greybeard

If I was your neighbor, I'd be at your door as soon as I saw a light go on in the morning. Looks great !!!

Predate I've seen their videos.. They are outstanding. I was so impressed I recommended that a few hunters watch them.. When I was younger I used to coon hunt at night,but now I'm too tired at night. I don't bounce back so good anymore. I have a question....Two young guys who I know are trying to get into Coyote hunting with ecalls(for now). They have asked me a lot of questions, but I can only help them with red fox..They like the fox stuff, but want coyotes . I had some thoughts, but I really am clueless about 'yotes, so maybe you can steer me right.. They night hunt only, as far as I know, and when they call many times coyotes answer and come in, but not close enough for a shot. Would coyote urine placed near the caller help. I told them that I would ask someone with a lot of experience, so now I have. I thought about the urine smell because quite a few times I pick a calling spot after I smell where a fox left some scent.I never tried bottled fox urine as an attractor, so don't know if it would work, but it intrigues me.Since those smelly spots have produced for me. I'd appreciate any thoughts that you have.

Chads... I hope it helped.. But you're right it does become an addiction., and as you see I can get carried away..I need to be reeled in sometimes.

Pistol...I didn't know that.. I wish I did then..

You are very talented. I enjoyed the photos

I guess I should have gone back, but I used to see the prisoners working nearby in one of the fields and didn't want to join them. The Deputy told me that it was County property, as I recall. I guess I should have checked it out further. I knew that the bow hunters were always there, but just figured it was some county rule about discharge of firearms... I saw lots of squirrels in there back then...Sure would love to be able to turkey hunt there.. there were loads of them. Years back some guys used to post some property near the coop , and they had no right to it. Thanx for that info..

Pistol.. I just went thru all of my back logs to find the date, but my record keeping was screwed up and I mixed crow records with duck records.. I think it was because I got heavy into duck calling and duck hunting around that time and started logging so many waterfowl hunts and kills that I neglected the crow hunting records.. So it was hard to find exactly when it happened, but my GUESS that it was between the years 2000 and 2003 when I was told to leave.I wanted you to know that because it wasn't that recent and my post didn't give the time period.

Pistol.. That's it.. way back behind behind the pd.. I used to hunt south of the tracks, but the day I was told not to hunt I was on the North Side..Guys hunted there a lot, but of course I got no luck so I was the one that was told to leave

Shawn..For squirrels I also preferred earlier in the year.but I have taken them in February down here during milder periods and when there wasn't much snow. I wouldn't go if it was too cold, or even was too cold in recent days.I agree with Pygmy about the cold weather squirrel habits.They can be scarce, or just not moving some days. there's not much snow on the ground out here unless they got some out in Suffolk today. Nassau really got nothing today, but sometimes the snow comes in weird and further east from me get's different amounts. If you know anyone on this site from Suffolk get in touch with them and ask before you go There could be some snow on the ground in the woods out there. An acquaintance of mine who used to live in Nassau County, and now lives in Putnam once told me that it was usually about 10 degrees colder up there in winter. I never verified that , but it seems logical to me.

Shawn.. If you don't have it yet, you should get the off season permit for hunting all of the the coop lands on L.I. You need to have it to hunt on coop lands before and after the coop station is open I forgot what they call it, but it's on the DEC website. They have a bunch of rules, but nothing unreasonable, but you have to know them. I used to hunt there a lot, but haven't in a few years and the rules may have changed, so I'm reluctant to pass on the rules that were in effect when I hunted there.

