A visit with Dr. Charles Shawley, PhD - coyote talk...

[ivarhusa]

I had the pleasure of a leisurely visit with Dr. Charles Shawley this morning, as he passed through town.  He has authored several pieces for Predator Xtreme magazine, and has a book series started, Hunting the Hunters that is looking for a publisher. http://www.huntingthehunters.net/

Charles has written the first volume of the series, about coyotes, and made it available on-line (for a time). I've read it. It is a better how-to-hunt-something book than any other that I have read.  There will be information to benefit the novice, such as myself, and I expect even for old hands at the game.

Charles is also starting to write for a magazine (currently an e-zine) that caters to the AR-platform  hunters out there. (I forgot the name. Sorry guys.) It sounds like they have ambitious growth plans, expecting to one day top the circulation of the NRA's American Hunter. It could happen.

It was educational to talk tactics with Charles.  A lot of what is Feel Free To Hunt, in my neck of the woods, are wheat stubble fields.  I've seen coyotes in them, but was discouraged of hunting them for the lack of cover to hide in.  He encouraged me to hunt them. "No cover" is much better than "no hunting", and he reports harvesting many critters with no cover in sight. He'll shoot from prone very often, such as in wheat stubble. (I will be adding the short bi-pod to my rifle, soon.)

I am encouraged!   I hate being limited to the same dozen or so locations, so now I am encouraged to look in more places.   I may well try calling critters out of the sage and into wheat stubble, to get the clear shot.

He liked my (recently shortened) skinning pole, and thought there might be a market out there for it. I am more skeptical about such sales, but would help others wishing to build their own. Get in touch.

[rasbo]

why not get in the sage and call..I sit my ass in the bush with my head even with the top, gun on my knees.I rarely shot a dog over a few yards..

[ivarhusa]

Ras, I am looking for new ideas like that, to expand my opportunities to hunt successfully.  I've started with a simple model of how a successful hunt takes place. "Hunter sits with vegetation breaking up his outline, and calls a coyote into open ground in front or around him."  I am perhaps overly invested in the idea that if the coyote could approach within 20 or so yards with having yet been seen (aided by sage "cover"), then in all likelihood that critter will have detected the hunter, and split before a shot gets taken.

I am taking encouragement from your message that this is not necessarily the case.  Perhaps one can get a shot off while a critter is close in. I do own a 12gauge.

[rasbo]

Ras, I am looking for new ideas like that, to expand my opportunities to hunt successfully.  I've started with a simple model of how a successful hunt takes place. "Hunter sits with vegetation breaking up his outline, and calls a coyote into open ground in front or around him."  I am perhaps overly invested in the idea that if the coyote could approach within 20 or so yards with having yet been seen (aided by sage "cover"), then in all likelihood that critter will have detected the hunter, and split before a shot gets taken.

I am taking encouragement from your message that this is not necessarily the case.  Perhaps one can get a shot off while a critter is close in. I do own a 12gauge.

all I ever used in Idaho was a 30-06 with a 125 grain corelokt to the head...Now I never hunted till the pelts were good big diff when its colder on how they come,15 degrees and colder.they will hesitate for a moment and bang

[tlbradford]

Ivar, above all else, the good doctor should have told you that hunting coyotes in marginal areas is not a good use of your time.  To be the most effecient killer that you can be, concentrate on locating coyotes and then figure out how to call them to you.  While many coyotes will hunt and sometimes den in wheat stubble, they will not be hanging out there during daylight hunting hours.  You need to figure out where they go and hunt that area. 

If you get into night hunting, then setting up in the stubble fields would be very advantageous.  I don't want to discourage you from hunting wide open areas, but those wide open areas need to border something that will hold coyotes during daytime hours.  Concealing your approach to a calling stand is also very important, which is why wide open areas should tend to be avoided.  If the wheat stubble is 10" tall, well that is enough to conceal a coyote.  If it is 4" they will rarely be there, and if they are, you will see them from a mile away, and they in turn will see you from a mile away.  You are a great student of the game, so continue to hunt smart.  Analyze the area, and consider evrything that goes into a successful calling stand.  If it doesn't meet a lot of that criteria, concentrate your energy and time in more productive spots.  Just my 

[ivarhusa]

TL, I think you are right on all counts.  Hunting "in the wide open" isn't likely to be the best bet.

