New Member thanks to skinney and his Predator Masters PODCAST

Predator Masters Forum

Hi guys. New member here. Thanks to skinney's Predator Masters Forum PODCAST.
I’m OhioPredatorHunter from NE Ohio. I feel I have a lot to contribute to this Forum. I have been hunting/trapping predators for over 50 years. I had a 100 trap trapline when I was in grade school. I would get up every morning at 4am to check my traps. I walked miles to tend my trapline. Rain, sleet, snow and ice. I carried a 22-cal revolver just in case I had to dispatch an animal I caught. I was also hunting mostly fox back then. Calling with a mouth call and using my dad’s Model 1897 Winchester 16-gauge shotgun. I made plenty mistakes along the way. We didn’t have the internet back then, so gaining knowledge was reading books and magazines. My mentor back then was Dennis Kirk of Laurens New York. If you guys are around my age, you would probably remember Dennis Kirk. He wrote predator hunting books, sold many predator calling cassette tapes and talked at many National and State Sportsman’s Shows about calling predators. He was a contributing writer for Trapper & Predator Caller, Furtaker and Fur Fish Game Magazines. He invented one of the first electronic game calls as well. I would write him letters in grade school about predator hunting and how to correct my mistakes. Dennis would always return my letters with answers and solutions to all my questions. I wrote him so many times, I guess he decided to just give me his phone number. I’ll never forget when my mother and father received the long-distance phone bills. I started out using an old Mallardtone cottontail rabbit in distress mouth call. I called many foxes to within 30 yards of me. I shot quite a few, but got busted more times than not. I decided I needed to get my distress calls away from me so the fox wouldn’t focus on me and any movement I had to make to make my shot. I took my mothers RCA cassette player that had D batteries, added 15 feet of speaker wire I bought at Radio Shack and attached an old car radio speaker. I recorded myself using my hand call and off I went. What a game changer that was. Now my distress calls were away from me and from that point on I didn’t get busted as much. Eventually, after selling my trapped furs I made enough money to buy a Johnny Stewart cassette game caller. That caller worked very well for me. I still have that caller and it still works.
Guys, I don’t shoot hundreds of fox and coyotes a year like some of you guys. But what I’m good at is calling in and shooting fox/coyotes that are educated and call shy on public hunting areas. I do hunt many private farms but most of my hunting is on public hunting areas. I have many tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years that make me successful. I sell all my fur but I’m not in it for the money. Calling in an educated fox/coyote and outsmarting him is my reward. I’ll be posting tips and techniques I’ve learned throughout the years on this forum. I was also thinking about posting videos on YouTube as well. I’m retiring soon and should have plenty of time on my hands to get my posts out.
Thanks again skinny for directing me to this forum. If I can help just one predator hunter, my time here will be worth it. I’m just a guy who enjoys hunting predators. I don’t claim to know more than the next guy. I have techniques and tips that work for me that I’m willing to pass on.
Always remember. Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.
 
Last edited:
Big Welcome to you. This is a good forum to give tips and get advice from others. I myself have been calling predators for 16 or so years. I live in North Central PA. your part of Ohio has about the same terrain as I have here. Looking forward to your posts.
 
Great first post Sir. We appreciate the support and enthusiasm you bring with your experience!
Looking forward to seeing more of your content, especially videos!
Welcome aboard!
 
Hey there - welcome to Predator Masters. We're happy to have you here. I can't wait to hear about some of your experiences!
 
Great first post and welcome to Predator Masters!

In 1984 I started out using a little cassette recorder/player that ran on "C" batteries to call in coyotes. At first we would start the cassette player and run back to our riles or shotguns. It didn't take long to figure out running back to our guns was not very high tech.
rolleyes.gif


Se we erased one minute of sound from the start of the tapes and then erased about 15 seconds of sound at the 12 minute mark of the sound on the tape. We thought we were really high tech not having to run back to our guns and knowing we had called for 12 minutes when the sound stopped for 15 seconds.
 