I went out today to try to call some crows...Bad strategy..My grade was a big fat ... F.(failure) I hunted crows for years on L.I. and only met 2 other dedicated crow guys, I was duck hunting on the river when I met them. I'm glad that your out there keeping it going. I hope that you can post some stories.. What calls do you use ? Decoys ? I mounted one one year that didn't come out so good and used it with my other decoy... We named it JUDAS.. I had a great spot, where lotsa guys hunted, especially with bow for deer, but also quail, and rabbit and there were lots of squirrels and CROWS...I hunted crows there a few times and did o.k. Then one day I'm having one of those days a crow hunter prays for...They were coming into my calls like locusts(I'm exaggerating, but it was great). So I'm shooting away and here comes a Suffolk Deputy Sheriff driving down the edge of the field, and tells me that I couldn't hunt there. I told him that lots of guys hunted there, but he said it wasn't allowed. It was a VERY pleasant discussion. He was really good about it, and friendly. I left and never went back, but I wondered to this day if he was right. I know that you fish, do you use the squirrel tails ? When I fly fished, I used to dub the squirrel fur onto fly hooks and use the tails for streamer's etc. Now, I sometimes tie the tails on lead heads for spinnerbaits and I've tied them on kinda like a bucktail (I'm going to make more of them this year). They're easier to get than buck tails for me, and I won't moan as much when the blues tear them up. Good luck. I hope to read your squirrel and crow stories soon.

Thank you Shawn.. That's how I feel about you when you teach me about airguns. I hope that I answered Chads question. I know that I did not recommend any particular call because I thought it was better that a person hears them and sees them demonstrated on youtube, or by the company website to get some ideas. I wish that those things were available when I started calling, it would have saved me a lot of time, I had no one to teach me. As I stated above, I am NOT an expert, and don't pretend to be, but I have called in a lot of red fox and am passionate about calling. So, that being understood, I could recommend a couple , which would be "MY" choice, if I was starting and only wanted two, or three calls( I do recommend 2, or 3 because of possible malfunction),. I think that info like that is best done in a P.M.because I believe that I should explain why "I" like the calls, and answer questions and it might take a bit of space to do it here. Thanx again for the compliment,Shawn. I'm heading out today to call some crows, I LOVE cranking them up !

Although most of you will disagree with me,I don't like political ,discussions on these sights( I'm exercising my 1st amendment right). The reason is because it divides hunters and gun owners I read this and some other political topics on this site and realize how "ununited" we are.. The opinions turn to anger.. You vs me..... you're with me , or against me,,... upstate vs downstate Why not a discussion to persuade a person with an opposite view ,to see, and then maybe agree your side. We may come from different backgrounds and have slightly different points of view, but don't "WE" have a common goal. Do you want us divided ? If so, maybe you "MIGHT" see the newest bumper sticker read something like this :: .. "I hunt, I'm a gun owner, I'm a liberal and I vote...Support gun control.". I made this up..... BUT .. Do you think that this can't happen ? I'm not so sure. So Unite.. don't divide !! Remember... " Every city, or house divided against itself shall not stand". So keep up the fighting amongst yourselves and give the antis EXACTLY what they want, I'm sure that they are counting on it..It's a win, win for them.. and a lose , lose for "US". I've had firearms for getting near 50 years. I hope all of you can say the same at some point.

