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Post by lb on May 1, 2007 18:54:25 GMT -6
Hmm? I seem to remember kills like that before they made Nevada resident only. Good job.
However, I don't agree with your logic. I can't control what animal, what species, and how many will offer a shot, and at what distance, especially after they scatter. A seventeen wouldn't handle 95% of my kills, but a good percentage of what I take is at night and some of them only come in just so far. Therefore, a 22-250 Ackley does seem to handle 95%. Whatever works for you.
Good hunting. LB
PS JC might be talking about Gary in Canyon Country, dumps most of his daytime animals with a shotgun?
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Post by lb on Apr 30, 2007 10:35:32 GMT -6
Rich, I feel your pain. I have been offering the same advice, for years, based on my personal experiences. What they want from a high velocity bullet (small entrance, no exit) just isn't in the cards. They seem to think every animal, at every distance, and every angle and shot placement...... wiill produce the same results? <sigh> Where do you start?
I don't have a 100% solution for no damage and certain bang/flops. The best, most consistant performance seems to be from heavier bullets that don't open up on coyotes, specifically, I use a 65 grain Berger match bullet in .224". Some rifles would not stabilize that bullet due to the twist or the case capacity. Another example, I use a 100 grain BT in 25 caliber. Both produce very acceptable exits, hopefully the size of a quarter, sometimes less? But, there is a dead coyote out there, not a blood trail.
But going in the other direction poses some problems. As I mentioned, you seldom can keep a seventeen Remington inside a cat or a fox. And, a coyote might run away from anything except a perfect hit, unless you're lucky.
It's different strokes for different folks, but I want a certainly dead animal, and I will accept a little damage
I have been there and done that with a sub caliber and a coyote that appears to have suffered a heart attack, eight out of ten times; if you are lucky? The ninth time, you hit a major bone and create major damage. The tenth time, he runs off, never to be found because your bullet placement was not precise enough for your unrealistic expectations. Fortunate for them, our subcaliber shooters always seem to be in a state of denial about failures, because of the amazing heart attack victims.
I'm just saying, no free lunch. LB
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Post by lb on Apr 28, 2007 10:29:06 GMT -6
Seattle? Now there's a disagreeable place. I'd sooner pick life in prison, anywhere else, than to spend one winter in Suicideville.
Back to fur rifles. This requires a little homework. Velocity, bullets and even your rifling twist can make all the difference. There are shortcuts, but you need to kill a few on your own to evaluate performance. LB
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Post by lb on Apr 27, 2007 8:59:37 GMT -6
"I do have a multi-gun pet peeve tho".....Edge. Where did you learn to use Democrat type arguments so ineffectively. lol
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Post by lb on Apr 26, 2007 10:18:39 GMT -6
Schmidt and Bender is one of several high end European scopes that have awesome optics suitable for night hunting. I use a Kahles 3X12X56 at night. 1.5–6 x 42 is a power range particularly suitable for daylights, in my type of application.
Actually, I gave up on a one size fits all attitude many years ago. Now, it's a bag of golf clubs. You don't use a #3 wood, when a 7 iron has the loft and will put you on the green with a little backspin.
Interesting to talk about, though.
Good hunting. LB
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Post by lb on Apr 25, 2007 23:34:58 GMT -6
Seventeens get all the attention, I suppose? Why go against the grain, right?
Well, a seventeen centerfire can cause a lot of damage with a bad hit on a moving animal.
A seventeen can and will frag on minor brush. Brush that you can't see in the scope but that doesn't stop a .224" centerfire.
A seventeen can't anchor an animal that is way out there....every time.
In short, it depends on the type of hunting you do and where you do it.
Inevitably, somebody will be taking exception to the above, and it's true that you can have a failure with almost any popular high velocity chambering.
But, a good twenty-two centerfire with the right type of bullet will see less failures than a comparable seventeen caliber.
