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Author
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Topic: Texas ups and downs
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Q-Wagoner
FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP
Member # 33
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posted November 23, 2009 11:19 PM
Well Shaw and I made it back from our first Texas excursion of the year. It was another great trip but the calling was either hot or cold. For example, the first two nights and part of one day Randy and I conservatively made 55 stands that produced exactly 3 coyotes and a few swift Fox.
Two other nights we hunted from dusk till dawn and killed one fox one night and only one coyote on the other. Success like that really tests ones mental state! LOL
At the beginning of the hunt we noticed an unusual back ground noise coming from our caller. There was nothing wrong with the sounds or the caller but rather with our electrical set up. We are running our light and the caller off of the same circuit which is fine until we dim the lite. The dimmer would cause some kind of feed back or interference with the caller and would create a distinctive background noise.
Towards the end of the trip we finally connected all the dots. It was apparent looking back at the tale count that the calm nights produced hardly any responses at all and the windy nights produced the best with the most windy night producing the very best with 9 coyotes 2 fox and a bobcat. I think with all of the added background noise that the wind created it may have drowned out much of the speaker interference? At least that is the best we can come up with.
The last night we hunted was calm and I had a coyote flare on me on the very first stand of the night. At that point Randy and I switched over too hand calls and had regular success the rest of the night. Joel H. Used his caller that night and had consistent success as well. It was our fourth night on the same ranch and still managed 5 coyotes and two bobcats.
In all we killed 53 coyotes, fox and bobcats in 10 nights of calling.
That is not bad but more a reflection of stubbornness than smart calling. LOL
It was a lot of fun as always. We got to hunt with our good friends Steve B. And Joel H. Hunting with these guys is always a ball no matter what kind of success we are having.
One of the highlights of the trip though was gaining access to more hunting ground. We really hit the mother load on both coyote/cat and cat/fox ground. Joel and Steve better be prepared for hard hunting come January!! LOL
Sorry about no pictures at this time. We have them scattered between 3 cameras. LOL I am still on my Blackberry so the pics are up to Randy and Joel.
Good hunting.
Q,
Posts: 617 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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DAA
Utah/Promoted WESTERN REGIONAL Hunt Director
Member # 11
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posted November 24, 2009 04:22 AM
Congrats on a good time had. And also on keeping on keeping on, to scrape out some animals.
"In all we killed 53 coyotes, fox and bobcats in 10 nights of calling.
That is not bad but more a reflection of stubbornness than smart calling. LOL"
Hell... Anytime I do much good, you could say that. Either that, or I just stumbled into some virgin ears.
- DAA
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"Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em." -- George Hanson, Easy Rider, 1969.
Rocky Mountain Varmint Hunter
Posts: 2676 | From: Salt Lake City, UT | Registered: Jan 2003
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Randy Roede
"It's Roede, like in Yotie
Member # 1273
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posted November 24, 2009 06:20 AM
Now that's evolution, Q sending messages from a Blackberry !!!
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The only person dumber than the village idiot is the person who argues with him!
Posts: 669 | From: Pierre SD | Registered: Mar 2007
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Joel Hughes
SPECIAL GUEST
Member # 384
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posted November 24, 2009 07:26 AM
Here you go, Mr. Technology! LOL
Posts: 145 | From: texas | Registered: Aug 2004
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Lungbuster
Knows what it's all about
Member # 630
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posted November 24, 2009 07:53 AM
Good write-up, thanks.
What can you do differently about wiring your caller?
Thanks for posting the pics Joel, looks like fun....
Posts: 225 | From: Idaho | Registered: Mar 2005
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted November 24, 2009 08:55 AM
Thanks for the report, Quinton. I was wondering how you guys were doing. Wish I was along, actually?
That last photo looks like a skinning contest?
I had a SteveB register this morning. Coincidence?
55 stands? Three coyotes is tough, but you aren't wasting bullets on kit fox, are ya?
I know you guys don't miss, but can you give us a rough idea of how many you saw that didn't make it in the back of the truck, for whatever reason?
That's very decent looking country, especially for night hunting, judging by what I can see.
