Predator calling set ups?

What are your favorite set ups? From calls to guns?
I use a fox pro patriot call and either a 12 gauge shotgun with 2 or 4 shot turkey loads or my milspec AR. Looking to tweak the ar some but not sure what all I want to do yet.

For me primarily in the west, a custom Tikka.243 and my Little Buddy hand call. A buddy on here got me buying a fox pro fusion he has done very well with one but I haven’t put mine thru it’s paces yet. I primarily use an electronic caller on hi wind days for the extra volume or at night when I’m moving and looking more and want my hands free.

Like you I also use a 12 gauge with double buck when in tight quarters or night hunting.

Osky

I’ve killed a bunch of coyotes with my mod. 70 Winchester in .243, Most have been in open country. Lately I’ve been using an o/u in 12ga. and .223, beats the heck out of carrying two guns !

Foxpro spit fire and ecotec gc 500, critter gitter open reed calls.222 rem for night hunts. 22 250 during the day
J

Fox pro spitfire. Cheapest thing they had at the time. As for gun, don’t care. Gimme anything for coyotes. If fox are on the menu, I take the 17 hmr. Small entry, no exit. Typically use a 223 of some variation. AR mainly for quick follow ups. Rarely do I reach for a shotgun. Leave that for someone else.

I like the sound of that combo.

Osky

I use a mixture of Reed calls and ecalls downloaded on my phone (made a post awhile back for free e calls).
I use foxpro tantrum, kamikaze and 4k9 they are easy to use.

I use a foxpro fusion, a 223, and some wicked hunting lights

I'm working on trying to get these fox pro diaphragm calls down. It's a challenge to say the least.

I couldn't find it after looking through you're posts. I don't know if it had to do with the T-Man trim they did a while ago where they got rid of all the post such and such old. I would like to take a look at them!

I use a foxpro fx5 and various hand calls, 12ga shotgun with #4 buckshot, a savage 17 hornet 25gr hollow point for fox coyote and bobcat. I’m mainly a fox hunter but if the coyote is in the area I’ll call it. I use Night Eyes lights, gun light and head lamp for scanning.

I like to call at nite for fox and cats. You can get a lot of coon too, but they are not what I want. Every now and then a coyote comes charging in but usually they circle down wind a couple hundred yards out, catch my scent and I never see them. I use my Browning BPS in a 3.5" 12 with #4 buck, full choke. I stand in a field corner or creek edge about 40 yds. Always keep the wind in my favor. I slowly turn in a circle while I have my Nite Lite brand cap light with a red lens very dimly shining. I try not to have the beam adjusted in a tight spot but rather spread out. I use a Johnny Stewart Preymaster digital caller hanging from my neck and the speaker horn attached to the caller or my belt. Also use my Burnham Brothers mouth calls a lot. Specially the squeakers. There are a lot of other little secrets I do in my set up and calling. Do I kill tons of fur nightly? Nope.... but to call in a bobcat or coyote... fox to say 20 to 40 yards and take it with a shotgun is a rush that never gets old!!

I looked too same result. Even "searched" no dice.
Here is one site I've used. I'll have to look for the other sites.
Note: only download those that are legal in your state. We can only use electronic calls for predator calling and mt lion

https://averageoutdoorsman.com/wild-game-downloads

Not sure if this is the post you fellas are talking about, but this one has lots of good info on it. I re-read a bit of it and it did mention the use of a plastic bottle and such.

https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/6113497/1

222 over 20ga or the 22hornet over 20ga in fox country. TallyHo!

Pretty open ground here, very few fox, and no lights allowed so ... Fox Pro wildfire with added external speaker and Tikka .22-250 for me.

FOXPRO HammerJack and a 870 with buckshot

Awesome thanks. That was one of a couple I had in mind. Thanks

I was thinking about this thread earlier
I mentioned earlier in the thread 1 site I use here's another site I've used their calls with decent success

https://predatormtncalls.jimdo.com/free-mp3-call-sounds/

If for foxes it’s a 17 hmr. For coyotes, anything goes. 223, 243, 25-06, 257 Roberts, 308. Don’t care so long as they’re dead. Call is a FP Spitfire.

The year that Les Johnson's team won the World Calling championship out of Elko (2001 or 2?) I remember him telling me after the hunt that he played bird distress and killed 90% of them by shotgun. (I also hunted that one but sucked that particular year).