So, take a fur hunter like Quinton, kills over a hundred coyotes every year with a 220Swift. I suppose he would rather deal with an exit hole than lose an animal. You need to pick a non destructive bullet that flattens a coyote
For the disciplined hunter that hunts close cover, a 218 Bee could be everything he ever needs? I assume, when the question is "fur" you would like to take fox and bobcat, as well? Unlike a seventeen, a Hornet or the 218Bee is not going to blow a big hole in a small, lightly constructed (but valuable) animal.
Lots of choices, lots of applications, some are better than others, but this is not a slam dunk question.
You do not need an $1800 scope on a fur gun.
Good hunting. LB
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Post by lb on Apr 6, 2007 18:52:55 GMT -6
Yeah, I have used one for many years. I don't think you can beat the versatility of sound you can get from a diaphram. And, some are really loud just like a jackrabbit scream. But, that's the thing, you can also get the most pitiful little kitten meow from one. I can use just about any of them, turkey, elk or one specifically designed for predators. A double reed is probably the easiest for a beginner to get the hang of it. I've never understood the gag reflex, I blow them with my tongue forcing the front edge almost against my front teeth.
They are the best hands free call on the market, but cup your hands like a megaphone and that sound really gets out there. The trick is to blow from your diaphram.
Might be interested in knowing that I used one exclusively, in Africa, on jackals. MY PH had never before called a jackal in the daytime, but he can now. He asked his next client to bring with him about ten, I think? So, the client asked me for help and I ordered them from Primus, they have a good selection.
Good hunting. LB
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Post by lb on Apr 15, 2007 22:53:30 GMT -6
Stop teasing, dang it!
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Post by lb on Apr 15, 2007 13:28:55 GMT -6
me too
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Post by lb on Apr 15, 2007 8:25:33 GMT -6
Oh haha, Cal. How much do those better sounds cost ya? (insert smiley) I would not dispute the fact that one machine might have "better" sounds, such as the WT unit, or studio quality sound, as Bill Martz is always saying. My only point, as one that pays for the gear I use, is that you get 100 sounds on your Minaska and there is no extra charge, or a need to send it back to have more installed. I don't know if that is required with the newer Foxpro or the newer WT? The word on the street is that Foxpro has some very good sounds.
It may be beside the point, but the amount of sounds available seems to me that there is a tendancy to use them? I don't know how I ever got by with one sound on a cassette for thirty minutes?
Good hunting. LB
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Post by lb on Apr 12, 2007 13:03:50 GMT -6
Well, as far as better built, that's a difficult question? The Minaska uses a very sturdy case, commercially available. I think Pelican makes it? Does that beg the question that a Foxpro is flimsy in any way? Hardly.
The thing that attracts me to the Minaska is the fact that they offer the whole library of sounds with it, at no additional cost. Apparently, lifetime? Are these sounds the be all and end all? Not really, but if you cannot find suficient usable sounds out of the 100 on the caller, you aren't trying very hard. You can use your own sounds, apparently there is no proprietary restrictions and you don't need to send your call in for an upgrade.
What Edge said about the portability of the Foxpro is a desirable feature, and one that you can get from the Minaska if you buy the compact M1 which has the same components, in a smaller case, and uses rechargable AA batteries.
So, looking for the best caller is a bit complicated. Best meaning what, exactly? There are several available, including the Wildlife Technologies unit. We all have to make choices, Rolls Royce, Mercedes, Cadillac, Saturn, Toyota, Kia. Just pick your features and price range.
Good hunting. LB
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Post by lb on Apr 21, 2007 0:43:22 GMT -6
Did I miss the group hug? lol
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Post by lb on Apr 19, 2007 19:03:54 GMT -6
Edge, you do what you have to do. Understand, my comments were not a criticism of your actions. Just a general statement of opinion.
Based on a previous post by jr, that I DID read; I can assume he was pretty outspoken in defense of WT and Bill. Which leads me to believe that he has a financial interest of some kind, and why I felt that it might be helpful to mention that I do not.
Bill will never win any popularity contest, that's for sure, but I think he has a good product....and one that I would never buy, just because I disaprove of his behavior.
