Thank You, Mr. Postman

You just never know what arrive in the mail. Today, out of the blue, a new friend sent me a Tally-Ho predator call.

Although I have read about Tally-Ho calls in magazine articles I’ve edited – mostly by Gerry Blair – I had never held one in my hands or blown one. Well, now I have. It didn’t take me long for my house to be filled with sounds of a wailing rabbit, and I even belted out a few yips and howls with the little black open-reed call.

Of course, my 6-year-old daughter was on my hip quickly begging for her turn to make it squeal. She likes to blast my crow call and has succeeded in summoning a cloud of black crows to circle our house, so she always comes running whenever I’m testing a call. I must say, she sounded OK on the Tally-Ho, too.

A quick search on the Web gave me a little history lesson about Tal Lockwood, the South Dakota man who invented this call. The information card that came with the call gives basic instruction of how to use it, and ends with the following statement: “Once you call in your first animal, you will be hooked on the sport for life.”

Nailed it.

Man Shot While Calling Predators

Nick Pallo, 29, of Palmyra, N.Y., was seriously injured Dec. 17 when the friend he was hunting predators with pulled the trigger on a fox standing between the two men.

According to Pallo’s explanation of the events on Trapperman.com, his partner John Murphy of Victor, N.Y., was confused because Pallo was playing a recording of a mouth-blown predator call. Pallo had set the electronic player a long distance in front of himself, then backed into the brush to wait for predators to respond. Pallo said Murphy had never hunted that spot with him. The incident happened at 10:30 p.m.

Pallo took two rounds of pellets from a 12 gauge shotgun from about 65 yards away. He reported that he has 15 or so pellets still lodged in his body. The shot hit his face, neck, arms, hands, chest and legs. He has a ¾-inch gash across his left eye.

Pallo, a professional animal damage control officer, is expected to need several surgeries to repair the damage. He is expected to recover, but will miss many months of work.

For more information, go to the trapperman.com message forums or nytrappers.proboards80.com.

I certainly wish Pallo a speedy recovery.

2nd World Predator Expo Slated for Ohio

The dates and location for second World Predator & Hunting Expo have been decided, show promoter and founder Brent Rueb announced Saturday.

The Expo is slated for March 19 to 21, 2010, in Columbus, Ohio. The event will feature the latest in predator hunting gear, hunting seminars from top professionals and a championship calling competition.

The Predator Expo is being held at the Ohio Expo Center, the same venue as the Ohio Deer & Turkey Expo. Although the Predator Expo is a separate event in a different building from the Deer & Turkey Expo, the two shows will be promoted as one big outdoor sporting event. The Deer & Turkey Expo reportedly draws more than 25,000 people.

The first World Predator & Hunting Expo was held in Overland Park, Kan., in August. Jon Paul Moody of Tennessee won the all-around predator calling championship, besting 25 callers from throughout the United States.

For more information, go to www.worldpredatorandhuntingexpo.com. I’ll also continue to provide updates about this exciting show right here.

Coyotes Were Thick

On a recent waterfowl hunting trip in Arkansas, I noticed numerous piles of scat on many of the levees that surrounded rice fields.

The dung was undoubtedly that of coyotes. In most cases, the hair-laden feces was left as territorial markers. I found it especially interesting just how prevalent the markers were, so I asked one of the duck guides about coyotes.

“We have tons of them,” he said. “We see them all of the time.”

The next morning, as we motored in the dark through flooded trees on the way to our duck blind, a pack of coyotes shattered the solitude, wailing and howling to announce their presence to all within earshot.

On the return trip to the lodge, I spied a coyote taking a final nap on the shoulder of the highway. A return trip to Northeast Arkansas might just be in order very soon.

Bobcat Summit Yields New Season Proposal

A couple weeks ago, I attended a bobcat management meeting in Stevens Point, Wis. The meeting was the result of continuing efforts to address concerns by hunters and trappers that believe they should have a longer season and more area to take bobcats.

Wisconsin has a very restrictive bobcat season, with only the northern third of the state open to harvest, which is controlled by a preference point permit system. This year, only 540 tags were issued. More than 12,600 people applied.

I attended the meeting, which was moderated by the Wisconsin DNR, as a representative of Wisconsin Outdoor News. My story appears on Page 1 of the current issue, but can also be found online at www.wisconsinoutdoornews.com.

Hopefully, the meeting will result in longer seasons and more opportunity to hunt bobcats in Wisconsin.

Guns: The Obama Factor

Obviously, people are expecting changes to gun laws in the United States once Barack Obama takes office in January. Stories of record sales of handguns, ammunition and AR-style weapons have been widely reported.

I’m hopeful the fears of hunters, shooters and people who buy munitions turn out to be nothing more substantial than the Y2K computer crisis. But I’m savvy enough to know there’s legitimate cause for concern.

Given the country’s current economic woes, it sure seems like legislating tighter gun laws so people like us who hunt predators have fewer options would be about the 10,486th priority on the list. However, I know that when people in charge of a department, a company or a country don’t have solutions to the real problems, they often bite off a battle in another area, just so they are doing something.

