joe
Skinner...
Posts: 67
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Post by joe on Feb 1, 2007 6:35:28 GMT -6
Does it help to use cover scents while calling?
If so what kind seems to work the best?
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richc
Demoman...
Posts: 243
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Post by richc on Feb 1, 2007 7:36:47 GMT -6
Skunk musk is the strongest cover scent that I know of. Don't hurt anything to use it, but a coyote can still smell you right through the skunk if he gets down-wind. I don't use cover scent anymore. Just play the wind and hope for the best.
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Post by SteveCraig on Feb 1, 2007 7:42:17 GMT -6
We need Leonard to jump in here on this one. Leonards Magic Mist!
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joe
Skinner...
Posts: 67
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Post by joe on Feb 1, 2007 8:14:16 GMT -6
Rich I'm glad you said they can smell you through the skunk smell. I don't think I could stand the smell of it myself. Even up wind! It never bothered me until I got sprayed this year on the phesant hunt now I gag at the slightest order of it.
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richc
Demoman...
Posts: 243
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Post by richc on Feb 1, 2007 11:10:14 GMT -6
"We need Leonard to jump in here on this one. Leonards Magic Mist!" ------------------------------------------ I thought of that also Steve, but Leonard's mist is not really a COVER scent. I hope Leonard see's this thread and adds some of his wisdom.
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Post by lb on Feb 1, 2007 11:59:44 GMT -6
LOL. Yeah, I'm here. How are we ever going to stamp out words that convey a misconception....such as "cover scent"?
Everybody knows that a coyote can scent everything clinging to your clothes and body, your soap, your coffee breath, the detergent you washed your clothes in; all of it.
My solution involves misting a mixture of coyote and rabbit urine downwind in massive doses, allowing it to settle on every rock and bush as it drifts downwind.
At some point, if you are lucky, a coyote will circle downwind on you and you will have the opportunity to witness what a difference that "Magic Mist" makes in the coyote's behavior.
Instead of fading further and further and allowing no hope for a decent shot, your coyotes will likely stop and sniff the wind like they are suddenly, not at all in a hurry to escape. and get out of sight.
You have to set up with a good view of your downwind, and if you cannot stop your coyote before he gets there, at least you will have a good opportunity to kill that animal while he is standing there evaluating the situation.
A lot of people prefer to call this a "confusing scent" rather than a cover scent, because we all know that you cannot actually fool a coyote's nose. But, consider. You are on stand, you howl, you use a rabbit distress. A coyote downwind smells another coyote and rabbit, plus your coffee breath. For a few precious seconds, which are all you need, he will be looking directly at you, standing stock still. And, you have a perfect opportunity for a carefully aimed shot. What's not to like about that deal?
Whatever you want to call this method, do not laugh if the prospect of killing most of the coyotes that circle down wind appeals to you. By my conservative estimate, misting will increase your total kill by 10%-15%. I believe that to be worthwhile.
Other folks dismiss misting with a variety of excuses that mostly show an inability to understand the concept, but that's okay, it's a free country.
Hey, I'm not a crusader; if it don't work for you, have a nice day.
Good hunting. LB
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Post by edge on Feb 1, 2007 12:14:58 GMT -6
I've prolly bought a tankerful of urine in my day,but where do you get RABBIT urine?
Misting seems very plausible,cover scents are bullchit.
Edge
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richc
Demoman...
Posts: 243
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Post by richc on Feb 1, 2007 13:42:40 GMT -6
Edge, Trapping supply dealers are probably one good bet. I haven't tried the mist as of yet, but it does make sense to me. It takes a lot of urine, and the process wouldn't be cheap. Cheaper than a new rifle every year though.
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Post by edge on Feb 1, 2007 14:48:35 GMT -6
Thanks,rich,I spent the last 43 years trying to AVOID rabbits......I prolly just never noticed....
The mist makes perfect sense;regardless of expense,I agree the yotes may not homestead,but like lb says,it only takes a few seconds......I am thinking of those times when you cant work a strong cross,or if a thermal switches on you.
Edge
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Post by turbines on Feb 1, 2007 18:44:40 GMT -6
I seem to do OK with Red Man Plug and Hoppe's #9
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richc
Demoman...
Posts: 243
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Post by richc on Feb 1, 2007 19:21:42 GMT -6
turbines, Skoal long cut "mint" ain't too bad either, especially if you mix in second hand smoke from a few camel's. Maybe you and me orta team up for a day of calling huh?
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Post by turbines on Feb 1, 2007 20:57:05 GMT -6
Sounds good to me Rich, I can call, haul and skin!
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richc
Demoman...
Posts: 243
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Post by richc on Feb 1, 2007 21:04:51 GMT -6
turbines, Can you cook breakfast and make good black coffee in the mornings?
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joe
Skinner...
Posts: 67
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Post by joe on Feb 2, 2007 8:38:44 GMT -6
Thanks for the input. I see what you mean by confusing scent LB. I would much rather have a few seconds to shoot at a yote for even a few seconds while he's confused then at one with the after burners on. I'll have to go on a rabbit hunt now. How depressing ;D.
