Arizona Bushman
New member
Over the last few months I have been contemplating new personal challenges to take my predator hunting experience to a different level. Undoubtedly, I decided that I wanted to take Arizona’s three most prevalent predator species with an unmodified Wal-Mart grade shot gun shooting 2 ¾ inch shells. The task of getting a coyote, bobcat and grey fox within 30 yards and placing a clean kill shot seemed like a tall order at first, but I was motivated to make it happen and here is how it all went down in less than nine days from start to finish.
First on the hit list was the Coyote. No offense to guys who hunt primarily cats or fox, but the coyote was first on my list because in my opinion the coyote was going to provide the greatest challenge for what I was trying to accomplish. I felt that getting a coyote first and foremost would increase my confidence with the $200, un-choked shotgun.
The first stand of the First Annual Bushman Triple-Crown greeted me with a 45 minute delay due to rain showers. Just as the rain drops stopped falling on my head, I threw out a few Coyote Challenge barks on the Fox Pro Wild Fire and began blaring DSG Cottontail on full volume. Less than five minutes in and a fat female coyote trotted right beside me and stopped a few yards out. I methodically rotated towards her with the trusty Maverick 88 and dropped the dog in her tracks.
Exactly a week later and after 30-35 blank stands (Yes I have a full time job) I was calling an area with lots of fox sign and hoping to bag my first grey fox with the shot gun. When then, I was treated to a welcome surprise. A nice sized bobcat was making its way towards me in the 100 plus degree day. I let the call continue playing Hairy Woodpecker for 12 agonizing minutes in the heat and humidity. My eyes were filled with sweat and a colony of mosquitos had formed a buffet on the back of my neck and the side of my face. Patience and persistence paid off, what seemed like hours later the bobcat was slowly crossing directly in front of me and took a seat right under my call. The 12 gauge was absolutely relentless and dropped the cat without even a twitch.
Two days later I was routinely scouting for new areas to hunt when I came across an older gentleman repairing a fence. I stopped the truck to introduce myself and stated my intentions near the man’s property. When I told the guy that I was hunting fox his eyes lit up and he began explaining how he had lost all of his chickens and favorite cat recently due to what he called “a fox problem”. Bingo Bango!!! I thought. The man opened up a locked fence and let me come in with no further questions. I drove to the edge of the fence line and set up my stand in a rocky creek. I began calling with chicken distress and would switch over to fox fight every minute or so. Less than ten minutes later I had a pretty little fox trot about fifteen feet to my twelve-o-clock like she owned the [beeep] place! I started leading her and squeezed the trigger. Fox down and my first Triple-Crown victory!!!
First on the hit list was the Coyote. No offense to guys who hunt primarily cats or fox, but the coyote was first on my list because in my opinion the coyote was going to provide the greatest challenge for what I was trying to accomplish. I felt that getting a coyote first and foremost would increase my confidence with the $200, un-choked shotgun.
The first stand of the First Annual Bushman Triple-Crown greeted me with a 45 minute delay due to rain showers. Just as the rain drops stopped falling on my head, I threw out a few Coyote Challenge barks on the Fox Pro Wild Fire and began blaring DSG Cottontail on full volume. Less than five minutes in and a fat female coyote trotted right beside me and stopped a few yards out. I methodically rotated towards her with the trusty Maverick 88 and dropped the dog in her tracks.
Exactly a week later and after 30-35 blank stands (Yes I have a full time job) I was calling an area with lots of fox sign and hoping to bag my first grey fox with the shot gun. When then, I was treated to a welcome surprise. A nice sized bobcat was making its way towards me in the 100 plus degree day. I let the call continue playing Hairy Woodpecker for 12 agonizing minutes in the heat and humidity. My eyes were filled with sweat and a colony of mosquitos had formed a buffet on the back of my neck and the side of my face. Patience and persistence paid off, what seemed like hours later the bobcat was slowly crossing directly in front of me and took a seat right under my call. The 12 gauge was absolutely relentless and dropped the cat without even a twitch.
Two days later I was routinely scouting for new areas to hunt when I came across an older gentleman repairing a fence. I stopped the truck to introduce myself and stated my intentions near the man’s property. When I told the guy that I was hunting fox his eyes lit up and he began explaining how he had lost all of his chickens and favorite cat recently due to what he called “a fox problem”. Bingo Bango!!! I thought. The man opened up a locked fence and let me come in with no further questions. I drove to the edge of the fence line and set up my stand in a rocky creek. I began calling with chicken distress and would switch over to fox fight every minute or so. Less than ten minutes later I had a pretty little fox trot about fifteen feet to my twelve-o-clock like she owned the [beeep] place! I started leading her and squeezed the trigger. Fox down and my first Triple-Crown victory!!!
