Ramblings and Such From Hunting Coyote

[DSheetz]

Very well stated Ed. The control workers busy time is fast approaching breeding season is nearly here. The little reds may be there at this time, the fur is breaking now, and the hips will have bad fur, and the longer guard fur will be pulled and broken off, the bellies will have singe on them where there has been snow and cold weather. Long hours and days are just getting started for the control guys.

 

[trapper1954]

Very well stated Ed. The control workers busy time is fast approaching breeding season is nearly here. The little reds may be there at this time, the fur is breaking now, and the hips will have bad fur, and the longer guard fur will be pulled and broken off, the bellies will have singe on them where there has been snow and cold weather. Long hours and days are just getting started for the control guys.

I think the season is here for us. Cant do much grounds froze, snares iced up, maybe late today it'll change some. Snares are dyed dark and will warm up with some sun.

 

[DSheetz]

We haven't been above zero in a few days here. I'm ready for some warmer weather and I'm sure that everyone and everything is as well. For years I had already made sets with moisture resistant soil and carried a tub of dry moisture resistant soil with me in the back of my truck. It was a type of shale that was common in my area and as I had made a ton of sets where I worked it worked well for me year after year the same areas were used and set locations varied some but not much, so I could in the warmer weather plan ahead and be ready for the cold weather. I could make a set and then put a light covering of dry dirt that was the same color and texture as the surrounding soil. The animals that moved back in an area after the old inhabitants, used the same travel routes and scent marking spots, some because there was left over scent from before and some because it was a prime location for such marking to be done. The travel routes were all the most direct travel routes from place to place, used by generations of animals, predators, deer, antelope and livestock a like. All of them good calling spots as well, a good saddle in a ridge between two drainages, the trail was a good place to make trap sets, M-44 sets beside the trail in a small open place of bare ground with low backing. Off to the side on the small rises and rocky hill sides were great locations to set up and call into the neighboring drainages, I call into this drainage today and next week I might call into the one that I traveled through last time to get to it. Over some time, I knew where the snow would lay most of the time even when the wind didn't have snow in it there would be the ground litter that would lay where the snow would. The wind here comes from the same direction most of the time but when it does change direction the set, I made might get covered for a short amount of time. We don't normally get the freezing rains here like a lot of places do, we do get wet heavy snows in the spring that will build up on fences, powerlines and snares, making them slower or inoperable, as well as the traps not work no matter what you have done. One of my most favorite set locations was a nice saddle in a ridge about 2 miles from a river, that had two rough drainages running to the river. I took 17 little reds in it one month and a couple of coyotes it was that good a travel route. About a quarter of a mile off to one side of it was a good rocky hill side where I called and shot a reluctant female coyote at 643 yards but the next year, I took a den in that same rock pile that had five pups, got the male in the saddle with an M-44 but the female came to the call just before I took the den, while I was setting within a few feet of the den hole that I had located and plugged to keep them in it. She came on the run with anger in her eyes at the howl I let out, wanting to run the intruder off and protect her pups. She was keeping the sheep pushed to that side of the pasture, next to the one she had her den in, and her tracks showed that it was a female plus I had taken the male the day before with an M-44. A slight trail cut off of the main trail and went through the grass toward the rock pile then across a sandy open place that showed me her tracks well telling me her den was close as she had used it a lot with tracks going to and from it. These are all things that a person learns to look for with time spent doing it as well as time spent with others that have the time and experience and are willing to share with a younger person that shows they are willing to learn from and show respect to them by being thankful for the knowledge they have shared.

 

[DSheetz]

We have talked some about the M-44 device here, the average person will never use one or even be exposed to them unless they are in certain states and the correct places for them to be in use. They are a safe alternative to the old humane coyote getter; I posted a picture of a while back. They have federal restrictions for their use people need to have a certain amount of training in order to get certified for their use, and continuing education to maintain their certification. We used to need to carry an antidote kit with us they had 6 ampules of Amol nitrate, I am told that isn't required at this time, and is a change since I retired in 2016. They had a tube, or stake that was driven in the ground, an ejector unit, that had a spring, plunger and trigger contained in a metal housing, a top or capsule holder that a plastic capsule containing sodium cyanide that has a coloring agent in it, depending on if you are a government worker or private as to the color of the agent. Red for the government and florescent yellow for the private applicators, both will fluoresce under a black light source. Since they were first designed in the late 60's they have undergone several modifications and improvements. The older bottle neck ones had a bottom that was roll-crimped in it that would pop out and your device was then useless. The tubes were smashed closed on the bottom and you needed to put something in them, a wooden dowel, dirt or such so that your stake driver wouldn't break out the bottom, they had a slip ring to turn as a way to lock the unit in it, rolled into a grove in the top of the stakes. The plunger of the ejector unit stuck up above it by about an 1/8 of an inch. The top had a larger portion on the bottom of it with threads that screwed it to the ejector unit, some small pegs that stuck out near the top of it to help hold wool cotton or cloth wrapping on it that was then used to hold a bait on it. James Masts number five was a preferred favorite bate. He made it out of bone meal with glycerin and mineral oil and called it Masts number five he also made a bait with blood meal. I was never one to leave well enough alone and would at times add a drop or two of beaver caster to my 4 oz jar of #5. I drilled my older stakes and put a 3/16 steel pop rivet in them to keep the bottom from blowing out, but I also had a few that I would drive a bridge spike out the bottom for loose or sandy soils then drop a 5/8 inch and a half long hard wood dowel rod. I had a long bolt to drive a pilot hole in hard ground but traded it for a 3/4-inch masonry bit in a brace as it also worked better in frozen ground. A book can be written on them and the changes they have undergone as well as the tool kit that I had for them and some that I made for them.

