is 59 too old to start predator hunting

blood and guts

New member
hi i am retired and love to hunt.i have hunted deer and small game since i was 12 years old.but i cant get around as good as i used to.so i decided to try predator and varmint hunting.i just bought a savage 12flv 22-250 and a nef 223.i live on the ny pa line in hancock,ny.it is all mountains.but i have seen coyotes while hunting deer here.i have not shot either gun yet and would like to know what yardage i should zero the rifles in at. thanks
 
heck no your not to old...I am 58 and I have two bad knees and am suppose to have total knee replacements but they dont want to do them because I am to young...I guess they only last 10 years and they dont want to do them twice....

I love to hunt and I go out and find a place to sit and call and just enjoy the outdoors...If you can move do it....

When I sight my rifles in I do it at 100 yds and I get them to shoot about 1 high at 100yds that way at 200 you should be close to right on........good luck.....stump... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
B&G, my next door neighbor was born in 1925, worked as a govt trapper, & called and hunted coyotes with me until 2 years ago. He had a heart attack, and may just now be recovered enough to go out. I haven't asked in a while - I need to!! He's great!!
PS I'm 51, my son's 25, and we both love hunting with Vic.
What are the typical ranges, and max ranges you commonly expect to shoot at?
Mark
 
I hunted yotes thirty years ago and then started to them again when I turned 64 a couple of years ago. I'm not the best caller but I do have fun. Go for it!
 
blood and guts,
When compared to small game hunting or deer hunting, this predator calling thing can be a lazy man's sport. If you call the way I do, you drive fairly close to your chosen calling place and take your time walking over there. Then you sit down with butt on a cushion and back against a tree or rock. Then you sit real still for twenty minutes or so while calling. Then you take your time walking back to the truck, drive at least a mile to next location and do it again. If you feel like a nap in the truck before moving to next stand, nobody gives a dang. I guess you can tell that I do most of my calling alone. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
That's the beauty of predator calling, you call them to you. Heck no you're not too old. I can't think of a less physically demanding type of hunting, short of shooting prarie dogs off the hood of the truck!

You drive to a good spot, walk far enough to get the truck out of sight, and call. I once raced up the side of a small hill to call, trying to beat the incomming downpour and get one last stand in. Parked just below the crest of the hill, got out, dropped over the other side and planted my butt under a cedar. She came in after 20 minutes of calling. Shot her 30 yards from the truck.

The secret is scouting the area beforehand. Find the good areas to call, where you actually want to sit and call from. From there, go as far as you need to be out of site of your "stand", and that is your parking spot the next time you come through to call, the next day, or weeks later.

I spent all last summer with my 10 year old hunting by doing this. First 3 or 4 stands in the morning, then the "too hot to call" mid day hours were spent mapping out the evening (and the next morning's) stands and parking spaces. Then 3 or 4 more stands towards evening.

You can move quickly from stand to stand doing this, it requires little walking, and is very productive. I know guys who don't scout during non hunting hours, and hunt all day, and they might get a couple more stands in than me. They're also less productive as the best hunting hours are spent searching for places to park, and hunt, instead of using usually non-productive hours to do it.

The scouting is important though, otherwise you could end up walking a ways searching for places to call from once you park. Topo maps help alot.
 
Blood and Guts, I'm with my OLD buddy Rich Cronk, j/k Rich lol. Predator hunting is not all that hard on the old body. Heck, all you got to do is walk a few feet sit down call and wait. As for mountians, you guys don't have anything on us, we got some too. Call em to you, don't go to them. I'd be dead if I had to go up Mt.Whitney to call coyotes lol. Hey buddy, you're never to old to start enjoying what God gave you, Good Luck.
 
Yeah heck, we wouldn't have had coyotes if Danny wouldn't have been contracted by Noah to call them to the Ark! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Todd
 
Yep you are definitely too old!! If you want to sell those rifles, real cheap since they aren't trained yet, I'll take 'em off your hands. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

There is nothing easier than calling coyotes. Just listen to these guys .Drive to where you want to hunt, walk a short ways, call the coyote, kill him and then try to remember where the heck you parked the darn truck. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif I use my remote start to find mine, works great. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Get out and heve some fun. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Blood & Guts,
I'm 60 and I find that when you get a little older you hunt more efficiently and smarter.
Like the Old bull and Young bull in the pasture talking and watching about 20 cows in the field. The young bull says, lets run down there and service one of them cows...and the old bull says, "Why don't we walk down there and service them all> See my point
 
