HARD_TIMES
New member
Need some help on hunting really thick cover.
THICK cover
- Thread starter HARD_TIMES
- Start date
rainshadow1
Custom Call Maker
Steve Criner wrote an article awhile back about standing up with a shotgun. It's a REALLY good idea.
HARD_TIMES
New member
I read that article in PX I live in south Mississippi after Katrina our woods are a mess. I had forgotten about that article I'll have to reread it thanks for the thought.
GC
Well-known member
Have you read through this thread...? If not, you will find some really good advise tucked away in here.
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/ubb...e=0&fpart=1
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/ubb...e=0&fpart=1
Thick Cover..ugh!
Just like here in Wa. State on the West Side? Ya, thats what I have to hunt in at times, myself. Sometimes I get lucky and find nice open fields.
A few things about the thick woods, is that they can be 50 yards away, or 5 miles away. Its hard to tell. I usually try and find signs of trails, footprints, scat. I spend lots of time scouting an area, looking for signs.
If it gets too thick, then I try and call them out to a small area, open field, or even a trail. Here in Wa. State, we have lots of logging roads, and I have called them out of the thick stuff onto these roads.
Sneak in, be quite, take your time, find a place to call them out into the open. When you do take cover, try and setup that you can swing your rifle around and cover as much area as you can. They can come from many directions.
If you can't find them, then try locating them at night, and come back to that area latter during the day, and try again. Here in Wa. State, and I am sure elsewhere, they have many hunting grounds. Farms, houses, parks,,etc. Them come down at night, and even during the day and hunt these areas, then in the morning, they head back out into the woods. Far, far away.
They are like ghost out here. I've been luck to catch a few. But in the thick stuff, they can see and smell you way before we can get a glimpse of them.
Good luck
Lastcat
Just like here in Wa. State on the West Side? Ya, thats what I have to hunt in at times, myself. Sometimes I get lucky and find nice open fields.
A few things about the thick woods, is that they can be 50 yards away, or 5 miles away. Its hard to tell. I usually try and find signs of trails, footprints, scat. I spend lots of time scouting an area, looking for signs.
If it gets too thick, then I try and call them out to a small area, open field, or even a trail. Here in Wa. State, we have lots of logging roads, and I have called them out of the thick stuff onto these roads.
Sneak in, be quite, take your time, find a place to call them out into the open. When you do take cover, try and setup that you can swing your rifle around and cover as much area as you can. They can come from many directions.
If you can't find them, then try locating them at night, and come back to that area latter during the day, and try again. Here in Wa. State, and I am sure elsewhere, they have many hunting grounds. Farms, houses, parks,,etc. Them come down at night, and even during the day and hunt these areas, then in the morning, they head back out into the woods. Far, far away.
They are like ghost out here. I've been luck to catch a few. But in the thick stuff, they can see and smell you way before we can get a glimpse of them.
Good luck
Lastcat
Rich Cronk
New member
HARD_TIMES ,
Southern Mississippi huh? I do believe you are talking about REALLY thick cover. You have to be able to see em before you can shoot em. If you can find a few small clearings to call, and can get your hands on a remote controlled E caller, your chances will get better. A tree stand placed 10 feet or so above the ground would really help you see the critters when they come.
Southern Mississippi huh? I do believe you are talking about REALLY thick cover. You have to be able to see em before you can shoot em. If you can find a few small clearings to call, and can get your hands on a remote controlled E caller, your chances will get better. A tree stand placed 10 feet or so above the ground would really help you see the critters when they come.
HARD_TIMES
New member
Rich, you'r right about thick. The treestand will work but will it be to noisy. a ladder stand would be hard to move from place to place. what stand would you recomend?
Rich Cronk
New member
HARD_TIMES,
If you are hunting on private property, I would recommend asking the owner if it would be ok to build a few permanent stands at least a mile apart. I used to build these stands for hunting deer with a bow. They also worked fairly well for calling coyotes with hand calls. Later on, I started building my own portable stands. The portable stands were made of angle iron, with 5/8" plywood platform. They were adjustable for leveling on leaning trees, and equipped with comfy seat. My last two tree stands were ladder type, and I built them out of galvanized electrical conduit. Back in the 60,s, I made my living as a welder, so building stuff is still second nature to me.
If you are hunting on private property, I would recommend asking the owner if it would be ok to build a few permanent stands at least a mile apart. I used to build these stands for hunting deer with a bow. They also worked fairly well for calling coyotes with hand calls. Later on, I started building my own portable stands. The portable stands were made of angle iron, with 5/8" plywood platform. They were adjustable for leveling on leaning trees, and equipped with comfy seat. My last two tree stands were ladder type, and I built them out of galvanized electrical conduit. Back in the 60,s, I made my living as a welder, so building stuff is still second nature to me.
HARD_TIMES
New member
I'll have to see what I can come up with
rainshadow1
Custom Call Maker
Thick?
The trail around the tree doesn't count, that's tourists in the Natl Park. But this is the stuff I hunt. You have to find visibility, otherwise it's just listening and guessing what footprints you were hearing!
Treestands are a great alternative with the drawbacks you mentioned.
My plan this year is to incorporate misting and blow heads off with the shotgun from feet, not yards. We'll see if that ups the numbers when the gas prices keep me stuck over here in the Dark Timber!
The trail around the tree doesn't count, that's tourists in the Natl Park. But this is the stuff I hunt. You have to find visibility, otherwise it's just listening and guessing what footprints you were hearing!
Treestands are a great alternative with the drawbacks you mentioned.
My plan this year is to incorporate misting and blow heads off with the shotgun from feet, not yards. We'll see if that ups the numbers when the gas prices keep me stuck over here in the Dark Timber!
HARD_TIMES
New member
that is a nice picture. kind of like what I hunt some of my places are not that thick and some thicker than that, mostly 20 foot pines planted about 6 foot apart with briars head high.I do have a few fields and cutovers but only one or two. I will take pictures if I can figure out how to get them on here.
Rim_Runner
New member
a remote caller and decoy help.
Rich Cronk
New member
HARD_TIMES ,
Try www.photobucket.com
That is the hosting site that I use most of the time. Once you have your photo stored in your computer, photobucket makes it easy to post it on this board.
Try www.photobucket.com
That is the hosting site that I use most of the time. Once you have your photo stored in your computer, photobucket makes it easy to post it on this board.
HARD_TIMES
New member
Thanks
berettaman
New member
Hey Steve, that is some really thick stuff there!!! More open here in Eastern KY.
HARD_TIMES
New member
what kind of decoy should I use?
Rich Cronk
New member
HARD_TIMES ,
You won't really need a decoy in that thick stuff, but a feather tied to a branch above your caller wouldn't hurt. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
You won't really need a decoy in that thick stuff, but a feather tied to a branch above your caller wouldn't hurt. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Rim_Runner
New member
Quote:
what kind of decoy should I use?
I picked up a cat toy from target that has a motor with a few feathers attached to a swing arm. I had a home made one that was very similar and it worked well on coyotes and helped me nail a bobcat.
what kind of decoy should I use?
I picked up a cat toy from target that has a motor with a few feathers attached to a swing arm. I had a home made one that was very similar and it worked well on coyotes and helped me nail a bobcat.
White Eagle
New member
call the edges where possible bring em out to ya or get up in the air in a deer stand w/electronic caller placed on the ground away from you
swampwalker
New member
another thing that may help is to watch and listen more than call. that way its harder for them to get a bead on your position.