Originally Posted By: Rhino20Do I need scent lock clothing or spray?
Welcome to the insanity. So far so good. You have a rifle and you're on PM so you're off to a good start. Now get ready for the grind.
Many new predator hunters expect instant success. That rarely happens unless you are fortunate enough to have an experienced caller take you out. My advice, get ready for a bit of frustration. Things rarely go the way you envision them when you are getting started.
Get to the range. You need to be intimately familiar with your rifle. You need to shoot it at any possible realistic range that you may encounter a coyote at. I started predator hunting with an M4. Why? Because I used it in 3 gun competitions and I knew it like the back of my hand, at least as far as 3 gun was concerned. I had a bit more to learn when it came to using it for coyote hunting. Just because I had it "zeroed" for a given range didn't mean that the coyotes cooperated. My first predator did a run through the stand and didn't stop long enough for me to get a shot. Then they would be too close or too far.
Learn YOUR predators. Predators in most states share some behavioral similarities but they also have distinct differences. Here in AZ our coyotes seem to like to take a look at the source of the sound from the downwind side. But they don't always approach that way. Many times they take a look then disappear only to reappear trying to make their approach from the side or even slightly behind the caller. So I set up with the wind across one shoulder or the other, so that I can see downwind and I place my caller out 50-100 yards if I am hunting with a rifle or maybe 30-50 if I am running a shotgun.
Don't waste your time with scent blockers. Scent comes from bacteria and dead skin cells. Yes, you might kill off some bacteria but you're not going to be able to get them all. "Playing the wind" is a much more successful technique. Don't run around your stand stinking up the joint. Go out, set your call, go straight back, watch the wind.
As far as other gear, that's going to be something that you are going to pick up over time. It is VERY subjective. I spent WAYYYYYYY too much money chasing coyotes with the all mighty dollar. I have had sticks and bipods of every conceivable shape, size, make, model, color. Ultimately I figured out what I like, which is maximum versatility with minimal equipment. I used Primos Bipod sticks for many, many years because they telescope before buying my tripod from Tom Austin over at Night Goggles. It is going to depend a lot on how you set up your stands as to what gear will work best. I sit on a stool, so bipods are great, for a rifle kickstand. Completely unusable from my stool. So I dumped the rifle mounted bipods in favor of taller sticks.
As far as a caller is concerned, buy once cry once. I tried many different callers from many manufacturers over the years. Ultimately, I saved my lunch money and bought a FoxPro and haven't looked back. My original FoxPro lasted 13 years and helped me put a lot of fur down. I like their ease of use, remotes, sound choices, etc. I'm not going to throw stones at other call manufacturers, if they work for other guys, awesome.
A big part of getting started is to just get out there and do it. Don't worry about getting "ALL" your gear before you get out. GO. Get out, give it a try. I started by just grabbing my gun and heading out to areas and see/hear what was going on. Don't waste a lot of time trying to get everything just right. Watching videos is fun, but what works for one guy may not work for you. I see a lot of guys telling me that they are going to get out once they get all their gear. Translation: They're never getting out there. Those that want to do, do. Those who don't, make excuses.
While you are out there, be observant. I used to sit and watch fields and I would see coyotes there at certain times. I would see what they were doing. For example, when they are out cutting the fields I always would see coyotes sitting on the edges, waiting. Once the machinery moved on, the coyotes would begin to zig zag in the fields. They were looking for mice, rabbits and birds that may have been victims of the machinery. So now, I watch the fields to judge when they might get cut so that I can be in the area to nail an opportunistic coyote.
But this is a learning game. You need to be in it for the long haul. I see a lot of guys wanting to try their hand at it, but they don't last. They think that because they see Big Al Morris or Tom Austin stackin up a truck load of coyotes just by pushing play on their FoxPro that they will too. They go out a couple of times and get skunked then they throw their gear up on EBay. For me, learning and getting better are a big part of the fun.
Good luck and good hunting.
