35 replies to this topic

[Switch]

Ed and I recently started the season off with a day and night hunt last week. During the days stands, I got to thinking about why I enjoy coyote calling so much. A lot of it came down to the ease at which you can call. There's been times when I've had my gear in the truck, I spot a chunk of good looking land, and I just pull over and call it. No other preparation other than having my gear in the car. I also like to make a lot stands to increase the odds of success. To me, that comes down to traveling light. When I'm hunting solo, I'll drag out the Foxpro. But when I hunt with a partner, something I much rather prefer, I leave the magic box at home. I think having an extra pair of eyes and a good hand call is as good, if not better than using an e-caller. Just my opinion.

Anyway, I was curious on what predator hunters take on stand. Here is what I take. Note that the butt pad can be switched out with a dove chair when terrain warrants, and of course the firearm of your choice would be included.



Over the years, I've been through all the homemade and store bought decoys, several different types of e-callers and the other things that the hunting industry thinks we should take on stand. Heck, I even designed and built a 360 degree rotational stool with a gun rest that I thought would give me the edge. It's overall weight kept it in the garage after a few hunts. The above photo illustrates what I've paired it all down to. Light and easy to carry.

[tawnoper]

Tim (Switch) has come a long way. This is a picture I snapped of Tim heading out to make a stand just a couple years ago:




I agree with Tim...except I'll include pants, shirt and a roll of TP.

Speaking of TP...nobody, and I mean nobody can take a cr*p in the woods faster thanTim. We'd be walking back from a stand and he'd say "I'll be there in a minute, got business to attend to" so I'd keep on walking. I get back to the truck fully expecting to wait a minute or so, but he's only a few steps behind me. I was pretty sure that he just craps his pants without breaking stride...but I haven't smelled anything yet.

[Frank]

I do not like carrying much, and is at least partly why I rarely use decoys. I just do not need or want extra junk. Not too mention I really am not a big fan of decoys anyhow. But that is another story.

Like Tim, I have my stuff at the "ready", in case a suicidal coyote runs out in front of me. I can pull over and just grab my day pack, rifle, shooting stix, and fanny pad and trot, ur, waddle on after him. This has happened enough times & slayed wiley occasionally to make it worth it.

My day pack contains my e caller, that unlike Tim, I take to every stand, whether I use it or not. Which I use 98%(?) of the time. I like it that much. My pack also contains 3 or 4 hand calls including one small howler, poncho, camera, light rope, very small flashlight, extra batteries, water bottle, granola bars, band-aids, skinning knive(s), TP & small digital scale. I (always) take shooting stix, & the seat pad that is similar to Tims.

I wear a camo boonie hat, and complete camo face net. Someone this butt ugly needs all the help I can get.

Years ago, I would make a dozen stands in a day. 10 minimum. I no longer do that for various reasons, with old age being one of them. HOWEVER, I also no longer need to call in a bunch of coyotes in a day. I am past that. I much enjoy just being out in nature and being lazy, especially if I really like a stand that I am on. Approx 4 or 5 stands in a day is plenty for me now days. 2 or 3 even better, especially if I kill one. Something about just smelling the roses I guess? Who knows, eh?

Good Thread, Tim

[MonkeyChunks]

That is classic...

Lets see, i am still trying out a few things on each stand so my list changes, in general i take the following
1. shooting sticks/ weapon
2. face netting/ calls
3. scent eliminator
4. lunch and water

Depending on the terrain and the wweather i may pack my hunting chair, and decoy.

[tawnoper]

Okay, in all seriousness. I'm with Tim on this one...less is more.

I think at one time or another I've tried just about everything. When you are sitting at home during the middle of summer thinking of new stuff to use next season you can come up with all kinds of ideas. Some were good, some were dumb and others worked but were too much work to do all day.

A few I can think of.

Decoys. I've made and used a few. Really never thought they made much a difference one way or the other. One stand I'd have one come running in locked on the decoy, the next stand I'd not use it and I'd have the same result with the critter locked on the caller. Not enough difference to keep setting it up. After a few stands it usually got left in the truck.