Quinton, did you request that "AR" leave his machine gun in the truck?
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32361 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Q-Wagoner
FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP
Member # 33
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posted November 24, 2009 09:05 AM
Thanks Joel. I owe you one. If you ever have any computer problems feel free to give me a shout. LOL.
Randy talked to a guy that said their is a filtering device available through Radio Shack that should fix the problem. If not we will just run the caller off of a separate power source and be done with it. I really like the simplicity of a single power source but the audio feed back is a problem.
One way or another we will get it sorted out before we go back.
Good hunting.
Q,
Posts: 617 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Q-Wagoner
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Member # 33
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posted November 24, 2009 09:27 AM
We missed a few critters. I missed two coyotes in a row. I guess I can laugh about it now ![[Mad]](mad.gif)
I am not too disappointed in our shooting overall. What got us was the thick brush. A number of times you would see flickers of eyes moving to our down wind. You were just helpless. You were cutting too much brush to shoot. Ya basically had two choices,take a chance and shoot through brush or let them wind you and run away. I took the chance several times. I connected on a few and missed a few. A lot of the areas we hunted were very thick and only allowed for head shots. I think all but about 3 of the animals I shot were head shots. The last night we hunted I shot both bobcats in the head and one of the two coyotes I shot was a head shot.
Good hunting.
Q,
Posts: 617 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted November 24, 2009 10:16 AM
That's the problem, hunting at night. They are in the thick stuff and you are constantly looking for a nice clearing. In the situation you describe, with a little misting, the thicker the better, they tend to hang around and offer a shot, even after scenting ya. (don't count on it, however)
I remember making a stand in the middle of a mesquite choked wash one time and we had coyotes all around the truck for an hour. I missed about three and decided to check my zero. Had my son put out a target about fifty yards and a coyote ran right in front of that tree as he was walking back to the truck. The problem (duh) was the brush and the velocity so we had to (very carefully) shoot for part of a chest or part of a head, thread the needle and imagine the bullet's path versus line of sight, but they were circling the truck like a band of 1ndians circling a wagon train. Daytime stand, from the vehicle, remote speaker. No fear. Sometimes it's like that and sometimes it's 55 stands and nothing.
But, it's hard to do daylights and hunt all night, so when you have to make a choice, hunt the night and (maybe) a couple hours in the morning, then get some sleep. At least, that's my plan.
Good hunting. LB
PS OH! and (tip of the day) sleep with your rifle
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32361 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Q-Wagoner
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Member # 33
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posted November 24, 2009 12:45 PM
Sorry for the multiple posts but my BB will not let me edit my posts for what ever reason.
Skinning goes quickly. I will start 3 or 4 animals while Randy is setting up the electric skinning pole. When he goes to work on the ones I started I start skinning completely until he gets done. We timed ourselves on 3 of our best nights and average about 3.6 minutes an animal.
One other high light of the trip for me was making a long shot on a coyote. We were hunting one of the few wide open areas we had and I killed a coyote that was two yards short of a quarter mile. It was 438 lasered yards. By the time Shaw made it back to the truck he figured it was at least a thousand yards! LOL Sure took him long enough! LOL
Good hunting.
Q,
Posts: 617 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted November 24, 2009 01:38 PM
Yeah, I found that out, too. He's older than he looks. lol
That's a very commendable time. I used to be able to do ten minutes, the old fashioned way but then wondered; why?
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32361 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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R.Shaw
Peanut Butter Man, da da da da DAH!
Member # 73
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posted November 24, 2009 03:26 PM
Quinton, Steve, and Ken
Joel and Quinton
The coyote on the skinning pole indicates Quintons signature series shot. LOL
Randy
[ November 24, 2009, 06:50 PM: Message edited by: R.Shaw ]
Posts: 567 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Kelly Jackson
SECOND PLACE/GARTH BROOKS LOOK-A-LIKE CONTEST
Member # 977
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posted November 24, 2009 07:18 PM
NIce job guys and a hell of a shot Q. Day or night.
