attach some to tree branches and other elevated perches for a more realistic draw. cause they are elevated and can be seen over long distances delivery and watch to see if the birds are continuing toward where i eld decoys might be missed because of obscuring you. Should you hear them calling back which they of ten do, ground cover. h ese three simple additions to standard i eld you know your calls are solid. sets give you a real edge on wary birds. h e third is the all-is-well call or what some call the feeding call. h is is blown with the least volume as birds close in. It’s a Calling shorter yet more exited call that is blown with a faster tempo Crows have quite literally dozens of dif erent calls in their for- in two parts: Caw-Cawwww, Caw-Cawwww, Caw-Cawww. midable vocabulary from outright calling to squawks, hails, Once the birds are in shooting range, stop calling and tend to groans and cries. Yet no would be crow caller needs to learn business. You’ve done your job. Don’t overdue it. Master these dozens of dif erent calls or when to use them if he or she just correctly and you will be calling crows convincingly. concentrates on four or i ve basic calling sounds. h ere are two ways to achieve these: mouth calls and electronic calls. Electronic Calls For the hunter uninterested in becoming a virtuoso with Mouth Calls mouth calls, electronic callers will do all the work for you h ink of your calling in three simple phases and all this is but at a higher price. h ese calls of er some real advantages. more easily understood. First is the hail call, when you’re try- Not only do they have a much larger selection of calls, but ing to get distant birds to notice your decoys. h e call is blown also most of them cannot be matched with mouth calls. Such at the loudest volume with a two second break between each choices as crows-in-distress, crow-i ghting-owl, crows-gath- call. It sounds like: Caw—Caw—Cawwww! You can continue ering, crow-death-cry, and hawk-attack are just a few of doz- to use this call until birds start to swing your way. If they turn ens available. Choices like that can bring in crows that have of at some point, go back to it. either been called before or even shot over. Starting, stopping, Second is the over-here call, at er the crows swing your changing calls is achieved by a simple push on a remote con- way and come closer. h is is blown at medium volume. h e trol keypad. h at also means no hand movement that might last note in each call is blown at a lower pitch like: CAww— give you away when using mouth calls. h ese calls can also be Caww—Caww. Wait several second between each three-note set to run non-stop as crow’s mill around decoys so you can

44 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 [ CALLING THE CROWS ] concentrate on shooting and not calling. matching your hunting perfectly. I buy low-brass trap loads in Speaker location is also important. I like to place mine well either 7 1/2 or number 8 shot depending on how I’m hunting. away from my blind of to one side of my decoys. h is keeps h ese give high pellet density in lead shot loads. Crows look the birds attention on that spot and not me. large on the wing, but they’re really all just that—wings, tail More expensive calling units now of er dual speakers for and head. h eir actual body is narrow, tough and skinny un- a surround-sound ef ect and optimum volume for reaching der all those feathers. You want to get multiple pellets into that out to distant birds. h ese big calls run on battery packs and small body for quick kills. Use a full choke for pass shooting it’s wise to keep a spare in your pack while ai eld. Cold winter and modii ed or improved cylinder for close shooting over weather can sap battery power by almost half with extended decoys. h ese traps loads are ef ective out to 35 yards where play, so you always want a back up handy. Carrying weight your last decoys should be placed as a marker. h e 20-gauge for most electronic calls is about three pounds and are easily is lighter, fast swinging, and easy on the shoulder when using handled in the i eld. low-power loads. If you’re doing your crow hunting on either federal or state-owned lands, lead shot cannot be used and About Roosts you should switch to number 6 steel for an equivalent load in At day’s end, crows wing in from all points of the compass either gauge. gathering in roosts to spend the night. h eir raucous calling If ever a game bird was designed for dedicated shotgunners at these times can be easily heard a mile away. With so many and predator hunters, the American crow is that bird. h ere birds l ying into one spot it’s tempting to shoot roosting sites. isn’t a prayer he’ll ever be overshot because his numbers con- Don’t do it. Shooting here will only scatter birds and you’ll tinue to grow everywhere he calls home, and that’s just about have to start all over again to i nd new areas they’ll frequent. anyplace between both coasts and borders. You can capitalize on shooting both pass and decoying if you set up several miles away along the sky paths birds take both going to and from roosting sites at each end of the day. Crows are birds of habit. h ey will follow these routes each day. h e smart way to hunt them is to shoot one area for a day or two then rest if for four or i ve days before going back. Rotate shooting areas by having several you can move to. h at’s the smart way to handle roosting areas.

Timing Tips I learned a long time ago the daily movement and timetable of crows is something well worth understanding for steady shooting. Any dedicated waterfowl hunter is the perfect candidate for crow hunting. Why? Because crows use the same exact schedule as ducks and geese. h ey’re up l ying out of roosts at i rst light and make their i nal l ight of the day back on the go with a at the last hour before dark. h is means you should be set up either for pass shooting or decoying, to match their timetable. During midday, crows break up into small groups of four or You’ll get the full issue with i ve birds and spread out freelancing for any food opportuni- live links to great hunting ties they can i nd. h ese small numbers are very susceptible to resources online & have all decoying because they are curious to see what other crows are your issues in one, convenient feeding on. Noontime shooting can be spectacular because of it. place with you all the time Crows also react quickly to changing weather. Big winds with a digital subscription. set them l ying seemingly for the sheer joy of it, just as waterfowl do. h ey move far, wide and fast under these conditions. Heavy rains, fog and even snow will send them into cover to ride out the wet weather. You won’t see a bird as long as it lasts. But the moment the rain stops, they come right back out again to make up for lost time.

Guns And Loads www.deeranddeerhunting.com/ I use both 12 and 20-gauge shotguns for crow hunting. One deer-hunting-magazines of the great pleasures of using a 12-gauge on crows is the fact you can buy the cheapest ammunition on the market while

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 45 CAREFULLY ANALYZE THE BREEZE PATTERNS BEFORE HUNTING AT HIGH ALTITUDES ■ HUNTER BODENCHUK

46 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 he coyote family answered a locator howl from country, it’s better to wait until the wind is less of a factor than up in the aspen grove. Early in the fall, the pups ruin an area with inei cient ef ort. were still together and it sounded like the adults However, the mountains always have wind, maybe not at were nearby as well. Getting them out of there, 10 miles per hour, but there is always some breeze blowing. however, was going to take some ef ort. h ese winds are known as convection winds, and they blow Th e aspens followed a dry wash and started about a half upslope as the air warms and downslope as the air cools. Un- mile above the creek. From the sound of it, this group was derstanding mountain winds is essential to successful calling. another quarter mile into the trees. Approach from below was First, a little bit of science: everybody knows that warm air out of the question as the upslope winds would announce my rises and cold air sinks. On a mountain slope, you can count presence long before I got within calling distance. on this principle every day. Just at or at er sunset, cooling h e only possible way to call these coyotes was to circle air starts down the slope toward the valley l oor. h ese light widely and come at the wash from the side, preferably above winds increase in velocity as the air cools. During spring and the level of the coyotes. h is would take time, and they could fall, when the dif erence between daytime and nighttime tem- certainly move before I got in position, but calling to coyotes peratures is the widest, they can blow a signii cant 10 to 20 I knew were home was better than calling blind. miles per hour. At er sunrise, when the sun warms the valley itself, the Doping the Wind winds switch direction and blow upslope, again increasing in Calling in the wind can be frustrating. A study done years ago velocity with widely dif erent daytime and nighttime tempera- at New Mexico State University examined a number of vari- tures. As you might guess, for 15 to 30 minutes before a direc- ables that af ected success. h e No. 1 variable was the wind. tion change, the winds are extremely dii cult to predict and When the wind exceeded 10 miles per hour, calling success swirl constantly. h is is an especially bad time to try to work dropped to almost zero. close to your quarry. Intuitively, one of the reasons for this is the wind decreases Don’t expect the wind to blow straight up or straight down the distance your call can be heard. Also, those coyotes that the slope though. h e dif erences in air temperature i nd can hear your calls will usually be downwind of your position, their own levels, and an open, exposed slope might heat up where they can smell you long before you see them. In good and have upslope winds at the same time a canyon, deep in

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 47 [ CALLING THE MOUNTAIN WINDS ]

shade and cool temperatures, still has a downslope wind. To visualize the wind, think of the air as water that would l ow over the land. If the air is cooling and blowing downslope, it will run strongest in the bottom of canyons. On the hillside at the edge of a canyon, the wind will also be blowing downslope but will also be sinking into the canyon, just as water would do if it were poured at your feet. If the air is warming, it advances upslope as if the mountainside were the edge of a basin. It certainly l ows upslope, but when the air encounters a draw or bench, it will slow down and blow up the draw or swirl on the bench, just as water would do. One exception to this image is the top of the mountain. Prevailing winds mixing with convection winds will always cause turbulence, and the wind will swirl unpredictably. Sometimes the

