Predator Call

Too much grass is a problem that I rarely encounter when coyote hunting in Texas and New Mexico but this year is the exception.  While 2008 was not above average for precipitation, we did receive most all of our rain in August.  This late rain created a great situation for growing much needed grass going into the winter.  Since I was born and raised on a ranch, I am going to be the last person to complain about rain and especially too much grass.  Thought not complaining, I must say that the abundant tall grass greatly affected my animal calling this winter. 

The tall grass kept me from making a call in New Mexico when I was there in October and November.  It was not until I returned to the big ranch country in January that I was able to see a coyote in some areas.  I just returned from a ranch in North Texas where grass greatly impaired my ability to make a call where coyote sign was everywhere.  There were many occasions when we would stop the truck and walk into an area that from a distance looked fairly open, only to walk back to the truck without making a call.  When calling coyotes, it is better not to make a marginal call than make a call where the coyote has most of the advantages.  It is difficult enough to get a coyote up and kill him when the odds are stacked in your favor.

Burnham Brothers continues to lead the predator calling industry by bringing more folks into the game.  While Mossy Oak has partnered with Burnham Brothers since the mid 90’s with the four part EYES FRONT video series.  Two years ago, Gary Roberson owner of Burnham Brothers convinced Savage Arms that this time was right to build a rifle dedicated to this sport, then came the Model 10 Predator Hunter.  This past year, Roberson worked with Jon Allen and Jon LaCorte of Nikon Sport Optics to produce a riflescope specific for coyote calling. This past weekend, Mossy Oak, Savage Arms, Nikon Sport Optics and Burnham Brothers met in northeast New Mexico for a coyote hunt.  While the coyotes were not responding as well as we hoped, we had a great time and visited about what we can do to help this great sport to continue to grow. 

This last week, I received emails and text messages from some young hunters who had recently purchased Compucaller III’s.  One of the young fellows is from Mason and had just won a calling contest in Mason with 36 gray fox taken in 24 hours.  Another young gent from San Angelo won the Sonora hunt last weekend with 20 gray fox and a bobcat.  I met a couple of young hunters at Cleburne and sold them a Compucaller III.  They carried it to the field that evening and called up 5 coyotes, one cat and a fox on three stands.  The next night he hunted again and killed eight coyotes. 

It is great to see all of these young guys out there hunting instead of doing all of the things that get so many young folks in trouble.  Predator control costs taxpayers over $100 million annually and these young hunters kill predators at no expense to any one.