Coyote Time
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://www.biggame.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/untamed.png[/author_image] [author_info]Larry Weishuhn is a widely known writer, speaker, raconteur and world hunter. He co-hosts “DSC’s Trailing the Hunter’s Moon” on Pursuit Channel, CarbonTV and the show’s YouTube Channel.[/author_info] [/author]
The temperature hovered in mid-thirties as we gathered around our Hargrove Ranch campfire. At the suggestion of our host Craig Archer and fellow hunter, Eddie Stevenson, I threw another log on the fire. Embers ascended skyward, seemingly stirring the ranch’s coyotes. Coyotes yipped, yapped and yodeled in just about every direction. In the glow of the flames I could see Gary and Steve Roberson smile.
The morrow came grudgingly and gray. “If one comes in to the right of that tallest cactus almost straight ahead, Larry, you take him.” I nodded. Gary Roberson pointed to the left, “Eddie if one comes in to the left of that cactus, he’s yours!” Gary continued, “I’ll watch behind us, just in case one tries to slip in.” Then added, “I sprayed a bunch of Texas Raised Hunting Products’ Predator Death Grip on the bushes next to the speaker. That should hold a coyote’s or bobcat’s attention and give plenty of time for a shot.”
Moments later Gary turned on “The Rogue,” his new electronic call that replicates exactly the same high pitch sounds made by a distressed rabbit, sounds something no other electronic call can achieve.
In less than 20-seconds, a coyote appeared below me running through waist-high weeds, weeds I had grown up calling “wolf weed.” He weaved back and forth through the tall vegetation, heading toward the speaker positioned in Eddie’s area. I watched. Seconds later Eddie shot. The coyote crumpled.
Gary let the electronic call play a couple more minutes hoping another coyote would respond. When none did, Eddie retrieved his “take”. I walked toward Gary and Steve Roberson. Steve, is Gary’s son and ace cameraman for their “Carnivore” television series which appears on Pursuit Channel.
“Well done!” said Gary as Eddie dragged the coyote up to where we waited for him. “Load him up and let’s find another place to set up. Maybe we can call in another one before lunch.” Added Gary, smiling.
Before our morning’s “coyote foray” was over we indeed shot two more coyotes. Our plan to reduce the Hargrove Ranch’s (www.hargrovehunts.com) predator population to boost the whitetail and mule deer fawn survival rates was working.
As a wildlife biologist who long worked on wildlife management programs for whitetail and mule deer and other native wildlife including non-game to song birds, I had suggested reducing the coyote population during winter and then again in early spring before fawns are born. Winter, because it is not uncommon for coyotes to “pull down” mature bucks suffering from the rigors of the rut, and in spring/summer before fawns “start hitting the ground”.
February and early March are great times hunt coyotes, as well as bobcats. In some states the taking of bobcats is restricted or there is a “fur season” during which they can be taken. Always be sure to check your local regulations. Coyotes can pretty well be taken most places during any time of the year.
Burnham Brothers’ revolutionary and unequaled “Rogue” electronic call is the best “tool” I have ever seen used to take predators. And of course, I too, have my ever-present Burnham Brothers C-3 mouth blown call with me whenever and wherever I hunt.
Burnham Brothers Game Calls’ (www.burnhambrothers.com) Gary Roberson has done considerable research the past few years as to what levels of sounds coyotes and bobcats can actually hear, measured in Hertz.
Research demonstrates humans can hear up to 23,000 Hertz, coyotes up to 45,000 Hertz and bobcats up to 64,000 Hertz.
The standard electronic call with their speaker system and using recorded sounds take sound levels up to about 20,000 Hertz, far below what coyotes and bobcats hear when a real rabbit squeals in distress. This is one of the reasons why if an area has been called to several times coyotes and bobcats tend to no longer respond like they did when they heard the recordings for the first and second time. The sounds simply are not “right”!
Gary and his technical team developed not only a recording system that actually records to the level of a distressed rabbit and other distressed prey animals, they also developed a speaker that presents and broadcasts those “real” sounds to their actual Hertz levels. This is something no other electronic game call can currently do. He trademarked those techniques and equipment, so it will be years before another electronic game call company can come close to duplicating the process.
Actually, mouth blown calls, like Burnham Brothers C-3 that I carry with me everywhere, produce more Hertz, beyond those produced with any current electronic call. This is one of the reasons I have often called in coyotes and bobcats in areas which have previously been called to, where predators were stated to no longer respond to calling.
The end result is Burnham Brothers’ Rogue electronic call works far better at calling in predators than any other system, and as mentioned calling in coyotes in bobcats where most serious predator hunters were previously convinced they could no long be called in, in those areas.
Using the world’s best and most unique electronic game call, next step is simply choosing a firearm. My choices in these important “missions” have two constants, Trijicon scopes and Hornady ammo. I love hunting predators with rifles! My primary choice usually comes down to one of several Ruger No. 1’s including .257 Roberts, .270 Win, .275 Rigby, .30-06, .300 H&H Mag and possibly some bigger caliber/rounds like the .375 Ruger, .405 Winchester and maybe even a .450-400 NE 3-inch. Too, I recently procured a Henry .30-30 Win single-shot. Regarding bolt actions, those will likely amount a 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser and .280 Ackley Improved, both Ruger M77 Africans.
Do those sound a bit big for less than 40 pound animals? Not to me! I like hunting coyotes and predators with the same rifles, scopes and ammo I use when hunting bigger game. Doing so is a great way to get to learn my hunting guns, and my abilities with them. And in my world there is no such thing as “over kill” or “too much gun”!
Before heading out on a predator hunt, or for that matter, any other hunt I spray down with Texas Raised Hunting Products’ (www.texasraisedhuntingproducts.com) Scent Guardian. That includes clothes, hat, gloves, boots, binos, firearm and all other gear. The only other thing I usually take with me beyond my binoculars are “shooting sticks”, where I can rest my rifle for making a precise shot. Quite often I make these myself by cutting three sticks or relatively straight limbs about 40-inches in length and tying them together about about four our so inches from one end. This length or height suffices since most of the time when I am hunting predators I will be sitting down with my back again something to break my outline. If you have commercial shooting sticks, that too, is great. I have learned over the years everyone tends to shoot a lot more accurately with a “properly rested” firearm, no matter what the target!
Time to head to the coyote woods!
Regardless of what is going on in the world, there are always small things, of beauty and splendor, for us to enjoy, admire and appreciate!
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