Predator Call

A few years ago, my good friend Jim Zumbo and I were deer hunting in South Texas.  One evening we got bored and decided to watch a video that was lying around the camphouse.  The video was produced by someone attempting to sell a bleat call that mimicked the sound of a whitetail doe that is in estrus.Through the years, I have had the opportunity to observe whitetails on an almost daily basis and have raised quite a few on a bottle.  The sound that the “hot” doe was making was one that neither Jim and I had ever heard for she was “honking” like a goose.  Since that day, I have not heard a doe make a sound like a goose and it concerns me that someone will do anything to sell a call. 

A rare sound to hear a deer make is a “snort wheeze”.  Last weekend, I had a chance to observe two mature whitetails that were aggressive posturing at each other (trying to bluff the other out of an area).  Most hunters have heard deer snort and grunt but I do not recall observing and listening to two bucks “snort wheeze” as much as these two old boys.  They stomped, walked stiff-legged, snorted and wheezed for over ten minutes.  Finally the four year old yielded turf to the older buck and moved to a friendlier neighborhood. 

If you are ever in the woods and hear something that sounds like a steam engine and there is no rail nearby, get ready for a mature buck may be in your neighborhood.  

Last year, I attempted to help organize a Texas Trophy Hunter/Burnham Brothers deer hunt for some kids from San Antonio.  I wanted to give a few youngsters the opportunity to deer hunt who would otherwise not have the chance to do so.  We got a late start and were not able to get the hunt organized. I got in touch with Joe Betar, President of the Texas Trophy Hunters Association in San Antonio to help find the kids that were genuinely interested in hunting and killing a deer.  His first plan was to bring some kids from a church youth group.  When he was unable to recruit as many youth as we wanted, he made a call to Leon McNeil, City Kids Adventures.  He asked Leon if he had any children that wanted to go on a deer hunt and Leon assured him that he did. 

The group was gathered last Friday afternoon and they drove to the Whispering Waters Ranch south of Menard.  The group stayed at the ranch and we hunted there and another ranch owned by E. T. Barrett.  There were a total of 6 kids, one from the church and five from Leon’s City Kids Adventures.  I have helped with many youth hunts over the years but these kids were the best behaved, courteous and grateful of any I have ever had the opportunity to hunt with.

I feel that the kids behavior can be directly attributed to the leadership and discipline of Leon McNeil.  It is Leon’s belief that you should not give anything to the kids, they should have to earn it.  This “earning” of the hunt instills a work ethic that is missing in so many people today.  So many folks want something for nothing and expect the Government to take care of them.

There were four boys and two girls and all of the children killed at least one deer.  They did not ask for someone to field dress their deer rather a little direction so that they could learn for themselves.  These children were most coach-able and were there to learn.

I felt that this was a great target audience as they will go back and relate stories to folks that most of us will never have the opportunity to reach.  Before the hunt, I was praying that we would have a safe hunt and that the participants would somehow receive a blessing.  When the hunt was over, I realized that I was the one who was blessed.  If you have the opportunity to reward a youngster with a hunt or fishing trip, please do so.  We can’t always take…there should be a time for giving back. 

When I was trying to decide which sounds to program on the Compucaller III, I realized that many hunters who call predators also shoot crows.  For this reason, I chose two productive sounds for crows to go with the fourteen standard predator sounds. 

On many occasions, playing crow sounds will help to lure a wary predator to your calling stand by reassuring the predator that the crows are already feeding on the prey animal.  The opposite can also be true, as I have had crows and ravens respond to prey distress sounds. 

I was in New Mexico from October 30th to November 6th.  There was very little rutting activity in my home County of Menard when I left but things had definitely changed in my absense.  Last Sunday morning, I observed two mature bucks  chasing does as I traveled to Terrell County.  I visited with several Menard County hunters on Saturday that also reported seeing mature bucks chasing does.  I do not think that we are at the peak of the rut as I feel that will occur with the full moon which is on November 13th.  It seems that the bright nights aid in deer movement and help put the rut in full swing. 

The rut and pre-rut are may favorite times to use deer calls.  The increased activity of the rut makes the otherwise timid mature bucks more aggressive and more receptive to calling. 

The cougar is one of the most majestic big cats. It is beautiful but it is also fierce. It takes a special kind of sportsman to go after this beautiful beast.

The new cougar calls make the hunt for this animal more exciting. It means you can actually see the animal up close. A few blasts of this effective gadget can bag you a prize on your next outing.  

Make your hunting trip more interesting by bringing along patented predator calls. The sport will seem so much easier if you use the calls, but they actually make the hunt more challenging too. Using the calls means you have to keep a watchful eye on what animal comes along.

You will need to be alert for any response to your call. And since these are small callers, they easily fit in the palm of your hand. Then you can easily slip them into your pocket as you await for any action.

Just returned from a deer hunt with two of my sons and some great friends.  After nearly fifty years of hunting, I am finding it more difficult to “pull the trigger” on a buck.  I have been blessed to have the opportunity to hunt more days in one year than many hunters get to hunt in a lifetime.  I have become very “picky” about the bucks I shoot, the first characteristic that they must possess is maturity.  If they are not mature, I will not shoot no matter what they have on their heads.

Another factor came into play last Wednesday morning that caused me to hold my fire.  I walked up on a really large antlered, mature buck and had him standing broadside at 70 yards, so close I could almost smell the deer scent.  The old fellow did not know I was there, giving me ample time to study his body confirmation and antlers.  Sitting flat on my butt and resting on my knees, the crosshairs settled onto the pocket behind his front shoulder.  I had the buck “dead to rights” all I needed to do was bump the safety forward and squeeze the trigger. 

It was then that a strange feeling came over me.  I started thinking about the mile long hike across the canyon and my two sons who were hunting within a couple of miles.  Would it be possible to turn down the shot, go get the boys and return to find the buck?  I let the old boy walk. 

I did return to the area with my boys in tow.  As luck would have it, the buck had dropped into a deep canyon and disappeared.  We did not find him again that day and since it was the last day of the hunt, I pray that he survives the predators so that we can hunt again next year. 

Well, Gary has gone mule deer hunting.  The weather has been too warm but they have seen some deer.  They are still looking for the big one.  He was loaded down with hunting supplies:  guns, ammo, game calls, etc., and of course just a little something to call a coyote.  He will be back next week.