What will be new this year?

DesertRam

Director
Staff member
A year or two ago I posed a question to the masses - what are you going to do different this year? The responses were very interesting to me, so I want to ask it again. So, what will you do different this calling season? What new strategy or technique will you employ? What new gadget or gizmo do you want to try out?

I'll start. At the end of last season, I had a great afternoon of calling using some of my custom hand calls. I had gotten wrapped up in the world of ecallers and forgot just how much fun using a mouth-blown call is. So, this season I plan to hit more stands in terrain suitable for mouth calls and shotguns. I want to bring those coyotes (and hopefully cats or foxes or whatever) in nice and close. I want to see the expressions on their faces when they know they've been duped by a stupid old human. I want to recover my fur at 10s of yards rather than 100s. I want to put a fire-breathing predator into my partner's (or kid's) lap. I want to put as many of my 100+ custom calls to use as possible this fall and winter.

So, what's it gonna be? What are YOU going to do this year to improve your success and increase your enjoyment of this great sport?
 
Good question that crosses my mind too.
I am also in favor of handcalls most of the time.
Of all things possible I would like to get my numbers up a bit, maybe by starting earlier.
And I have been dreaming of some way to get away from the truck in all weather situations. The last time that happened I had to be rescued. Then everybody knows where I'm hunting!
 
Just the opposite for me, I've almost always looked for them at in your face ranges, heavily using short range rifle, combo(rifle/shotgun) and drillings(rifle/shotgun/shotgun). This year I've put together a longer range set up 20P, 40gr Nosler BT's, 2-12x40mm scope and a Death Grip tripod.

I hope to get in more extended boat hunts and have put together a lightweight camp in a small package to toss in the boat or canoe. It also fits on my MC for stay out on the desert hunts where I want to be out there at first light without having to get up in the middle of the night, I'm not a dark-thirty riser. You know get up and make a couple close to camp stands make breakfast pull camp and move to a new area.
 
This season I need to force myself to get out and go predator calling more often while I am able to do it.

I am planning on carrying my Tikka T3 223AI this season because it is much lighter than my 22-250 and 243 Win.
 
I'm going to try a 12g copper slug on a coyote. Because California. I know it's environmentally friendly, now I want to see if it's fur friendly.
50334750441_fe23865119_z.jpg
 
I am gonna focus on stand set up mostly. And work on walking away from stands when the wind isn’t right.
I’m newer to this Predator hunting deal , I’m learning lots from reading here and time in the field.

If I could just learn to speak Coyote now. Cheers everyone
 
Haven't been hunting coyotes much in the last 6-7 yrs,so I need to change that!
Also have to concentrate on new stands as all my old ones don't look like they use to (Grown up)
so, I have alot of scouting to do for new setups..I've always been a hand call hunter when it comes to coyote! But I prefer the J.S grim e-caller for cats. Gonna have to concentrate more on them this yr as well.

Good luck to all with your new endeavors!
 
I went and purchased a M.F.K. diaphragm rabbit distress and spent a few days learning how to use it. I spent the first efforts choking like a teen schoolgirl learning other arts. Now I think I sound like Torry and I'm ready to turn it loose on the local yotes. I'm going to use my Syco tweety more, also my Tally Ho. I might just use more open reed calls period. Other than that... I'm good to go. Oh yes, and I finished and zeroed my new custom AR in 204 Ruger. It is an extremely accurate rifle. Tonight is going to be the first night out with it topped with the XQ50 Trail. Hoping it's a good year for all.
 
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Being as Covid has had us locked down since March, have had time to finish up a suitable replacement for my old favorite coyote rifle. Tried a Scout some last year and it did pretty fair. It was short and accurate enough but lacked the quick followup that had made the AR a perfect fit for the job.

Late last year, picked up a BAR DBM in .308. Short, light and semi-auto but the rifle was too long for me. Couldn't mount scope for proper eye relief, caused problems developing an accurate load. Cut 1/2" off stock and changed scope to enable moving back for proper eye relief.

48694289556_3beb28892a_z.jpg


Worked up a promising load w/110 gr Varmageddons, but kept getting two separate POI in every 5-6 shot group. Would shoot a nice cloverleaf but throw one or more fliers out at 10-11 o'clock. Even though the groups weren't what I wanted yet, did manage to get in one one hunt before the virus hit, took the first double for the new rifle, showing promise.
49906216206_98e56be236_n.jpg

Pretty sure this was due to shooter error since low comb provided no cheek weld, so had adjustable cheek piece installed.
49906519807_48899307e2_z.jpg

Fits like a glove now, but since our local counties have the highest Covid infection/death rate in TX, haven't been able to get to the range to prove my theory.

