Predator Xtreme - Feb 2012
55 www PredatorXtreme com FEBRUARY 2012 coyotes use of cover while seeking a meal is a natural behavior Areas of heavy brush hold a lot of rodents and small game food items for the coyote Although there were areas near the sand dunes that provided open ground those areas seemed to be devoid of coyote sign while the Mesquite and saltbrush covered dunes were literally strewn with tracks of both coyote and prey animals That told us that coyotes were hunting and living right in the thick stuff Dont be surprised if a called in coyote holds up just inside an especially thick clump of vegetation as educated coyotes learn to be cautious You may even spot the coyote farther out circling Thats where you will need a centerfire rifle In thick country odds are that your shot may be at a fast retreating coyote Our ideal setup was to purposely stay low contradictory to most western hunting where the hunter is on an elevated hillside At most we were only a few feet off the desert floor on a gentle sloping grade the slope itself providing enough elevation to spot movement When you spot movement in the brush be prepared to assess what it is immediately Any movement or commotion can be an indicator of an approaching predator Rabbits birds even larger animals such as cattle have been known to rat out a coyote that is approaching unseen to the caller Crows or magpies in more northern latitudes have a nasty habit of following and at times pestering predators A swooping or low flying scavenger is a sure sign of a coyote or other predator com A misting recipe can confuse a coyotes nose long enough for a shot but you must set up with a shooting lane downwind in thick cover to get a visual on the yote
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