I carry a .223 with 45 grain hollow points or a 12ga shotgun with dead coyote or 4 buckshot. I also have the Fox Pro fusion or Haydel closed reed hand call. Mind your wind direction and don't succumb to over-calling.

Call is a FoxPro Prairie Blaster II or Psycho Tweety mouth call

Guns vary, .22-250 out west, .17 Hornet, currently trying out a new FLIR PTS556 Thermal on a .223. I also use a shotgun with 3" lead BB.

If I'm fox hunting only I'll use the 12 gauge 11-87 with 3" #4 turkey loads and scan with a Kohree adjustable headlamp, has a nice tight beam for shooting with a little halo for scanning.

The majority of my calling is at night.
Call- Foxpro Fusion along with hand calls.
Lights- Wicked Light headlamps and gun lights (In my opinion the best lights)
Night Gun- .17wsm with a leupold 1.5-4x20 w/ firedot. The 17wsm is great on pelts and at night most shots are within 40 yards. 25gr bullets
Day gun- Remington VTR .223 w/ Vortex hst 4-16, 55gr soft points (50/50 fur friendly)

My main goal is Bobcat, so I hunt along canyon rims and draws when I can.

When I hunt in fields and farm land at night, I set up about 20-30 yards into the field. More times than not I set up in the wide open. The light helps conceal you from the critter once they're in your beam.

Bill Austin's open reed calls, tactical.20 bolt action, my rifle

Olts jackrabbit distress human blown call. Lakefield single shot .22 LR I got when i was 9. If they don’t come within 30 yards, you simply don’t shoot.

Just how I like it. Hands on hillbilly hunting. If I’m feeling unlucky I may take my .222, or .22-250. Then I take shots up to maybe 100 yards. The way I hunt, over 100 yards feels like a mile. You get used to getting close to critters and setting up so it happens. Many times I have had my centrefires with me and wished for my lakefield, seldom the other way around.

All depends on hunting style. For me, 300 yards may as well be the far side of the moon! If all I se is a coyote that far, not coming any close, I really question my setup and what I did so very wrong...

I might try some bobcat hunting in January

E caller: FoxPro Shockwave
Reed calls: Scenery Outdoors
mouse squeaker

Here in Wisconsin we can't use any light except at the point of kill or travelling in and out, so:
Use a handheld thermal for scanning and locating,
And a rifle mounted day/night scope with IR illuminator for point of kill

Rifles: love my 17 Rem, but ammo is getting $$$$,
22-250 for open fields during the day,
223 for all round and nights.

Not a bad idea for coyotes. I'm not sure but I bet those costs several hundred dollars, maybe more. Might be a good long-term investment though

Thermal scope on AR-15, thermal scanner, e-callers (3) and hand calls. Use a shotgun and lights at times. A decoy for cats.

Mixing it up works.

224 valkyrie 77gr match king with a Sightmark digital night vision, gets the job done, eventually will have a can on it

Id like to hear more about your setups. I like what im hearing, but not sure what you mean by “the way you hunt”. You clearly have open areas that will allow for seeing yotes from several hundred yards.

I use a foxpro wildfire 2 and open/closed reed handcalls. If I really want to reach out I have an external speaker for the foxpro. Bolt action .223 most of the time or a shotgun in heavy cover.

Haven't heard Bill's name mentioned in a while. He made a great call. I moved to Buffalo in 94 and was there for 20 years there were alot of Bill Austin call around the Johnson Co aria. Good choice T20

What rings are you running and what rail? I about to set up a 17 remington I just built wth a sightmark.

I’m running a lucky duck call with the built in decoy. 2 guns remington 870 loaded with number 4 buck and either a ar-.223 or .222 remington bolt rifles. Been working on loadings for the 12 gauge with with number 2 TSS shot.

I started calling with Faulk squeeze pump call. I ordered it off a ad in the back of Fur- Fish and Game. I called lots of Fox with it back in the mid to late 70's. Then I found Big River calls, they have the JC double closed reed in them. When Big River went out of business I started buying the JC reeds from All Predators.Com. In a wood call they make a very nice sound that you can beg a animal to come in. If it's windy I use a my Fox pro.

I shoot a custom built 22-6MM AI with a 1 - 14 twist and shoot Sierra 50 gr Blitzking at over 4350 FPS. I hold on fur out to 475 yds. It's tough on fur if shot high in back. If I shoot them when there facing me or broadside in the shoulder there is no exit wound.

When calling bobcats, do you ever place lure?

