Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Varmint Starter Kit

Varminters,
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<br>In pursuit of black bears, coyotes, fox, cats, and anything else that will come to a call, I have availed myself of a Johnny Stewart caller and the following tapes: Crow revile (sp?), coyote locator, baby cottontail distress. These came with the setup. I also got a fawn bleat (thinking spring/summer bear) and an additional high-pitched cottontail distress.
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<br>At last I have located some general areas where there are coyotes, and know where there are bears. Cats are all around, fox and crows are pests. I'm also wringing out a .223 as we speak (but won't use it on bears, thank you).
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<br>I live in Central North Carolina, and have a favorite place for bears in eastern NC. I have seen coyotes there also.
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<br>After reading the Stewart book and Critr's post, I am thinking a yellowhammer (flicker) distress tape would be good to have.
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<br>I also have a multiputpose mouth call which can do rabbit and fawn distress.
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<br>The tape setup comes with 30 feet of cord, so I can get away from the speaker a bit.
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<br>The Stewart book raves about the necessity for cover scent and much camo. Do you guys use cover scent when varminting? On your clothes or just in the area? I'll have to be really convinced before I hose myself with skunk scent.
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<br>I fundamentally understand the concept of using the wind direction and terrain to help predict likely kill zones, but here it is quite thick everywhere, so my 12 gauge will be a ready default, using #4s.
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<br>Any advice?
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<br>Thanks, Jeff

I've got only limited experience with predators. But, that has taught me not to bother much with "over scents", or Scent -Lok clothing. I do, very much, believe in camo gear, especially over the hands and face. No bright, or flashy, clothing.
<br> A good trick, I suspect, is to position yourself well away from the e-caller. And put open ground down wind. This makes the critters move into the open to get down wind of you. I've seen coyotes zero in on, and recognize me calling, from about a mile. Their senses are very sharp. But, when they get excited, and lock their attention on something, they don't pay attention to other things around them too well.
<br> The other trick is they are in some places, and not others. You need to make your efforts where they are. Most of the good callers I know, move around alot. E

if i use cover scent, i use a few cotonballs soaked w/ whatever cover i want (fox or skunk usually), and throw 'em downwind of me a little.
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<br>expect coyotes to circle downwind, so be ready for a shot from that direction.
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<br>crows will usually come in to a crow tape from about a mile away. they will typically let you shoot once or twice, then they'll go sit in a tree somewhere and watch (i use the crow/owl fight tape).
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<br>most fun you can have: go get an owl decoy ($15-20) and set him up somewhere near you. then, hit your crow call, and watch the crows come in...they will dive at your decoy, circle around and keep on. if you let it go long enough they will knock him down.
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<br>what's great about crow calling is that you only need to let the call go about 10 minutes at the most (usually 3 or 4 is enough), and start shooting. if you aren't shooting after 10 minutes, pick up your stuff, and go down the road about a mile and a half and do it again. must be mobile, so travel light, and don't get too far from the truck. most fun you can have w/ a shotgun.

Jeff,
<br>Also because of all the hunting pressure we have here that I mentioned in my other post, I try to find out what call everybody else is using, and find something different. JS makes chicken, house cat, quail, lamb, and a hunnerd others. Coyotes become call-shy quickly, so be ready to give them something new.
<br>Shane

Shane, are you telling me that perhaps the coyotes have memorized the "Baby Cotton-tail Distress" that comes standard with the JS caller?
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<br>Jeff

MEMORIZED IT??? I think they could just about sing it back to you!!!
<br>We don't have the variety of wildlife here that you do, although the deer are just returning for the summer/fall. I have called in Bobcats, foxes and coyotes, and in the fall it is hard to not call does with their fawns in with a distress call.
<br>I have a lot of fun spotlighting also, but this winter I went through 3 spotlights, and gave up on it. What kind of light are you using? I don't have one now, and I don't trust any without a recomendation. Christmas Eve it was -6 and I called in 2 coyotes, 1 fox, and my first bobcat. Only came home with the fox, I shoot crappy when I'm doing jumping jacks to stay warm.