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Post by Steve Gappa on Feb 10, 2007 15:00:10 GMT -6
interesting theory- is misting urine going to make a coyote stall out long enough for a shot?
massive doses it would have to be to make it even conceivable that enough would get deposited in such a way to make a coyote stop and take interest.
my thought- you are giving the mist too much credit.
And I understand fully you saying- if you don't want to use it, then don't.
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Post by lb on Feb 12, 2007 18:36:39 GMT -6
"my thought- you are giving the mist too much credit."
I'm afraid you are wrong and are not really entitled to an opinion because you haven't seen how it works. When I used the words, "massive doses", it is not an accurate description. Just one or two presses on a spray bottle per minute is all that is required, and if you saw it floating downwind, you would see that it is enough to make a difference. I used the word, "massive" because some people figure that all it takes is one squirt just before the coyote arrives exactly downwind, and then they claim that it does not work. But, at least they make a half assed attempt to try it before they claim that it doesn't work.
On the other hand, I know it works and it doesn't matter that you have decided (intuitively) that I give it too much "credit". Fact is, a very high percentage of the people that have tried it, using it properly, believe that it does what is advertized, so shooting the messenger in this case will not invalidate the message.
This is really nothing new. Night hunters in Southern California (I am one of many) have been misting for forty years, I think we know if it works, and how it works and approximately how much credit it deserves, when we kill a stationery coyote downwind. Sole credit.
Good hunting. LB
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Post by Steve Gappa on Feb 13, 2007 8:57:40 GMT -6
sorry lb- no one made you God here....
I might not have used mist to call coyotes, so to speak- but I've used doz and doz of gals of urine in trapping coyotes- and I know a little bit about coyote brehavior and reaction to scent including urine.
Note I never said you were wrong- what I did say, is that I wondered how much a squirt or two of urine would do on a broad, widescape picture.
and I still wonder that.
You have theory- no more, no less. To you its plausible- but you cannot object to it being discussed.
Good hunting....trappnman
PS- my comment on giving it too much credit, was meant that your ABILITIES were the main factor.
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Post by lb on Feb 13, 2007 9:23:23 GMT -6
No prob, Steve. Sorry. I get real exasperated in the ten years I have been on the 'net talking about something I was surprised to learn, is unheard of, anywhere but California. I have heard every lame excuse and explanation, all without trying it, just because it SOUNDS ineffective. You may find it amusing that there are at least two companies that have taken my suggestion within the past year or so, and put a knock off product on the market. I never aimed to make money from it, still don't, when it is so easy to make your own. But, if I bothered to accumulate a list of testimonials, you would see some pretty heavy hitters that are convinced that this method works....especially if you are taking video, you will get many times more footage by using this mist. It's a take it or leave it, as I said above, I seldom get involved in crusading, you must have caught me at a bad moment and I apologize again. Last thing I would want, is to be considered a God, like a Coyote God! haha.
Good hunting. LB
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Post by Steve Gappa on Feb 13, 2007 13:01:31 GMT -6
LOL- I was a wee grumpy also.
but- back to your findings....
BTW- I've seen you in tapes and have no doubt as to your abilities...
How far away are they reacting to this mist. A coupleo f squirts isn't much- how reaching is it?
Have you let some go, and seen what they do? Do they go seem to be winding it? Try to follow it up? Do they linger long?
Have you ever tried coyote gland mixed with rabbit urine?
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Post by lb on Feb 13, 2007 14:26:24 GMT -6
Rich Higgins has some video of coyotes hanging around directly downwind for over half an hour, while he is misting. Gland lure, or anything similiar just seems to clog the spray head. I filter a mixture of 70-80% rabbit and maybe 20% coyote, then I cut it in half with water.
The finer the mist, the further it travels before it settles. Believe me, the coyotes react to it and act completely stupid. At night, for instance, you can see this mist (reflective, like your breath, on a cold night) floating with the wind for a hundred yards, sometimes.
It's hard to explain, but it seems to cling to every rock and bush and as it eventually touches down on the ground, itself. It also acts as a very reliable way for you to see where it goes, and that the term "scent cone" is a misnomer. Acvtually, it is chased by the wind more like a ribbon and doesn't have a tendancy to spread out, in a cone, as a lot of people have suggested.
As far as experimenting with holding a coyote for long periods, I am involved in contests, so I don't worry about the time element, I just need an open shot at a stationary coyote and this is what I get, almost 100% of the time. On those occasions when you cannot get a coyote to check up as he is determined to circle and wind you, when they finally get there, they suddenly stop, stare, and blink.
Sure, they smell human and everything associated, but they also detect the two things they heard, coyote howls and rabbit distress. And now, as they get downwind, they smell coyote and rabbit. This is enough to cause them to stand around when they know that they should be escaping, but they can't seem to help themselves....and they believe that they are at a safe distance, so (you know) they probably figure; what could go wrong?
This has been going on out here for decades, thousands of coyote hunters have proved that it works well enough to be a useful tool, and I assure you, we all use it, and consider this mist to be well worthwhile.
I didn't invent it, but it seems that I was the first to bring it to the attention to the folks on the Internet. However, it's a hard sell, like telling them the earth is flat, or OJ didn't do it.
Good hunting. LB
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