Predator Call

I have the opportunity to take quite a few folks on their first predator calling hunts and experience has taught me to take nothing for granted.  Just because someone has hunted for many years, does not mean that they know how to properly set up in a calling situation.  Here are the basics on how to set up without the luxury of a blind and not knowing exactly where your target will appear.

Rule #1.  You can’t cover everything.  I feel that I can cover approximately 100 degrees in fairly open country without moving too much.  Move your eyes and not your head.

Rule #2.  Trust your partner if you have one.  I am a daytime caller and almost always call with a partner.  I shoot left-handed and most of my partners shoot from the right.  Set up the left-handed shooter on the right and the right-handed shooter on the left.  Between the two of you, you should be able to cover approximately 200 degrees.  You can not cover it all so give up what is behind you, after all, you just walked through this area when going to the stand.  Don’t worry about your partner’s area of responsibility, trust him or her to see an approaching critter.  If he or she has multiple critters responding to the call, have a system where you lip squeak or lightly whistle for backup. 

Rule #3.  Set down with your off shoulder pointed to the middle of your area of responsibility.  This will allow you to cover your ground without any major shift or drastic movement.  Shooting with your firearm across your body is natural and much easier to steady. 

Rule #4.  Sit in the shadows.  I know that the camo patterns of today are much improved over what was available just five years ago.  Sitting in the shadows when possible helps to break up outlines and helps to cover motion.

Rule #5.  Hunt with the sun at your back.  This is extremely important in open country.  Having the sun in a critter’s eyes impairs it’s ability to see you while improving your ability to see it.

Rule #6.  Hunt with the wind in your face or call into a crosswind.  You might trick a coyote with what he hears or sees but you cannot trick his nose.  You can wear all of the charcoal lined clothing that you own and/or soak yourself with scent eliminating products and still get busted by a coyote.  When asked what I use for a cover scent, my response is simply watch the wind and use the money you saved by not purchasing products that won’t work, to purchase more ammo.  Get back to the basics and don’t worry about finding a gimmick that is suddenly going to make you a better hunter, it does not exist.