NY Hunter.. Thanx.. I'm fortunate.. I got time and I appreciate the time I got. Chads.. WARNING !!! I'm long winded... Everyone likes different calls so my favorites are not necessarily recommendations, they' re just the one's that I rreally like and have worked for me. I don't want to mislead you so you should know that the info below is from my experience with Red Fox, and I have called in a lot of them in the daytime.... BUT, I have 0 experience with coyotes, or bobcat.. I've call in hawks, crows and feral cats and even deer sometimes with my predator calls.(I called in gray foxes one year, but that was with recorded sounds at night.). So if you're gonna target other predators you'd have to ask others here about calls they use. I have close to 30 mouth Predator calls., and other animal bird calls that I substitute. I tried "almost" every predator call that I have and all have worked. The one's that I haven't tried will work I'm sure in the proper setup. I get most on line.. Cabela's, Allpredatorcalls.com. and sometimes from a manufacturer like Sceery, Verminator, Crit'r calls, and a few others. My favorite call is the one that works that day. I've called fox with turkey diaphragm calls, duck calls, pheasant calls, and combo duck call with coon squaller.You just have to make it sound tortured and realize that small animals have small lungs and can't make long drawn out calls..(If you take the barrel off a duck call, it'll be an open reed predator call, and when you put it back it's again a duck call.)..most Pheasant calls can be blown to sound like a predator call and some bellows squirrel calls where you can take off the bellows and it will sound like a predator call.. I just made a pheasant call that makes a better cottontail sound than many of my store bought closed reeds, and still has good pheasant sounds(I can kinda gobble with it by doing like a duck chatter(tica,tica,tica) and doing some open and closing of my hands.. .I'm not sure what I did to get the good rabbit sound.. I'll try to give you an idea of types, then you can decide...Youtube can give you some good ideas for calls and sounds 1. Open reed calls...- hardest to use, but not hard....They almost never freeze so I always carry some in winter, I mostly use these types Open reed calls are very versatile and can make everything from distressed birds, to small rodent squeaks, cottontail, coyote howls. depending on the ones you have,.. I'm sure I've left out some sounds you can do.... Different calls can have a different pitch.. some high frequency, some not so high..The closer to the tip you put your lips the higher the pitch.. Great range of pitch Biting the tip of the reed makes squeaks Among my favorite open reeds are : .. Verminator Tweety, and Syco Tweety(listen on youtube).. You can get them from Verminator, and probably Cabelas, sometimes Verminator has free shipping,Tweety is black.. Syco is yellow.. Syco has crazy sound, it's a split reed..But I really like ti.. it's different.. you'll hear why on youtube Crit'r call Peewee(youtube), You can get it on line Crit'r Calls.. You can buy high pitched and lower pitched reeds and interchange as you see fit.. It's easy to do.. They also have a Standard call, and others but I don't have any of those. I don't remember why, but I did not like the Peewee when I first got,it, over 10 years ago, BUT I was WRONG !! This call has worked VERY well for me..The fox like it ! So have crows for that matter. Sceery open reed.. Maybe a little more expensive, but from my experience, they are a good company to deal with. There's lots of other's but this is a quick thought.. You can also buy custom calls, but I never bought one, but you can check them out on youtube. 2. Closed reeds- Really easy, lotsa companies make them., and .depending on the call they can be really raspy and Excellent calls , but they can freeze in winter and I even have a couple that give me problems when the reed gets full of siliva...They have Metal reeds.. You can eventually blow out the reeds, especially if you use them as often as I do. I recommend havin' a few of these with you.. They now have one called a pocket call, or key chain call, it's about the size of a quarter ( I almost always have one in my pocket when I fish especially in in my kayak in foxy areas, or as a back up call(pocket calls are about $3.25 and can get them at All Predator Calls, and I think FoxPro. Just make sure that the metal reed does.t fall out the bottom. Among my favorite Closed reeds are : : Lohman 211 (has coaxer built in too) Sceery cottontail(more expensive) Primos Double Reed Cottontail I just got this and first time out called in two fox Carraway I think it's Raspy rabbit, Go on his site and he demostrates a few calls I have the one that looks like a ballpoint pen.. The caller is REALLY good !! Keychain, or pocket call..AllPredatorCalls, or Foxpro( I think) Some closed reeds have built in coaxer(rodent squeak), but you can buy seperate Coaxer closed reed calls..( On open reed calls you can usually squeak by biting on the tip and soft blowing it.) 3. Variable Bite Calls : I have 3 of these, one feezes with saliva, but all three make awsome sounds.You change the tones by biting down, and like all other types of calls, with hand movements. I really like these and used them often, but ALWAYS have backup calls. I have not had trouble with My Johnnie Stewart Variable bite call.. It might be model pc-3.. I think it's about $ 8.00 When you see the picture it looks like it has a long bird's beak, it's not the ones with a short mouth piece.. The reed is mylar, I think, It's like the open call reeds. I used the Primos Catnip for the three fox above, which is the same type of call. 4. Bite Calls .. I'm not sure if the term bite call is correct.. some call them rubberband calls...I have three of these...For ME the jury is out on these. I used one in my story above to coax in one of the fox, so it works fine, but I haven't used it enough to judge.. Good coaxing sounds.. and can make louder depending on the brand..One company that sells these types of calls recommends that you buy two because it'll wear out.. I like having all kinds of calls, so of course good, bad, or ugly.. I had to have it. I'm not recommending, or have a favorite, because of my lack of time with these, but could be worth a shot. Brand names: U.K. Fox Call (you Tube has a great demo....this is the one I used above). I think If you look on line for UK Fox Call you can see the video.. It sold me ! I really do think I will like it in time Burnham brother's has a couple...I think it's the s-2 and s-4.. I haven't used them yet. There is one called the Wolfer's Harp by Crit'r Call that looks like the UK Fox Call, but I don't own one.. Amazon sells it too. Then there are howler's, I have two, but only because I like having calls... They even make Diaphragm howler' like a turkey call..I bought 2 of these this year and are fun to use and I even called a fox with one, but not howling.. I made distress sounds... They also make Bellows predator calls, but I don't have any.. YET !! I almost forgot...Haydel's has predator calls and you can hear them on their site.. I don't have any of their predator calls, but love their pheasant call, and some of their duck calls.. I can't think of anything else off hand. I hope it helped and wasn't too long .I couldn't think iof a way to shorten it..

