Predator Newbie

[dunalf05]

I've seen multiple cats and yotes on my trail cameras all very late at night. I have never hunted them before all though I have seen a few while deer hunting. I would like to try my hand at targeting them specifically.

I have an electronic predator call and a shaker rabbit decoy.

What types of strategies should I use? Where should I hunt? (fields, woods, cutover) What conditions are best for hunting these animals?

I'm looking to get back in the woods and clear out some of my turkey eaters.

[sidog]

Night hunting is the best but if the laws don't allow it early morning or late evening is the next best thing! I like to call for Coyotes in open areas and more brushy areas for cats! Try rabbit sounds for dogs and birds for cats to start with and just play with it and learn from what you see. A squeaker type call is good for getting animals to close the distance for the shot. We killed a Fox and a cat super bowl weekend on Thursday night and my friends I hunted with killed two coons and a cat Saturday night and I killed a cat Sunday night . All the hunts were short hunts! Warning varmint hunting is addictive!

[deepwaterwolf]

Great questions dunalf05 I want to know also


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[sidog]

We use an electronic caller sometimes but we usually use mouth calls! Here in TX. we have Jack Rabbits and we use J R sounds but in the southeast Cottontail sounds are better. I like the bird calls on the FoxPro and the baby cottontail has been good to us on all kinds of predators. We have killed many cats with Yellow Hammer, pileated wood pecker, Flicker and other bird sounds. Another thing to think about is that just because you kill or miss an animal does not mean the call is over! Keep calling for at least 30 minutes per location even if you kill a critter in the first 5 minutes, I have seen a fox come in and five minutes later a big Bobcat come in. We have killed three or more animals at one call many times . Let us know how your calling goes.

[dunalf05]

Great info! How long do you typically call for? How long do you wait between calls? Do you hunt the wind like deer?

[dunalf05]

Also I've heard small caliber rifles are best. Unfortunately my options are .22lr or 30 06.
I'm thinking of using my .22 with some stingers but I'm worried that might not be good enough. I know the 06 is overkill.

Regardless of what I do I plan on carry a .357 mag pistol as well......just in case.

[sidog]

We have been shooting a CZ 527 .17 Hornet of my friends and I usually shoot a .223 with 45 grain JHP's or my Sako .222 with 40 grain Hornady V-Max. The cat I killed the other night I used the .223 Rem 700 LTR and 45grn JHP and it left one small .22 cal. hole in the neck with no exit but it did hit the big bone on the opposite shoulder. 3600fps at muzzle . A fast small caliber gun is the ticket if your going to sell hides.