Posts: 997 | From: Comanche OK | Registered: Oct 2006
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CrossJ
SECOND PLACE: PAUL RYAN Look-a-like contest
Member # 884
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posted November 24, 2009 08:04 PM
Randy, Is that Newbombs pony in that first pic? Been wondering where he was. Did he hunt with you all? LOL
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A friend will help you move. A good friend will help you move a body.
Posts: 1025 | From: on a water tower | Registered: Jul 2006
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R.Shaw
Peanut Butter Man, da da da da DAH!
Member # 73
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posted November 24, 2009 08:40 PM
No Geordie, I don't think it was because Joel
said it wasn't stump-broke. LOL
Randy
Posts: 567 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Q-Wagoner
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Member # 33
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posted November 24, 2009 09:21 PM
It was at night kelly. I also got the closest kill of the trip too. Thanks to a very understanding gray fox.
We were calling a 4 way in some really thick country. It was about 7 minutes into the stand when a gray popped out of the trees at spitting distance. I calmly lowered down on him only to hear the firing pin fall on an empty chamber. LOL I quickly racked the bolt but could feel that I didn't pick up another round. I opened the action up again and felt that there were no rounds in the mag with my left hand. At that point I frantically scrambled to grab a round out of the cartrage holder on my stock pack but it was empty as well. All the time I am fumbling around I am keeping the light mashed on the fox in an effort to keep him from seeing the truck and attempting to lip squeak to keep him interested. I knew I had a few rounds inside my stock pack so I unzip it, fish out a round, chamber it and finally shoot the fox. LOL
Randy actually bailed me out of that one. He was in the back of the truck with me on that stand but was setting down facing the opposite direction as the fox. He didn't move (which was good) the whole time I was fooling around but was slowly getting his call out. About the time I got a round out and chambered the fox was heading for cover. Randy clucked on the call just in time to stop the fox for the shot. Randy is just now getting the hearing back in his right ear but we did get the fox. LOL
That night was quite a night it was in some really good cat and gray fox country. We took along a couple of guys that got us lined up on the ranch. They were not familiar with our setup and really struggled. As luck would have it every time they got up in the chair we would call something in. LOL
We did kill 3 grays that night but 6 other very killable ones as well as a big Tom bobcat got away. There were 24 or 26 sections on that ranch and we had only touched 3 or 4 at the most by the time we quit at 1 a.m.
If every one was up to speed on our system and shot good I think we would have had a pickup load of grays and a few cats by dawn. Oh well, it gives us something to look forward to next time.
Good hunting.
Q,
Posts: 617 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Locohead
World Famous Smoke Dancer
Member # 15
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posted November 25, 2009 09:07 PM
438 yards?! Wonderful Quinton!
Told ya so Lance! ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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I love my critters and chick!!!! :)
Posts: 2219 | From: CO | Registered: Jan 2003
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Locohead
World Famous Smoke Dancer
Member # 15
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posted November 25, 2009 09:08 PM
ooops, double post
[ November 25, 2009, 09:09 PM: Message edited by: Locohead ]
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I love my critters and chick!!!! :)
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Cdog911
"There are some ideas so absurd only an intellectual could believe them."--George Orwell.
Member # 7
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posted November 26, 2009 07:31 AM
Ha ha, Loco. You can't tell me anything new about Q that I probably don't already know. At the very least, nothing surprises me about that boy. He told me the whole story (most of this) over the phone the other night after offering up his condolences on the K-State-Nub game last weekend.
I will say this for him... hunting with him has sure made me a better shot for no other reason than you sure don't wanna be on the receiving end of one of those rants when you miss, so I guess I'll add that to my list of things for which I'm thankful today. Started out my Thanksgiving by going after a big old dark-colored coyote whose been running a route right here in my neighborhood and, most recently, driving an older couple nuts by killing their chickens, one to three a day for the last three weeks. They live right across the interstate highway from my development and about two minutes into the stand this morning, I killed him Q style. Lying on a hillside, he came from some standing milo and approached across and in front of me toward the caller. Patiently, I lay still in the grazed grass until I felt he had committed and was within 150 yards. I sat up, found him in the scope, gave him a "woof" to stop him (which he did) and center punched him. 120 yards, give or take. A gimme, but fun, nonetheless. Stopped by the chicken-owner's place and he and his wife were just ecstatic and overflowing with thanks. He's #26 for the year when, by my records, I usually only have about 12. Good hunting is another thing I'm thankful for today. Along with good hunting friends.
