Where to Rest Your Rear?

Technique of the week: You’ve parked the truck and you’re packing a predator rifle. Now where should you plunk your rear?

Your first consideration should be sight lines. If you can’t see a predator coming, you have no chance to shoot it. If you choose a spot, then discover you can’t see, get up and move before making the first calling sound.

You want cover behind you to break up your silhouette. Don’t sit at the top of a hill. You will stand out, no matter how good your camouflage. Although it might be stating the obvious, don’t sit at the bottom of the valley, either. Simply put, it’s tough to see approaching animals when you’re lower than they are. You also don’t want to spread your scent all the way down the hill.

Another major consideration is the sun. If at all possible, set up with your back to the sun. Even better: Set up in shade with the sun behind you. Predators approaching while facing the sun have a much more difficult time picking out a hunter. By sitting out of the direct light, you’ll eliminate glare from your rifle, glasses and your face. In addition, most camouflage patterns are far more effective in shadows than in full-on sunlight.

No matter where you sit, a padded seat like those on many turkey hunting vests is very helpful for predator hunting. Cactus needles, jagged stones, barbed wire and spiny roots can painfully shorten a productive day of predator hunting. Some hunters carry a short stool. It can help you sit more upright in a more comfortable shooting position, and it certainly keeps your backside dry.

At the ideal stand, you’ll back into a bush partway down a hill in the shade on a padded seat with the sun behind you.

Comfortable? Now scream!

Another Reason to Visit Sturgis, S.D.

The land of wild motorcycle rallies and presidents carved in stone might have another claim to fame.

Specifically, the Black Hills of South Dakota is becoming a prime place to call a mountain lion. The 2008 season, which actually begins on Jan. 1, 2009 and runs through March 31, is the fourth season in recent times in South Dakota.

An estimated 220 to 280 mountain lions inhabit the Black Hills, according to the state’s game and fish Department. Lion hunters cannot use dogs, bait or traps, but they can use electronic game callers.

The harvest is limited to 35 animals total, or 15 female lions. In 2005, hunters killed 13 mountain lions. That jumped to 16 in 2006, followed by 18 during the 2007 season.

The license fee is $15. Unfortunately, only residents of South Dakota are allowed to participate in the hunt.

Sound Strategy: Don't Outsmart Yourself

Technique of the Week: I just read an article that advocates the use of turkey calls and duck calls for predator hunting.

While I’m sure you can call in a coyote or fox using a duck call, I’m equally confident the same coyote or fox will be just as likely to come running if you’re using a predator call. And so will dozens of other coyotes and foxes that will likely ignore mallard and turkey sounds.

Yes, I’m aware that you can make distress sounds on a turkey call or a duck call. You can also get out of your truck and push it down the road rather than get in and push the gas pedal. But why would you?

Using changeup or alternative sounds is a worthy tactic. But there’s a reason rabbit-distress calls are the most widely used tool to fool predators: They work best!

Don’t outsmart yourself trying to be different and offbeat. If you have attended to the other details of the hunt such as a stealthy approach, good concealment and a setup mindful of wind direction, any convincing distress sound should draw a response. By all means, experiment with new sounds to change up your stands, but don’t do it at the expense of proven predator killers.

If your goal is to call turkeys, then by all means, bring your slate and striker. But when predators are the plan, leave your gobbler enticers in the truck. You’ll kill way more coyotes bawling like a bunny on a predator call.

Bobcat Curse: Being a Wisconsin Hunter

Wisconsin is a wonderful state for hunters. We have world-class white-tailed deer hunting, have become a top three turkey state, boast excellent bear hunting, grouse hunting and are blessed with a lot of public land.

However, if killing a bobcat is your goal, your chances are very limited. Wisconsin has a preference point tag system, and only awards 1,000 or so permits each year. More than 10,000 people apply. Essentially, you wait four to five years, dutifully applying and paying a $3 permit fee each year for your turn. Then, when you are drawn, you can only hunt or trap a bobcat in the northern third of the state. If you don’t live in the open area (I don’t), you must plan a special trip, and scouting is difficult because of distance and time considerations. As a result, most Wisconsin bobcats are killed with the help of guides and dogs.

The good news is bobcats are becoming more abundant and expanding their range in Wisconsin. Eventually, that might lead to more hunting area and more permits, just as it has for trappers who want to catch fishers. In fact, a University of Wisconsin Stevens Point researcher is studying the bobcat population using hair snares. Her research is an important step in quantifying the state’s bobcat population and range.

I am currently writing an article about the expansion of bobcats for Wisconsin Outdoor News. When the article is finished, I will post more information about Wisconsin’s bobcats and how it could impact future hunting seasons.

Like most predator hunters in Wisconsin, I hope someday to call in a bobcat in my home state. I sure hope I have a kill permit in my pocket when I do.

Scouting? Hit the Drink!