48 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 [ CALLING THE MOUNTAIN WINDS ] only place you can be sure it’s not blow- ber without being detected, you can coyotes seemed to race each other to- ing your scent is straight downwind call them out. h ey will not, however, ward my position while a third timid of your current position. h e swirling likely storm your position. Expect these coyote hung back. wind at the top of the mountain will coyotes to clear the edge of the timber Knowing my wind was upslope al- guarantee your scent to be dispersed and sit down and watch. It’s always best lowed me to wait the coyotes out. h e over a wide area. Avoid the very top of then to set up within shooting distance closest coyote was about 50 yards be- the ridge if possible. of the upper edge of the timber and use low the caller when my .22-250 ruined binoculars to detect a coyote at the very its day. h e second coyote cut a big arc Calling in the Wind edge of the trees. Take your shots when across the hillside, and my second shot While variable winds make calling a they appear and remember that steep fell about three feet behind it. Adjust- challenge, mountain coyotes have some downhill shots hit high. ing for distance and speed, I launched of the best fur and are certainly worth a third 55-grain missile in its direction the ef ort. Obviously, being able to pre- In Practice just as it disappeared. h e sound of a dict convection winds allows a caller h e coyotes at the beginning of the ar- solid hit told me I needed to look over to get in place without being detected. ticle had almost a full half hour before there i rst. Using the wind to your advantage in- I was able to get into position. I mis- When I arrived on the spot, I found creases your success. judged their location, or more likely, the coyote down and out. h e shot ap- Setting up requires a little additional they drit ed towards the locator howl parently hit behind the last rib angling thought. Being able to predict where while I circled the aspen patch and ap- forward and somersaulted the coyote the predators might be laid up enhanc- proached from across the slope. 20 yards to its i nal resting spot. es your chances of setting up correctly. I had set up slightly above the middle By understanding how the mountain Using a locator howl early in the season of the aspen draw, but when I hit the winds blow, I was able to use all my luck when young-of-the-year coyotes will FOXPRO, they appeared about 200 on the shot rather than on calling. answer greatly increases your success. yards downslope and near the edge For bobcats and gray foxes, knowing of the aspens. Two young-of-the-year the country and where rocky outcrops provide midday protection is also an advantage. Approach these areas from Since we started making our Primos Truth a distance and stay hidden. Calling All Coyotes series a dozen years Mountain slopes are rarely l at, tilted ago, we’ve been amazed at the growth plains. Every mountain slope I’ve called of predator hunting all over the country. has been cut by small draws, washes A lot of us have learned predator hunting from Randy Anderson, who manages to or coulees. Electronic callers with re- teach effective tactics while spouting his mote controls, such as those designed unique brand of humor. For the Truth 12, by FOXPRO, have made calling in the Randy and friends hunt from Canada to mountains so much more successful. Oklahoma and many points in between. With a handheld call, predators are au- You’ll see more than 50 predator hunts in more than 3 hours of action-packed tomatically drawn to your location, and scenes. Randy’s brought along the if they are cross-slope or above your whole gang this time, too, including level, they will hit your upslope scent Shawn Heyden, Glenn Zink, Gary cone before coming into view. Hausmann, Dave Tatum, Lee Patterson, With e-callers, I place the calling and everybody’s favorite hunting buddy, Morris “Wooly” Kowerchuk, aka, the unit across a draw, slightly below my Saskatchewan Slayer. So pop in the DVD level and return to a hiding spot where and get ready to “Speak the LaLanguage”! g age ! I can see and shoot above the caller. h e caller might be hidden from view, but it is important to have thin brush or an opening above the call where the predator can be seen and shot. If you’re set on using a handheld call, plan on getting above the predators you’re hunting. Remember to stay of the top, though. Coyotes will ot en lay up in a cool patch of timber, and if you can get in position above the tim-

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 49 Beast Hogs & Song Dogs

HOG AND PREDATOR HUNTING ARE BEING EMBRACED. HERE’S HOW TO JOIN THE NEW IN-CROWD. ■ BY BOB HUMPHREY

50 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 hitetails represent the mainstream range to the point they can no longer be shunned or dis- of hunting. h ey get most of the at- missed. h ey are now accepted more openly in hunting tention, which is fair because they society and are actually being embraced. account for more hunters than all other species combined. But they’re Why Wnot alone. Ample alternatives exist, from genteel upland No hunting faction is mutually exclusive, and with little game and working-class waterfowl to the fringe species exception, the surge of sportsmen joining the fringe is — creatures that live and must be pursued in those dark more diversii cation than true growth. If nothing else, places seldom discussed in polite company. it’s an excuse to spend more time outdoors — a lot more Hogs and predators, and those who pursue them, were time. Predator and hog seasons are open year-round in once considered rough and uncultured and forced to the many states, and some states even allow night hunting fringes. But they have grown in number and geographic at least part of the year. h at should be enough, but as

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 51 [ BEAST HOGS & SONG DOGS ] the infomercial guys love to say, “Wait, Enough said. also use (that is, tear up) food plots, there’s more.” h ere are plenty of alternatives. In especially chufa patches. And as any It’s good of season training for white- fact, you probably have more options farmer in hog country will tell you, tail hunting. Hog and predator hunting than for any other species or group of most agricultural crops also make ideal require many of the same skills, tools game. hog bait. and techniques as deer hunting, such Predators are carnivores, so meat as stealth and marksmanship. And you How works best for coyotes and the like. should get plenty of practice, as most Baiting: Hogs are just as likely as deer Road kill is the most popular among states have liberal or unrestricted bag to show up at a corn feeder — maybe hunters and hunted. Stake out a road- limits, with California being a notable more so — though the former seem killed deer by tying a road kill to a stake exception, as it is in many categories. more inclined to show up when you’re or tree, and then sit in a blind to wait Speaking of California, the alter- hunting the latter. You can fool hogs by for ol’ Wile E. to come along. native hunting lifestyle is also help- hunting feeders the same as you would Spot-and-stalk: h is one’s self-ex- ful in promoting ecological balance. for deer. You can even hunt them while planatory. Good optics help for spot- Predators serve a purpose to a point. you’re hunting deer. If baiting deer isn’t ting. Use the wind, your stealth and When their numbers swell to the point legal, you can lure both with an attrac- proper scent suppression for stalking. they’re deleterious to other species or tant spray such as corn or acorn. Hogs don’t see too well, but their sense populations, it’s time for us to balance If the land is managed for other spe- of smell rivals a whitetail’s. With coy- the scales. Hogs are a foreign invader. cies, such as deer and turkeys, hogs will otes, it’s more spot-and-stock. If you

52 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 [ BEAST HOGS & SONG DOGS ] spot one, put your cheek on the stock because of their quiet approach. Either For coyotes, you use the same dogs and i re. way, when the dogs bay a hog, handlers — hounds — for all aspects of the hunt. Man’s best friend: Man has been send in the catch dogs — pit bulls with Put them on a hot scent, turn them hunting with dogs for millennia, and basketball-sized heads consisting large- loose and follow them until they push hog dogging remains among the most ly of jaw muscles and teeth. When they a coyote past a hunter. primitive methods. h e strike, or chase, latch on, they do not let go. How you One slight variation practiced in dogs can be open trailing (vocal) or dispatch the hog is up to you, but one large agricultural areas involves driving the silent type. h e former are easier to popular method involves jumping on the farm roads until you spot a coyote. follow, but the latter catch more hogs top and impaling it with a sharp object. Doing his best Charles Bronson (as Mr. Majestyk) imitation, the driver then carefully navigates his vehicle — a four- wheel-drive with a dog box — across the uneven landscape at ridiculously fast speeds until he’s closed sui cient distance. He then cuts the wheel, trying not to roll it over as he opens the dog boxes and then literally cries havoc and unleashes the dogs of war. Actu- ally, they’re greyhounds, and they like to chase coyotes even more than stuf ed rabbits. Calling: h is is by far the most popular method for predator hunting. h e basic technique is to set up — with or without a decoy — in relatively open terrain and mimic the sound of struggling prey with a mouth-blown or electronic call. You need to be well camoul aged, nearly motionless and as scent-free as possible. Twilight, when predators are more active, is good. Nighttime, when they’re most active, is better (where and when legal). For the latter, you’ll need a powerful light or night-vision optics (again, where legal).

