Late season calling

[Slydog]

Hey everyone,

I'm sure that most of you have noticed the change that happens when they start to pair up this time of year. Also I know that they start getting harder to call with rabbit distress sounds, partly because of their being slightly distracted but mainly because they have had so many people calling at them they have become call shy...

It's time to change your tactics... I belive that this time of year is the best time to use your howler as your primary sound, at least for me this tactic works best and has for quite a few years.

Last week I was hunting a 25,000 acre ranch with 1000 head of cattle that are starting to drop calfs so I used a method I have found very productive in Febuary, I use a howler to start off my stand and then (note: I use a decoy coyote) through in a distressed calf sound with a threat bark every now and then... Brings them runnin along with lots of cows but they just add to the realizum and the coyotes just hang up out side of the main body of cattle.....They are so busy watching the cows that they forget to circle down wind many times and present many good shot op's
Be carefull not to let them cows get to close to your decoy, they will realy mess up a good decoy....LOL

Any one else have a good late season tactic to shair?? As many predator hunters as are in here there must be some good late season ideas,,,,,Give details..


sly

 

[Danny Batastini]

Slydog, funny you said that cows are dropping calves now. My wife and I took a trip up to Bishop, California yesterday. On the way back we saw a coyote jumping and biting at the butt of a cow as the cow was walking away. I stopped the jeep and turned around ( no gun ) I tried to scare the coyote away to help the cow, the coyote took off but I was sure it would come back and get that meal as soon as I left and the sun went down.

 

[Danny Batastini]

Slydog, I thought about how bad that coyote was for trying to eat that calf before it was even born. Then I started thinking it was man who put the cow and the calf in the food chain to be eaten. Heck, all we are doing is letting that calf get bigger then we kill it and eat it. Come to think of it, I remember eating unborn veal. Nobodys to blame, it's just a hard thing to deal with when you see it. Many things that are part of nature are grusome and nasty, things I'd rather not even know about. It's a interesting story Slydog and thank you for sharing it with us, Good Hunting.

 

[Slydog]

One of the ranches that I have hunted for over 10 years is a working cow ranch, the Basque family that ownes it have been doing it the same way for 4 generations. When they move the first calf heffers down from the mountain pastures sometimes the stress will cause a few to drop their calfs early. When this happens it is costumary to pig tie the calf, cover it with a coat or blanket and finish moving the heard then come back and pick up the calfs and haul them to the corrals where they are paired back up with their moms later.
This year when they went to move the cows they already had 17 calves on the ground, all early calvers and still had 250 head to move 22 miles. This was a desaster to say the least. John called me at 11 am and pleaded for help.
I arived at 12:20 and John filled me in on where to look for calves back up the trail. I was on my 660 yamaha and had the back rack full with 6 new babie calves in no time.. on the third trip back up the trail I found one of the calves still alive but most of the hind end had been eaten by coyotes..... to say the least I was sick and wanted revenge more than you know but I had to shoot that calf and go on looking for the 3 that were left. I'm happy to say that all three were fine and later that evening I shot two coyotes 160 yards up the canyon from the calf carcuss,, I also set 4 traps at the carcuss and caught 2 more over night.
I asked John why they waited to move the cows till so late. he said it was his fault, that he got his dates mixed up and shrugged his sholders as he walked away kicking the dirt.

in all my years afield I've seen some grusome things but that took the cake. It has also made me think about where to put the blame for some of the instances like this.

slydog

 

[BalaPlata]

I really don't change anything in my tactics. Ive played with howling down here, but have noticed no big difference in responses. The month of january is not usually good here, but come feb and march, two of my favorites to call, using cottontail distress. Went out couple days ago and called a triple on first stand, double on second and a single on third using the old faithful cottontail distress, so I don't try to fix something that ain't broke.

 

[Danny Batastini]

BalaPlata, you OLD son-of-a-gun lol, You telling me you don't use all this new up to date stuff lol? Hey, you going to Silver City 3-6-04, I hope you are, if so I'll be seeing ya, that is if I make it lol.........Good Hunting.

 

[cmiddleton]

i stopped two coyotes one time one was face to face with the cow the other was pulling the calf during birth the calf lived but had broken its back and its back legs didn't work.

 

[ELKCHSR]

Thanks for the stories...They are very fasinating and enjoyable...
Sly...You get my pics, I have had a heck of a time as of late with my e-mail, I'm pretty sure they went out, but wasn't sure...
Russ...

 

[Slydog]

Yes sir and they are wild,, very cool and hard to get shots. How did school go,,lol are you any smarter?? LOL It was great visiting with you on the phone.. Sorry I didn't get back with you sooner but I have been snowed under with a 50 piece order and the regular daily orders + honey-do's and getting ready for turkey season.

will talk soon

sly

 

[ELKCHSR]

I know what that is like..
That was the best class I have went to yet. Any smarter???Well, that could be soundly debated by the boring bunch in the SI section...
I went to a crew boss class last week, and next week am off to Missoula for a Region one saw confrence...
Then off to one more class on Initial attack in a couple more, plus paining the house. I understand about full plates...LOL..
I took off yesterday into the surrounding hills, hoping I could get up there and start working on another underground shelter, but will have to wait a while longer for the snow to dissipate.
!!! !!!