There are a couple things that will always start a ruckus on predator hunting/trapping boards, electronic callers, and anything about seventeen caliber.
Good hunting. LB
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Post by lb on Apr 19, 2007 16:57:06 GMT -6
Jr, I know you are gung ho on WT, and I don't really care, one way or the other. I didn't read what was deleted.
We've met and I like you; in fact, I hope to see you at the next Huntmasters campout. I try to keep my opinions about products relatively bland, if possible, but I am not offering advice for anybody else? I would like to point out that nobody pays me to endorse anything.
All of the above actually has nothing to do with what is on my mind, this afternoon. My personal opinion: I really don't like private messaging on a message board, or member ratings, and they will never be allowed on Huntmasters. What others do, is their business, but I assume opinions are tolerated on this board, your opinion, my opinion, and so forth.
Good hunting. LB
That's it.
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Post by lb on Mar 28, 2007 8:52:00 GMT -6
I need to call my neighbor and ask her to snag any package she notices on my front porch....been gone for a couple weeks, won't be home until Friday, earliest. Yeah, this is going to be fun! Yeehaw!
edit: worried, I called the neighbor. She went and got the package for me. FedEx UPS DSL they all leave packages in my neighborhood, without a signature. Guess they figure it's safe enough, but anybody can walk up to the front door. Anyway, it's safe. LB
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Post by lb on Mar 26, 2007 18:54:17 GMT -6
I don't think it is totally like that, trappin. The idea is to use the assembled unit from the truck, at night, or just walk it out a short ways from the rig. For those occasions when I plan on doing a walkabout down an inaccessable long wash, for instance, I would just stick the smaller unit in a cargo pocket. I'm not convinced that the Big Country packs as neat as the M1 and as I had a need for that model, in the first place, I appreciate the size of it. However, there is no doubt that the volume of the Big Country is also an advantage, in that type of wide open "country". It would be nice if we only had one type of terrain to hunt, but I see a lot of way different country, and I think there could be others that know what I'm talking about.
Good hunting. LB
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Post by lb on Mar 26, 2007 12:34:41 GMT -6
Wow, how's that for service, folks? I'm very impressed. Thanks, Steve! Hmm? Wouldn't hurt to call it the Huntmaster?
Good hunting. LB
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Post by lb on Mar 9, 2007 15:12:44 GMT -6
I have a few issues with mine, and I should probably be contacting Steve any day now. I have the M1. My concern is that I left it in the vehicle on the World Hunt, and the batteries were sapped until it warmed up. Therefore, I have not sallied forth without a backup set of batteries, since then. I want to know if anybody in cold country has resorted to wrapping their machine in insulation? If so, do they pack it inside or ouside, maybe in a bubble wrap envelope?
Another thing is that the battery charger needs to be watched carefully, you cannot let it charge overnight with the case closed. They now warn you about that in the manual, must charge with the case open and don't charge it for over (forget?) two or four hours, max.
I have used this unit alongside two hunting partners that had WT units. The WT is much louder, and with my hearing, sometimes I cannot tell if the unit is playing, or not? I could solve that by sitting closer to the unit, but sometimes there is a perfect place for the caller and a perfect spot to sit.
I want to order the larger speaker and probably the lead acid battery and some type of instructions for hooking it up. I want an opinion on AA battery life with the big speaker. I still like the idea of the small unit because it does pack easier, but for some of the country I hunt, the volume is a little less than optimum.
In other words, I want the features of both machines, the Big Country and the M1, sort of a "component" unit.
I know that they say the range on the remote is 400 yards, but in my experience, it seems to be about half that distance, and it is important to have that antenna as high as I can get it. Sometimes I wish the unit would stand up rather than lay flat because this is when the antenna is the most difficult for the transmitter to find. I wind up holding the trasmitter above my head to change sounds. I have not been busted doing this, but it's just a matter of time. The speaker is very directional and instead of pointing it away from me, I now point it back at me, to make sure I can hear it. I wish the antenna was longer, or folding, or telescoping; maybe a flexible antenna would be good, also? I need something to get it up out of the weeds when there is no place to set it on a rock or hang it in a bush.