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2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 53 The Quiet Woods

MORE STATES ARE LEGALIZING walking into an area, and all of a sudden SUPPRESSORS FOR HUNTING. HOW TO a guy starts cracking of shots up ahead BUY ONE AND ENJOY THE BENEFITS. of you,” Metzger says. “You might as well go back to your camp. Everything’s BRIAN MCCOMBIE & DICK JONES going to be scared of for a good square ■ mile or better from that shooting.” But with suppressed ril es, even if game animals are frightened, it will be in a much more localized area. To paraphrase the American poet Robert Frost, good suppressors make good hunter neighbors. Suppressor Style Jonathan Owen co-founded Special Hog Weapons and Tactics over two years ago, SHWAT.com, as a meeting place for people who like tactical hog hunting. He’s hunted and taken hogs with suppressed ril es. Along with AR- style ril es and night vision gear, suppressors top the list of equipment that tactical hog hunters gravitate toward— and for good reason. “With a hearing safe suppressor, you can communicate much more easily with hunting partners,” Owen notes. “You can hear the pigs feeding and moving around when you don’t have potted the elk herd in a small h is happened in October 2013 at the foamies crammed in your ear canal. canyon, just below a ridge- C-Punch Ranch, on a hunt for wounded Additionally, suppressors tend to miti- line, near Craig, Colo. h ere veterans, and Metzger’s ril e was tipped gate both recoil and muzzle rise, al- were about 15 bulls and cows with a h under Beast 30 PI suppressor. lowing you faster and more-accurately milling around and feeding. For Metzger, a former U.S. Army Rang- i red follow-up shots.” h e latter, Owen SUsing boulders for cover, Metzger and er who suf ered wounds while serving notes, is big help when you suddenly his guide got to within 220 yards of the in Iraq, a suppressor was a natural way come up on a group of wild hogs and elk. Metzger had a cow tag. Selecting a to hunt. He was introduced to suppres- it’s time to dump a full magazine. yearling cow, he lined up the crosshairs sors while in the military, and instantly “People used to ask me, ‘Why would on his custom .308 bolt-action ril e and saw the many benei ts to using them, you want to hunt with a suppressor?’” squeezed of a shot. It fell over back- including hearing protection and al- says John Hollister. “I had a lot of very wards, sliding down the snow-covered lowing better communications when good reasons, like saving your hear- slope. h e other elk were momentarily multiple shooters/hunters were ai eld. ing, and I would explain that. But, re- startled, jumped a bit, looked around but Another advantage Metzger sees as a ally, I’m to the point where I just switch within a minute went back to feeding. hunter is that suppressors can actually it around and ask them back—‘Why “If there’d been another hunter with make the hunting experience better for would you not want to hunt with a sup- me, he could’ve i lled his tag, too,” says other sportsmen as well. pressed i rearm?’” Metzger. “My guide said he’d never seen “I can see if you’re on BLM or For- “Saving your ears from muzzle blast, anything like that.” est Service lands out West, and you’re communicating with other hunters in

54 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 the i eld—these are really important reasons to use suppressors,” says Hol- lister. “But one reason that doesn’t get a lot of attention for suppressor use in STEPS TO BUYING A SILENCER hunting is introducing young people 1. Make sure your state allows ownership of silencers. and newcomers to our sport.” 2. Decide which type of suppressor works best for your needs. A relatively quiet, suppressed deer ri- 3. Find a Class 3 dealer and choose your suppressor. l e, for example, is going to be much less 4. Fill out the required paperwork. Your dealer should assist you in this threatening to a l edgling hunter than a process. Individual ownership requires a law enforcement signature, fingerprinting and two self photos. If you intend to use a trust or gun that sounds like a clap of thunder. corporation for ownership, And because of the way they disperse the law enforcement signature, fingerprinting and two photographs muzzle blast, suppressors ot en reduce of yourself is not required. recoil signii cantly. Young people, as 5. Pay the $200 transfer tax. You’ll then have to wait for the paper- well as smaller-framed female and work to clear. Normally, this takes about 2 months for the manufac- male shooters, are much more likely to turer-to-dealer process (Form 3) and about 6 to 8 months for the try and enjoy hunting with a ril e that dealer to corporation or trust (Form 4). Individual ownership (Form doesn’t mule-kick their shoulders. 4) will require more time, with the total time taking about a year. Ultimate Eradication Tool 6. Once the paperwork has cleared, you’ll then fill out a Form 4473 Buck Holly knows i rsthand how and pay for your silencer. suppressors can reduce felt recoil—and For a period of time, it was possible to use an electronic “eForm” to in the process, make hunting more en- apply for ownership. This process cut approval times down to about four joyable and successful. months on the Form 4 process. A few months ago, the BATFE shut down Holly runs a custom ril e-making the Form 4 eForm process. business, C&H Precision Weapons of –Dick Jones City, LaBelle, Fla., which specializes in manufacturing authentic Marine Corps M-40 sniper ril es. For the last half- dozen years, he’s hunted game with suppressed ril es, including deer and elk—but most especially hogs. h at’s because Holly’s “part-time” job, when he’s not making custom ri- l es, is being contracted by the state and local governments to eradicate the wild and very destructive hogs on 20,000 acres of public lands in South Florida. Holly does this work with suppressed ril es and has excellent results. Unlike Metzger’s experience, Holly says his use of suppressors really is not about relative quiet and not scaring of his prey. h ere’s a good deal of hunting pressure on the public lands where Holly does his eradication work, and the wild hogs here are generally what hunters consider “educated.” “h ey know the game,” says Holly. “h ey hear that sonic crack of the bullet and they’re running.”

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 55 Reaching Out

7 TIPS FOR TAKING CONFIDENT SHOTS AT LONGER RANGES ■ DOUG HOWLETT

erhaps no feat better epito- brings it to his shoulder. For serious more. For long-range accuracy, square mizes the marriage of pre- long-range shooting, you’ll want a ril e the body behind the target to provide cision i rearms technology with a stock that permits instant ad- a more reliable. h is position helps you and marksmanship ability justment to the length of pull and the stay on target throughout recoil for than long-range shooting. cheek rest. Take time to adjust the bi- follow-up shots or to simply observe PBut it takes more than just a suitable pod or rest and any rear support before where your bullet strikes. caliber, a quality ril e, a top-shelf op- getting in position to shoot. Failing to tic and a steady trigger i nger. Every do so will make it impossible to achieve 3. Wind one of those components must work a consistent weld to the gun and will Understanding a bullet’s performance together like a i nely tuned instrument increase the likelihood of scope shad- in the wind is a true art form, and in the hands of a skilled musician. Plac- owing, where the full visual diameter of the only way to begin mastering it is ing consistently successful shots at long the scope cannot be seen. to spend a lot of time shooting windy ranges can only be achieved through conditions. Remember, wind where extensive practice in a variety of con- 2. Place Your Body Behind you are may be dif erent than where the ditions and with the benei t of ample the Scope target is and can be inl uenced by the homework. Watch most shooters and they will terrain the bullet must travel over. One stand or position themselves behind trick is to use mirage, visible through a 1. Fit the Ri e to You the ril e at an angle. But all that recoil high-power optic to read the wind near It’s about being able to control the i re- is transferred to your body, and if the the target and determine how far of to arm and establishing consistent attach- mass of your body is largely to the side the side you must aim. ment to the ril e every time the shooter of that energy, it will jerk the body

56 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 EYES WIDE OPEN? Despite the fact that many shooters tend to close an eye when lining up a sight or scope, proper shooting form dictates that we leave both eyes open for better situational awareness and overall sighting performance. At 6x or lower, the eyes can easily accommodate the visual difference, and shooters should adhere to the “both eyes open” dictate. But above that, particularly when going above 10x, doing that can be difficult since the eyes are trying to focus 4. Shoot On the Bottom of on two drastically different focal points. If you need to close an eye when Your Exhale sighting a long-distance target through a scope, so be it. Go with what works When you’re locked on a target, there best for you. is a rise and fall of your reticle from —D.H. breathing and heartbeat. Remembering consistency is critical to shooting, if we shoot on the exhale, it gives us a consistent trigger time at a moment when the cycle the bolt for a second shot (if using ranging will work at all magnii cations. body is most relaxed. Hold that breath a bolt-action). You won’t have to repo- Second focal plain ranging only works at the exhale for no more than three or sition the scope and your body because at the highest magnii cation. How do four seconds. If you do, the body will they are pretty much the same. Keep in you know which one you have? When start shaking because it’s technically position until the shot strikes the target. adjusting magnii cation, if the reticle becoming oxygen deprived. If you don’t size adjusts with it, yours is in the i rst make the shot in those three or four 6. Reticle Illumination focal plain. If it doesn’t change size, it’s a seconds, hold the shot. Wait, take an- If your scope has an illuminated reticle, second focal plain reticle. h e i rst focal other breath and settle back in. you don’t want it on when using the plain of ers more l exibility, though you scope for ranging. Blooming, the af ect might have to dial down the magnii ca- 5. Trigger Follow-Through created when viewing a lit object with tion to i nd the target because full mag- Pull the trigger back and hold it. Don’t the human eye, thickens the size of the nii cation creates a narrow i eld of view, slap it; don’t lit your head of the reticle and disrupts focus for ranging. but ultimately it’s a personal preference. stock. You want to see the bullet impact through the scope, and holding 7. First or Second Focal Plain the trigger prior to resetting it will help When ranging a target using a ranging you retain sight of the target when you reticle, understand that i rst focal plain

