Craig,
Thanx for the very warm welcome.
I love the business of photography! It is a rare thing when I get the chance to take "hobby" photos. It sure is hard to "just take" a photo anymore since I do it for a living and normally have to have my images looking good.
The clarity of the images are even better before they go thru the server at PhotoPoint. All images are chemical except for the image with my buddy next to a fallen tree which is a digital shot. Do you have the address for my photopoint albums?
I have to resist the temptation to post larger images. Am thinking about keeping one of my old Nikons with me whenever possible while in the field. Think about the equipment list: JS Caller, Army Satchel, Shaggie and gun(s). Whew, better get the Mtn. bike out soon to lose my winter fat.
I am not one to pose for photos but I needed to see how well I blended.
Thanx for the encouragement about my questions. I've got a barrel full.
"I love it when I meet someone who realizes that the only stupid question is the one you left with unasked."
I occasionally work with photography classes at two local high schools and I always mention that to them.
"There is a saying that goes something like this, How do you get good judgment? well son from experience? well how do you get experience? that son comes from bad judgment!"
LOL.
"I have been thinking about your problem , and looking at your pictures. Here's where I would start to figure this deal out.
Start with scouting, are there significant numbers of targets in the area? "
Haven't had much time to check out the area. I actively pursue Skinnies (chucks) from about now thru cold weather and have many farms available to hunt.
"Scat? tracks? food sources? water?
Talk to the people, country folks generally have cats and chickens and know what's up in their area."
Good deal, I talked with my local WCO and he just said, "there are coyotes in every county in Pa.". I couldn't get him to narrow it down unfortunately.
"I think that with your attitude that I have seen here you could make some friends in the country fairly easily.
That is the big bonus of people research, you can make some really fine friends sometimes."
I am surprised to read some of the things that you mention about me. Someone I know told me that you "have my number". Do we know each other? LOL.
At the risk of sounding prideful (well maybe a little bit)
, when looking for new chuck hunting land, I look for the properties that have "no trespassing" signs. I can usually get permission to hunt. A lot of Farmers have been burned in the past. It helps, I believe, that the Landowner sees I am an EMT and maybe thinks I will be more responsible. I don't show up in bloody, dirty clothes, not having had a bath in a week. You know what I mean.
There are a lot of farms here, a lot.
I like the idea of being the close-in gun with the 12ga. Might even be better than sporting clays...
I am going out again on Sat and will try the wooded areas near home.
In another forum, I had mentioned that I thought I saw a coyote when coming home at about 2am from an EMS call. I was driving over the Mtn to get home during a snowstorm. When I rounded a corner in the road, there was this animal in the road eating at a roadkill. It went so quick it is hard to remember , I was pretty tired. It ran, and then stopped to look back broadside to me before running again. It looked like a grey fox on steroids with a large bushy tail that hung straight down. The ears were tall and straight. I quickly steered my Blazer's lights off the road to try and get a second look, the durned thing was standing just inside the brush. When my lights hit it, it took off. So I went about a mile down the Mtn and decided to drive back to the spot. It was alongside the road but I couldn't get a good look. I continued up the mountain without slowing and stopped about a mile away again. I waited for a long 5 mins or so. Back down the Mtn I went and it was out again. This time it had dragged the roadkill further down the road from the turn where I first saw it. I couldn't get close. Am pretty sure this was my first coyote sighting. The great thing about this is that it's 2 mins from my backdoor. I live on the edge of a 1000+ acre watershed that is all mountains.
Craig, are you interested in getting a ghillie like my Shaggie Suit?
www.ranchosafari.com
My buddy was using his 4 Season Shag, and I was using the older style Woodland Camo, I have a 4 Season Shag also.
Even though some will dismiss this camo, I truly believe in what it can do for a hunter. Of course it is not for every situation.
It and my calls will go in the Blazer with me every time this Summer while hunting Skinnies. When the Skinnies aren't out, we can look for coyotes.
Thanx again.