Calling Contests

[kctibs]

Who has or would like to enter coyote calling contests? What part of the country are you in and how are the rules? What are the classes of competiton? I been thinking about maybe entering a few mostly just for the enjoyment of calling and shooting yotes. I do pretty well calling just calling on my own and I am sure the competition is tough and taken very seriously. But it looks fun and challanging. What are your thoughts.

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  kc, Near here in this county there are several calling contests each fall...I think in Nov..I never entered, I know the folks who run the contests...one is a call maker, the other a retired guide...both friends of mine, but there are two contests because these two dislike each other...However, for me, hunting contests are a sore spot....anykind...I don't mean to dampen your enjoyment, if you like 'em do it...but trophy contests for big game like B & C. have lead to the tying up of thousands of acers of land that used to be open to hunting so an elite few can hunt for trophy bucks...as far a coyotes contests...before the contests, we are able to hunt coyotes here, and see dogs everyday...when the contest is over...you don't see them for weeks...to me, an this is personal, hunting should not be a contest of who killed the most, the biggest, etc. it should be something personal between the hunter and the game...shooting contests at clays, steel targets are super, but killing a bunch of animals to win a contest is a sour taste for me...One of my pals is one of the constant winners in these deals, and he is good...I guess this is something that has been bothering me for many years the idea of competion between hunters for trophy game or what have you...hunting should be a personal thing between hunters and the game they are after...

[Ladobe]

Ditto on the personal choice.   For all the obvious reasons (and the list is long), mine is that I am dead set against them, and I have zero respect for anybody who participates in them.   

[calling4life]

You shouldn't lose respect for someone because of that, it is their life, they choose to live it how they see best fit.  It isn't for us to decide how or what someone else should do.  So dislike the idea of contests, what they may take away from, and what they stand for, but please don't take it out on our fellow hunters.  After all, they are just doing what they love to do, and competition is human nature, plus it is nice to see, when given equal circumstances, just what you are capable of, whether you win or not shouldn't really matter, but finding a new level in yourself is a great payoff in doing a contest.

I've never done one though, and that shall be all the "Zen" from me today.   

[Ladobe]

"It isn't for us to decide how or what someone else should do."

And by your own definition it isn't for you to decide what my choice should or should not be on the topic.    It is my personal choice.

If I don't respect a man's ethics, I can't respect the man.   I stand by what I said.

[kctibs]

These are all great points and some new things to consider and think about. I don't know if I like calling contests or not as I have never did one. I do consider myself an ethical hunter but when I do call for just myself I do pride myself on being the most succesful as I can on any particular day. Just like most coyote hunters probably do. So that is what got me thinking of contests. Is it competive? Sure it is probably to the point where people go overboard. Is their incenitives? I suppose most offer prizes or money, which money would be the same incenitive as hunting or trapping furbearers for money. Both allow you as a outdoors man to be outdoors doing what you enjoy. Like I stated in my first post I would do for the enjoyment and a sport I love to do.
As far as the decrease in numbers after a contest that sure could be. I guess the one done around here there is no limit as how far you can travel so as long as you can be back at a certain time. Also I sure the local ranchers with livestock in any area don't mind the decrease in predators even for just a short time.

Wyo coyote hunter you do make a good point on land being tied up just for a select few for trophies and it just might spread for contests also. Which I don't agree with either.

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

KC, now it is just not game...one of the big ranches is charging $275/day to hunt varmits... 10 years ago, I hunted that ranch AT THE REQUEST OF THE MANAGER!!!!!! he passed on, and his son took over, the rest is history....

[kctibs]

Wyo coyote hunter
Here in Colorado I hear more and more landowners want to sell hunting leases like in Texas. Luckly we have huge amounts of public land which is where I do all my big game hunting. I do have some private land for varmits by simply by asking permission.

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

   KC, enjoy, some rich  sob will least it soon....we have guides leasing ranches here for "hunters" to come shoot coyotes...pretty sad...

[oldandslow]

I have no problem with calling contests but I am not interested in entering one. I hunt for the pleasure of being out in the boonies by myself and seeing if I can outwit Ol' Smiley. Paying an entrance fee and trying to win would just turn the experience into work and take the enjoyment out of everything for me. If I were in a contest I would be running from one stand to another and that would turn it into WORK. Work is no FUN anymore. 

I'm fortunate that there are thousands and thousands of acres of BLM and state land available here to hunt. Lots of roads because of the oil industry but there is still a lot of road free land. Very few people about, especially on weekends. You might see a pumper or two during the day and that's about it. I have never even ran into a grazing lease holder that bother to ask me what I was doing. The state finally gave the lease holders the power to chase you off if it isn't a licensed season but I've never had one do it. They don't like coyotes either. In fact I had one tell me that the state charges ranchers a predator control tax but he has never even seen the state hunter for this area.