How to Take Coyotes and Other Predators
How to Take More Predators with Gerald Stewart
Editor’s
Note: Gerald Stewart of Waco, Texas, doesn’t remember
a time when he hasn’t called, hunted and taken
predators. Predator hunting has been his life’s
work for most of his life, and each year, he tries to
learn more about effective ways to find, call and take
predators.
Question: Gerald, what have you recently learned about
approaching predators?
Stewart: I came across an idea a number of years ago,
and I don’t remember exactly how I figured this
out. But my dad, Johnny Stewart, who started the Johnny
Stewart Call Company, now a division of Hunter’s
Specialties had always been interested in how to approach
predators in an area where you want to hunt predators
in a quieter way. So, I began to modify the tail pipe
of my vehicle and point the tail pipe down toward the
ground instead of up or out. This way, the sound of
the exhaust goes down into the ground rather than being
put out behind the vehicle. If you’ll notice,
when you lay a caller’s speaker on the ground,
much of the call’s sound goes into the ground.
The same is true if you turn the tail pipe of the vehicle
you hunt with down to the ground. Another thing I’ve
learned is that animals react differently
to various types of vehicles.
Question: In your opinion, what’s the best kind
of vehicle for hunting predators?
Stewart: The landowner’s truck is because the
farmer or the rancher’s truck is the vehicle the
predators see and hear most often. The predators won’t
react to the sound of this vehicle or at least not react
severely to it. If the farmer or the rancher doesn’t
shoot predators from his truck, then the predators have
no fear of it. But if he does shoot at predators from
his truck, they’ll run away and hide every time
they hear it crank up. So, if you’re hunting at
a farm or a ranch where the owner doesn’t shoot
at predators from his truck, then the predators have
no fear of that truck. You’ll realize it’s
the best vehicle to move around the ranch in when you’re
hunting. I can tell from the first coyote I see on any
ranch whether or not the rancher permits shooting from
the truck, because if he does, as soon as the coyote
sees the truck, the animal will take off running. But
if the rancher doesn’t permit shooting from the
truck, the coyotes will pay very little attention to
the vehicle.
Question: What kind of vehicles do you think the animals
react to the least?
Stewart: I’m still using the old 1973 Bronco that
my Dad had modified for quietness. I grease it on a
regular basis, turn the tail pipe down and put double
mufflers on it so that both sides of the engine are
muffled, making it run quieter. I’ve even noticed
that when I drive up on deer in the field, I can get
much closer to the deer with that Bronco than I can
with other vehicles, because the deer don’t hear
me coming when I’m driving into the wind. I also
think that electric- or battery-powered vehicles are
much quieter than gas- powered vehicles. The electric
golf cart seems to be much quieter than the gas-powered
ATV. For instance, a Bad Boy Buggy is much quieter than
a gas-powered ATV. I think you definitely have an advantage
and can call more predators when you use a quiet vehicle
that the predators have never heard before, especially
when you use our new Attractor Call.
Question: Why do you like the Attractor Call?
Stewart: I like the 50-yard remote control with five
sounds embedded in it because you can attract the attention
of the animal to that device rather than to you, if
you have a call in your mouth or sitting
in front of you. The big advantage of the remote control
caller really doesn’t come into play until the
animal’s in close. You can start out with a primary
call like a mouth call or an electronic call to get
the predator’s attention at long range. I like
to use the Preymaster or an old Johnny Stewart 512 cassette
player to initially start the animal coming toward me.
When the critter gets in close, you can use the Attractor,
which costs less than $40, making it affordable for
almost anyone. By using this little remote control caller
in conjunction with the mouth call or the electronic
call, you have all the advantages of a more-expensive
remote call. I’ve used the Attractor Call for
the last month and a half to call in 12 gray foxes and
four coyotes. I’ve had gray foxes come from behind
bushes and actually jump up and bite the Attractor.
I had the Attractor hanging up off the ground with the
lanyard that comes with it, and a fox jumped into the
bush and started biting the Attractor. I had another
gray fox climb a mesquite tree with three legs on three
different tree limbs, looking right at the Attractor
and trying to get it. His nose was about 10 inches from
that caller. That was a real Kodak moment. I was hunting
in the early morning with the sunlight dancing on that
gray fox’s pelt. That fox looking at that Attractor
would have really made a great photo, but I didn’t
have my camera with me. On these two instances, I had
a very-quiet, still morning and I used the Attractor
as my primary call. I walked a few hundred yards as
quietly as possible, set up the Attractor and then started
to call with it. Both foxes came in within about 4 minutes
of when I started to call. With the Attractor, I’ve
had foxes come in within about 15 yards of me. Most
of the time, I’ll set the Attractor about 25 yards
from me. This little call is great for the predator
hunter who likes to hunt with a shotgun. Since the call’s
away from you, when the animal comes in, his attention
is on the call and not on you. So, your chances of getting
a shot off are far greater than when the call is right
in front of you, or when you’re using a hand-blown
call.
To learn more, visit http://johnnystewart.com/Updateable/update_display.cfm?pageID=20&categoryID=15
Tomorrow: Mix Sounds for More
Coyotes with Gerald Stewart
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