Camo: to me camo is one of those things that doesn't hurt but it sure isn't necessary. When I first got into calling I made up these aluminum frames that setup in front of you and then spread camo netting on them...it actually worked okay but once I discovered it was totally unnecessary it got left in the garage. I used to camo up head to toe. Got a lot of critters like that. I stopped wearing so much, still got a lot. I don't wear it too much anymore beside a jacket or longsleeve shirt. Since I still like to handcall most of the time I'll bring a facemask for those stands when the suns not at my back. I have noticed a difference there.

What I bring with me now would be, rifle or shotgun and ammo. Calls. Ecaller sometimes. pad or chair, shooting stix, .22lr pistol, camera, tp, pocketknife, glasses/sunglasses, wristwatch (I still time my stands). If it's cold some gloves. Sometimes I'll bring the video camera.

Everything else is in the truck.

Once we get rolling making stands I get out and grab gun, stix , pad/ chair and start walking. Doesn't take long. I've hunted with guys that every time you stop for a stand it was like they had to get all outfitted again. That's a pain.

[donkey12]

1. Gun
2. A couple extra rounds
3. E-caller and one hand call
4. Knife
5. Camera

[Broncowilly]

Rifle and or shotgun
E-Caller
Mouth calls X 2
Camera
Face vail
Camo gloves
Hunting License
DOJ letter for my rifle (They think it's an assault rifle)
Land owner permission form
Backpack with pictured


I figure for no more than it weighs and as far away from the truck as we might walk, I don't want to wind up like Mr. Paul Nies.

[dabob]

I have a camo bag that I throw over my shoulder and take off with. In the bag there is extra cotton camo gloves, hand calls, Foxpro CS-24 or Fury and a SP-55 Speaker, some extra batteries for my remotes, 5 or 6 extra shotgun shells and sometimes a decoy.

Most of the time I am wearing light camo coveralls and have a camo hat with a face mask on it. I have my camera around my neck and the camera is under my coveralls until I get set up at the stand. In wide open country I will take a camo pillow along quite often for shotgun calling.

My binoculars stay in my truck.

[jawbreaker]

Most of the stand we make are within a few hundred yards of the jeep(usually less) I'm with the guys that travel light. Gun,caller and handcall and stix if I'm shooting a rifle.

[Yateswell]

Too many items to list, yet my sucess rate does not increase like the items I carry.

[Thumper Dunker]

Bow and full quiver hand calls and maybe a decoy. Or loaded rifle four extra shells hand calls. Calls are one distres type and one howler type thing. My stands are pretty close to my truck maybe only 100 yards in a few.

[Bennie]

I carry a back pack that has a e-caller, four hand calls, matches, toilet paper, bottle of water, butt pad, and camera in it. My rifle has a stock pad that holds eight rounds and a bipod on it. Adrian who I hunt with most of the the time carries the same in his back pack, except he does not have a e-caller and does carry the decoy that we use some of the time. I think a decoy in some areas can get a coyotes attention, and hold it making it easier for me to make movements with the gun. I always have a pocket knife in my pants weather working or hunting. Not very big but has been through plenty of deer and coyotes.

[Shoot-it]

I also don't walk that far from the truck to so the gear is in the truck like food and water.That mangy one I posted a few weeks ago my truck was parked behind me a few hundred yards away coyote still came into the call go figure.

[NVWalt]

#1 mountain money is probably THE most important item any coyote caller worth a hoot should have on him at ALL times. Never know when nature calls!!!! This is from over 50 years of coyote calling experiance....Walt

[Frank]

I prefer to "shoot" my coyote, instead of wiping (his axx).

[dabob]

I prefer to "shoot" my coyote, instead of wiping (his axx).

If you want to do both shoot them first!

[BCF]

Rifle or shotgun, 4-10 rounds, new (again! I keep breaking or leaving my sticks on stands damn it!) homemade sticks slung on my back, fanny pack with 4 or 5 calls, small bottle of baking soda to check wind, some paracord to drag yote and skin at truck, my new handy dandy hat with built in face mask, gloves, pocket knife, gps.