Thanx Predate...good luck...I'd like to read YOUR story

Southshore Waterfowlers.. They have a website. I took my duck ID course thru them and although I wasn't a member, and I don't remember why, I went to a meeting once. There were some really nice,experienced and knowledgeable , waterfowlers there, and I didn't join ONLY because I'm not a club person (I'm a bit of a loner). I had several discussions with their members and got some good tips. They must have some members who hunt the North Shore, and worth asking them. They also host a "WATERFOWL FESTIVAL", every year in late Oct., or Nov. and you can probably speak to some guys there before next season. Someone there gave me some insight on a new spot one year. I think it's a dollar, or two to get in. I'm sure that you know this, but in case you don't...There is NO waterfowl hunting allowed in Huntington.. I recommend that you check Town ordinances before you venture out to any spots on the Island. Assume that you will be checked by one of the many law enforcement agencies out there. I got checked a lot. Even by County cops a few times when hunting on the shoreline. I always carried the regs. in my hunting bag in case I had to explain stuff.(long story) I don't duck hunt anymore, so I may not be current, but there used to be two parks in Suffolk that offered duck hunting.( I'm not sure if they still allow water fowl hunting, but I "THINK" that they do.). I went to one once and that was to the freshwater park. One was mainly sea ducks , but the other was fresh water so you you could get the puddle ducks there. There's a fee.at one and I think both. Where I went they gave you decoys and a blind for the fee...You can check Suffolk County Parks Department .. The thing that I didn't like is that it is a lottery system and if too many guys show up and you don't get picked.. You're SOL, and can't hunt.. also they assign you the blind.. The one, and maybe both, offers the hunt only on a few days of the week and they are 1/2 day sessions.. one morning.. then another that afternoon...There's probably more to it that I don't remember, and things may have changed, so if you have an interest you should ask them. I hope this helps.

