Reemus Buckshot
Well-Known Member
I am new to predator hunting. I just shoot yotes and bobcats when they walk by my deer stand, but what tactics do you guys use when hunting each? From calls to set ups. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Yote/Bobcat Hunting Tips
- Thread starter Reemus Buckshot
- Start date
tnyotehunter1
Well-Known Member
This might be helpful from Predatormasters forum
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/fo ... #Post83113
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/fo ... #Post83113
If you wanna go from the deerstand coyote hunter to a predator hunter you gotta do a few things.
1. Scout your property and look for sign (scat & hair). This will give you a general idea of where the yotes are moving to & from in your area.
2. Use a good cover scent and make sure you are downwind of where you think the dogs will approach
3. Good camo is useful but not necessary. Remaining motionless is very important as these critters are very smart, sneaky, and have excellent eyesight.
4. Lastly, you need to know when to call. I do not like to initiate a howl. I use a locator call (a recorded police siren works great) If I hear howls, I will return, if not, I set up and wait about 20 min. then initiate my distress calls. A dyin cottontail works really well. I like to call for around 1 min. then remain silent for 10 to 15 min. Scan the area & look for breaks in the light between trees and any movement in general. You can smell a musky dog if it's close enough. If your somewhere for around an hour and don't see or hear anything, slowly and quietly move to another location and repeat the process. I have been very successful using this system but there are days when you just won't see anything. A flat shooting gun with a 12x scope with a wide field of view are also useful. Take a pistol for closeup work if one sneaks in and you can't get your rifle up without giving yourself away.
1. Scout your property and look for sign (scat & hair). This will give you a general idea of where the yotes are moving to & from in your area.
2. Use a good cover scent and make sure you are downwind of where you think the dogs will approach
3. Good camo is useful but not necessary. Remaining motionless is very important as these critters are very smart, sneaky, and have excellent eyesight.
4. Lastly, you need to know when to call. I do not like to initiate a howl. I use a locator call (a recorded police siren works great) If I hear howls, I will return, if not, I set up and wait about 20 min. then initiate my distress calls. A dyin cottontail works really well. I like to call for around 1 min. then remain silent for 10 to 15 min. Scan the area & look for breaks in the light between trees and any movement in general. You can smell a musky dog if it's close enough. If your somewhere for around an hour and don't see or hear anything, slowly and quietly move to another location and repeat the process. I have been very successful using this system but there are days when you just won't see anything. A flat shooting gun with a 12x scope with a wide field of view are also useful. Take a pistol for closeup work if one sneaks in and you can't get your rifle up without giving yourself away.
bobthebowhunter
Well-Known Member
sasquatchgonehuntin
Well-Known Member
Treble hooks and chicken........gets 'em every time
arctic_cat
Well-Known Member
sasquatchgonehuntin said:
thats just wrong
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2010
- Messages
- 13,575
:Darctic_cat said:
Yotehntr
Well-Known Member
The inevitable question� how do you hunt coyote�s� (or bobcat�s)� Both pretty much the same, just no barks and howls for the cats. 1st off I�d like to say everyone probably has their own style, no single �way� is the only or �proper� way� success is the thing that speaks� There won�t be any consistent success with out spending many hours at it, especially here in the east� learning from your mistakes and success.. I try to look at every success and failure and analyze it for future use� by the way.. every stand if done perfect will not produce a dead coyote�. If there isn�t a coyote with in hearing distance you won�t call one in� at times if they are with in hearing distance you still won�t call them in� just the way it is� if you don�t see them, you�ll give up before you give another sound a try that may work. If they cross where you came in... well they'll usually take a dump there to scold you??? (weird but true)
Ok� here�s where the differences are IMO� Folks are going to "lean" towards their own personal preferences. My personal preferences are to use hand calls and a rifle� I use the hand calls I make myself� to use electronic seems like cheating to me� I don�t look down on anyone for using them mind you, (I used them when I started out) but there is much more self satisfaction to me from the hand calls� I feel like "I" called 'em in.. not an "I" pushed the button. I much prefer a rifle over a shotgun� why?�. I like the accuracy aspect of it� I like knowing I can take �em from a few hundred yards or very close�. I prefer to shoot them at under 100 yards for the calling aspect but I like the ability to reach out and touch �em. ;) I�ve only killed one coyote with a shotgun� the 1st thing that went through my head???� �dang I could�ve shot him with my rifle. So all this being said, there are folks that wear the coyotes out with electronics, and shotguns� and have a blast at it� and that is how they enjoy it, and I�m fine with that�. ...it's just not "my way" IMO it's a matter of are you after the personal satisfaction of calling in and killing IMO the hardest animal to hunt... or are you just trying to kill a predator that is bothering your livestock?
I love to call them into open fields� I�ve seen �em coming from 600 yards + and there isn�t much that is more fun to me�. I�ve called them in the hard woods too� that is a blast but you better be ready.. Listen for squirrels and birds� they�ll scold the coyotes and bobcats� that�ll give you time to move your shooting sticks into position. If you see the coyote�s running across a field don�t panic and rush your shot�. They will stop� and they will look around (away from you)� they are cautious and will check up for safety and give you time to put your gun up into position. I�ve seen every one of �em do it if I didn�t rush the shot.
