Introducing a new hunter to predators!

["JJ"]

I had a young man, Rudy, contacted me recently who wanted to learn to predator hunt. We did not know each other personally but he went to school with my oldest daughter and had seen my hunting photos on facebook.
We had went out once before and spotted a coyote out mousing in the field but could not get it to respond to the call.
He finally got a Saturday off work so we we're planning an early Saturday morning outing. I had a place picked out that worked with the wind.
But I received a phone call from a landowner Friday night telling me that he had a cow down and had run 6 coyotes off when he entered the field.
So we made a change of plans and decided to stalk our way to the cow early Saturday before sun up.
As shooting light revealed the bait we saw one lonely coyote tugging at the cow. Our view was partially obstructed so we can only see the top part of the coyote.
I told Rudy to get a steady rest, take his time and make a good shot when he was ready. He did just that and after the shot a coyote ran off from the cow.
If the coyote had dropped straight down we would not have been able to see it now because the obstruction and the coyote leaving the scene was not in any type of hurry and kept looking back.
Rudy and I both launched a shot or two as the coyote continues to the tree line.
I told Rudy that it is possible he dropped the coyote he was aiming at and this was another coyote that we could not see, but we will sit for a little while and then go check out the situation.
We sit for about another hour and a half watching over the dead cow. During this time three coyotes wander around the field about a thousand yards to our West at different times. They each mouse around before we loose sight of them in the contours of the field.
Then a pair come out on a pool dam about 300 yards to our west.
Each time we see a coyote I howl and give a distressed sound but they are not interested. They look over to acknowledge that they hear it but wont commit.
The pair of coyotes turn and return to the woodline to the south.
I decided we're going to relocate to the pool dam to try to interact with the now 5 coyotes we seen on that side of the field!
We loop by the cow and verify there is no coyote there and then make our way down the tree line to the dam.
I get the call and decoy out and as we are getting situated on the incline of the dam I am trying to instruct Rudy on how to best utilize the shooting sticks to get the best rest. After I move them a bit out from the receiver he says "There it is!". I say okay well remember where to place them next time.
And he said "No, there is a coyote!"
Before we even started calling this female had come out of the corner of the wood line and the fence line at about 200 yards.
I told him to get comfortable & steady and take his time cause she has no idea we are here. There is a slight knoll between us and we can see her head and just the top of her back. I lip squeak a bit and she looks our way but sits tight.
After the earlier shot I tell him to ease up the dam a bit to get a better shot.
He gets comfortable and lets a shot go and the coyote turns and runs into the woods!!

I let out a few quick ki-yis on my double reed howler from Reese Outdoors and she comes bolting back out into the field. She comes in to about 145 yards this time and as soon as she stops I introduced her to a V-Max!



She was an average female for this area tipping the scales at 36lbs 6oz.

As soon as I shot her I turned to Rudy and asked him when was the last time he had shot in that rifle? He said it was over 3 years ago so we went to the range later that day!
At 100 yards he was over 2 foot high!
We got it zeroed and he is ready for redemption!
He called me Sunday wanting to go before dark!

Yep, he's hooked!

[chewie146]

Alright! Nicely done. Hopefully, that rifle's good to go at dusk. Good luck to you both.

[Chad.C]

Nice job the farmers gotta be happy, what caliber were you hunting them with by the way

["JJ"]

Thanks for the kind words guys! The land owner is a great friend and he was pleased!

Chad we were both shooting a .223..

[Hunter Customs]

Nice job JJ, I'm sure Rudy is hooked but when he drills one of them song dogs he will really be hooked.

I have a friend that shoots his coyote rifles almost every day.
I don't shoot mine that much but I do shoot mine often enough to keep my confidence up in both my equipment and ability.

Stay safe and good luck to you both.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

["JJ"]

Thanks Bob! Yes he is hooked now but he will straight be addicted when he does drop one!
I shoot my rifle all the time! Of course I do a lot of reloading so I am testing loads as well!

[shortwave]

Always a pleasure to see an experienced hunter schoolin a young person in the art.

Kudo's to ya!

Have fun Rudy.

[Jay24bal]

Kudos to you JJ!

I am venturing into the realm of predator hunting, and am having a hard time getting the hang of it. Between finding the right places to do so (let alone having access to places) and learning the best practices it is rather difficult to do on my own. I wish I had someone I knew of that also hunts predators.

I know Rudy appreciates the assistance, and turning someone new onto any type of hunting is always a good thing.

[huntinaz]

Sweet, get him one! It helps to have a zeroed rifle, that's for sure.