Congrats.. looks great !! Thanx for sharing the photos

Thank you Shawn, I appreciate the compliment. I find calling any game addicting, and very satisfying... I guess it's as satisfying to me as airguns are to you, These things get in a hunter's blood, don't they. Thanks Ford, I was afraid that it would be found boring to most. It's my passion, but most people that I know have little, or no interest in "my" adventures.. BUT as you see I can be pretty long winded, so maybe they'd be better bedtime stories.I'm really getting to be that stereotypical old man that tells old stories, it's scarey when I think about it, because I may be a bit old, but not THAT old. You're right, these things can startle you.. I'm not sure if some of the night barks I heard are the screams, but they sure are loud and high pitched. I never thought about it, but I guess it is like a scream.. In late winter on some nights we'd hear that loud eerie fox bark, or scream, and it would drive one of my old coonhounds nuts. I do love to hear those fox barks. A few times, I've had them run in really close when I was calling and stop and bark in anger at me.. Nervy little devils when the mood strikes, but most times they take off once they realize that I'm not food I am glad that I never heard one growl at me, that would be scarey !! .I now carry a walking stick, which is really a perfect sized piece of driftwood,, because years back I took a break from fishing and started calling and had one almost run into me. I whacked it with my fishing rod. I don't think he wanted to attack me, it was just charging in to what it thought was food.and got REALLY close. Neither of us were too happy about the encounter. I was glad that this one didn't come from behind, like they do so often. I'm hoping I never need "THE STICK", but I got it just in case Was the fox in the driveway a gray, or red ?

I keep my own logs, but figured I'd try this...I'll start off warning that there is no kill at the end so you may not want to waste your time reading it. It's calling with mouth calls only, kinda catch and release. Today's location is in a no hunting area, but the fox here don't know it and are always very cautious. I enjoy hunting red fox, but I don't shoot them. I have no room for trophies and don't want to spend the time skinning them.I have journals documenting all that I have called in and have many memorable and close up photos. the hunt : This month I have called in five reds and decided to try for a few more today. I headed out this morning around 9 a.m.( i NEVER GET OUT EARLY). The temperature was in the 20's and it was overcast with a very light breeze.. I arrived at my private/secret location and headed into the woods. I have called this area through the years and am very familiar with the area. Today, there were a number of fox tracks in the areas where there was a coating of snow.. The woods were mostly dry and leaves crispy and good for hearing incoming fox.. Many times when I scout this area I can smell fox and set up for calling, but that did not happen this morning. After many unsuccessful locations using what I can best describe as a a flat bite call, I decided to try a bite down variable call. I started wailing like no animal in this area would do, but it sounded like some sort of tortured creature. Almost immediately, I heard the leaves behind me and as I turned I saw a red bearing down on my location. At less than 10 yards from me, after seeing my movement, it stopped and turned as if it had hit an electric fence and took off back into the woods. I have called many fox from this location and they had never come from that direction before.(fox #1). I moved off a little further and came to a field where I had never been successful, but looks promising, and I try it often. I saw three whitetails grazing at the edge of the far end of the field, well over 100 yards away to my left. I quietly took a stand set back into the woods a few yards from the field. The deer had observed me, but since they could not smell me, and I sat still against a tree to break my outline, they cautiously went back to grazing. I started low volume calling with negative results so decided to try my louder , more raspy, call. I began playing my tunes of torture and by the third set I noticed the whitetails turn their heads abruptly looking towards the woods directly and at least 150 yards away from me. I continued calling and looking where the deer were staring when a beautiful red came charging out and across the field towards me. It got within 75 yards when it slowed almost to a stop and turned. If I was a shooter and this was a shooting area, this would have been my shot. It then began to trot off to my right and I could not get it to return. I don't know why it spooked, the wind was perfect , I was masked, and didn't move. (fox #2). I decided that I would pick one more spot before I left, so I found an old area that I had success on previous occasions. I set up with a fallen tree behind me to break my outline. I began with the raspier call this time and almost immediately heard movement, possibly 50 yards in front of me, and to my right. I focused my old eyes on the area and a big, dark, almost maroon( I'm exaggerating) colored fox came out about 30 yards from me and stopped for a period of time apparently looking for his meal. WHATTA perfect shot that could have been !! It began walking away, almost confused, so I changed back to my flat call and used it as a coaxer. It turned on a dime and charged towards me until it saw me (I stupidly had taken off my face mask). It stopped abruptly and turned and circled me into the briars. I could hear it as it walked almost sounding as though it was pacing, and then it walked away (fox #3). I backtracked to attempt to find sign and although there was no visible sign in this non snow covered spot it left the unforgettable odor of fox (EAU Du Fox). I'm really getting to like that smell I have now educated quite a few of my red friends in this area so will probably not return until next year.(sometimes I even skip a year) This spot is one of my few spots left to call where I don't have to be concerned about educating fox and ruining for the predator guys. I found my piece of fox heaven in the 80's when I used to train my coon hounds there and it was then that I discovered the ancestors of my current quarry. It's location is locked in the vault of my brain and never disclosed even to family.