Technique of the Week: Early in my predator hunting career, Verne Howey told me, “When you scout, start at the stock tank. All animals have to drink.”

I’ve applied that advice many times since. OK, so there aren’t many stock tanks in Wisconsin compared to Howey’s home range of Wyoming, but his point still holds. If you’re looking for predator sign, water is a great place to begin your search.

For starters, animal tracks are always more evident in the soft soil near water. You can usually identify with confidence which predator species are in your zip code. You can also get a sense of how many animals are around, and even the size/age of them in some cases.

In general, you’ll also recognize which direction the animals are heading. Follow the trails leading away from water, looking for additional tracks, scat and hair at fence crossings. Search for travel corridors such as saddles, ravines, creek beds and field edges that could make good calling stand sites.

Water also attracts prey animals. Take note of areas of thick cover that hold rabbits, rats and other predator food sources. Often, the most-edible plants in the area are found near a water source, so that will also concentrate animal sign – both of predator and prey.

So whether you’re planning to call an unfamiliar area or just trying to get a handle on the current predator population in your calling territory, head to the water’s edge with your investigator hat on.

Poll Results: Dedicated Callers Here

As expected, most predator hunters who responded to the first poll begin hunting in November or December.

However, I expected that answer to garner even more than the 43 percent it received. Nine of 21 people answering the question “When do you begin calling each year?” tabbed November-December as the answer. Surprisingly, 24 percent (5) call year-round, while 19 percent (4) begin in September or October. Only 14 percent (3) start in January or later.

I know it’s a small sample size, but it shows that a very dedicated group of predator hunters read this blog. Thanks for voting and reading!

I’ve posted a new poll tonight. Please vote.

Moody Wins Calling Title

I recently received the official results for the World Predator Calling Competition held Aug. 23 to 24 in Overland Park, Kan., as part of the World Predator & Hunting Expo.

The calling competition attracted 27 contestants competing for a total purse of $4,800 and the prestige of being named all-around world predator calling champion. Callers competed in the Distress Division and the Howling/Vocalization Division. The top five callers from combined scores then competed for the Overall World Championship.

A panel of five judges who could not see the callers marked scores for each contestant as they performed on a stage. In the Distress Division, callers were asked to produce a coaxer sound, a fawn distress and a cottontail distress.

Seth Skinner of Texas won $1,100 and first place, while Jon Paul Moody of Tennessee captured second and $700. Ernie Wilson of Pennsylvania was awarded third place.

In the Howling/Vocalization Division, 24 competitors were asked to produce a lone coyote howl, a challenge howl and an excited pups howl sound. J.D. Piatt of Ohio won the $1,000 first prize, while Jeremy Gugelmeyer of Texas took home $600 for second. Brent Saxton of Ohio accepted the third-place trophy.

Based on their scores in the Distress and Howling/Vocalization divisions, Moody, Wilson, Gugelmeyer, Piatt and Garvin Young of Utah advanced to the All-Around Championship. Each was required to produce two distress sounds, two vocalizations and a caller’s choice sound.

In a tension-filled room, Moody edged Wilson by four points to win the title and $1,500.

“We’ve received rave reviews on the calling competition,” Expo promoter Brent Rueb said. “We’re glad we had a smaller number of competitors this year. Next year it will increase. People are already looking forward to next year’s competition.”

A Combo to Crow About

Technique of the Week: Today’s predator hunters are blessed with the availability of an incredible number of calling sounds.

The latest digital game call units hold dozens and even hundreds of sounds hunters can employ at the touch of a button. And many units allow callers to mix two or more sounds together.

While I don’t know any callers who advocate using all of the sounds on your electronic caller at a single stand, you can – and should – try a couple of combinations when other sounds aren’t working. My favorite combo is a cottontail rabbit distress and an excited crow sound.

I like to play crow sounds for coyotes because they attract crows and ravens. I’ve found that having the black birds circling overhead adds appeal for coyotes. Essentially, birds act as confidence decoys that are visible from long distances. The more of a ruckus you can create at a stand, the more likely a coyote won’t be able to stay away. Crows squawk about fresh meat, and coyotes know it.

Some callers I’ve hunted with play one sound on an electronic unit and use a mouth-blown call to make the other. Another option is to alternate using mouth calls, or have a partner blow crow sounds while you wail away as a dying bunny.

No matter how you produce the combo, try a few crow/cottontail stands this fall. It’s a killer.

Shedding Light on Fur Primeness

A few recent posts on trapping and predator hunting message boards have my hide a bit chapped.

Let’s do away with the following myth: Cold weather causes animals’ fur to become prime. Weather has nothing to do with it. An animal’s fur thickens and becomes prime because of decreasing daylight. The animal – whether it’s a coyote, fox, beaver, raccoon or black bear – grows a thicker coat when the amount of light (called photoperiod) shortens. Less light triggers a chemical secretion in the animal that spurs the hair follicles to produce dense underfur and longer guard hairs.