I love calling coyotes in any terrain but something special about watching them coming full tilt across a stubble wheat field.

I wonder if bobcats like to travel across open fields

Sounds like a good approach

Try #4 buckshot in your shotgun, worked much better for me.

Easier to hit 'em, albeit with less range. Makes sense though. I sometimes use buckshot.

Raccoons: Non-residents Unlimited Statewide Oct. 29 – Feb. 15, 2023
Fox: Red and Gray Unlimited Statewide Oct. 15 – Feb. 15, 2023
Coyote Unlimited Statewide Year-round open hunting season
Bobcat 1 by permit
Northern Zone
(North of Hwy. 64) Period 1 Oct. 15 – Dec. 25
Southern Zone
(South of Hwy. 64 Period 2 Dec. 26 – Jan. 31, 2023
tachment device and passing it through
the animal’s mouth to eye opening, just
beneath the skin.
ƒ You must register your harvest with the
DNR by 5 p.m. the day after recovery by
visiting gamereg.wi.gov or by calling
844-GAME-REG (844-426-3734) AND you
must exhibit your bobcat to an autho-
rized DNR representative for certifica-
tion no later than seven days after the
month of harvest. The bobcat pelt must
be separated from the carcass and
both parts must be presented at the
time of certification.
ƒ The certification seal must remain
attached to the pelt until removed by
a fur dresser or taxidermist at time of
preparation.
ƒ It is illegal to transfer, give, trade, sell
or purchase any bobcat pelt unless it
bears a DNR carcass tag and certifi-
cation seal attached by an authorized
DNR representative.
ƒ The bobcat carcass will be retained by
the DNR for research purposes. Car-
casses are used to determine popula-
tion trends, which aid in establishing
harvest quotas. Hunters and trappers
may keep meat from bobcat carcasses
as long as the skull and body cavity,
including all internal organs, remain in-
tact. See the 2022 Trapping Regulations
for more information.
ƒ Hunters and trappers must submit a
portion of a harvested bobcat’s lower
jaw but may retain the top portion of
the bobcat skull. Full skulls sent to the
DNR will not be returned.
ƒ Night hunting for bobcats is prohibited.

FYI read last line of WI bobcat regulations. Found that out last year

If you fellers spent as much money/time on trapping as these fancy nightvision/thermal coyote educators we would be getting somewhere

FoxPro hammerjack and an open reed call for backup that my brother made me years ago.

Weatherby vanguard in .223 topped with a Bushnell elite scope. 55 grain v-max.
Also carry a cheap H&R 12 gauge loaded with 00 buck. Been considering switching to #4 buck but have a hard time switching when something is working.

Just getting into using a decoy dog so my setup may change a little.

I'm surprised no one sells a decoy cat for bobcat hunting

I don't think I like that law. I'm hopeful it can get changed. Several years ago didn't WI allow night hunting of bobcats?

interesting video they were testing lethality of 00 and about 80 yards they got pellet to hit the ballistic gel dummy and it was pass through at 80 yards
the issue isn't that they don't have the penetration it is that you don't have a tight enough pattern to get the hits

same issue with slugs Lethal to WAY further than you can keep them on target , so much for the idea that slugs are safer than rifles you can't control them much past 100 but they are lethal to >400

27 pellet's vs 9 you should get a few more hits

If you are shot gunning coyotes you need to be shooting tss. Effective range over 100 yards and patterns stay together to be very lethal

12-15" of penetration at 100 yards with tss BB shot. 65 pellets in a load of 3" 12ga, even more in 3.5". You can put 8 or 10 pellets in a paper plate at 100 yards, the density allows it to pattern much tighter and penetrate much further. It will completely pass through a coyote at 100 yards. Could probably go up to #1 or #2 to get pellet count up and still be lethal at 100

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW-ZIVYeoFw

Not a bad idea. With the amount of barn cats I've got around here I'm sitting on a gold mine and didn't even know it.

For the love of God.

You from Kentucky?

Exactly this…I’ve put coyotes down on the spot at 82 yards…I only use 3”…my gun doesn’t like 3 1/2”…not to mention they kick like a mule!

They sure do. Too much for my liking.

Easy fix for that....shoot a 1.5 oz load of 1's or 2's in a 20 gauge. Still have effective penetration to kill at 100 and better pattern density due to smaller shot. Win win win

https://outriggeroutdoors.com/blogs...-bobcats-how-to-call-bobcat-day-or-night