Federally...There seems to be a lot of support for the bill.. I did NOT read the article,, but I was TOLD that the POPE was in favor of the President's stance on gun control...It was allegedly in a newspaper last week. Also, there is also some kind of newly formed group of mothers against guns, and the antis seem , for the first time in years, to be getting some organization.. I'm sure you're all aware that the NRA came out heavily against the Candidate Obama and then the now Re elected President Obama. They campaigned hard against him and he still got elected. so now many politicians have no fear of the NRA anymore.This has been the topic of conversation recently. I believe that It gave strength to the antis,..... Could it be ...Less fear..less power ??? New York State...Aren't sheriff's political ? I thought that they were elected . Are most of the New York Counties opposed, or in favor of the State laws. If there are criminal penalties for violations of these new laws(I haven't read the law), won't the NY State Police step in and enforce the law. Do they even have to, BY LAW, tell a local sheriff when they have enforcement actions in their county, or is it just a courtesy that they do.I suspect that it is a courtesy. Regardless of how an individual officer thinks, "If" it IS a New York State criminal law, he/she must enforce the law, or suffer the consequences of his/her actions. How many police officers will take a chance of internal punishment, or even winding up on the unemployment lines because he/she doesn't like a law. .

They didn't have them then, but I remember the tracking collars, but I would use a gps if I still hunted..It's tough when you lose a dog, it sure would have helped me back then. I would not have agreed to hit the dog with a shock if it was anybody else with me., The guy I was with, a bluetick man in fact, was an experienced hound man and knew what he was doing.I hunted with him, often and he taught me a lot.

Thanx...I enjoy reading the stories

Did you guys go ? I was waiting to hear some stories...

Allblue.. You're right I would NOT shock a pup...Mine was older when I did it.. I guess I didn't put this in my post, when I got her she was not a pup..She had to be trained because she had no woods sense at first, but her natural abilities came out with exposure to what she was bred to do..I don't know anything about barking collars, never tried one, in fact, I'm not sure if I knew anyone who did use one... You're description of hunting hounds makes me miss those times, they were great... Are there still coon hunting magazines ? If there are, maybe Dom could find a local club in the magazine for help. There used to be Full Cry and another one(I forgot the name). A lot of clubs, as you know, sent in articles and club news.

Why I used a shock collar: I was opposed to using a shock collar and felt that I had successfully broke my hound from deer. One night I was with a friend, who had trained his dogs incredibly well, We were on a training run, and when my girl opened on a track he told me that she was running trash(deer). I didn't like the cadence, so to speak, of her barks, but it only lasted for seconds, so I dismissed it. I was insulted that he said that she ran a deer and told him that I broke her and he disagreed and said he'd show me. We went to a field and flood lighted the field and saw a big buck with a doe(rut). I let my dog free, wearing a shock collar, and he put the spotlight on my dog. The deer ran, she looked back towards me and didn't open. I arrogantly told my friend to OBSERVE !!!. With that she hit the tree line and opened on a track.. I knew it wasn't a coon because of the machine gun like barking. My friend said that she knew I didn't want her to open so she didn't while I was where she could see me. He asked me, "Would you rather shock her once and break her, or lose her on a deer track". I told him to do it. She yelped and returned back like she was beat up. I was concerned that she'd now be afraid to open on any track... He told me that it would have no effect on that because she thought that the deer did it to her.So she associated the shock with the deer only. It worked and after that I could put her out in the middle of a herd of deer and never worried. So it's not scientific proof I guess, but it worked for me. MAYBE, if I had shocked my other Black and Tan, I wouldn't have lost her for so many days after SHE ran "trash".