I'd like to get closer in, over irrigated land.  There is more cover, and fruit (orchards and the like) to feed coyotes with.  At present, I only have two of such spreads I have hunted.  One is the cattle operation where I have found abundant critters, and the other is cherry orchard and grape vineyard. The orchard especially is tough to hunt (from my novice perspective) because of the limited sight distance through and around trees. There is coyote sign, of course.  Coyotes could get quite close during calling, before being able to see them.  I guess that works both ways!  Any advice for working orchards?

Also, how large does a property have to be, before one approaches a land owner for permission to hunt?  I have one prospective site that is 64 acres of mostly pasture, and is perhaps only 400 yds across.  There is opportunity for critters to come in from "off property", but there is always the proximity to houses and such to deal with. Oy!  The landowner reports seeing coyotes, and has lost barn cats to them. (I do plan to go there this fall/winter).

Ivar

[rasbo]

I would hunt any size property if I thought dogs were on it..But your weapon of choice might have to change.Most the ranchers that had problems with calving time,I would set up in the best cover as possible,Haystacks,wheelines,base of a pivot..most the dogs seem to come from the sage areas to the ranches..Dont take them long to travel.Is there any blm land around.Man your getting me excited.Damn I miss that kind of country.I havent hunted any orchards,but I would look to the out lying areas with cover that will hold them.  I just laughed,Gerry blair set up and called in a santa suit..they are thinking food..Im thinking if ya keep calling the same spots you are going to educate them dogs.that I believe is a big problem with dogs on this side so many people are out there screaming from trucks or standing on the side of the road,and calling year round they wise up...they are a crafty animal.I hope you get into them you sound like your hooked on those stink dogs

[ivarhusa]

Hooked for sure, Ras.  I'll be making hefty payments for the next 60 months on my 4WD, bought expressly to get out in the winter.

[rasbo]

Hooked for sure, Ras.  I'll be making hefty payments for the next 60 months on my 4WD, bought expressly to get out in the winter.

well 1st thing ya gotta do is throw a fresh killed dog in the back seat and drive to town do some shopping,then stop and show it off to a few friends.then go home and skin it.

[tlbradford]

I agree with Rasbo.  A good area is a good area no matter the size.  You may only get one stand out of it because it is small, but if it is productive, then that is better than three stands in crappy areas.

[prkrgrp]

all of the links on the website are bad right now i emailed charles waiting for reply

[prkrgrp]

just talked with shawley he has taken all items off the website and has no plans to publish the ebook. i do have this article pm for info.

[Heredoggydoggy]

If he's the author I'm thinking of, he wrote a series of articles in PredatorXtreme about cotote and deer vision and hearing, with pictures to show how human eyes see things, and how coyote eyes see the same thing.  The upshot was that just because camo looks good to us, doesn't mean it is not visible to a coyote or deer.  Completely changed my attitude on what constitutes good camoflage.

[prkrgrp]

If he's the author I'm thinking of, he wrote a series of articles in PredatorXtreme about cotote and deer vision and hearing, with pictures to show how human eyes see things, and how coyote eyes see the same thing.  The upshot was that just because camo looks good to us, doesn't mean it is not visible to a coyote or deer.  Completely changed my attitude on what constitutes good camoflage.

this is true for example a coyote will see the uv reflection in most camo from the fabric before it sees  the color, this article changed my view of camo and led me to m2d the only camo to use.

[ivarhusa]

You guys are right about Shawley being the Predator Extreme contributor.  Sorry he's not able to work there, now, as I really enjoyed his pieces.  Charles introduced me to M2D.  I've been seeing more people wearing M2D on the hunting shows, so his (Sparky's) products are 'getting around'. Sparky, the principal behind M2D, is in the Spokane area.  Support local business!