SCW, that sounds like a great evening! I love seeing game, and have never had a good look at a bobcat.
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<br>I see from your bio that you are in Utah. I am crazy-in-love with the desire to live in AZ (the notrthernmost I feel I can get my wife to move and still be in a mountain state.)
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<br>Not that there aren't good hunting places here.
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<br>I don't have a spotlight, but have been known to subject passengers to a few Gs swooping my headlights over the fields!
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<br>Calling at minus 5? That sounds chilly. I wonder if varmints can be called to a campfire.
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<br>I am thinking the next addition to my varmint tapes will be woodpecker distress.
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<br>A funny thng happened the other day. You may have read that the PETA folks infiltrated my alma mater, UNC-CH, a couple weeks ago. They have also tried to get into the USEPA research facility that I work at.
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<br>Funny, as of yet none of them have volunteered to take the place of the rats they are so concerned about. I keep waiting for info on this point ... but I digress.
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<br>Anyway, it seemed the obvious thing to do to take my JS setup to the office last week. Rabbits are a normal subject critter, so I figured the Baby Cottontail Distress tape might get some action.
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<br>Bingo! About two minutes into the tape a throng of sign-toting PETA groupies comes galloping down the Chapel Hill road!
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<br>It was just an observation experience. No open season on PETA folks.
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<br>Cheers, Jeff

ROFL HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
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<br>Thats great, makes me wonder if we pinned them down and recorded their squeals if it would bring in coyotes?
<br>Yesterday I saw a grey fox run across the road, so I pulled over and kissed at it a few times (didn;t have a call with me). I ended up popping it in the neck at 10 feet. Soon after the hub fell off my truck, so my calling is shut down for a few days. Wanna buy a 3 wheel drive?
<br>Shane
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YESSSSSSSSS! After dozens of stands (since February), I called a grey fox right up to he speaker on the first stand this weekend. I had my 12-year-old with me. We set up beside a power line on a ridgetop, at the intersections of two paths. We had been seeing fox around.
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<br>The "Baby Cottontail Distress" tape had been playing for less than a minute when a small grey flashed through the woods and turned, trotting to the call. It had part of a squirrel or rat hanging out of its mouth.
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<br>Dad and son thought it was very cool! Not fox season, so no shots fired.
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<br>That's one for the memory books.
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<br>Jeff

Now wasn�t that a kick in the head? You�ll remember that first called critter for the rest of your life. You�re ruined man!
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<br>Before you start using your JS caller for big game such as bear, check the game laws of your state. They vary from state to state, and you may find that while electronic callers are legal for varmints and fur bearers, they are often illegal for game animals. Such is the case where I live.
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<br>If you stick with this game long enough, you may find that you eventually wean yourself away from the e-callers anyway. Lots of serious and experienced callers prefer the mouth blown calls.

Yeah, it was a thrill. I can't wait to call my first coyote -- and blast him. I have a plan cooking to take the caller with me in the deerstand, then do some calling during the late morning, after 8 or so, when the furbearers are legal. I would just love to call a bobcat. I would also like to try the fawn distress in some of my black bear areas.
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<br>My son is asking when we can go crow hunting again! For some strange reason, crow season in NC is Thurs, Fri, and Sat. during certain months. They must think there are not enough of them!
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<br>Jeff

Talus,
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<br>I will give you what little experience I have had with calling. First off, IT is VERY addicting! You can't seem to go too often. I have the same caller you do. I use canine puppies, cottantail distress, and just bought the yellow hammer, but haven't tried it yet. I use a CH-1 Howler and a Circe cottontail mouth calls.
<br>The only really good advice I can give you is this. Coyotes will ALWAYS come from downwind of you and if they can't they will circle until they can. The trick is position yourself where you can see them as they are coming or circling. I use a 243 with a 6.5 X 20 scope on it. The last 2 I shot were at 40 & 62 yards. Both times I wished I had a shotgun. They can appear so fast you hardly have time to sight. Others will hang up and look the situation over. Decoys are good to give them something to look at.
<br>Camo is more important then scent blockers, at least in my experience. You can beat the wind by position. You can't beat a varmints eyes if you stand out like a sore thumb. Bears I don't know about so you are on your own. Good luck !!!!
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<br>300HH