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 57 Any-Country Coyotes

BY MASTERING THE LANDSCAPE, YOU CAN HUNT COYOTES WHEREVER THEY ARE FOUND ■ MARK KAYSER

lmost everything involves the wind in when you reach your calling site. Take along a small puf one form or another. Scent is a coyote’s bottle and give it a puf while hiking to your stand site. i rst and last line of defense, and some- You can watch the stream of light powder l oating on thing you may fool, but only for a brief even the slightest of breezes to tell you where a coyote window of time. In spite of it being a coy- will circle if it arrives. Aote’s best protection against danger, it can also be your Testing is imperative at your i nal destination since best ally when used correctly. morning winds shit , coulees create wind swirls and h at simply means you need to have a window of ridges may produce thermals. A variety of temperature, your downwind alley or remove the option of a coyote terrain and weather anomalies can make wind as shit y sneaking in from that direction. Since a coyote charac- as any career politician. But be assured that predomi- teristically circles downwind any coyote you call in from nant winds generally follow the same patterns once you behind or on either side of you will eventually show up learn them. If you receive northwest winds and your directly downwind. To win you either need a downwind calling site has a tendency to blow west when you ar- “shooting gallery” forcing coyotes to show themselves rive because of a steep creek bank, it should follow that or a closed backdoor that gives you downwind invisibil- same pattern whenever a similar wind direction blows. ity as coyotes circle in an upwind opening. Mark it on your smartphone weather program, like ScoutLook Weather, and you’ll begin to have a history Master the Wind of wind direction for all your hunting locations. If you follow standard coyote hunting protocol, you check the wind before you leave your house, check Thick as Shag Carpet again when you park your truck and do a i nal check If you coyote hunt mesquite country, swamplands or

58 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 59 [ ANY-COUNTRY COYOTES ]

Coyote hunting will take a hunter through beautiful and rugged country, from brushy high plains, river bottoms and mountain foothills. thick forests you know how hard it is bucket, set up with a shot toward the bottom cover and out on the ice where to get a coyote to stick its head out of a opening that should be almost down- the downwind breezes blew. I scouted cover for a shot. Give a coyote enough wind. Shooting windows will be tight if and found a likely bend in the river brush and you may never see it. h at the opening is straight downwind, but that was nearly directly downwind. means you may have to abandon some if you give coyotes too much room on Ten minutes into the setup, a coyote country or only hunt it when the wind either side of the opening to grab your leaped from the brushy bank onto the is as dead as a raccoon on the highway. scent it will be self-defeating with the frozen ice for a downwind scent check. What you need to i nd are openings, coyotes again gaining the upper nose. I barked once and the second bark was lanes, senderos, old forest roads and Once coni rmed the wind is blowing my .22-250 launching a Hornady V- the likes that will give you a shooting toward the opening begin your setup Max to end the charade. window in a downwind angle. Find and stay focused on the opening. You windows like this and you can focus on should aim in that direction and use Open as a Golf Course Green using these terrain features to manipu- a shooting aid, like shooting sticks, to Hunting coyotes in pancake-l at open late movement. help you prop up your gun to avoid country can be as frustrating. Open Coyotes always feel more comfort- muscle fatigue. If all goes as planned, country can be as big as a sagebrush ba- able coming to a call when they can any incoming coyote will be forced to sin or even a sizeable picked corni eld. remain close to escape cover. Your mis- leave the brush, cross the opening to You have one benei t in your favor. sion is to locate a brushy area known check scent and give you a few l eeting Wind direction should be easy to iden- to house coyotes with a prevailing wind seconds to wallop the culprit. tify and it should remain stable once that historically blows into a downwind One winter while calling along a fro- it blows over the open ground. A real opening. By setting up as high as possi- zen river I knew my only hope was to bonus is to have slivers of brushy coun- ble, even using something as simple as a get the coyotes out of the thick, river- try or coulees adjacent to your open

60 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 [ ANY-COUNTRY COYOTES ] Subscribe setting. For open country think eleva- Rugged as the Grand Tetons Here tion and put your electronic caller, and Out of all the terrain obstacles you may decoys into play to pull coyotes into the encounter rugged could be the worse of open and onto your playing i eld. the gang. With rugged terrain in your First, consider elevation. Almost sights a coyote could literally jump up all l at land has slight rolls, dips and from anywhere like an obsessed Jack- bumps. Scout ahead of time and look in-the-box. Fortunately terrain also for these minimal, yet advantageous of ers you a variety of options when aids. You may have options to put tree- trying to route a coyote into your ril e stands up in scattered trees or even set- sights. One of the best is steep geogra- ting up a tripod stand well in advance phy. Vertical canyon walls, rocky ledges to blend into a lone cedar tree on the and narrow ridge tops have the ability edge of a l at. Be creative. Some farm- to prod a coyote into following a path- ers clear i elds, but leave mature trees way with some semblance of horizon- in fence lines and these can be great tal terra i rma. h e steeper the better if observation posts for a treestand setup. you hope to keep a coyote on the path Next, determine prevailing wind di- of your choosing. rection and mark the downwind angle. Although a coyote can climb like h is is where you want to place your a billy goat when asked, they’ll ot en- 1-877-300-0251 decoy and remote caller. You want the times take the l attest route to get from coyote to circle towards the attraction their position to you. Creek bottoms, of sound and movement. h is is where canyon l oors and the tops of l at ridges cover can be benei cial as it forces coy- provide the easiest travel options. Un- otes out into the open to see what’s up. fortunately lowland paths can also con- h e deceitful ruse should be almost ceal a coyote traveling to your setup straight downwind and anywhere from site. To win this game you always need 50 to 100 yards or more away. Place to play the elevation card. the attractors where you have a clear, Nosebleed, stadium seating allows A4ATPP easy shot and take into consideration if you an over watch of everything below. you’re using a ril e, or shotgun. In rugged terrain you need to see every A sensible decoy for predator hunters downwind angle or set up with a clif to use is one that imitates a wounded rab- or vertical slope blocking your back- bit, rodent or bird. It provides the visual side. h is will push a coyote out front stimulation for the sound you are creat- to expose itself since it won’t be able to ing to lure a coyote. Several companies circle and get on your elevation for a now manufacture rabbits, furred balls quick whif . and feathered shapes that shake, rattle Since coyotes will characteristically and roll to portray popular prey inl icted follow a coulee or gully to your site, set with major injuries. In the spring and up so you are at the head of the drain- summer you can also incorporate coy- age. h at forces any coyote to eventu- ote decoys into setups to play upon the ally pop up in front of you or on a par- animal’s pack, and territorial instincts. allel ridge. In either case your elevation h is can be deadly when incorporating should provide a shooting advantage as coyote vocalizations into a setup. the coyote tries to circle for scent. Whether using a prey or a coyote h ere are more rugged terrain sce- lookalike, it needs to be visible. Place narios than people on the planet so you the decoy in a clear, elevated setting simply have to study what’s before you. for any approaching coyote to see. As Block your backdoor with terrain or a the coyote circles for the downwind partner, and force the coyote to circle advantage use a clear, loud bark to stop downwind onto a ledge, opening or l at it just before it hits your wind stream. giving you an open shot. Of course if you’re in an elevated stand any brisk wind could send your scent completely over a coyote’s scent detec- A4ATPP 421751 tion system. How Far? How Close?

DISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS PLAY A KEY ROLE IN MANY ASPECTS OF PREDATOR HUNTING ■ STORY & PHOTOS BY ANDREW LEWAND

f you go to a predator calling seminar, you will hear calling comes up ot en. In fact, questions regarding distance about the importance of proper scouting, setup loca- where a large part of a recent national survey given to hunt- tion and which type of call to use. h at’s all great stuf . ers all across the country by the Bark at the Moon Coyote If you visit a popular Internet predator hunting forum, Club. h e survey polled 200 hunters, ranging from beginners you will i nd lots of discussions about all things preda- to professionals, and was conducted in summer 2014. It re- Itor. Again, that’s great stuf . l ects the most current trends of what is happening among the As a seminar presenter and host of an Internet forum, I am predator hunting community. always intrigued by the variety of questions raised regarding the many factors involved in successfully calling coyotes and Vehicle Issues foxes. No matter how much we hear or read about predator Many predator hunters surely feel the crunch at gas pumps as hunting, new and interesting questions are always asked. they travel to hunt. h e topic of skyrocketing gas prices and Even though hunters might be quite comfortable using tac- its impact on predator hunting comes up frequently as my tics that they are familiar with, it is never a bad idea to be hunting buddies and I head out for a night of calling. With open to using techniques that other hunters i nd helpful. h e today’s economic state, are hunters willing to make predator concept of distances involved in various aspects of predator hunting pilgrimages like they have in the past?