A raccoon’s coat will be just as prime in November if the weather is unseasonably warm as it will be if we experience prolonged record cold in October. Biologically, animals need to have that thick fur blanket in place before winter rages across the landscape. We can just get an extra blanket out of the closet, but a coyote or fox needs to be wearing its protection before the weather gets nasty. If animals’ bodies only grew fur after the cold weather hit, they’d all freeze to death during the first cold snap.

Researchers have conducted experiments on mink that show temperature has nothing to do with fur primeness. In one study, mink were subjected to decreasing periods of light in the summer for six weeks. The mink all grew heavy coats, and the fur density and quality was similar to what would be expected of a mink in November. These mink were kept in normal summer temperatures. The amount of light was the only variable changed.

Incidentally, changes in photoperiod spur breeding behavior in many animals, including several furbearers. It also causes bird migrations, antler growth in deer and the changing of the color of leaves.

So the next time the discussion about what makes fur prime comes up, remember: It’s all about the light.

Ohio or Texas?

Ohio or Texas will host the next World Predator & Hunting Expo, promoter Brent Rueb told me today. In addition, event organizers are strongly considering moving the 2009 Expo up a month to July. A decision on the location and date is expected within a few weeks.

Rueb is looking to expand on the success of the first event, which was Aug 22 to 24 in Overland Park, Kan. The Expo featured predator calling and hunting products dealers from throughout the United States, a stellar lineup of predator calling experts and a World Championship predator calling competition.

“People from within the industry have given us a lot of feedback,” he said. “Attendance was good and we’re looking to build on it. The exhibitors were very satisfied with the people. Sales were good.”

Organizers are planning to expand the event in 2009. Rueb wants to add a seminar for young callers to make sure we pass the hunting tradition to the next generation. Another goal is to attract more vendors from a broader cross section of the hunting industry.

“We definitely want to work on ticket pricing and expand the type of vendors to include more firearms and all-terrain vehicle exhibitors,” he said.

Rueb was impressed by the number of people who flew in or drove hundreds of miles specifically to attend the Expo or compete in the calling contest.

“People are already looking forward to next year’s expo,” he said. “We’re real excited. It will grow.”

Photo: Vendors at the World Predator & Hunting Expo answered questions about the latest calling and hunting products.

Are You Ready to Shoot?

Technique of the Week: Every Tuesday, I’ll share a predator hunting tip, technique or tactic to help make your predator hunts more successful. Although some of the information will come from my knowledge acquired in the field, many entries will be the result of interviews with accomplished predator hunters from across the country. So here we go with the Technique of the Week. Please feel free to click on the "comments" and add your thoughts.

Are you ready for the moment of truth?

Way too many predator calling stands end in failure because hunters just plain are not ready to shoot when the coyote, bobcat or fox presents the opportunity. I’ve watched hunting partners frozen with their rifles across their laps when a coyotes unexpectedly pop up within 100 yards. I witnessed another hunter fumbling with his jacket as a pair of coyotes ambled past. And yes, I admit it: I’ve been caught off-guard more than once.

To make sure I’m ready to shoot, I follow a little routine when I sit down. First, I make sure I can sit at that spot for the duration of the stand. Sitting on a rock or stump feels OK for the first few minutes, but can become uncomfortable after 15 minutes or more. A cushion or small stool helps. If you don’t think you can sit there for the entire stand, select a different spot. I always make sure I can swing and turn 90 degrees in each direction, too. I take stock in the brush and terrain immediately behind me, because we all know that predators rarely come out and stand in the perfect spot for a shot.

OK, so I am sitting comfortably, concealed with a good view. Next, I shoulder my rifle or shotgun. If I am using shooting sticks, I position them at the appropriate height so the butt of the stock fits correctly into my shoulder and my eye is lined up with the scope. If you have to strain your back and neck to get a sight picture, reposition so you don’t. Then, I look through the scope and find that big tree 100 yards away and spy a large rock 200 yards out. I’m logging reference points into my mind, which will make it easier to locate a running coyote and have a sense of the distance when I’m aiming. A little scanning through the scope can also help eliminate distractions because you will have processed those images before you are trying to shoot a coyote. Just as importantly, I know my rifle is ready. The lens cap is off, the rifle is at the correct height and I know what’s on the horizon.

I keep the stock buried into my shoulder and sit so I don’t have to move my head more than a couple of inches to look through the scope. My gun is up and ready. I can quickly acquire the animal in the scope or move the rifle rapidly to my left or right to shoot.

By thinking about my shot long before the predator is within range, I’m ready when a pair of coyotes charges or the spotted cat materializes from behind the sage. For most of us, predator encounters are rare enough that we can’t afford not to seal the deal when everything else goes right.

So the next time you are camouflaged and about to press play on your digital call, ask yourself, “Am I really ready to shoot?”