Let’s hope all-out war on the second amendment and law-abiding gun owners doesn’t become the focal point because the new leadership has no idea how to fix the economy, bolster health care or get our soldiers home.

So, I ask you: How concerned are you about the new president’s impact on your rights to own guns?

Bobcat Study Could Expand Hunt

A population and distribution study about bobcats in Wisconsin could lead to more opportunity to hunt and trap the highly regulated furbearer.

As it stands now, Wisconsin predator hunters can only take a bobcat north of Highway 64, which means only the northern third or so of the state is open to bobcat hunting and trapping. In addition, bobcats are a special tag species, so hunters must pay $3 every year to apply for a tag. Tags are issued in a lottery based on preference points. In general, it has been taking four to five years to draw a tag. This year, 12,684 people applied for 540 permits.

Leslie Adams, a University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point graduate researcher, is investigating population distribution and abundance by using hair collected at snaring stations. More than half of her hair snare locations were south of Highway 64.

The bobcat population is thought to be increasing in Wisconsin. Road-killed animals and incidentally trapped bobcats are becoming far more common in the southern half of the state.

Adams’s study might provide the Wisconsin DNR with the data necessary to not only expand the area open to bobcat harvest, it could also lead to more tags being issued.

I have written an extensive feature article about the bobcat situation for Wisconsin Outdoor News. It appears on Page 1 of the Oct. 31 issue. The full article is also posted online at wisconsinoutdoornews.com - it is article No. 2 in the rotating news cue on the home page.

I will also be attending a special management meeting about bobcats on Nov. 14, and will have a full report in an upcoming issue of WON. I’ll also share some of the highlights here.

Photo courtesy of Leslie Adams

Surviving a Fur Market Crash

So much for $40 raccoons and an improving fur market.

The recent economic downturn turned recession signaled by the tumultuous ride on Wall Street has sent fur buyers into hiding. Those who are answering the shop door and running fur collection routes have become super stingy.

Recent reports of $5 to $7 averages on skinned raccoons from places with traditionally excellent fur such as Iowa and Wisconsin have dampened the spirits of many trappers and fur hunters.

Unfortunately, early coyote fur prices seem equally grim, that is for those who are offered anything at all.

In what is now a global economy, Russia and China are also experiencing economic struggles. Russia has fallen on hard times because it relies heavily on the export of crude oil, and oil prices have dropped like a rock since the stock market went into a seeming freefall last month. Russian consumers take the bulk of North America’s raccoon pelts, while a lot of the coyotes end up as trim on garments worn by Chinese folks.

The good news: Just like the recession, eventually, the market will improve. We all hope that happens sooner rather than later. The silver lining is that gasoline prices have fallen dramatically, making predator calling excursions much more affordable.

So don’t fret about fur prices. Go call ‘em in!

Poll: Response Rates

In my travels, I’ve met predator hunters who expect to call coyotes at every stand they make. If nothing responds, they feel like something went wrong with the stand. I’ve also hunted with guys who think getting a predator to come in on every third of fourth stand is excellent.

Where you hunt, time of the year, amount of hunting pressure, weather, terrain and other factors certainly influence calling response rates. Just for fun, let’s see how your response rates compare to other predator callers from around the country.

Take the poll to the left. To be clear about what constitutes a response, it’s a coyote, bobcat, fox, raccoon or other predator that is approaching your position as a result of your calling, whether you get a shot or not. Also, if three coyotes come in at one stand, that counts as one successful stand.

Please tell the truth. No one will know who you are anyway, so there’s no shame or bragging either way.

Cover Your Mugs

Technique of the Week: This morning, as the sun was cresting the trees, two duck hunters dressed in their best camouflage and deeply nestled into the cattails thought they were well-hid. But they stood out like a lighthouse beacon.

Faces in the sun flash light. When you’re hunting predators, cover your face. I see so many pictures in magazines of predator hunters on a stand with no face net, and it always bothers me. Coyotes, bobcats and foxes will pick out your mug if you leave it exposed.

Cover your hands. Always wear gloves, even if they’re nothing more than flimsy mesh. Think about it for a minute. You move your hands to blow your call or adjust your rifle for a shot. Uncovered hands can become like warning flags flapping in the wind for incoming predators.

When possible, sit in the shade. Doing so will reduce the glare from exposed skin. However, sun or no sun, always cover your dermis.

We've Become an AR Bunch

I can understand the trend toward hunting with AR-style rifles for predators given the leaps forward in accuracy and the number of new choices for this type of weapon.

But 77 percent of you use them as your primary predator gun? Shocking. Of course, my poll is a small sample size, but still, I’d have bet my open-reed cottontail tube that bolt-action rifles would win this particular vote. Bolt guns received 15 percent of the vote, and shotguns tallied 8 percent.

Single-shot rifles did not register a single vote. As an aside, I killed a Missouri coyote with a T/C .223 a couple winters ago. Nice rifle. The footage from that hunt was captured for Drury’s Predator Madness 3. First time I dropped a coyote on film.