62 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 Most hunters report that they are willing to travel great dis- ing distances to a minimum in order to get as many sets in tances to hunt predators. h e percentages between traveling as possible. Some hunters indicated that as the season pro- an hour or two from home and a state or two away were fairly gresses, they walk farther away to remote setup locations in close. Furthermore, the number of hunters willing to travel an attempt to call in predators that have not been subjected across the country was high as well. Apparently, the road to to a lot of pressure. quality predator hunting is never too long. How far away from your vehicle do you walk How far are you willing to drive to go to your set-up? on a predator calling trip? Distance Percentage Total Distance Percentage Total 0-50 yards 2% 3 ½ hour from my house 3% 6 50-100 yards 10% 20 1-2 hours from my house 36% 72 More than 100 yards 49% 98 1 or 2 states away 34% 68 No specific distance as long as car 40% 79 in out of sight Across the country 27% 54

During the calling season, I i nd myself i lling up my gas At er a setup, whether it is successful or not, you i nd your- tank far more frequently than during other times of the year. self wanting to drive to a new location for further hunting. Understand that I am not talking about taking predator hunt- h e question is, “How far do you drive?” ing vacations. I am simply using gas because of my frequent While hunting in the East, it is possible to call in predators local jaunts. In January alone, I tacked 5,000 miles on my Jeep. from more than one farm while at one setup. Hence, driving I ot en wonder if other hunters are stacking up miles like I to the farm next door might not be advantageous. In this case, am. h inking about typical predator hunting outings — go- the hunter might be calling to predators that would already be ing out for a few hours to local farms — I wonder about how within earshot of the calling from the original setup. many miles hunters drive during a typical predator hunt. When hunting out West with its expansive and open terrain, hunters also need to move far enough away so that they How far do you drive during a typical are calling to coyotes that have not heard the original calling predator hunt? attempts. Our survey results show that most hunters move at least a mile away between stands. Distance Percentage Total 0-25 miles 20% 40 How far do you drive between set-ups? 25-50 miles 29% 58 Distance Percentage Total 50-100 miles 31% 61 ½ mile 23% 46 More than 100 miles 21% 41 1 mile 37% 74 An analysis of the responses shows that the highest per- 2 miles 14% 29 centage of hunters travels between 50 and 100 miles each out- More than 2 miles 26% 51 ing. h at means that hunters might be burning upwards of a half a tank of fuel each outing. Assuming the average hunter goes out two or three times a week, it is obvious that hunting Set-up Savvy must take a toll on most hunters’ wallets. Again, the allure of Using proper setup tactics is ot en said to be the most im- predator hunting is stronger than the urge to stay home and portant factor to calling success. So much so that volumes save on fuel. have been written about the subject. Still, many hunters ques- Let’s assume our gas tanks are full and we are out hunting. tion how to set up in the best possible manner. Our survey Anticipation runs high as we pull up to one of our favorite asked specii c questions relating aspects of setting up and dis- calling spots and park of the road and gather our gear for an tances issues. exciting hunt. h e next question is, “How far do you typically One important issue involves the decision of how far to set walk to your calling position at er parking your vehicle?” up from cover that might be holding predators. h ere are a Most hunters (49 percent) prefer to walk at least 100 yards couple variables that will impact this choice: Type of i rearm away from the vehicle. Forty percent of the survey respon- used and type of terrain available. Shotgun hunters will gen- dents reported that there was no specii c distance as long erally elect to set up close to cover. On the other hand, high- as the vehicle was out of sight. h is makes perfect sense for power centeri re ril e carriers will set up at a greater distance. hunters who wish to operate as ei ciently as possible. So long Of course, the type of terrain will impact this decision. In ar- as local laws regarding legal distances from homes and dwell- eas of tight cover, such as what is ot en available in the East, ings are being adhered to, hunters might wish to keep walk- closer setups will be advantageous.

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 63 [ HOW FAR? HOW CLOSE? ]

According to our survey, setting up 100 yards away from respondents indicated that the distance moved depends upon cover is the most common tactic (41 percent). Hunters in- the terrain. When hunting in areas that feature many hills and dicate that at this distance they can still be within ef ective valleys, it might not be necessary to move that far. i rearm range should a predator “hold up” at the edge of the cover. h e next two most common responses were setting up If you are hunting a large farm or area, how far at 200 yards and more than 200 yards. h ese hunters enjoy do you walk/move between stands? seeing the predators approaching from a distance, which allows them time to get prepared for the shot. Distance Percentage Total 100 yards 1% 2 How far from cover do you typically set up? 200 yards 8% 15 400 yards 12% 24 Distance Percentage Total 600 yards 9% 17 20-30 yards 5% 9 It depends on the terrain 75% 150 50 yards 10% 20 100 yards 41% 82 Electronic Call and Decoy Tactics 200 yards 20% 40 With electronic calls being all the rage these days, there is More than 200 yards 25% 49 some confusion as to what is the best way to use them. One obvious question generated about electronic call models that One area that fascinates me is the various tactics that feature the ability to be operated with a remote control is, hunters use while hunting with partners. Hunters who “How far away should I place my call?” Furthermore, is the have been calling together for years have their setup tac- answer to this question dif erent for hunting in daylight ver- tics perfected and go into any location and set up without sus hunting at night? speaking a word. The process becomes second nature and For a standard daytime hunt, most hunters choose to place is developed to incorporate maximum efficiency and safe- the call 50 yards away from them. h is allows the incoming ty. I am aware of how I set up when hunting with others, predator to focus its attention on the call and not on the cam- but how do other folks do it? Do they sit right next to each oul age-clad hunter. It also allows the hunter to make slight other like we do? Or do they do it differently? movements without the increased likelihood of being noticed h e most common response was to sit 5 to 10 yards apart. by the predator. h e second most popular distance reported h e advantage of this strategy is that the hunters can com- was 25 yards away. Although not indicated in the survey, it’s municate and safely maneuver their i rearms toward an ap- logical to guess this distance was a popular choice for hunters proaching predator. It was interesting to note that the tactic who use shotguns. of placing a partner well downwind of the call was not repre- During a daytime hunt, how far away do you place sented in the survey results as only 5 percent of the responses a remotely operated electronic call from your indicated sitting 100 yards apart. setup position? When hunting with a partner, how far apart Distance Percentage Total do you typically sit from each other? 10 yards away 3% 5 25 yards away 37% 74 Distance Percentage Total 50 yards away 42% 84 Always sit together 12% 24 100 yards away 11% 21 5-10 yards apart 38% 75 More than 100 yards away 11% 6 20 yards apart 19% 37 I only use mouth calls 5% 10 50 yards apart 18% 36 100 yards apart 5% 9 Something noteworthy happens when asked the same I only hunt by myself 10% 19 question of nighttime hunters. It seems that under the cover of darkness, more hunters want the call in closer proximity to Let us assume you are hunting a large farm or tract of land. them. Why is this so? It stems from the belief that hunters will You spend 20 minutes calling and no fox or coyotes show up. not be able to see the rel ective eyes of an incoming predator Because the area is so immense, you decide to move to a dif er- if the call is too far away from the hunter. ent location and make another stand. h e question is, “How far do you walk to a new calling position?” During a nighttime hunt, how far away do you From experience, we know that predators can hear and ap- typically place a remotely operated electronic proach our calling from many hundreds of yards away. It only call from your setup position? seems to make sense then to move at least that far when selecting a new location. However, a vast majority of the survey

64 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 [ HOW FAR? HOW CLOSE? ]

