22WMR vs. 17WSM for Bobcat

[TheGDog]

Probably a moot point. At this rate I might as well not take a gun.
Haven't needed it yet.
Think I'm @ 3 dozen sets and have seen nothing with hair.

So it's either something you're doing wrong while progressing thru that set... such as not watching your own fidgeting/movements while on your sit, and they're seeing you. Or, time of day happens to not coincide with when they elect to be in that area. Just like us they learn how the critters they are after only seem to come out in this spot at this time of day, etc.

OR...

It's simply that you've found where they are NOT at. And need to methodically proceed from there.


A huge part of how things get to survive to the next day is simply the vastness of the habitats they live within. And how that provides for a high opportunity for that critter and it's predators to have a low occurrence of being in the same place at the same time.

As hunters we just try to apply our critical thinking skills to what we've observed of their behaviours to hopefully use that to our advantage when we can.

And even when it's an area where you've personally laid eyes on coyotes trotting thru... more than once!... you STILL may end up doing a ton of sets before one of those lil bastards FINALLY decides to try coming in to the calling.

That's usually when ya gotta experiment with trying new call sounds that'd be unlikely used before by others in that area. Things like sounds of domesticated puppies, or kittens, for example. Heck I'd even contemplated trying to record my little Chihuahua we had, thinking that'd really amp'em u to come swoop in.

 

[FLATHEAD]

G, 100% of my calling has been on a State WMA. I find it perplexing that my calling attempts have resulted in no animals called in. You would think, after 3 dozen sets or so, SOMETHING would have came in.
Fox, Bobcat, Yote, Coon, Skunk, anything.
I always get a mob of Crows or a Hawk. One of the Hawks actually attacked the decoy. But nothing with hair. NOTHING.
I've called in more predators by accident while Turkey hunting.
I'm ready to start fishing.

 

[TheGDog]

Ugh... don't mention fishing man, took the boy out on a stone breakwater in Seal Beach this weekend... and while we have lines dropped in there with freaking fresh Squid on 'em... a few times we saw some groups of DEFINITELY good sized fish coming thru past them!

And I'd thrown the main body organ of the Squid into the rock crevices behind the bottom-most rock we were standing on, hoping the current action would push that scent out, which I know it must have because we didn't get the big ones passing by until we'd done that.

Also a few times I was trolling with an articulated body jig that swims very life like when ya give em tugs. And occasionally the group of larger ones, I think Mackerel or Bonita would kinda be curious about it, but then just as quickly be on about their way! So we got totally skunked, even though we're clearly looking down and seeing the occasional small groups of sizeable fish patrolling thru, presumably after the bait fish we'd also see passing by.

-=-=-=-

Well... if you're getting Hawks coming in that's always a good sign since that shows ya it's convincing.

It's interesting you saying you haven't called them in unless you're Turkey Hunting though.

Perhaps you need to go out on a calling set with the mission being to this time utilize Turkey-related sounds as your major lead-in sound to focus upon?

Might make sense... since people aren't usually going to want to overdo the Turkey calling sounds for fear of messing up their Turkey Hunting... maybe that works to your advantage here in this case? Since those furry critters would seldom hear the Turkey sounds being done except during that one time of year maybe?

I totally feel you though on doing bunches and bunches of sets, even places where you yourself have seen preds go thru with your own eye, so you know they at least pass thru there! And freakin' nada for your efforts.

But in the place I'm thinking off, it is vast expanses of thick chaparral (Greasewoods) in-between the occasional opened-up areas which have some Oaks and/or Meadow/Grass opening thru them. So in my case, I have to wonder how far the sound is actually carrying into the distance, given all those GreaseWoods to soak up the sound.

 

[FLATHEAD]

My Predator calling efforts fit the definition of insanity.

 

[TheGDog]

Well... have ya tried different times of the day? Have ya done sets right at first legal shooting light?

I'll just say this... right about the time you're thinking this is dumb and why do I even bother?... that's about when that once in awhile coyote shows up. Or sometimes... he shows up 10min after you've stopped calling and are packed up and headed out!

 

[FLATHEAD]

I usually sit 45min-hr, and are generally in the afternoon till dark.
I think I need to find some new ground.

 

[TheGDog]

New ground is always an interesting choice.

You can also put out cams to double-check the places/areas you do go, to ensure they actually have coyotes an such coming thru.

Maybe pour some used cooking oil in front of the cam on the ground, to see what stops by and sniffs at it, on camera.

Also sometimes ya gotta turn around and look way back and ask yourself could they see your vehicle from here?

 

[Grip_tony]

WMR for sure.

Predators are smart man. They’ll bust you without you ever seeing them. And they’ll remember it for a long time.

 

[TheGDog]

WMR for sure.

Predators are smart man. They’ll bust you without you ever seeing them. And they’ll remember it for a long time.

Especially the cats... they are real good at seeing you before you see them. And they creep into the scene stealthy when calling its happening. One time was calling for 45 min. HAd bad setup with narrow POV on my decoy and caller. When I went to standup? Big ol Tom was 8yds over. I tried to play the freeze game... almost pulled it off, but at the end was like trying to time his leaps over brush and attempting to launch a bullet at where I think a leap is about to land at. But didn't connect.

The 3D leafy suit is your huckleberry in thicker environments. If you see them catch some of your movement, you can usually freeze, and the flopping of the "leaves" in the wind quickly convinces them they were just mistaken and it was that man-shaped tree over there swaying in the breeze!

 

[IM4MOPAR]

My Predator calling efforts fit the definition of insanity.

I feel this ^^^^^

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

 

[timberjack86]

22 mag, I may encounter a hog and the 22 mag with fmj will give the penetration to take him down.

 

[Coldtrail]

.22 mag with 40gr HPs is plenty for anything under 100yrds, especially if you intend to save the pelt. My experience with cats in thick country is they take FOREVER to come in & end up right under your nose when they do. The more you call the slower they come in, I always felt my biggest weakness in keeping me from a successful hunt is that i was over calling.

Nothing scientific, but my belief is that cats do alot of picking scraps from animals killed by other predators, so when they hear something die they don't charge in like a coyote, they take their time to see what is going on to prevent getting in a conflict with wolves or coyotes over a meal. Just my hillbilly logic.