["JJ"]

Thanks guys! I enjoy spreading the sport when I get the opportunity!

jay24bal good luck in your journey! Of all the things I would suggest for you to utilize to pursue predators, patience is the most important. You have to do a lot of work to gain access to more land! A lot of times people who run off deer and hog hunters who ask permission will give a predator hunter a key to their house!
It never fails, either Momma had a favorite kitten or lap dog disappear or the guy had some type of fowl go missing and are now seeking revenge!
You are gonna get told no. Deal with it. But you will occasionally get a yes here and there!
Make sure you maintain a great relationship with the land owner. Always take nothing but memories and leave nothing but a footprint. Leave gates how you found them and report anything you would like to know about if it were your property!
I have got more property to hunt by another rancher at the local coffee shop complaining about missing chickens in front of a land owner who has granted me permission. They immediately want to help the other rancher by recommending "their" guy!
If you rut up their field and leave trash each visit that will never happen!

If I can help in any way let me know!

[Jay24bal]

Thanks JJ.

I have no problem with patience. That is how I learned to hunt every game animal I chase. My grandfather got me into hunting many years ago, but he sadly passed away when I was too young to really learn much from him. No one else in my family hunts, and I only have one friend who hunts and he is in the same boat I am in terms of a knowledge standpoint. It is a lot of trial and error and gleaming as much info as possible from publications and what not.

I have found around here, that not many land owners let a guy hunt on their land. Does not matter what you ask to hunt, they just say no. I have begun going a bit farther out of town (at least an hour drive from my home, which is already 40 minutes out of "urban" Cleveland) and the landowners are a bit more receptive, but not a lot. A lot of people around here are more interested in leasing the hunting rights and want to charge several hundred dollars per year to let me hunt which is their right, it is their land. But being a young guy with bills and a family coming soon down the road, I can not afford to spend the kind of money it would take to have 10 or so spots to hit.

I am mainly relegated to public hunting land and the 200 acre farm of a family friend that lets me use it whenever I want to chase whatever I want.

[Hunter Customs]

Jay24bal, I think you are doing the wise thing by going farther out from the city.

Here's a little something you might try.
Make up some leaflets with your contact information and a message stating that you are willing to thin out the coyote population for anyone that's having problems with them.

Post the leaflets in the rural feed stores, restaurants, post offices, gas stations, convenience stores, banks, any place that has a bulletin board and will let you hang the leaflets.

Do as JJ suggested when you get some contacts, as I agree with everything he told you.
I like to meet the people while not wearing my hunting clothing prior to ever deciding on a day to go hunting on their land, I feel it makes for a better first impression.

Word travels fast so always leave a good impression.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

["JJ"]

Yes I can understand the lease stuff! Texas is the worst!
And if they lease to deer hunters then there is no way I can get on the lease if I wanted to!
The two don't mix and if I pay money to hunt I am going to hunt!

Most of the time you can find a place here and there that may hold a few predators the might not be that great for deer hunting. For example a cattle ranch. They usually will not allow deer hunting out of fear of their cows getting shot by mistake. However after they witness a coyote kill they just may allow a coyote hunter.

A couple of tips to go along with what Bob offered above.
Use every contact you have!
Friends, family, friends of family, family of friends, co-workers, family and/or friends of co-workers! EVERYBODY!
Ask all of them if they know anyone who might allow you to remove a few coyotes.
If they can recommend someone you can stop by and say so-and-so said you might could use a few less coyotes!
A lot of times if you can drop a name of one of the above mentioned that the land owner knows and you are no longer a stranger!
Nobody likes to grant access to a stranger with a gun!!
If you are in a town where your family is from, name drop your father and grandfather.

I always ask if I can try to "call" some predators. It just sounds a bit less intrusive then hunting.

I did the flyer at the feed store thing and I got a few replies. But most of them are folks with 10 acres that has a few chickens disappear as they roam free around the yard.
It is very difficult to call in a predator in this tight situation and there is no guarantee that the thief walked on the ground!
Sometimes it can lead to access to the neighbor's place. I had one lady call me when her puppy got snatched by a coyote.
She had a bit over 10 acres and most of it was corrals and a large pond. But she was anti hunting and had ducks, geese, dogs and live stock so it was like a buffet for coyotes!
I went out there a few times and coyotes were everywhere! But they were always were there before I got there! When the did respond to the call they snuck in using the tall grass she never mowed!
The surrounding area was about 250 cattle field. I told the lady of the problems and mentioned something about accessing the neighbor's property.
She said I know him let me give him a call.
I turned out I knew the guy and not only did I get access to this spot but also five other spots that are well over 1000 acres combined.

I would also suggest joining a predator hunting forum. Something similar to this but focused on predators.
I am a member of a few but on Bucking The Odds they have a bunch of videos you can watch for free and their are a bunch of great folks who are eager to help a newbie!
There is also a member from just south of Cleveland that might be able to help you out.

If you register say hi. I go buy JJ there as well!
Good luck!