Distance Percentage Total Sealing the Deal At my feet 20% 40 Whether hunting during day or night, the positive identii cation 10 yards away 18% 35 of incoming animals is always important. h at fact is that it is more challenging to do under the cover of darkness. I am always 25 yards away 30% 60 amazed when my hunting partner whispers, “It’s a fox!” when I 50 yards away 22% 44 can only see glowing red dots dance across the landscape. Most 100 yards away 3% 6 hunters indicate that they can identify predators at a distance of More than 100 yards away 1% 2 50 yards. h e second most popular answer was 100 yards. I only use hand calls 7% 13 At er the target has been identii ed, one of the most important questions as a predator approaches is when to shoot. Another variable regarding the use of electronic calls is h e most important thing a hunter can do is be aware of his the height at which they are used. Is it OK to place them scent cone and take the shot before the coyote catches a whif right on the ground? Or should they be elevated for maxi- of the hunter’s scent. Additionally, the hunter should keep all mum sound projection? Sound emitted from the call can get movements to a minimum to avoid being spotted. Of course, mu ed due to snow, dense grasses and thick vegetation. the hunter needs to know the capabilities of the i rearm he is I personally place my FOXPRO call right on the ground 95 using so that a lethal and ethical shot is taken. percent of the time I use it. When available, I will hang the Most hunters — 71 percent according to our survey — let call on a tree branch or nestle it in some bush to get it of the predators come as close as possible before shooting. Even ground. Many hunters mount their calls to a tripod to elevate though their ril e might be capable of a 300-yard shot, most them of the ground. I personally do not go this route because hunters want to bring the predator in much closer for a more I do not want to carry anymore gear than I already do. manageable shot. Undoubtedly, there will be predators that un- cannily detect something is amiss and take of before a shot can At what height do you use your electronic call? be taken. h at is simply part of the sport. So what is the average successful shot distance of most hunt- Distance Percentage Total ers? Our survey showed fairly even results between the mod- Set right on the ground 58% 116 erate ranges. h e highest percentage reported was between 75 Elevated 1-2 feet high 39% 77 and 100 yards, which made me feel good as that is where I i nd Elevated 5 feet high 3% 6 most of my successful shots when using my trusty Remington Elevated more than 5 feet high 1% 1 700 in .223. h e second highest ranking distance was 50 to 75 yards followed by 100 to 150 yards. Our survey indicated that h e benei ts of using a motion decoy are numerous. Each long-range shooting (more than 150 yards) at predators ranks time I go to set out my decoy, I quickly ponder where to put fairly low (16 percent). Indeed, a large part of the thrill of preda- it. Usually, I place it within a foot or two of the call. I always tor calling is bringing the animal in close for a high-percentage make sure that any vegetation in the immediate area will not shot opportunity. hinder the performance or the movable decoy. Many of the newer decoys attach directly to the electronic call so the deci- According to your personal records, how far is sion of where to put it is nullii ed. However, if you are using your average successful shot distance? a Mojo Critter or a Jack Attack decoy; a game-time decision needs to be made. Distance Percentage Total An overwhelming number of survey respondents indicated 20-40 yards 11% 21 that they place the decoy right next to the call. A signii cantly 50-75 yards 25% 50 lesser number of respondents said they put the decoy 5 yards 75-100 yards 29% 58 away. h is is done as a way to take attention away from the actual 100-150 yards 20% 40 call, which might stand out in the terrain. More than 150 yards 16% 31 If you use a motion decoy with your Go the Distance electronic call, how far do you typically Our survey data shows how hunters across the country prac- place it from the call? tice their crat in regard to the numerous questions that ask, “How far?” Hunters who are looking to i ne-tune some as- Distance Percentage Total pects of their techniques can refer to the data as they attempt Right next to the call 82% 163 to go the distance for increased success. 5 yards away 13% 26 10 yards away 3% 6 More than 10 yards away 3% 3

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 65 Conditioned Coyotes

DON’T LET SONG DOGS WISE UP TO YOUR ROUTINES ■ LANCE HOMMAN

struggled to catch my breath, gasping from climb- and sand plums. I cautiously slid down the incline and ing the near vertical slope of an old pond dam positioned my M.A.D. Ultimate One just far enough while we paused momentarily before making the away to keep prying eyes out of my business while, at i nal ascent up and over the top to our hiding the same time, keeping their owners headed in my gen- spots. Behind us, the ground leveled out 50 feet eral direction. Ibeneath where we now stood. Before us lay the same Within seconds of opening with rabbit distress, I drop in height, giving us elevation and a commanding heard Kevin whistle. view down into, rather than through, the tall grass and Game on! skeletal remains of long dead sunl ower stalks. I stole a glance to my 10 o’clock and could see a coyote h is was “the morgue” — easily our No. 1 honey hole. darting away from us, let and right through the cover It was known for the extraordinary number of dead toward a row of trees bordering the boundary of the pas- coyotes it had produced over the past several years. ture on the let . A quarter-mile in front of us, two more Crouching low, my partner and I both scurried across coyotes were hastily running from right to let along the the two-track running the length of the dam and slipped sanctuary of a below-grade game trail created by years into position just down the other side, hidden by sumac of deer hooves and coyote feet traveling from this patch

66 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 of ground to another one nearby. labor-intensive project. But, with to- If nothing shows, wait i ve minutes in A fourth coyote erupted from be- day’s modern access to aerial imagery, silence and leave. If a coyote shows, neath where we hid, charging from its most of this work can be done from the shoot it and resume calling, starting the bed and to the let . Kevin took the run- comfort of your computer, leaving you clock all over again. Each time a target ning shot and was rewarded with the only a few sites that are questionable to appears and a shot is taken, the 10-min- satisfying thump of one solid meeting investigate from the i eld. ute clock repeats until there are no tak- another. Using that same aerial imagery, I also ers. Wait i ve minutes and leave. try to identify where I think the coy- When leaving, one of us rises and Educating Coyotes otes will be laid up during the day and goes directly to the downed coyote(s). When Kevin and I i rst joined forces the routes they will use to travel to and h ere is no talking. No attaboys. No nearly i ve years ago, each of us brought from there and neighboring sections of back slapping. h e coyotes are retrieved a lifetime of calling experience together, land. Ideally, I try to approach a calling and hustled back to the truck, moving and all the ground that goes with that. site by the route where I am least likely with the same sense of caution and Between the two of us, we had access to be seen or smelled by coyotes, which stealth that we used going in. to in excess of 300,000 acres of Kansas means I try to avoid bedding areas and Why do we do this? Simply put, and country real estate. But, even at that, major travel lanes. as stated previously, where there is one, we found ourselves returning time and I also understand that approach- there are more. You’ve dropped one again to the same hot spots because of ing coyotes will use those lanes to ap- coyote, and there are others in the area the number of targets each provided. proach, or escape, should everything that are still in play. If, at er 10 minutes, h e fact is 90 percent of your coyotes go bad. How this is an advantage will nothing shows, you wait i ve minutes will occur in 10 percent of the total area be addressed in a few moments, but for to ensure that those coyotes — the you’re hunting. For motives that we can now, I want to be able to see coyotes at ones that did not run to the call — do both see plainly, and not at all, there a distance rather than have them sud- not make the connection between the are reasons coyotes prefer one location denly appearing at short range. h e sounds that were being used, the gun over another. h us, if you i nd one coy- best-case scenario is when a coyote can shots and you. Just like Pavlov’s dog ote there, chances are very good that be seen at long range and has to pass learned to associate the sound of a bell others will be there as well. through or behind obstructions in its with dinner, a coyote can learn to as- Your challenge is to determine how approach. h is gives me opportunities sociate the sound of you calling, your best you can work the area ef ectively to shoulder my gun and position for voice and you standing around with its without overplaying your hand and the shot. littermate being dragged away dead. conditioning the local coyotes — what Do I really think that coyotes are ca- some would call “educating” them — to The 10-Minute Rule pable of learned behavior such as this? your intentions. In my opinion, most stands fail and most Yes, I do. coyotes are conditioned to humans and Don’t make the mistake of thinking Off-Season Work calling long before the i rst sounds are you’re the only guy out there rattling Probably the most obvious way to avoid of ered. Everything from parking your their cage, either. I’m always surprised overhunting an area is to amass as much ride to approaching your hide is criti- to i nd that others are using my same country as you can through hard work cal and must be done with the utmost setups with no knowledge that I was in the of season securing landowner in stealth. Pay attention to crossing ever there. What looks good to me permissions. Of course, if you live where open spaces, topping hills, making un- looks good to them, too. At the same public ground or large ranches are the necessary noises and walking upwind of time, coyotes are under constant pres- rule, this becomes less of a problem. My where you think the coyotes are bedded. sure from other human intrusions as personal rule of thumb is that I only At the same time, too many callers well, whether that’s bird hunters, deer need permission on the red squares on make the mistake of conditioning sur- hunters or ranchers checking cattle. the checker board since calling provides vivors when, at er dropping a coyote, Human presence is a negative, regard- you with the means by which coyotes they disclose their presence by either less of the circumstances, and the more can be called of neighboring properties getting up and walking to the dead coy- ef ort you put into ensuring that they where you don’t have permission and ote or yelling to their partner. don’t know you’re there, the better of onto ground where you do. Bad idea. you’ll be. Likewise, I familiarize myself with all Where there’s one coyote, there are the dif erent tracts I hunt each year and others, ot en at several hundred yards, Change, Change, Change do my best to identify hides — places waiting and watching to see what tran- Coyotes can also be conditioned due to where I’ll sit — from all sides so as to be spires next. As a solid rule, Kevin and I overuse of certain sounds and excessive prepared to call regardless of wind di- call by the 10-minute rule. calling pressure at certain times of the rection. In the past, this has been a very Start calling and call for 10 minutes. day.

