11.16.12-We had a great time hunting yesterday. Once again, we can’t stress how important scouting can greatly increase your predator hunting odds. We called in 8 coyotes before noon and we did not rely on just luck.
Here is a short preview of the Arizona Guided Predator Hunt.
I recently heard rumors of some Predator Hunts/Contests being protested by Animal Rights Activist in New Mexico this year, so I did a little research. According to this newspaper article, DEATH threats have been made toward this predator hunt director:
Coyote hunting contest draws fire in New Mexico
As a human being, I find this behavior despicable and inexcusable! I cannot except this behavior or let my beliefs, which are based primarily on facts, go unexpressed. I wrote the below letter a few years ago, but eventually my emotions dissipated, so I did not publish it.
From the puny mind of a predator hunter.
Dear Anti-Hunters,
Whether you like it or not, humans are predators and we compete directly with other predators. God, create us that way, so if you want to be a grass eater, you can, but don’t take it out on me. Does that mean hunters want to kill every animal or coyote on the planet? Heck no! But we realize that killing a coyote, can in the short-term increase the population of a prey species that hunters desire to hunt, eat, and eventually hang on the wall. It’s a pretty simple fact, humans are consumers and we are at the top of the food chain.
Hunters are always made out to be the bad guy, but Hunters are the only reason wildlife exist, and will continue to exist. Hunters, such as Theodore Roosevelt, founded the first conservation efforts, as they recognized the value of wildlife. Hunters now contribute millions of dollars to wildlife, through the purchasing of hunting licenses, wildlife organization memberships, and taxes on our own equipment. A good majority of these funds are the ONLY revenues for state game & fish agencies, and these agencies tell us when, where, and what we can hunt, based on BIOLOGICAL fact. Another portion of this funding is spent on habitat improvements, such as, land purchases, water hauling, water developments, etc… This means, NO Taxes or minimal taxes on the General Public, because sportsmen pay for wildlife conservation and management. I suspect many Anti-hunters have never attended a ranch clean up, a water development project, or joined a true wildlife conservation group. Why not, you guys love wildlife don’t you?
Why I hunt coyotes !
I hunt coyotes because I love to do it. Do I believe my hunting hurts their population? In the short-term, of course, that is the point! But, some studies show that coyote populations will increase over the long-term, if certain dominate coyotes are displaced (another reason why we must hunt them every year). What does this mean to the hunter? Well, it means, in the short-term predator hunting can help one fawn or calf get to its’ feet, and in the long run, the coyote population will also benefit and coyote hunters will be happy. Yes, coyote hunters love coyotes, but we also love the animals we eat!
I could honestly give you a million reasons why we should, and do hunt coyotes, but you are not going to listen and rationally absorb the facts. More than likely, you will continue to believe, you love animals more than me. You will continue to believe, animals are equal to our own children. You will continue to believe, animals have moral and ethical principles, like humans. You will continue to believe, I am a murder. You will continue to believe, the world is an animated Disney movie. I will continue to hunt coyotes and compete in predator hunts, because I believe in wildlife management, conservation, which is HUNTING.
Sincerely, Craig Steele
-Final thoughts on Predator Hunts/Contests
Anti-Hunters tend to use the terms slaughter and wipe out the population, when they talk the press and general public. They want the general public to believe predator hunters are killing every predator within a given area and for nothing, but fun. This works most of the time! Why? Because we are scared of fighting back! Meanwhile, they throw a gauntlet of screwed views into the press. Check-out this link: FBI probes threats to coyote hunt contest organizer
“Most people recognize that this is a cruel, random, indiscriminate contest for the purpose of promoting a business,” said opponent Elisabeth Dicharry.
Dicharry and her husband, Guy, said they are animal lovers and are opposed to the unlimited killing.
“We’re not opposed to hunting, we have lots of animals, we’re not opposed responsible gun ownership and we’re not opposed to predator control,” Guy Dicharry said.
Most beginners, novice, and even many seasoned predator hunters/callers don’t really use the term, “Cold Calling”. Cold Calling is typically used in the marketing world, but for the purpose of predator hunting it is calling predators without any real scouting. Scouting for predators can be broken down into many different forms or levels, but essentially scouting dramatically increases your odds in being more consist in calling predators.
On a fair weather day you can typically get away with cold calling, because obviously your sounds carry farther and predators will come from greater distances. You can also get away with cold calling earlier in the season when there are more predators available to call; especially transient coyotes. If the weather turns inclement, or during the months of January-April, you are really selling yourself short if you don’t scout.
The moral to this story is… start scouting to be a more consistent predator caller/hunter! If you are going to go on a guided predator hunt make sure you ask the outfitter/guide if he cold calls or not. If he doesn’t know what cold calling is, don’t book with them.