Got bored last week and spent a couple afternoons putting on some makeup.
Two coats Khaki Krylon, sponged on Olive and Brown
50327598733_47675fc9b7_n.jpg
50327596878_8da1ef51de_n.jpg

Three coats of clear coat and good to go.
50328441537_b44627fb90_z.jpg

Hope to get it to the range soon and start the new year out right, if this pandammit ever lets up.

Regards,
hm
 
I might try to get out more. KS just passed a bill to allow lights, NV and thermal. Albeit for only 3 months. I normally have other objectives after dark but the 7 almost 8yr old heard about this night hunting and won't stop asking me about it. Main goal is to kill more than the 3 I shot last year of which only one was called in.
 
since moving back to Nm last year i have been too busy to do much hunting between the new job, the kiddos growing up and building a new house it has been a busy 10 months. Now that everything has settled down i plan on hitting it hard again like i did a few years ago when we had a fun fall and winter. my main objective this year is to explore new land on certain sides of the state where i have never called before. i would also like to target bobcats more this season, i have never tried a weekend of cat calling only. we usually take 3-5 cats a year but they are just surprises on a coyote stand but i would really like to scout for cats more and do a weekend of cats only, passing on coyotes and fox and see how many we could get. i think it would be an interesting experience and i would probably learn a lot from it.
 
Originally Posted By: hm1996Being as Covid has had us locked down since March, have had time to finish up a suitable replacement for my old favorite coyote rifle. Tried a Scout some last year and it did pretty fair. It was short and accurate enough but lacked the quick followup that had made the AR a perfect fit for the job.

Late last year, picked up a BAR DBM in .308. Short, light and semi-auto but the rifle was too long for me. Couldn't mount scope for proper eye relief, caused problems developing an accurate load. Cut 1/2" off stock and changed scope to enable moving back for proper eye relief.

48694289556_3beb28892a_z.jpg


Worked up a promising load w/110 gr Varmageddons, but kept getting two separate POI in every 5-6 shot group. Would shoot a nice cloverleaf but throw one or more fliers out at 10-11 o'clock. Even though the groups weren't what I wanted yet, did manage to get in one one hunt before the virus hit, took the first double for the new rifle, showing promise.
49906216206_98e56be236_n.jpg

Pretty sure this was due to shooter error since low comb provided no cheek weld, so had adjustable cheek piece installed.
49906519807_48899307e2_z.jpg

Fits like a glove now, but since our local counties have the highest Covid infection/death rate in TX, haven't been able to get to the range to prove my theory.

Got bored last week and spent a couple afternoons putting on some makeup.
Two coats Khaki Krylon, sponged on Olive and Brown
50327598733_47675fc9b7_n.jpg
50327596878_8da1ef51de_n.jpg

Three coats of clear coat and good to go.
50328441537_b44627fb90_z.jpg

Hope to get it to the range soon and start the new year out right, if this pandammit ever lets up.

Regards,
hm


Nice looking work there, wonder how the trigger is and bet the coyotes wonder if they stand a better chance!
 
Not the best trigger in the world, Mark. More creep than I like, certainly not as good as the Timney I had on the AR. Not sure what a good smith can do for it but will probably have it looked into.

Regards,
Clarence
 
I've really enjoyed night calling with lights the past half dozen years or more. Started with hand calls, then picked up a little foxpro. This year I'm trying out one of these new "Super Hogster"s and stepping it up from a 22 hornet to my 222 rem for the bulk of my calling, with an option to switch this new thermal over to my Tikka 243 with it's EGW rail I already have on there shooting 87 v-max's or if I take it on a wild bore hunt, 95CT's probably. I also hope to push myself to get out there more in the day time but we'll see, that may turn into just setting up earlier in the evenings before it's all the way dark. I'm kind of expecting to be more mobile with this new setup, so that may drive me back in the direction of doing more hand calling again - not sure. Looking forward to the new season though, that's for sure!
 
Just to get out a little more. Gonna try to work up some new 17-204 loads with RL17. First blood with a Stevens 22-250ai and would really like to teach myself shotgun loading and try some TSS shot.

I’ll be doing well to knock one of these off the list. Life has gotten busy with kiddos.
 
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