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 67 [ CONDITIONED COYOTES ]

While e-callers of er a long and growing list of sounds to use for coyotes, human nature is to always fall back on the select few that have proven ef ective for us in the past. So much, in fact, that we cause burn out in the coyotes, and our go-to sounds become warning bells rather than dinner bells. Coyotes hear and respond to a litany of prey types in their night-to-night and day-to-day adventures. Using the same sound — the same pitch, the same volume, the same cadence — time and again will quickly crash your number. Having a half-dozen dif erent jackrabbit sounds on your caller gives you the capability to rotate between them and of er those coyotes something fresh and new. At the same time, mixing things up with cottontail distress, fawn bleats and house cat distress will ot en break loose coyotes that have become skeptical. Whether using hand calls or an e- caller, changing up your presentation can make a big dif erence, too. Maybe you run the caller continuously, or blow the call for 30 seconds and wait a minute just like the old instructional tapes taught you. Change things up. Run the caller or The bored stare of this coyote indicates he came across blow a short series of squeals no more an unimaginative hunter doing the same old calling tricks. than a few seconds in length. Wait for upwards of several minutes between each series. Never of er up the same If they rely heavily upon rabbit dis- formula that i ts your ril e. A ril e that period of calling or sounds in the same tress, go with something else. is not accurate is a liability for not only stand more than once. Adjust the vol- you but every guy that has to deal with ume up and down. Change. Practice Makes Perfect that coyote you missed from that day on. If a particular location you have al- Educate yourself on coyote behavior Moreover, practice so you under- ways called at i rst light has gone cold, and know not only how to howl them, stand your abilities and limitations. Too give it a few days to rest and come back but why it is ef ective at certain times far is too far, and there are times when during the at ernoon, right at sunset or of the year and not so much at others. you can see the coyotes, but you have in the middle of the day, and of er up a Hunt smarter. no business shooting at them. Coyotes new sound and cadence. Again, change. I’ve heard it said that a good all- hear enticing sounds all the time that Network with other callers in your around caller is able to not only call come and go without incident. Passing area and try to i nd out what’s working coyotes but shoot them. In other words, up a poor-percentage shot and avoiding for them. h en, avoid it like the plague. if you call it, kill it. Coyotes are quickly conditioning that coyote allows for you Chances are good that they’re calling to conditioned by missed shots, and the to come back from a new angle with a the same ears you are and making the only way to remedy this problem is new sound and take a second poke at a mistakes you’re trying to avoid. h ose good ol’ fashioned range time. later time. Launching Hail Marys only coyotes will be conditioned to not re- Know your ril e or shotgun. Be fully makes it harder to call for you. spond to their calling, and they cer- aware of how it performs at dif erent tainly won’t come to you when using ranges by seeing how a particular load the same strategies. groups or patterns. If the ammunition If those guys hunt mornings, hunt you’re using doesn’t group well, try an- later in the day. other brand or begin handloading a

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ood boots make any hike Vest Organization First and foremost, it should have friendlier to your feet. Do you lack organization skills at home? lots of cargo pockets. You want to be or- Waterproof raingear can h at weakness may follow you into the ganized and have numerous options of make even the wettest i eld as well. Maybe you should take a stowing, storing and transporting gear. days cozy and dry. h at tip from turkey hunters. Have you ever h at’s the main goal of a vest. Pockets Gindependent rear suspension on your considered using a hunting vest? should be large, but not too large. h ey ATV gives your bum a cushy ride even Turkey hunters tailored this handy also should be i tted to maintain your in the rockiest terrain. Do you see a clothing item and it has progressed for mobility and l exibility. As you peruse correlation here? more than three decades. You simply options consider the gear you want to Comfort gear comes in a variety of can’t ignore the benei ts. Today there tote into the i eld. Make sure you have forms for the hunter, but predator hunt- are dozens of hunting models available a pocket for your rangei nder, hand ers may be seeking more specialized for you to choose. Some models can calls, caller remote control, extra am- equipment for hunts tailored for fur and be had for $50 while others may cost munition magazines and a water bottle. varmints. Gear choices change with the you $200 or more depending on the You’ll also want to check out rear stor- times, but one thing is for certain, we’re options, and the brand marketing be- age. h is area has traditionally been all looking for a comfortable day in the hind it. Regardless of budget, here are a saved for larger items including the i eld. Get some additional outdoor lux- few options you should consider when aspect of packing a dead animal out. It ury by considering these items on your shopping for a vest to get the job done may be roomy enough for your digital next predator-focused outing. in the predator arena. caller or act as a pouch to carry out a

70 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 34 5 [1] Some predator hunters prefer to take a stand and a ground blind offers concealment, comfort, weather protection and scent containment in one package. The main drawback of a blind setup is mobility, but northland hunters often watch baits and even midwestern, or Texas hunters have funnels that produce predator sightings with enough regularity for a morning, whitetail-like sit. [2] Mark Kayser uses a daypack to stay organized while calling coyotes. [3] Unless you always want to have a rifle at the ready and in your hands, you’ll want to outfit it out with a rifle sling. You have two options: springy or rigid slings. Both types have benefits, but both don’t offer the same benefits. [4] A unique sling that carries your rifle in double-strap, backpack style is the Vero Vellini Backpack Double Sling. It is similar in style to the slings you see in the Olympics worn by biathlon competitors. It offers a quick release to fit over heavy clothing and to put it into action instantly. [5] For an innovative hunter-designed chair version look into the HuntMore 360 collapsible chair. Features include a padded back and seat that are cushioned with cell foam pad pockets to distribute weight evenly. It also sports lumbar support. The sturdy frame is adjustable, virtually indestructible and squeak-proof, an important benefit while on the hunt. [6] If you find that a traditional ground blind cramps your style, but you like the place well enough for a blind setup, check out the Primos Double Bull Shack Attack. It’s big, it’s roomy, it’s easy to set up and yet it blends in perfectly to any backdrop. Roomy, portable blinds allow you to fit the blind with a chair, bring a friend and even accommodate a propane heater for added comfort. fox, or even a coyote hide. vest. It could be the best investment ment. Small compartments aid in stor- An innovative option to nearly ev- you make to keep organized on your ing your headlamp, l ashlight, scents, ery vest on the market is the addition next predator hunt and comfortable in calls and gloves. An extra compartment of a padded seat. h is gives you instant the process. is included in many models today to comfort anywhere, but you may also accommodate a hydration bladder and want to look into back stability and this Take The Kitchen Sink don’t forget compression straps to lash comes from the addition of a framed A turkey vest may allow you to forgo your jacket at er you work up a sweat seat. Cabela’s Tactical Tat’r II Kickstand the addition of a daypack, but if you’re hiking, or even for toting a skinned fur. Vest or the Instinct model include a like me the addition of the kitchen Make sure shoulder straps are unique design to act as a built-in chair sink requires additional cargo to give you an automatic backrest, plus space. Most successful predator added steadiness so when it’s time to hunters I know pack that kitchen take the shot you’re not teetering. sink in a quality daypack. h e Lastly, don’t forget options such as days of school bag conversions 6 interior pockets for your license, GPS are over. Look for specially de- and snacks. Some models feature air signed models for the serious cushioning for seating and back com- hunter who leaves the truck fort. Others have bloodproof liners in for hours at a time. the rear game bag and room for wa- First, shop for models ter hydration bladders. Adjustability with large enough com- should be a top priority to accommo- partments to tote your date a wide range of clothing under- electronic calls, extra neath depending on outside tempera- handheld calls, extra tures. I could go on and on, but I think ammunition and you get my point. Check out a hunting skinning equip- [ GET COMFORTABLE ]

