What now? (Rusty?)

Mad Mikey · 11-22-2008, 04:33 PM

Driving back down the hill from bird hunting tonight(got one blue) I stopped at several corners and touched off my FX-5 with some locator calls, thinking if I got a response I might come back in the AM.

The last place I tried I didn't get a response with the locator howls but DID get an immediate come back with an interrogation howl. A few minutes of that and I switched to the challenge howl and wow, that dawg yapped at my caller back and forth for about 15 minutes.

I set the call down and walked out with the binos to try and find the dawg. It was up on top of a grassy ridge on private land about 500 yards away. It was facing my direction, tail swishing back and forth, I wouldn't call it "wagging". There was a sliver of timber I watched the dawg from, so I don't think he saw me.

What was going on here?

What should I do tomorrow?

While the dawg WAS on private land he wasn't that far from the fence. Should I do up and hit the howler calls in the AM first or just set up with a distress call with confidence knowing there should be a dawg nearby?

Thanks guys!

Rusty · 11-22-2008, 06:25 PM

Mad Mikey,

Interesting situation. I can feel your pain!

Here's what I would do. In the morning, try setting up from a completely different position. If you call from the same spot, the yote will sense something's up and not respond. When you do set up, do not howl! If you have a bird distress call on your FoxPro, use it. Any bird call will get his attention and your chances of success will tip in your favor.

Let me know!

Rusty

Rank Amateur · 11-22-2008, 06:33 PM

Try the woodpecker, they like that!

Mad Mikey · 11-22-2008, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rusty

Mad Mikey,

Interesting situation. I can feel your pain!

Here's what I would do. In the morning, try setting up from a completely different position. If you call from the same spot, the yote will sense something's up and not respond. When you do set up, do not howl! If you have a bird distress call on your FoxPro, use it. Any bird call will get his attention and your chances of success will tip in your favor.

Let me know!

Rusty

I'll take that advice. I already know to not set up where I had this encounter, just common sense.

Sheesh, I was on a main FS road when I did it!

There's a place up the hill where I can set up a blind if need be.

Bird call, eh'?

Will do.

Hopefully I'll have some dead yote' pix for ya' tomorrow.

Mad Mikey · 11-23-2008, 04:58 AM

Locked and loaded, out the door.....

Rank Amateur · 11-23-2008, 04:59 AM

Get'em!! Good luck, be safe.

Mad Mikey · 11-23-2008, 02:23 PM

No takers today, well for the most part anyways.

Sunrise was purty' though...

The big grassy ridge in the middle is where I saw the dawg last night, except from a different vantage point about a half mile away.

I gotta' say, even though he didn't come in it's quite entertaining watching the magpies go nutso, sometimes even landing ON the call box!

I tried many different spots, I didn't like this one very well due to the limited visibility but it borders private land where there are a lot of dawgs.

After about 20 minutes here I see some movement in the brush, start getting all jacked and then this little girl walks right up to the call!!!

I guess she has a soft spot for wounded woodpeckers.

Stuck it out til about 2Pm or so, tried several other spots where I found tracks. Wind was going about 30mph and bitter, quite a few hunters in the woods too, I guess there's some special hunts going on.

I also had a bit of a problem trying to line myself up with the light at my back since the wind was coming from that direction also(S/SE).

Someday guys, I promise I'll give ya' more than dead grouse and scenery pics!

Really!

(Still beats workin')