Anyway, thanks for your votes and continued interest in this site. Soon, our season will be on and I’ll be out there screamin’.

Tad Brown on Decoy Placement

Technique of the Week: Today, I interviewed Tad Brown of Flambeau, which also markets predator hunting products under the Lohman Game Calls and Circe brands. Specifically, Tad talked to me about using decoys for predator hunting.

Tad covered many aspects of decoys, but I found his advice about placement especially valuable. Hunting with the wind in his face, Tad said he usually places the decoy about 30 yards away off to his right side, because he shoots right-handed. But that’s not all. He tends to put the decoy behind him and to the right of the area he expects the animals to approach from.

Why?

The coyote will generally circle, and when it does, even if it’s a wide, cautious loop, the coyote will be within easy shooting distance.

Tad puts it to the right so that if a coyote comes straight to the decoy, it will pass in front of him.

“When the predator is looking at the decoy, I don’t want to be right in their line of sight,” he said. “You want that coyote to be looking past you.”

One more tip about decoy placement. “The higher up it is, the better it is,” Tad said. “If the coyote can’t see it, it isn’t helping you.”

Fur Market Forecast

As fur market analyst Parker Dozhier has told me more times than I can count over the years, it’s all just a guess. However, I can’t remember a year heading into the season when fur buyers and those in the know had as much uncertainty as they do right now.

Of course, when the stock markets tank, then drop again and the global economy is as shaky as it is right now, we’re all in uncharted waters. Still, commodities often hold their own when the economy gets rough and the markets falter.

So, the best guess: coyotes – not so good; bobcats – should be as good; gray foxes – down a bit, but still solid; red fox – still poor; raccoons – could be very good, could drop dramatically.

Coyotes: A lot of unsold lower-grade pelts exist right now, so that will hold the price of new goods coming onto the market down. Dozhier says the best coyotes – pales with wide, white bellies from the Rocky Mountains might bring $40 to $45, but most will fetch far less. He put Wisconsin skins at $25 and down for the best large, heavy coyotes. A representative of North American Fur Auctions also indicated the coyote market was not expected to have much depth and generally be poor. Might be a good year to tan some coyotes and sell them to alternative markets.

Bobcats: Dozhier said he thinks the high-end bobcat market will hold up for another season, although the best skins might not hit $1,100 as a few did last year. Bobcats are being used to make luxury goods, and the demand continues for spotted fur.

Gray foxes: After doing exceptionally well last winter, gray foxes did not do as well at the spring auctions. Dozhier termed it as a hiccup, and said he thought the market would still be good for grays. He suggests hanging onto grays until later in the season.

Red foxes: Ranch production of foxes continues to keep the market for wild red foxes depressed. Expect a replay of last season, Dozhier said. The best might bring $35, but most will be $20 or thereabouts.

Raccoons: Every year, it seems one furbearer receives extra attention as the species to target. In 2008-2009, it’s raccoons. Many trappers and hunters are expecting to average $40 or more this season. Dozhier and the NAFA rep agree that the raccoon market holds great promise, but caution that the weather – both in the United States and Russia – will play a major role in determining the size of the harvest and the demand for the fur. If it snows and freezes early in the United States, and Russia has a frigid winter, fur harvesters who have a bunch of raccoons to sell will benefit nicely. If it’s warm here and there, disappointment is likely.

It’s all a crap shoot. Just like the stock market.

Calling All Predator Clubs

In the true spirit of being on the Internet, today I added a links section to this blog. It’s titled “Predator Hunting Sites” and is located on the left-hand bar.

I have listed several established predator hunting association sites. Feel free to click on the links and see what is out there for calling groups.

In searching for predator hunting clubs, I found that many states do not have associations, or if they do, do not have a functional Web site.

However, I’m sure I have missed several associations in my search. If you are a member of a club with a Web site or know of a site I have not listed, please let me know by clicking on “comments” in this thread and telling us how to find the association.

I appreciate your help.

Another Use for E-Callers

Technique of the Week: It might seem unorthodox, but a good way to learn how to use a mouth-blown predator call is to mock an electronic caller.

Why? For starters, you’ll really pay attention to the cadence, tone and urgency of what most likely is a real rabbit in distress or an actual coyote barking and howling. You’ll discover the nuances in the sounds, and you’ll figure out how to mock it by trial and error.

After you think you have mastered the sounds, tape yourself. Compare it to the electronic version. It’s really no different than a football coach reviewing the game film Monday morning to see how the players performed and where they need to improve.

Keep working at it until you have it down, then add your own twists and flavor to your calling routine.

But why bother to learn if I own an electronic call?

Electronic units are super tools, but having the flexibility to pull out a tube and use it can save your hunt if the e-caller malfunctions. By using a mouth call, you can vary the tone and cadence to make sounds and sequences that differ from those programmed into your unit. You can also blow a mouth call while your e-caller projects another sound.

Today’s predator callers are lucky to have an overwhelming number of electronic units and mouth-blown calls available. Knowing how to use both effectively will enhance your calling success. That’s a great reason to use one to learn the other.

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.