Predator hunting

[mattmillerrx]

Has anyone had a chance to go.  I have been gearing up for this in hopes that I can get to hunt a little more.  Deer season falls during the time of year everyone seems to want off of work so am looking to other options.  Learning a new set of skills, and hunting various types of game appeal to me anyway.  I have been playing around with a couple of calls and am hoping to call in some bobcat which are actually pretty thick compared to 10 yrs ago in the area I will be hunting, and some coyotes which are thinker than last year but no where near what they where when I hunted several years back.  This will really be my first time hunting them, dad did take me several times with him as a kid but I was mostly just tagging along.

I got a long range call and can mimic a hurt rabbit with it pretty well and a close range mouse squeaker.  Just got a .204 ruger Howa rifle and bore sighted it today.  Just waiting to get to sight it in and go hunting.

I may use it on some other small game as well.

[Specklebelly]

I never have tried it and to be honest don't really have a desire.  I don't know why it just has never appealed to me, kind of like bear hunting.

I pheasant hunt in Kansas with a guy that hunts coyotes with greyhounds.  Kind of a strange method but it really works from what he says. 

The new kind of hunting I would like to try is wild pig.  I have seen some out while hunting turkey and ducks but never shot at one.

Good luck with the predators and hope you get one.

[mattmillerrx]

I too have wanted to hog hunt for a while.  They seem to be getting some population going out where I hunt.  I also would like to try bear some day but it would have to be a paid hunt so that is a long way away.  I would like to hunt pheasant too but don't have them and that would be a paid hunt as well.  I do really like quail hunting and do it every chance I get ( they have always been good hunting every since I was a kid even when the numbers were down in the state), have never tried duck either.

I will admit I have not ever had much desire to predator hunt until recently,  I have been looking for some new challenges in hunting.  I bow hunted deer for awhile and still will do that as it is still pretty challenging.  I am looking to hunt deer with a handgun( wanted to this year but didn't get the chance).  I am thinking that calling in game as wise as coyotes and bobcats will provide that challenge and if that ever get easy, I may try that with a bow.
The second reason is time to hunt.  The coyote season gives me alot more time to hunt--and bobcat through February gives me some extra as well.

[deernhog]

I have a coyote hunt planned for the middle of January with a buddy. He is wanting to get into the contest at Pauls Valley. He wants me to call for him and I'll carry my 835 mossy with some #4 buck for up close. I have seen bobcat all season but only a few coyotes when hunting. I see the coyotes lately midday out in the meadows.The handgunning for deer is still possible. I carried my 4 5/8" .44 Super Blackhawk yesterday during the antlerless gun hunt. The deer were there, but the wind was constantly changing before the front. I got winded from two different directions and finally got down about 10:00. Next weekend is another gun weekend so I'll try it again before I hang um up for the year. I may take out the longbow for a final spin but the kids want to get in some duck hunting before season ends. Too much going on for the rest of the season too do it all.
The hoghunting and trout fishing is on after the seasons end for the other animals.

[Specklebelly]

I see the coyotes lately midday

I have seen two this week in completely different parts of the state.  Both appeared very skinny and "scroungy" looking.  It might just be a random occurance but I wondered if they are having health problems in our state.

[Old Fart]

Genrally speaking the coyotes are kind of scroungy looking. When they have been eating well they tend to look a little better. Those that move around much during the mid day are feeling more pressure to get out to eat. Although they tend to move around most anytime anyway. As far as any health problems not that I've heard of. There's always a few really poor looking ones running around. They face quite a  bit competetion amoung themselves for food. So if the population in any given area swells they kind of take care of it naturally.

As for handgun hunting I used to always carry a revolver with me for any up close opportunities. I got a nice 12 point with my 629 out west north of the black kettle area about 15 years ago. He came out of nowehre and all I could draw on him was the pistol. Dropped him in his track at about 15 yards. If I didn't have the handgun I might not of got a chance to shot as he came out straight in front of me from a draw. Much more movement and he would have certainly seen me.

My buddies and me went hog hunting in the Arbuckles mountians a few years back. It is quite a bit of fun. Those crazy suckers will come after you. I still laugh when I think of that hunt. None of us really were all that close to any, but my bud and me had a couple of the city boys worried. They were looking for high ground most of the day. I should be ashamed, but we were just kidding with them. We did manage to get three, which was all we really wanted.

Just the idle ramblings of an old fart.......

[TwoSeventy]

I have a coyote hunt planned for the middle of January with a buddy. He is wanting to get into the contest at Pauls Valley. He wants me to call for him and I'll carry my 835 mossy with some #4 buck for up close.

Deernhog,

You may want to check the Oklahoma hunting regulations. Unless things have changed very recently, you will be limited to no larger than BB shot in the shotgun for hunting in Oklahoma.

[deernhog]

My bad meant #4 bird ,too many buck carried in my pocket during the LE days. It would be great to use buckshot though, 27 of those 22 cal pellets in a tight little group would make for a better head shot than  1 1/2 oz of that shot. I have some 3 1/2" mag loads but who wants that kind of punishment setting back against a tree.

[TwoSeventy]

Lead BB works quite well on the coyotes. I've had good luck finding it at Sportsman's Warehouse. Federal 3" lead BB is about $27/box of 25.

IMO, it works just as good as the HD stuff at about a third the cost.

[deernhog]

I have bucket full of #4 magnum loads that I will use up first. Hopefully my partner will take care of biz before I have to throw down with the Mossy.

[Specklebelly]

Hopefully my partner will take care of biz before I have to throw down with the Mossy.

Deernhog - You must be an NEF guy.  Me too.   

[deernhog]

I luv the NEF's and have a few. I was talking about my buddy with his .22-250. He is dying to wring out a few rounds on a coyote.   I have a custom 19" scoped turkey gun made on a NEF12 ga and a 12ga USH. I also have a 16ga and .410/.44 cal which are over 85years old. I still hunt with the .410. The 16 ga wants to shoot before you are ready sometimes so it got parked.

[mattmillerrx]

I got to go this yesterday.  I called a hawk in in just a min or so and am pretty sure I had a coyote moving is a a feild full of deer 3-400 yards away cleared at one point but must have got busted as I never saw anything.  I think next time I will try some kind of decoy to help bring them in.

[deernhog]

I used a blk and brown stuffed gorilla to call in a coyote but he was coming in hot before he ever got close to the stuffed animal so I don't know it helped or was just there when he called in.

[mattmillerrx]

I struck out again last weekend.  The calls are working, I am getting hawks called in every location.  I will try again next time.

The quail hunting made up for it though, we got into a lot of birds.

[deernhog]

A quail what the hell is that a vice president  or something. I vaguely remember those little fellars from my youth when everyone had a dog and down feathers were always floating around in the back yard from cleaning them.   
 Remember when calling that patience is as important as your calling and shooting skills.  When you have waited as long as you can, wait five more minutes being as still as you can. Stillness is important I have had a bobcat crawl up next to my leg using me for over when he was stalking my turkey decoy. Neither one of us got a turkey after I jumped and ran one way and him the other.