First coyote of the season...

[Mr. Chitlin]

My son came home from college for the Thanksgiving break this afternoon, and about 4PM we decided to hit the woods for a little calling. We keep the camo in the truck all winter, so we grabbed the shotguns (going to be hunting in thick cover) and the electronic caller and headed out. It is about 10 minutes to where we hunt, so we were there in just a short time. Hit the woods, got set up, the sun was setting over our shoulders, and hit the caller. Nothing. Dead battery. Sun setting, I figured we should head home, and try again tomorrow. Got to the truck, and saw the JS PC3 in the seat. Told my son that we were going back out, but we only had about 10 minutes to hunt. Hit a spot about 200 yards from the truck, sat down and gave the PC3 a couple of long blows playing the dying rabbit blues. After about 3 minutes, we hear leaves cracking right behind us. This ole gal slips in about 10 FEET behind us, looking for the rabbit in the thick cover. She slips to my left and stops at about 10 yards. A 1 7/8 ounce load of #2 lead through a .660 choke laid her right down. This was the first varmint hunt of the season, first I have ever called in with a mouth caller. Gonna be back out a daylight tomorrow!!
http://photos.imageevent.com/brobert/bobdeer2002/websize/coy1.jpg

[MountainBuck]

Sounds like fun!! I'm thinking of getting into predator hunting myself this year after this deer season, as we are really blessed with coyotes. What kind of electonic call do you have and what would you recommend? Any help appreciated.

MB

[Mr. Chitlin]

MB,

The electronic caller that I use is a Lohman 2000 (I thing that is the model). I picked it up at Bass Pro in Springfield for around $150. It plays cassette tapes. I have had it for probably 5 or 6 years now, and so far, no problem, as long as I keep the batteries charged :D . There are newer models from various manuf's that play digital mp3 sounds. I have not tried any of them myself, but know people that use them and are satisfied with them.

The PC3 call is a Johnny Stewart call. PC3 is the model of this particular call. It is a real popular mouth call in the predator hunting circles. I got mine at Bass Pro in Memphis a year or so ago for less than $10.

This predator hunting is real addictive. My son and I had just about predator hunt as deer hunt. We have an abundant supply of Grey Fox, Bobcats, Coyotes and Crows in this area, and we stay pretty busy hunting them all winter. We hunt thick cover with shotguns and usually 3" mag #2 lead shot. In the feilds, we usually use AR15 style rifles, sometimes the 25/06 bolt guns.

Try it, you'll definitely like it!! Here is a 22lb cat killed near Jonesboro.

http://photos.imageevent.com/brobert/bobdeer2002/websize/1_PB240007.JPG

[ November 29, 2003, 07:32 PM: Message edited by: Mr. Chitlin ]

[Bodcau boy]

Mr Chitlin,
What call(or cassette)do I need to use for bobcat. The woods around here are full of cats. I have killed a good many while hunting deer, one of which was a whopper. But one that my nephew and I saw during deer season was bigger than any I ever saw. Big head and long tail stood out on this one. Any suggestions on how to get this old cat from experienced bobcat hunters would be appreciated. I would like to get him stuffed.

[LX Shooter]

Great pics...I got my first yote thisd year with a bow...Now I need one of those cats..It sure would look good in my room :D

[Mr. Chitlin]

Bodcau,

In all of my hunting (coyote, fox or cat) I use the same tapes. 99% of the time, we use either the cottontail in distress or the gray fox/cottontail distress. I have freinds that really like the baby woodpecker in distress, but I have never called anything up to that one. I know some people that say if they were limited to one tape, the woodpecker would be it. I just have never had any luck with it. Also this year, I am trying out the jackrabbit in distress, and rodent squeaks. So far, no takers, but the season is still young. The main thing on cats is that they take a long time to come in, and are super wary. I have had grey fox come in within a minute of starting to call. Cats can take 30 or more minutes, and if they see something they don't like, they are outta here!!

Good luck on getting that big boy.

[SpikeSlayer]

I varmit hunt too and what I have learned is that If you go back to the same area alot the varmits reconize the repatition of the calls. So a mouth call is necessary to get them to come in that extra 50y you need for the kill. I like to get outside the thickets in a ditch or next to a water pivot and call them out. That way I can get the long shot with my 22-250. :D Do you use a decoy?

[SpikeSlayer]

Oh Yea, Where did you get the rifle, and how much did it cost? That thing is awesome :eek:

[Troy R]

You can get a Bushmaster Varminter in my area for $975.00 + tax, this is there shelf price I might get it a hair cheaper.

Troy

[Mr. Chitlin]

Originally posted by SpikeSlayer:
Oh Yea, Where did you get the rifle, and how much did it cost? That thing is awesome :eek: Spike,

The rifle is a Bushmaster Varminter (http://www.gunblast.com/Bushmaster_Varminter.htm) . It is wearing a 3.8x12x44AO scope in a Rock River one piece mount.
http://photos.imageevent.com/brobert/guns//websize/DSC00063.JPG

http://photos.imageevent.com/brobert/guns//websize/DSC00070.JPG

I shoot 50 and 55 grain Nosler BT's over a maximum charge of Win 748. It shoots them good enough that I am not interested in trying to find a better load for it right now. This rifle is my favorite coyote rifle. Here is a pic of a dog on our property in Sharp County.
http://photos.imageevent.com/brobert/bobdeer2002//websize/PB260009.JPG

As for cost, things can get kind of expensive real quick with these rifles. I picked this one up at dealer cost at $875, the scope mount was ~$40, and the scope was ~$140. You can see that getting in over $1K is real easy, but heck, it's just money. :D My son hunts with a pre-ban Colt Sporter HBAR, set up the same way, it just has a 20 inch barrel on it.

[ December 16, 2003, 05:55 PM: Message edited by: Mr. Chitlin ]

[SpikeSlayer]

Thanks for the reply. I love to hunt coyotes, so any other advice or tips that anybody has please post them. Another tatic that we use sometimes when the ground is froze is to chase them down on 4-wheelers. I know it sounds like cheating but you try to catch one running across a frozen bean field and shot it with a shotgun or pistol doing 50 mph. :D