B&G My dad is 57 and has had a heart attack and has been shot with a 308 and almost lost his leg in that terrible accident, he also has had knee surgery. He has just bought a new Rem 223 and is planning to go with me this week. What I am trying to say is I expect to see you posting some pics of a coyote that you just killed. Get out there and lay the smack down on some yotes. B&G are you still sitting there go now stop reading this and get out there.
 
i would thank all of you for your good info.i guess i will have to buy a good elec. caller.i was wondering if power lines would be a good spot to set up.it goes about 20 miles without crossing a road.i will have to get my old jeep ready for the fall.predator season is closed till oct. thanks again
 
Blood and guts,

Predator calling is just the ticket for us old timers. In my younger days I ran hounds on tree game, until the legs and the knees gave out. Now I’m 65, and I don’t climb those mountains like I used to. These days I use Airedales for a fast catch on game other than coyotes. Call the critters to me, and put a dog on them. Remember, lot of thing besides coyotes come to the call! Get out there and have some fun.
 
B&G
There is no such thing as too old or to young i'm
70 years old and have as much fun calling now as i did 55 years ogo. I started my son trapping and calling when he was 4 years old, Now he is teaching his son's. I have had both knees replaced
plus a bunch more and i'm still having a ball.
Take care, keep your powder dry. Joe

Rich if you read this post, I want to thank you for the howler and call they work great,,,
Joe in new mexico,, thanks
 
Blood & Guts.......First off I ain't gonna tell you, your as young as you feel....that's BS in a big crock OK.

I will tell you that you can get as much satisfaction out of predator or varmint hunting as hunting any other type of big game animal and trust me, I have hunted plenty of those also.

I say jump in with both feet and don't look back, cause those that hesitate are soon lost in the shuffel. Learn the ropes (there are plenty of guys around here that will lend a helping hand) and you will learn it is just as much fun and every bit as challenging as waiting on a big 6 x 6 to step out of the dark timber for that all important shot.

All I can say is don't WAIT~!!! There are NO gurantees in this world....So live every day like your last and you won't end up saying: "Gee I wish I would have done this or that" I am your age and a very Positive Thinker. So you think POSITITVE TOO.
TONK~!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I plan on hunting coyotes when I am 99!!!!

So if you are like me, you have a good long time to practice up!!!!

GO HAVE FUN!!!!

I would not jump in and get all sophisticated on this 'ote thing right away!!!

Your choice on guns is very good. Just get a good prey distress call and a good howler. Practice!!

Now, I am a big fan of e-calls. I just bought a home-made MP3/Azden wireless outfit. Let me tell you, IT WORKS.

The trouble with jumping in financially too big too soon, it that you might not like it. Also, trying to outsmart old freddie with money allows him to get the last laugh on you.

Money spent on a couple of good mouth calls is well spent. YOU WILL ALWAYS NEED MOUTH CALLS!!! ........ always!

I think that to really learn the basics you need to look old freddie in the eye the best way to do that is with a mouth call! The little nuances that you come away from calling directly to you will keep you in good stead. Lessons learned will give you satisfaction and added knowledge that you can apply to e-calling!

Enjoy!

Mark
 
Originally posted by blood and guts:
[qb]i have not shot either gun yet and would like to know what yardage i should zero the rifles in at. thanks[/qb]
I shoot a 22-250 with 55 grain bullets. I sight in 1 1/2" high at 100 yards.
 
I retired at age 62 and now 68 years. Had a knee,cancer,and herina cut on since retiring. You may have to move slower as you age, some parts may hurt as you move ,but go for it. Sitting around the house is a pain in the rear end. My son told me last week that hes getting me a little Honda trail moter cycle to get around on. Have fun even if it hurts.
 
The best starting age of a predator hunter is inversely proportionate to his income. If you're a wealthy old guy, then you're in good shape. You see, an old wealthy guy doesn't need the extra years to earn all the money that it takes us younger folks to accumulate all of the guns, calls, seats, camo, scents, decoys, e-callers, vehicles, reloading equipment, 2nd and 3rd divorces and everything else that comes with this freaking addiction.

So, bottom line, if you're financially stable enough to accommodate all the the overhead without amortizing it over half a lifetime, then you're good to go. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif hehe..
 
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