When you sit down� stop� look around you�. Will you have plenty of time to see them 1st?� if not move some where else.. I promise you I�ve taken more folks hunting that picked out bad spots and I asked them �where do they have to be for you to get a shot�� there will only be 1 place� you need the advantage� you�re calling and they have a good idea of where you are�. Don�t give up the advantage of a full field of view. I�ve stopped many stands because of this� when I started out I educated many coyotes because I didn�t.
The wind??? Here in the east if you call in the woods� they aren�t going to come in if the wind is blowing towards them� I�ve seen their noses go up at over 100 yards and about turn them selves inside out getting out of there� now that is when I washed in �scent free� stuff� I don�t bother anymore� I watch the wind and play across wind as often as possible and prefer no wind.
I always try to sit in the shade� seems little but the shade hides quite a bit� keep movement to a bare minimum� and if your going to talk at all to someone on the way in� well to tell a short little story we have a little dog in our house� it�s been asleep against my leg while I was watching tv with the volume up pretty loud�. From a sound sleep she�ll jump up� run to the window (barking) � my wife will walk in 4 or 5 min�s later� I guess she hears her coming up the road� so a tame, spoiled dog hears that far off for pleasure� wonder how good the coyotes hear when their lives depend on it?� .yep, you have to be very quite�can't count how many new folks I've had to shush... usually I just whisper to them very quite and hope they get the hint. About the last thing is.. every time I say "always" they make a liar out of me... I guess they can't read this stuff and do what ever they want... we can say most of the time though. ;) Oh well, there is much more to coyote hunting than this, but these are a few tips� hope it helps some.
Ok� here�s where the differences are IMO� Folks are going to "lean" towards their own personal preferences. My personal preferences are to use hand calls and a rifle� I use the hand calls I make myself� to use electronic seems like cheating to me� I don�t look down on anyone for using them mind you, (I used them when I started out) but there is much more self satisfaction to me from the hand calls� I feel like "I" called 'em in.. not an "I" pushed the button. I much prefer a rifle over a shotgun� why?�. I like the accuracy aspect of it� I like knowing I can take �em from a few hundred yards or very close�. I prefer to shoot them at under 100 yards for the calling aspect but I like the ability to reach out and touch �em. ;) I�ve only killed one coyote with a shotgun� the 1st thing that went through my head???� �dang I could�ve shot him with my rifle. So all this being said, there are folks that wear the coyotes out with electronics, and shotguns� and have a blast at it� and that is how they enjoy it, and I�m fine with that�. ...it's just not "my way" IMO it's a matter of are you after the personal satisfaction of calling in and killing IMO the hardest animal to hunt... or are you just trying to kill a predator that is bothering your livestock?
I love to call them into open fields� I�ve seen �em coming from 600 yards + and there isn�t much that is more fun to me�. I�ve called them in the hard woods too� that is a blast but you better be ready.. Listen for squirrels and birds� they�ll scold the coyotes and bobcats� that�ll give you time to move your shooting sticks into position. If you see the coyote�s running across a field don�t panic and rush your shot�. They will stop� and they will look around (away from you)� they are cautious and will check up for safety and give you time to put your gun up into position. I�ve seen every one of �em do it if I didn�t rush the shot.
When you sit down� stop� look around you�. Will you have plenty of time to see them 1st?� if not move some where else.. I promise you I�ve taken more folks hunting that picked out bad spots and I asked them �where do they have to be for you to get a shot�� there will only be 1 place� you need the advantage� you�re calling and they have a good idea of where you are�. Don�t give up the advantage of a full field of view. I�ve stopped many stands because of this� when I started out I educated many coyotes because I didn�t.
The wind??? Here in the east if you call in the woods� they aren�t going to come in if the wind is blowing towards them� I�ve seen their noses go up at over 100 yards and about turn them selves inside out getting out of there� now that is when I washed in �scent free� stuff� I don�t bother anymore� I watch the wind and play across wind as often as possible and prefer no wind.
I always try to sit in the shade� seems little but the shade hides quite a bit� keep movement to a bare minimum� and if your going to talk at all to someone on the way in� well to tell a short little story we have a little dog in our house� it�s been asleep against my leg while I was watching tv with the volume up pretty loud�. From a sound sleep she�ll jump up� run to the window (barking) � my wife will walk in 4 or 5 min�s later� I guess she hears her coming up the road� so a tame, spoiled dog hears that far off for pleasure� wonder how good the coyotes hear when their lives depend on it?� .yep, you have to be very quite�can't count how many new folks I've had to shush... usually I just whisper to them very quite and hope they get the hint. About the last thing is.. every time I say "always" they make a liar out of me... I guess they can't read this stuff and do what ever they want... we can say most of the time though. ;) Oh well, there is much more to coyote hunting than this, but these are a few tips� hope it helps some.
