When do fawns and calves drop?

OR 663 RD · 04-20-2003, 08:28 PM

Just wondering because I'm interested in filling my cougar tag or taking out a coyote or two on the West side. Heard a fawn distress call really brings them in. Anyone have any more info on this??

Bait O' Eggs · 04-21-2003, 06:25 AM

You can usually go out and see new born fawns about the 4th of July.

Nothing like watching them wobble around trying to find their balance.

pdxkevin · 04-21-2003, 07:25 AM

I have wanted to get out an call for both bear and cougar, but am unable to find another who is interested in going out when they learn that we are calling them right to us.

Seems the idea of having either seriously considering us as a food source seems to cause other events to get scheduled the same weekend....

....so if you need another set of eyes to watch the other direction send a post my way.

[ 04-21-2003, 08:27 AM: Message edited by: pdxkevin ]

Myles · 04-21-2003, 09:42 AM

Elk calve late May to early June.

Let's get together and see what we can come up with as far as willingness to go, experience, and gear.
Who else has a Sylvan's membership? Maybe meet after work one night!

myles

pdxkevin · 04-21-2003, 12:02 PM

I don't since I am not familar with Sylvan's. I am interested.

skein · 04-21-2003, 12:05 PM

I've called in a LOT of coyotes, and never had one come in to a fawn bleat. Now, having said that, I think it's my technique, not the potential of that type of call. I suspect cadence is very important as well as volume, and I may be missing the bet on either one of those pieces of the puzzle.

Maybe someone who has had some success with a fawn call could chime in here and give us some tips. I've pretty much given up on mine.

Skein

Hey Man · 04-21-2003, 01:45 PM

Calves late April-early June.

Fawns late May-early July.

But there can be even larger variations.

I worked on a fawn research project last summer as part of a school internship and by the time I got there (Mid-June) there were lots of fawns that were a couple weeks old.

As far as attracting a coyote, I don't know, I did lose a couple fawns to coyotes and witness a couple others killed or being eaten by them.

OR 663 RD · 04-22-2003, 07:19 PM

Great info! Thanks. Myles - Are you talking about Sylvan Archers in Sherwood. If so I've been a member for several years, however, I still haven't renewed for 2003 yet. I'm planning to hunt for predators with my .243 Winchester, not my bow. Mostly planning to combine scouting and predator hunting trips during the late spring and summer. I think there's a break in the cougar season during this time, but coyotes are open all year.

OR 663 RD · 04-22-2003, 07:23 PM

Skein - Do you do much coyote calling on the West side? I've gone out several times but have yet to call one in. I probably just need to keep looking for areas with good numbers of 'yotes. I know an area that's full of them where I bow hunt, however, it's owned by Weyerhauser and they don't allow predator hunting on their lands.

skein · 04-22-2003, 08:44 PM

OR 663,

Yes, I call some over here in the valley, but not as much as I do on the east side. The first coyote I ever called in was right up above Foster Lake, and he came in so fast I was caught completely unawares. I dang near dropped my rifle. Needless to say he got away clean.

The best populations I know of in the valley (around here, anyway) are in the Philomath and Harlan areas. LOTS of song-dogs over there, but like most places, the urban sprawl keeps making it harder and harder to find a place to hunt - safely.

Use a howler to locate them, or watch for scat on the roads. It's the best way I know of to stay sharp for hunting season.

Skein