Welp went out again this evening, with the hornet this time,found a little stretch probably 100yd long fence on one side under brush and cut over pine on the other , about 30' wide. Even found some fresh poop with bone and hair as I was walking up. Figured it looks like a good place for greys. Still confused a bit when it comes stop working the wind vs terrain features . There supposed to usually hit down wind of the call ,but I want to be down wind, but thin I'll be down wind of the call which is where their gonna come.... Then trying to work the terrain where I'm hitten in a shadow or have the sun at my back to blind them but also have it so they down walk up see me there and go " HAYYYYYY I NEED TO ATTACK THAT THING !"


Welp I prop up under a pine tree snuggle into the under brush a little and start my little call sequence , mainly just rabbit distresses. Nothing much at first, but about about 5min I get there crows come over and start circling losing there friggen minds , they did that for a minute or so till I guess they lost interest. Welp Iet it sit then hit a snowshoe hare distress because honestly it's the b st sounding one I think, and y'all just really eve get "that" feeling come over you that something just came into your area? Think Carlos Hathcock described it as his "bubble" but man I just felt like some was around me. Then a minute later I just hear some kinda racket off to my left . Something was moving back and forth,back and forth, like if you've ever hand one of those really aggressive ankles biter types corner a squirrel or something it was like that. Wouldn't never break cover and come out though. Was 20yd max just back and forth. After watching greys work though thickets that's what I figured it was but guess they finally saw my call sitting in the road and decided not to mess with it. Well now I'm just hyped because I got something interested and I'm looking at every dang shadow and blown leaf aaannnd nothing.
Now it's getting dark and I gotta lil walk so I'm getting ready to stand up and I see this little speck against the red clay , and again it's getting to to time of day where you eyes can play tricks on you a lil bit nope I'm seeing this lil , whatever getting bigger and it's cruising about 5' off the grounds and heading my direction, welp it goes over my call swoops up and lands in the branches of this pine a few feet over and above me. Well I ease my head over and it's some kinda lil hawk. Not real big maybe 2/3 the size of the read tails I've seen out here and he's just staring at my call. Now I'm trying to ease my back pack from b hing me so I can get my phone and take a snap of this little guy because "hay pretty bird" and right as I get it out and start to angle it , little fella takes on off
So as usual with me no kill but was a neat time in the woods .

Using an open reed mouth call in ND about 25 years ago a big owl grabbed my hat and scratched my head a bit. Spooked me some I must admit.

That is pretty much my predator calling experiences. Crows and red tails are the only things I've ever called in. That I saw anyway.

You should try the raccoon fight or coon puppies sounds. Find you some den trees with coons in them and fire it up. Works night or day. Took a lot of coons,back in the day, with an old Johny Stewart cassette tape and later, the Fox Pro setup. If helps provide some confidence if you can have decoy of some kind in the mix. Anything furry that's moving will keep their eyes off you while drawing a bead.

My opinion only, but I have called a bunch in the last few years.

The terrain is more important than wind direction. I prefer a cross wind but it seems to swap back and forth so much I don't really pay that much attention to. Especially in hills and hollers. The predators, especially yotes, will most often get down wind of you and work in that way. The reason I like to try to set up with a cross wind. I have seen them come from up wind at a distance work pass me and then come back from the down wind side.

I do try my best to be able to cover the area I suspect they are coming from, or where I have heard them, regardless of the wind.

A week or two ago I was hunting an old raised RR track. Because of the wind I figured they would be bedded down on the lower side of the levy. I sat up across a field from the levy and started calling. Because of land owners I could not set up on the down wind side. Just took a few minutes and 3 yotes popped up on top. They headed straight toward my decoy and me. All the while the wind at their back.

Any time I set up and crows come in, I smile real big. A few years ago I started using crow decoys at some of my more open areas or stands. I even use crow sounds a t times. I really believe it calms the predators down seeing and hearing the crows already at the call.

Hawks, falcons, owls, even eagles are part of it. I have just about dirtied my britches a few times by being surprised by them. A big ole owl comes gliding in totally silent on a cold winter night, will make your heart skip a beat beat for sure.

Stick with it young man, it is as addictive as trapping, but very much worth it when ya figure it out.

Yeahhh I've gotten pretty patient and used to failure lol was trapping for like 4years minutes before I managed to get my first fox so just us what it is at this point lol.
Now I did find this video from MFK taking about wind and I found it pretty interesting

Side note guys what kinda poop does this look like

Wolfie-

One thing I do when calling, to keep their eyes of of me, is something I call a Feather Dancer. I tie a feather of some sort (make sure it is legal in your area) to about one foot of heavy thread or very light fishing line. At the other end I tie the thread or line to a small alligator clip. When I set up to call I clip it to an overhanging branch or weed about 20-30 yds. away and let the feather dance around in the breeze. Might just do the trick to keep their eyes off of you.

Moosetrot

Yeah I remember reading about people doing that ! And here I was about to go sped $50-100 on a electric decoy.
Also was able to make some stands today annnnd just more hawks



Think imma splurge and get a MFK grey fox and bird sound pack

First time I ever did any mouth calling, I had a red come out in the open to take a peak at what was making that racket, but popped back into the woods. He did that so that he could come closer without being seen. He came out at about 70 yards away and I dropped him in his tracks with the 22 mag.
I sat there silent for a little while and called some more and another red popped out in the clear and stopped. I called some more and he came at me full bore. I whistled to try to stop him, but he kept on coming. I them hollered at him, but he kept coming. I finally waved my arms and he finally stopped and I dumped him too. Right next to the first on I shot.
Beginners luck right there.

That would be fun

If you’re after coyotes just go out at sunup or sundown and hit a howl or siren to see if any answer and mark where you think they are. I’ll ride our property doing that and then go back before sunup or sundown and do some actual calling. I’ve found the coyotes to be in the same areas both times.
If I’m just setting up blind, small pines 0-10 years seem to work the best. They seem to hold the prey which holds the predators.

I like to use the crow fighting and then hit the rabbit in distress wait 5 minutes and run it again. If you get a crow circling you it works even better.