New Benelli MRl Is Varmint-Hunting Ready

A coyote places each
paw one in front of
the other, forming a
nearly straight line. A
domestic dog's stride
looks more like that of
a staggering drunk.
44 wmntMiwiiKiK CWi Ktwtian
THE DAY DAWNED CLEAR AND
CRISP, with the mercury frozen
somewhere between a dime and
a nickel. I exited the cozy cab,
stealthily moved to the bed of
the pickup and placed my hands
on an e-caller nestled among
other calling paraphernalia.
Floating upon the breeze was the
familiar aroma of sage, a most
delightful bouquet that Estee
Lauder would be hard pressed
to bottle. My AR-1S remained
fast asleep in the eggshell
foam padding that keeps it
protected from the rigors of a
predator-hunting guide. I then
delicately pressed the tailgate
shut, allowing darkness to fall
upon my collection of precious
predator-hunting tackle that
was stowed securely beneath the
tonneau cover.
With nothing more in my
hands than my e-call and
some l-uropean glass slung low
around my wind-burned neck,
I felt almost naked. 1 wasn't
hunting predators today in the
traditional meaning of hunting
— the intent to dispatch them.
Instead I was hunting for
locations where predators make
their daily bread and reside in
the wilds of the Western states.
Simply put, I was scouting.
Webster defined the term
scouting as "To explore/observe
in order to obtain information
or evaluate — to find by making
a search." After all, that is
essentially what we are doing
— exploring and observing
terrain or habitat in order to
obtain information and evaluate
our quarry by searching. Easier
said than done, right? Not so
fast. These scouting tips and
techniques have been developed
and honed by professionals of
the predator-hunting realm.
If you are diligent in your
scouting, you'll know which
direction to point your hunting
rig on the next outing.
As a professional hunting
guide and videographer, the
most common question asked
of me is, "How many coyotes
can you guarantee in one
day?" Although that question
is at the forefront of anyone's
mind who plans on spending
their hard-earned green on
a guided hunt, it's better off
left unasked. Anyone offering
guided hunts who in the
very same breath speaks of
guarantees on harvesting
animals should be chased
down by a pack of hounds
and treed. My response to that
haunting question has been,
and always will be, " There
are no guarantees in fairchase
hunting," and for that
reason it is crucial that I have
confidence in each and every
stand that I take my clients to.
In The Beginning
From the time I was old
enough to tie my own
hunting boots I was Dad's
hunting and fishing buddy.
Wanting me to experience
satisfaction like his own. Dad
taught me to fly fish. Several
times while in my youth my
father would utter the phrase,
"Fish for fish." It didn't take
me long to figure out what
he was trying impress upon
me. In order to put more fish
in my creel, it was essential
to point my fiy rod to a
specific area where an active
fish was feeding. Sure, you
may look like Brad Pitt in "A
River Runs Through It" as you
throw beautiful lazy loops
of buoyant neon line with a
hand-tied fiy knotted at its
end, but if you don't fish for
fish, your chances of catching
something are just that, a
random chance. That's why I
take the same principles Dad
taught me about fly fishing
and apply them to predator
hunting. I hunt for animals, not
just hunt randomly. Now that's
a deadly combination.
Killing two birds with
one stone lias always
sounded intriguing to me.
Unfortunately, I can't hurl a
rock worth a darn. Although
I've never accomplished the
aforementioned literally, I
accomplish it hypothetical!)often.
With an economy as
pungent and odiferous as a
gut-shot deer, it's tough to
get energized about spending
money on anything — especially
scouting. Yet some of the best
scouting can take place while
you're already making the usual
rounds. Camping, cruising on
the ATV, hunting different game
species, taking a vacation, family
reunions, fishing for rainbows,
or searching for a pot of gold at
the end of a rainbow. Yes, I've
done that, too (I have a little
daughter). My point is, all of
these events are gcxxl times to
scout. You're already burning
time and fuel, so why not chuck
a stone at the entire flock? The
possibilities are endless.
Til The Fat Lady Sings
Generally, this expression is
a way of knowing when it's
over. However, when it comes
to scouting for coyotes, it's the
beginning. There's no more
precise method of locating
coyotes than singing to them.
Don't be shy; you're not
auditioning for "American Idol"
here. I've found several sounds
that will get the whole pack to
answer you back in full chorus.
Sirens, lone howls, group howls,
or even Grandpa's WWII buglewill
provoke a response most of
the time. Dawn and dusk are the
most productive times, but it's
not uncommon to hear a prairiewolf's
sweet lullaby in both
broad daylight and pitch black.
Simply mark the location where
the concert is taking place and
return with a rifle in your hand
and confidence in your head.
Ever noticed how much your
patience swells when you know
without any doubt that your
calls aren't falling on deaf ears?
Anyone who has hunted
recordbook big game knows
that your most important
scouting tool is a good
binocular. In my opinion,
all coyotes are considered
a trophy, even though the
Boone and Crockett Club
doesn't recognize them. While
locating 01' Wiley, gcxxl
optics are just as important
as they are when hunting big
game. Obviously, if you see a
coyote that's probably a good
place to hunt him, but that's
not what I'm talking about
here. Look smaller. I make it
a practice to look for coyote
tracks and denning areas from
high places. Not too long ago
while hunting coyotes in my
home state of Utah I glassed a
large basin that stretched for
a mile to the north and halfmile
to the west. With my
binocular resting lightly upon
my cheekbones, I followed a
straight and narrow dotted
lined in the snow left behind
by a coyote. As 1 studied, I
noticed a central hub where
several single trails met at a
massive intersection. Upon
further investigation, I could
see where the coyote had
been coming from and going
to. I discovered a very large
and highly active den with
fresh scat and urine saturating
the entrance. All this was
found from the comfort of
my calling chair without ever
making my presence known
or contaminating the coyote's
estate with human interference.
Next time you go a field, raise
your glasses a little more. You
might Ix- pleasantly surprised.
The a
glassi
sites,
and
to k<
free
•
MB' K>tx, .
ft*;
f