Another thing I do not like is the on/off push button. It shows no indication of whether the speaker is on or off? And, for some reason, it is the easiest button in creation to accidentally be pushed. Maybe illuminate the button, or maintained contact? The problem here is that once I walk away and turn it on, I have to go back and check to see if the button is on or off. I solved that problem by removing the switch from the side of the unit and putting it inside the case where it cannot be disturbed. Ideally, plugging in the external speaker would bypass the built in speaker and there would be no need for this switch? The volume knob has been accidentally bumped and turned on while laying in other gear. It's amazing how easily this can happen while driving and that's anther question I have. Does the 9V battery in the remote lose power if the switch is left on? It seems to me that it does? Does the battery pack in the caller lose power if it is left on all day, or should it be turned off after every stand? The closure toggles on both the caller and the decoy are real fingernail busters.
The decoy. I have had some problems with it. At first, I thought the batteries were dying all the time, but found out that the motor was working, but the sleeve was slipping in the tubing. That caused me to put it away, several times, later finding out the batteries were good. I crimped the roll pin extra hard with a Sta-Kon crimping tool, and that solved the problem. Since then, I have had the tail fall off while walking out, several times and have had it fly off the wire, while operating. I fixed that problem by bending a kink in the wire, which makes it much harder to remove, but at least, I don't have to backtrack looking for a lost tail. Also, I don't turn the pot up all the way, a mid range speed seems to be enough movement?
I intend to cross post this evaluation on Huntmasters. Any and all input welcome.
Good hunting. LB
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Post by lb on Feb 16, 2007 12:39:16 GMT -6
We see different responses. Some coyotes come in on a string from any direction. Others, maybe because of their status, they are cautious, and look the situation over very carefrully before leaving cover.
Out west here, there are many situations where the brush obscures movement. Creasote is a gauzy type of bush. You can see movement beyond, but unless they hit an opening just right, and you stop them precisely, they don't offer much opportunity for a high percentage shot...which is the only shot I like to take. I don't like to fling lead all over the place.
But, many times, a coyote is very determined to circle on you and it is extremely difficult to get them to check up, no matter what you do with various sounds, such as woofs or whoops or lip squeaks. These animals are intent on getting your wind, and they won't stop until they get there. This is where you will see a big advantage in misting. The normally suspicious coyote is suddenly standing there, downwind, while you center punch him.
Yeah, coyotes and all predators stop and start and sneak from bush to bush as they approach a stand. This is a different response than the determined coyote that circles downwind before doing anything else.
And, another thing. They seem to do this behavior as if they have been told that for today, "everybody will circle downwind; no exceptions!" I have no idea why, but coyotes do things the same way. (in some cases) One day, they are extremely cautious, the next day, they are eagar beavers, romp in to a distress sound without a care in the world. It seems to me that it is like a switch turning on and off. Same with howls or challenge barks. Some days, they are totally silent, other days, they mouth off on every stand. Who can figure?
Good hunting. LB
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Post by lb on Feb 16, 2007 9:58:42 GMT -6
"My first thought was this- if rabbit pee and coyote urine work so well- then other combos could work better. You say you get 10% that stop at the mist."
See? I didn't say that. I said they all stop, however briefly, and that misting would help you increase your kill ratio by 10-15%. If you didn't get a decent shot at an animal dodging through the brush, then it is most useful to know that as soon as he arrives downwind.....you will have a shot, when normally, without mist, they keep on going, and you don't get a shot. 10% more animals in the truck, minimum.
Good hunting. LB
edit: other stuff is too heavy and hits the ground too soon. That's why I cut the mixture 50% with water. It's a fairly delicate scent, as these things go, and it works, so why experiment with combos that might not be as effective? They say that Edison tried over a thousand different things for the element in his lightbulb, including human hair, before descovering tungsten. I bet he stopped at that point rather than experimenting with a thousand more?
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