 

[APDDSN0864]

Yes, the use of M-44's has changed! When I went through the training we were told that the reason for no longer including the Amyl Nitrate was that it really didn't work and the worry was that folks who were carrying it would be less careful about handling the cyanide.
Since then, there have been some new tools such as acrylic boxes to place over the device as it is being set or retrieved, requiring full face shields, and requiring that older launchers be destroyed and replaced with new ones to minimize the risk of exposure and more emphasis on proper handling.
The anti- trapping crowd have demonized the M-44 program because of some tragic accidents that were avoidable.
It is an extremely effective tool in the control agent's toolbox, but I believe that it won't be around much longer.
I urge everyone to educate themselves, continually refresh your knowledge base, reach out to other predator control folks, and don't presume to already know everything.
There is so much diversity in the behavior of predators, much of it caused by different environments, seasons, and reactions to our behaviors that it is impossible to know everything.
Really see, not just look around while you are out. Use all six of your senses. Exercise them, stretch them.
Being quiet, audibly and motionless will make a huge difference in what you discover and learn.
We live in an awesome world that most people don't have a clue about.
We are privileged to live in a country that allows us to do what we love. Take advantage of that.

Ed

 

[DSheetz]

Yes, you are right on the mark Ed. Sadly, people being people some of us will push the edge and some of us will not even try to do the best we can or come close to abiding by any sort of rules or sensible usage of things. I too am afraid that several of the tools of the trade will be lost from the toolbox of the control worker, and recreational trappers, hunters and callers. I have and will say that we need to be observant not just wander around in our world some people may be offended by being told that they aren't really being observant. Some are born observant, and some learn how to be, some think that they are and are to an extent, some learn how to and are without really realizing that they have changed. I have worked around and with people that didn't seem to have a grasp of what they were doing at the time and couldn't be in the here and now, they couldn't keep their thoughts on what they were doing, they were so busy minded that they couldn't hear the world, see the world, smell it or any of the other things we should try doing. There are some things that we can use to strengthen our powers of observation. Meditation is one of them. practice focusing on something for a little while and extend the period of time as time goes by. The brock string that talked about a while back not only helps a person learn to use both eyes while shooting it helps you learn how to focus your mind on the here and now, how to keep your mind on the task at hand and be observant to the things around you. As Ed stated we need to know that we only know so much and there is a whole new world that we can find out about. As trapper1954 and I have talked about the things that I do here need to be adapted to his area. I will take what you have talked about think it over try it and modify it to fit me. I have tried some things and will retry some things that didn't fit my needs at a certain time but might now or maybe someone told me of a different way to look at or do it. I can put you in a classroom and teach you some of what is needed to be known about what I know how to do, You can read a book on it but You still need to take the basics that you have been given and expand on them, fit them to You and Your needs. I was out with a new guy one day he had just gone through his training on M-44's. He was one of those that couldn't keep his mind on the job at hand, He was setting one so instead of driving a pilot hole he was pounding on the top of the stake and ruined it. next he did get a stake in the ground put his ejector in it and locked it in with the ring. Then he put his capsule in the top and was leaning forward over the top of the unit with his hand open screwing it on. he set the unit off the load of cyanide hit him between his mouth and nose. I was off at a distance and heard him yelling at me. By the time I had the time to get to him he was using his last ampule breaking them in his hand and inhaling deeply a couple of times then dropping it on the ground. He hadn't paid any attention in the training didn't know how or what he was supposed to do. I had to raise my voice at him to get his attention and start calming him down. I cleaned the residue off of his lip then got my handkerchief out popped one in it and had him breathe slowly and naturally. then got him calmed down and under control. Am I going to die? No but you are going to have one hell of a headache. It dilatates your blood vessels the same way the nitro pills do that people with heart problems carry or the way the nitroglycerin in dynamite does and gives you a powder headache. He never could get his head on the job.

 

[APDDSN0864]

He is very blessed that you were there with him!
Meditation has a bad rap in some peoples minds, but it is a great thing to practice. Focused prayer is simply meditating on the Word.
Examining a set of tracks, intently observing every detail and seeing how they relate to the terrain, weather, time of day, and direction is a form of meditation.
Simple, single-minded focus will reveal a whole new level of understanding.
Alexander The Great once said that whatever man could focus on a single idea for five minutes could rule the world.