[7] Shop for daypack models with large enough compartments to tote your electronic calls, extra handheld calls, extra ammunition and skinning equipment. Small compartments aid in storing your headlamp, flashlight, scents, calls and gloves. An extra compartment is included in many models today to accommodate a hydration bladder and don’t forget compression straps to lash your jacket after you work up a sweat hiking, or even a skinned fur. [8] Few landscapes are rump friendly. To make your time on the ground comfy invest in a padded seat or a specialized hunting chair. You’ll stay dry, comfortable and cactus free, and stay longer because of the backside wellbeing. [9] Turkey hunters tailored the hunting vest and it has progressed for more than three decades. You simply can’t ignore the benefits. Today there are dozens of hunting models available for you to choose. Some models can be had for $50 while others may cost you $200 or more depending on the options. [10] An innovative option to nearly every vest on the market is the addition of a padded seat. This gives you instant comfort anywhere, but you may also want to look into back stability and this comes from the addition of a framed seat. Cabela’s Tactical Tat’r II Kickstand Vest or the Instinct model include a unique design to act as a built-in chair to give you an automatic backrest, plus added steadiness so when it’s time to take the shot you’re not teetering. well padded and include a nonslip or snow. h ey are feather light and at- Shoulder That Shooting Iron coating to keep your ril e sling from tach quickly to a daypack. What’s not Unless you always want to have a ril e slipping. If you carry the kitchen sink a to like? at the ready and in your hands, you’ll padded hip belt is also a must to trans- Some hunters just can’t get comfort- want to outi t it out with a ril e sling. fer weight to the hips comfortably. Plus, able at ground level so toting a light- You have two options: springy or rigid look into a pack with an internal frame weight chair along makes sense. It gives slings. Both types have benei ts, but for load-bearing support. I’ve had great them home-like comfort and in some both don’t of er the same benei ts. Tra- luck with Cabela’s Bow/Ril e Pack, but environments, the ability to shoot over ditional, rigid slings can be constructed also look at Badlands, Blackhawk and vegetation that would veil shots from of leather, nylon or another non-stretch Crooked Horn Outi tters for rugged ground level. material. In addition to providing stur- models. Hunter’s Specialties has several tra- dy stability on your shoulder, its other ditional models, plus the Two-Way main benei t is to provide a brace for a Say No To Preparation H Strut Seat that keeps you low, but in steadier shot when you wrap it around Few landscapes are rump friendly. To chair comfort that relies on a tree for a your forearm or lock it into an elbow in make your time on the ground comfy backrest. For an innovative hunter-de- classic military shooting position. Add invest in a padded seat or a specialized signed version look into the HuntMore a wide pad to the rigid strap and you hunting chair. You’ll stay dry, comfort- 360 collapsible chair. Features include get a comfortable ride for you ril e. able and cactus free, and stay longer be- a padded back and seat that are cush- For even more comfort and the ride cause of backside wellbeing. ioned with cell foam pad pockets to of air-shock comfort, consider neo- A quick and easy option includes tot- distribute weight evenly. It also sports prene. A neoprene-padded sling grips ing along a padded cushion. You can lumbar support. h e sturdy frame is your shoulder for a non-slip advantage, plop it down on the ground or rocks, adjustable, virtually indestructible and yet provides bounce and spring to re- and it will keep your butt happy. It will squeak-proof, an important benei t duce the perceived weight of your ril e. also keep you dry from dew, fresh rain while on the hunt. Although the stretch can decrease the

72 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 [ GET COMFORTABLE ]

9 sibilities for seasons ahead, a perma- nent blind may be a better investment. Models, like those from RMI Outdoors, are constructed of virtually indestructible heavy-duty plastic material. Blinds such as this can be erected on a raised platform or set i rmly on the ground for ringside seating to any hunting arena. Once in place you never have to worry about animals spooking from l apping parts or having it destroyed during an unexpected wind event like many com- mercial, fabric designs.

Ear And Eye Covers Finally, consider comfort for your ears and eyes. Ear muf s are a top choice for ease and reliability. Models such as the Caldwell E-Max BTH electronic hearing protection allow you to hear nor- mal conversations, yet automatically shut of with sounds at 85 dB or above. For a less intrusive option consider It is similar in style to the slings you protectors that insert into the ear canal see in the Olympics worn by Biathlon such as the Ghost Stryke series by Sport competitors. It of ers a quick release Ear. h ey also shut down automatically to i t over heavy clothing and to put it with loud noises, but can increase nor- into action instantly. Vero Vellini also mal hearing by six times so you don’t of ers an extensive line of slings to i t miss important range commands or a every hunting style and i rearm model sneaky coyote behind your stand. 10 including the popular AR. Your ears are important, but so are your eyes so protect them by wearing Housing Authority By You ballistic-quality safety glasses. Many Some predator hunters prefer to take a approved models sport polycarbonate stand and a ground blind of ers con- construction. A top choice by sport cealment, comfort, weather protec- shooters and military operators are tion and scent containment in one those manufactured by Wiley X, such package. h e main drawback of a as their Guard shooting glasses series. blind setup is mobility, but north- h ey come with three sets of shatter- land hunters ot en watch baits and proof lenses in smoke, light rust and even midwestern, or Texas hunters clear, plus other models can be i tted have funnels that produce predator with prescription lenses. sightings with enough regularity for Shooting glasses are a must at the a morning, whitetail-like sit. range, but in the i eld they can brighten If you i nd that a traditional blind a landscape with the switch of a lens cramps your style, but you like the color and they can keep snow, and place well enough for a blind setup, blowing sand from impeding your vi- check out the Primos Double Bull sion. On a long ATV ride they keep the rigidity of using the sling as a stabiliz- Shack Attack. It’s big, it’s roomy, it’s easy wind from your eyes for a safe ride in ing agent, you can still employ it, but to set up and yet it blends in perfectly to and out. with the possibility of some movement any backdrop. Roomy, portable blinds during the shot. allow you to i t the blind with a chair, A unique sling that carries your ril e bring a friend and even accommodate a in double-strap, backpack style is the propane heater for added comfort. Vero Vellini Backpack Double Sling. If your location has extended pos-

2015-2016 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 73 PARTING SHOT

Now it is pleasant to hunt something that you want very much over a long period of time, being outwitted, out- maneuvered, and failing at the end of each day, but having the hunt and knowing every time you are out that, sooner or later, your luck will change and that you will get the chance that you are seeking. —Ernest Hemingway

74 | PREDATOR HUNTING Magazine | 2015-2016 14950 HWY. 20/26, ROCKY CALDWELL, ID 83607 (208) 459-6894 or (208) 459-6854 MOUNTAIN FAX: (208) 459-6854 E-mail: [email protected] FUR CO. Web site: www.rmfur.com We offer fast friendly service and same day shipping! Visit www.rmfur.com for our full line of trapping supplies # 1 HIGH QUALITY HECK’S LURES & BRAND LURES BAITS! SPOTSS OF MONEY— (Bobcat) This lure is with out a doubt our #1 selling Heck’s BBrand Lure. We personally have excel- lelent success with this Lure each year. TThis is a thick creamy lure with a sweet scent that makes that makes it irresistible for cats to pass up. Good all season & any climate condition. Can be used alone or along with BBobcat Paste Lure. BOBCATB PASTE LURE— (Bobcat) This lure has an extremely thick, oily base. Ideal for cold, wet weather conditions. Has a strong Skunk base. When applied up high in brush or weeds, along with Spots Of Money down lower by your set, you’ve got a sure catch. SUPER SKUNK PASTE—An excellent super skunk lure. Has great results when used in the cold winter months, and wet weather conditions. Super Skunk is one of our top selling lures catching Bobcat, and Marten by the hundreds each and every year. CATCH ALL— ( Coyote, Fox, Bobcat, Raccoon, Mink, Marten) The name in this one sure does say it all! Orders for this amazing lure come in all day, easily making Catch All our #1 Canine lure. Made of high quality key ingredients for predators on the prowl. L.D.C. PREDATOR— (Coyote, Fox, Bobcat, Mink, Marten, Fisher, Raccoon) There is no other Long Distance animal Call on the market like this one. High quality PURE Skunk essence is the main ingredient to jump out at you when you crack the seal, but it doesn’t just stop there. This call lure also consists of sweet musk’s, castor, & several other key ingredients. *NEW ON THE MARKET* HECK’S COYOTE & FOX BUTTER *Bait - Field tested and perfected by us here at Rocky Mountain for the past 4 years. We recently started to distribute this one of a kind bait HOT after seeing the amazing results first hand. Make sure you have some Butter Bait for your trap line this season!” • Pint $22.95 • 8oz. $13.95 • 4oz. $8.95 NEW *HOT NEW LURE* SURE TO CATCH- This is a Fox & Coyote lure, main ingredient is used by only a small LURES handful of the BEST lure makers. Sure to catch is mixed with only the finest of Heck’s Brand quality lure ingredients.

CHECK OUT OUR FULL LINE OF HECK’S BRAND HIGH QUALITY LURES, BAITS & TRAPPING SUPPLIES AT: All Heck’s Lure 1oz...... $5.50 WWW.RMFUR.COM 4oz ...... $18.00 CONVENIENT & SAFE ONLINE SHOPPING. Pint ...... $64.00 FLEXTONEGAMECALLS.COM