Q and AR had a good showing there and I'm looking forward to the next round later in the season.
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I am only one. But still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and, because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
Posts: 5440 | From: The gun-lovin', gun-friendly wild, wild west | Registered: Jan 2003
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Lone Howl
Free Trial Platinum Member & part-time language police
Member # 29
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posted November 26, 2009 09:39 AM
Awsome! Thanks for sharing the stories and pics guys,I really enjoy em. Happy Thanksgiving.
Mark
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When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty.
Posts: 2083 | From: Texas | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted November 26, 2009 10:05 AM
I was sorta wondering if this is a property that is hunted regularly, or reserved for friends, or what? My concept of Texas is you gotta have connections or you ain't hunting.
With the kill, did you guys manage to pay expenses, not counting the time invested? None of my business, I just wish you guys could have done (a little) better. For your own sake. Hell, averaging it out, I never made a dime on coyotes, even in the $40 days. Ya gotta love it. Otherwise, it's tough to turn a profit. Especially, if you live far away from where the action is....like me.
No wet blanket, I really enjoy the stories and the report. Very interesting, and you guys are as close to professional as it's gonna get.
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32361 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Q-Wagoner
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Member # 33
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posted November 26, 2009 11:47 AM
In a word no Leonard the fur on this trip is not going cover the costs. The fur is still on ice but I suspect it will fetch around 275 to 300 dollars when we get it finished and sold. If it were only about the money we would skip the coyotes and work on the cats. We put up fur primarily because that is what we like to do. I doubt I would hunt predators much at all if I didn't skin.
Other than hunting with friends down there Getting ground to hunt in Texas has never been much of an issue at all. If you do what you say you are going to do and respect the property it just comes.
Actually I think that because we skin and do things the way we do is the best thing for us. Recreational predator hunting, guided predator hunting and contest hunting is at an all time high in Texas and every where else for that matter. A lot of ranchers get burned out on this. When we show up with a different attitude and motivation for the hunt I think it is a welcome change. I think that when they see our set up with the chair, skinning system and freezer it gives them a sense of trust and security that puts them at ease. They all really enjoy seeing how our set-up works and how fast we can skin a pile of animals.
I don't consider my self a professional at all but when it comes to hunting, "especially out of state" we sure like to conduct ourselves in a professional manner.
I think it is only going to get more difficult (or expensive) for recreational callers who depend on private ground to hunt. When ranchers catch on that guides are taking clients on there ground and charging them 350 to 400 per gun they are going to want in on the cash flow. Predator hunting is going down the same road every other aspect of hunting has. Unless you have public ground or something special to offer the land owner you will eventually have to pay to play the game.
Good hunting.
Q,
Posts: 617 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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newbomb
Knows what it's all about
Member # 888
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posted November 26, 2009 01:19 PM
"Randy, Is that Newbombs pony in that first pic? Been wondering where he was. Did he hunt with you all? LOL"
Geordie you ass! Randy and Q, nice job on what looks like a dream hunt for a guy like me. Maybe you guys could let me tag along one day....if I bring my own poney?
Posts: 66 | From: southern indiana | Registered: Jul 2006
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CrossJ
SECOND PLACE: PAUL RYAN Look-a-like contest
Member # 884
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posted November 26, 2009 05:50 PM
LOL....how you been New?
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A friend will help you move. A good friend will help you move a body.
Posts: 1025 | From: on a water tower | Registered: Jul 2006
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newbomb
Knows what it's all about
Member # 888
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posted November 26, 2009 06:09 PM
Doin good,we need to have an ol' "jump on newbomb rip his guts out and leave him for dead" get together over on MPH like we used to. I actualy kinda miss that?!
Posts: 66 | From: southern indiana | Registered: Jul 2006
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