Wildlife Callers

We get asked often what our “sequences” are when we’re calling predators.  It’s truly more than just a sequence of sounds that calls critters in, and I’ll explain my process of choosing sounds on a stand, the volume, the length of time I play them, etc.  To kick this off, I’ve chosen gray fox and bobcats as the target animals. 

Choosing gray fox and bobcats to write about was an easy choice.  The hard & fast way gray fox come to the call is a confidence booster for any predator caller, and I’ve never met anyone who didn’t want to call more bobcats – ever.  And, the truth is, bobcats aren’t terribly hard to call – they are terribly hard to see.  I absolutely believe that most bobcats called in go unseen by the caller. 

Dave Martens of Wildlife Callers AZ Bobcat & Fox Double!

Generally speaking, bobcats come slower to a call and use cover all the way in.  There are always exceptions to this rule, but more often than not they will be slow and methodical about their approach.  Also, if you’re serious about harvesting more bobcats, take binoculars on every stand.  Once a bobcat has gotten a visual on the speaker or the bush it’s in, they will stop coming and sit down.  A motionless bobcat in a bush at 30 yards is nearly impossible to see without binos. 

Here is my fox & bobcat method and my typical sound list:

Note:  These sounds are on my Wildlife Technologies Mighty Atom 15 and 21. 

From the start of my stand to minute three, I normally start with partridge distress or pileated woodpecker and keep the volume on levels 2 and 3. 

If there are no immediate takers, I will hit the adult cottontail distress and begin to increase the volume over 2 to 3 minute period.  My volume in this phase will be mostly at level 3 and I’ll increase it to level 5 and 6 for just a few seconds each to get the attention of any predators that might have been reluctant to get up and come on over. 

At about the six-minute mark I will start in on the birds of prey and scavenger bird sounds and “begin building my case” as to why a quick response would be in the best interest of the fox or bobcat that’s still not convinced.  I have very successfully turned my caller to redtail hawk screams following rodent, rabbit, and bird distress, and triggered a hard charge from coyotes, fox, and bobcats.  Crows & ravens fighting over food also works well. 

Side Note:  While I was in Mexico (Sonora) crows mobbing food played immediately follwing three-minutes of whitetail fawn distress was all that was necessary to bring a group of coyotes running.  I have only had this work as magically for me just a handful of times north of the border, but if you are in an area that’s full of crows and ravens I highly recommend it.  It was absolutely amazing on coyotes that lived in an area where crows were abundant and stiff competitors for the coyote’s food. 

For the next few minutes I will go back and forth from hawk screams to the groundhog adult distress, to the crows, and back to the cottontail rabbit, then to the ravens, and back to the partridge distress. 

At this point I will usually be at the ten to twelve minute mark.  If there are still no takers I will get more aggressive. 

For the next three or four minutes I will alternate between adult & juvenile gray fox distress, bobcat greeting calls, and female bobcat distress.  Normally if there is a gray fox hanging out in the brush in the area, he’ll be in front of the speaker in just a few seconds.  This is a great time to start scanning the brush with your binoculars for any cats hiding & watching.  This sequence of sounds might not get a bobcat to run in, but it might get them to sit up, move, change positions, or any other number of movements that will allow you to see them. 

Here is a post that illustrates the importance of binoculars and mountain lions:  http://www.wildlifecallers.com/blog/2009/08/don%e2%80%99t-leave-your-optics-in-the-truck/

At this point the stand is at or approaching the fifteen minute mark.  I usually make a decision at this time to stay for five more minutes, or fifteen to twenty-five more minutes.  If there is little or no bobcat sign in the area, I will usually pack it up at the twenty minute mark and move on.  If there is a decent chance of calling a bobcat, I will call to the thirty or forty minute mark. 

After fifteen minutes I tend to get pretty aggressive and use my bobcats fighting sound as well as the gray fox and bobcat fight to get any hold-outs more excited and agitated.  I normally change the sound of the caller every two or three minutes and mix distress sounds with sounds of predator fights and various birds clamoring to get to the food.   

My volume levels at this point go up and down too.  I normally stay at volume level 3 & 4 most of the time, but I’ll get louder and softer to create excitement and the illusion of movement and chaos in the area of the caller. 

There really are no “bad” distress or bird sounds on a stand.  I have been asked several times if playing lots of sounds “confuses” the predators.  I have never noticed anything that would lead me to believe this could be the case.  It would be mighty hard to confuse an animal that can only process a single thought at a time.  When the sound changes, they change to the new sound.  Fortunately there are times they will commit to coming over and getting a closer look – other times they just won’t, no matter what you play.  Sometimes they come for hunger, sometimes for territory, and sometimes just out of curiosity.  Starting out low and easy with prey distress sounds, and then getting progressively more aggressive and frantic covers all of the bases. 

Here is post about a stand that had more than a dozen sounds played on it:  http://www.wildlifecallers.com/blog/2009/11/big-tom-bobcat-called-and-taken-photos/  The best part is we called a coyote, six foxes, and a whopper bobcat.  This stand was noisy as heck – between me changing sounds, the blue jays & other birds flying in screaming, the gray foxes barking & arguing with each other, and the coyote chasing foxes up and down the wash, it was absolutely crazy and loud!!  This chaos added up to success – big time.  I try to replicate the chaos of nature every time I’m out.  Remember, nature only rewards the strong and the lucky – it’s every crazy critter for itself. 

Don’t be afraid to mix it up and get your bobcats and foxes whipped into a lather.  Lots of guys get stuck on 10% of their sound list.  You’ll be amazed at what will come in to some of the sounds you never use!  I had a pair of foxes come running in to some very loud adult javelina distress and male cougar vocalizations.  I thought, really??  What in the heck are you two macho men gonna do with 40lbs of hurtin’ pig and the 140lb cougar that’s making it dinner?

Questions??  Don’t hesitate to comment below or send me an email.  Everything I have written here has produced for me many, many times and I will clarify anything that is not clear on this post!

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We wish everyone the best of the rest of this season,

Mark Healy

Mark@wildlifecallers.com