Originally Posted By: derbyacresbob

In 1984 I started out using a little cassette recorder/player that ran on "C" batteries to call in coyotes. At first we would start the cassette player and run back to our riles or shotguns. It didn't take long to figure out running back to our guns was not very high tech.
rolleyes.gif



I did the same thing with a small boombox (we called them ghetto blasters back then). I was at 29 Palms 1983-84. I had a contender in 223, could easily hide it in the truck, getting on/off base. LOL
 
Originally Posted By: derbyacresbobGreat first post and welcome to Predator Masters!


Se we erased one minute of sound from the start of the tapes and then erased about 15 seconds of sound at the 12 minute mark of the sound on the tape. We thought we were really high tech not having to run back to our guns and knowing we had called for 12 minutes when the sound stopped for 15 seconds.

derbyacresbob,

You guys are killing me. Your bringing back memories of the past. I remember setting up one night, got in, sat down, wind just right, pressed the play button on my cassette, grabbed my shotgun, pulled the hammer back and started to put it on my knee when I looked up and saw a red fox looking at my speaker. I tried to raise my gun as slow as I could but got busted. He ran with #4 shot right behind. He's probably still running! From then on I erased the first minute of my cassette so when I pushed the play button I had time to cock my hammer and set my shotgun on my knee. Good times my friend.
 
I don't go back that far on predator hunting. Started in the late 90's, Craig Hamilton took me out & taught me the basics. We called & killed a bunch of coyotes & a bobcat, great fun.

He had a Johhny Stewart caller, a cassette player type that you had to flip the tape over when one side was done. Good times
 
I've got the ol JS cassette tape caller as well, I remember my dad using it. Gosh dang I couldn't of been much older than 6 or 7!

Funny as all get out to me just thinking of having to erase the first minute or two, allowing you to prep for the action.

Compared to the tech now, isn't it amazing how much more advanced the equipment has come?
 
Originally Posted By: Coyotejunki

I did the same thing with a small boombox (we called them ghetto blasters back then). I was at 29 Palms 1983-84. I had a contender in 223, could easily hide it in the truck, getting on/off base. LOL I was in fort Benning 83 to 85. I kept my high power and 2 buddies in my trunk. The sergeant knew and didn’t care. Lol
 
Welcome to the site !!!

Reading these posts brings back "1980 something" memories of carrying a car battery in a gym bag and a spotlight through the farm fields around the house fox hunting when we were 12/13....then we got 4 wheelers and just strapped the battery to the rack and stood as far as the cord let us go...can't believe we never got acid burns.
 
First time for me I was 14 I got a mouth call for my birthday it was February 1974 had no lights of any kind, fox season was in went out on full moon night had my 20ga single shot H&R called in a fox all I did was roll it around in the snow I made to long of a shot the 3"#4 shot made it do some squalling, had some great times in my younger years.
 
This is AWESOME folks...this is just the kind of exchanges of ideas, techniques and stories that we want PM to be known for.

YOU guys are the real leaders of PM.

Thank you ALL for sharing and a hearty welcome to OhioPredatorHunter and Dark moon 63...I know you're not new to the game, just to us here, and I thank you for joining up and sharing.

Mo
 
Yep, the changes in tech over the last 20+ years are nothing short of incredible.

We didn't have a remote. It was a tape player in a bag, with a speaker connected to a pair of wires. Set it out, run out the speaker, hit play & zip back to your stand fast. hen side 1 was done, you either called the stand or ran out, flipped it over & played the other side.

No remotes, no digital sounds, no built in speaker, no programmable sequences or changing sounds at will.

But still very effective
wink.gif
 
I have to think back at how the calling has come a long ways with e-callers of today and the lights, to all the night vision that's out there now, I started night hunting with a 12 volt battery that they use for trailer braking had a 12 volt 3 million candle power spotlight with red lens, carried the battery in a backpack, cut the lighter plug off the light and put a 2 prong plug on it worked good just had to make sure the battery was charged.
 
Welcome to the site, looking forward to your hearing your stories, tips and your knowledge over the years.
 
Back
Top