I'm not looking to rule the world, I just want to know "why".
Why does that coyote take a certain route to a place and another one back?
Why does that bobcat shy away from certain types of terrain and not others?
Why does mountain lion walk right past a group of heifers with young calves and stalk a band of deer?
Why does Beaver Castor attract critters that have never seen a Beaver nor live anywhere near them?
Why do food curiosity lures not work all the time?
What is it about rotted horse meat that makes some of the best bait?
It's stuff like this that keeps me constantly searching for answers.
"If you're not learning, you're dying."
That's my motto.

Ed

 

[DSheetz]

People and animals are attracted to sweet smells, the smell of aspen trees, the smell of a horses sweat, beaver caster. They are a calming smell, not offensive, not a danger, or alert smell they smell like mom's smell, they give you a sense of being in a safe place. It's an unconscious reaction to a hard world, to find a comforting smell! a safe haven in a harsh environment! All of the people that I have been around that were sick or injured didn't ask for dad they each and every one ask for MOM sweet smells bring MOM to us in their own way. Even if the horse meat is rotting it still has the comforting sweet smell of a horse, that brings mom to them.

 

[trapper1954]

I let go my private applicators license years ago, gave away all that equipment. 10 degrees here this morning supposed to hit 40, yay. tried to block a hole yesterday and my rock was froze to the ground. Coyotes are getting after it here bobcat also found a jumbo dropping yesterday Id like to see him hanging on a scale. Gonna make run on it after a bit, all my stuff has to be tended off a 4 wheeler, narrow trail around the fence.

 

[Bucklowery]

It was 15 here in northwest Florida and the cold weather has the critters on their feet

Thanks

Buck

 

[74honker]

Heat wave here today, supposed to get up to 30 lol. Have been in the negatives for about a week. Nicer today and part of tomorrow then back into the freezer for the weekend. Only one sighting all week right before dark. Today would be a good day to try to call but have other stuff to tend to. Go figure lol.

 

[DSheetz]

Fifteen degrees in that humidity is deadly take care all of you that have to get out in it. For all of the tools we have to use in our tool kits for predator control someone will excel with the use of them. Someone will be excellent with leghold traps but just average with snares, or calls, another person will be exceptional with snares, this other person has a good understanding of calling, and the person down in this place when they set an M-44 you know some coyote is going to pull it, or they wouldn't put it where they did. Most of us will be average with all of the tools but have one tool that we actually prefer to use over the rest of them and will be a little above average with it. The control people that I have seen that were exceedingly good about it were all open minded, actually observed their world and noticed things that the others missed. It's the same in all of the professions of the world. Most of us will be average at all aspects of our chosen professions a few of us will excel at one aspect of it of maybe two, a very rare few will excel at several aspects of it. The majority of us will be what they call a jack of all trades but a master of nun, we will be good at the things we do strive to be the best we can and accept that we aren't perfect we are just humans, making our way in the world, and enjoying what we do as we try to improve on them.

 

[windypants]

I've got a question for Dave or other experienced callers. My coyote hunting has evolved to where I kind of specialize in long range spot and shoot hunting, and I've gotten quite effective at getting them without educating a bunch of them. I do call some in, but when several come in, I usually get one or two and educate the others. So I much prefer the long range hunting, and if I see a pair I can usually get the second one using the coyote fight call. So my question is what calls work best for getting them to come out of cover for a look (and shot), but not necessarily bring them in? I've had limited success with female howls and male howls later. Last week, we had some talking to us from a river bottom, but they wouldn't come up on the bank—just kept traveling down river on the ice. If I can get them to just come out for a look, they're usually dead if they're within 800 yards. My last seven coyote kills totaled 5200 yards, and one of those was only 200 yards. Then I shot right between the ear tips of one at 150 yards just to keep me humble! Most of my shots are in the 4-600 yard range.

 

[DSheetz]

windypants you are doing good and getting it figured out as to what works good for you. Not any one thing for every time will do it all of the time keep notes as to what is doing what you want it to, in what situations most of the time keeping it short and simple is what gets them to be curious enough to want to look. Adult howls are my favorite this time of the year but not a ton of them just one howl and two barks with several minutes between them. It's not a challenge it is just asking if anyone is around and might want to get together for a hunt or a visit. I like to use injured coyote yelps after a shot and at this time of the year I use my hand-held howler in non-aggressive vocals. really soon I will be using female vocalizations two short howls a bark and a short howl. wait several minutes and repeat it. I don't want to be excited with my talking and I don't want to make them excited either. It's the time of the year where the coyote is thinking about mating, then setting up a territory, when they have a territory and mate, they will be easier to get to set and look at you when you are outside of their range, so with your type of hunting listen to them and figuring out where their boundaries will be helpful. At this time, it's kind of hard to get them to just look at you if they haven't been trained to your sounds .APDDSN0864 AND trapper1954 as well as others might be able to tell you how they can get it done their way, so you can try different things.