Sometimes I'll also bring a pad to sit on or use as pillow if I'm shotgunning below partner, but not usually. Sometimes bring field bino's.....that seems to be the controversial item...just kidding...sometimes, I bring my 22 pistol to blast some rabbits on way back to truck. Keeps my son motivated....plus it's good to bring something home for dinner.

Everything is in my Fanny pack pretty much so I just grab it, my rifle from gun rack and I'm out quick. I don't like a bunch of crap in my pockets.

[Frank]

LOL... exactly dabob, exactly

small bottle of baking soda to check wind

Absolutely... I forgot to mention that one, as I always carry one in my pocket

[CaseyU]

Broncowilly? Holy smokes. That's what my frame pack looks like for backpack hunts lol. Props. I stay on the light side. The smallest backpack I can find I carry a handcall. Foxpro. Decoy water. Couple crea bullets. Gun and seat. But depending on how far I'm going. I can go from that to more like broncos status:)

[Thumper Dunker]

Forgot loin cloth and blue coyote scented skin cream.

[Broncowilly]

Broncowilly? Holy smokes. That's what my frame pack looks like for backpack hunts lol. Props. I stay on the light side. The smallest backpack I can find I carry a handcall. Foxpro. Decoy water. Couple crea bullets. Gun and seat. But depending on how far I'm going. I can go from that to more like broncos status:)

Yeah, I know. As bummed up as I am these days I still make it out quite a ways from the truck. I just don't want to take any chances. I keep thinking about Paul Nies, the hunter that died after falling when he got his truck stuck. I know that may not have helped him a bit but it is easier for me to haul all that around and "think" I'm safe than to leave it all behind and something stupid happen to me.

BTW, I went in for my total knee replacement consultation this morning. Wow, this is not going to be fun!

[Braz]

Stop it, don't talk that way. I'm considering the knee replacement right now, and definitely don't need any negative vibes.

[Truckeedan]

Knee replacement surgery isn't fun but it's better than having the constant pain. DO THE THERAPY!!! Do more than you are asked to do and do it longer! If you do you can get back to close to 100 percent. I was 68 when I had mine done and I was back in the field hunting coyotes in six weeks. After you do the therapy keep exercising the knee to regain as much range of motion as your mechanical knee will allow. I walk two miles every day when I'm not hunting or playing golf. Therapy will hurt but if you put in the work you should be able to lead a normal life with out pain. Good luck Broncowilly and Braz.

[Broncowilly]

Thanks Dan. Braz, no negative vibes here man. I just want this crap overwith. I've been fighting this for years. I'll be 52 years old in December and I feel like I'm 92 the way I "can't" get around. I've had three surgeries on this knee and now it's time for "something completely different" (Monty Python). My right hip is shot as well and needs replaced. All these years in law enforcement and on their SERT (SWAT) have beaten the crap out of me. I want my life back damnit!

[So. Cal Stag]

Thats a sweet portable blind. That would work perfect in the desert by my house. Match the rest of the junk out their.

[Broncowilly]

So. Cal Stag said: "Thats a sweet portable blind. That would work perfect in the desert by my house. Match the rest of the junk out their."

You must live near Cal-Sh!ty, Victimville or Hysteria!

[Inoculation]

Less is always more. A gun, a caller, and sticks if I'm using a rifle. Anything more than that is just unnecessary. I always have my phone/camera and my wallet on me. I even leave my keys in the truck in most places. I'm with Tim, Ed, and Jeremy. Calling coyotes just isn't that hard.

[5150Marcelo]

Rifle/sticks or shotgung, caller, iphone, Magnum condom, Mickeys 40 ounce, Munchos, Tapatio, latex glove, spectacles, testicles, wallet, and watch. Keep it simple folks.

[KNOCKED UP]

I carry a back pack, like everyone else, with

All the regular stuff, but I also carry my most prized possesion.

Grant gave me a chair that sits on the ground with a back rest.

With my broken back, it is a life saver.

Tom

[Broncowilly]

Back issues can be really bad! Which vertebrae did you break? Mine are T12 and L1. They have long since fused themselves together and I have very little to no issues with it.