As of this Wildlife Callers blog post (May 2010) it is NOT legal to use an electronic call to call/attract any animals with an electronic call on the San Carlos Reservation. 

San Carlos Indian Wildlife & Recreation Regulation 002-M

 You can access the regualtion by CLICKING HERE and then choosing “Regulations” on the left margin.

Yes, some of the rules and regs on San Carlos have changed often and this one is no exception.  However, better to know the current rules and either use hand calls, or go somewhere else.  I’ve hunted on San Carlos for the past 24 years and I will be headed elsewhere until it changes back.  Dave Martens and I have spent thousands of dollars in permit fees on San Carlos and we’re not sure what they’re trying to accomplish with this rule.   Hopefully it will change soon, but until it does the hand calling crowd will have it all to themselves!!

San Carlos has also been a hot hunting spot for out of state hunters looking for lots of ground to hunt and reasonable daily rates for predator calling and small game hunting.  If you know an out of stater that likes predator calling and hunting on San Carlos, please pass this blog post along.  The San Carlos Game & Fish guys have always been great with us, but they absolutely will ticket violators and confiscate your caller.

Thank you again for your questions that give us these opportunities to do some research and blog about it.  As always, subscriptions to the blog are FREE. 

If you have any comments, please scroll down and add them below in the comments section. 

Thanks for reading,

Mark Healy

mark@wildlifecallers.com

The Wildlife Callers' Crew - Marc Reindell, Dave Martens, and Mark Healy

This past weekend at the University of Phoenix Stadium, thousands of fishermen, hunters, and outdoor enthusiasts  from around Arizona and neighboring states turned out for the Phoenix International Sportsman’s Expo.  Three hundred vendors from around the world were on hand to show & sell their products, offer advice, and entertain the Expo guests with various breakout sessions.  Predator calling was a very popular breakout session and we’re hoping to offer it in future ISE events. 

The Predator Panel Members (from left) Rich Higgins, Mark Healy (standing), The "Beastmaster" Gerry Blair, Ron Day of AZ G&F, & Dr. Frank Turkowski

The world-renowned predator hunter, author, and calling veteran, Gerry Blair, was in good spirits and entertained the audience with his quick wit & humor.  When asked about scent control on a predator calling stand, he said hunters need to pay attention to their downwind side at all times and take a shower at least once every seven days.  Sage advice from an industry original!

Phoenix ISE & Wildlife Callers Predator Calling Panel

Steve Craig, who couldn’t make the show, was replaced at the last minute by the very knowledgeable and informative speaker, Dr. Frank Turkowski.  Dr. Turkowski, a US Navy Professor and the author of Coyotes, Trappers, Sheepherders, and Urbanites  fielded a host of questions from the audience and his lifetime of coyote research really showed.  Anyone interested in his book can find it here:

Biologist Ron Day was on hand from the Arizona Game & Fish Department to answer questions about predator behavior,  questions about hunting seasons, rules & regs, and methods of take.  One of the more interesting topics that he brought up for predator callers in Arizona is a possible change in using shotguns to legally harvest mountain lions.  If the change happens, Mr. Day said that shotguns shooting 00 buck would become a legal method of take and we can stop carrying two guns to every stand.  Keep your fingers crossed and stay tuned. 

Rich Higgins of Predator Professionals Forum, who was very instrumental in bringing this panel together, took questions about coyote calling and provided insight as to why coyotes respond to prey distress and varied coyote vocalizations.  Rich talked in detail about the seven triggers that make coyotes respond/come in and ways to address these triggers with sound on every stand.  Rich also spent the weekend with us at our Wildlife Callers’ booth, taking dozens of questions from Expo guests. 

Mark Healy of Wildlife Callers took several questions from the audience on mountain lion scouting procedures, calling using recorded cougar vocalizations, sound volume & sequences, and rifle caliber selection for hunting the big cats.  I also ended up with a question or two on stand selection and a few jokes about Scottsdale Cougars.  It was apparent the audience members were ready to call in their first lion. 

The questions were coming quick and we could have easily used another hour on stage.  When our hour was up we turned the stage over to the ISE Pro Fly Fishing Panel members and headed back to our booth to continue the predator hunting & calling discussions there.

John Kirk of the International Sportsman’s Expo did a great job putting this panel together and did our whole sport a huge favor in helping us present predator calling to an audience of outdoor enthusiasts with mixed interests.  Please take the time to thank him by sending an email here:  info@sportsexpos.com 

As always, thank you for reading and subscribing to Wildlife Callers’ Blog!

Questions & comments are always appreciated. 

Best regards and good calling,

Mark Healy

mark@wildlifecallers.com or 480-882-1210

I’ve always had the hunting bug, but my father was not a hunter – not even a little bit.  He used to take me deer hunting and tell me to “go look for some over there” pointing to a mountain.  He’d nap in the truck and I’d wander around aimlessly.  Then, a local teacher and predator caller, Ken Brink, took me hunting in 1986.  Bang!!  Three coyotes on the first stand and I was forever hooked.  After a good day calling, there was never a string of bad days that could deter me from going again – I always knew my next good day was eventually coming. 

Here are a few predator callers who are passing the fun and addiction to people who can spread the word and keep the fire burnin’.

Ned and Liz Burris spent a cold November Sunday calling together, and Liz called in her first bobcat.  Liz could have been discouraged after 5 gray & rainy stands without seeing anything (she didn’t even see the coyote Ned shotgunned on the first stand until it was dead & down), but Ned kept her spirits up and it paid off.  What an outstanding day calling!

Liz Burris and Her First Arizona Bobcat - Nov 2009

Ned Burris and a Shotgunned Arizona Coyote - Nov 2009

Ned Burris, if you will recall, is an excellent bobcat caller with both hand calls and electronic calls.  You can see his previous posts about calling bobcats by clicking HERE and HERE .  Ned & Liz, thank you for the great story and photos. 

Mike Healy from Kuna, Idaho submitted this story video of he and his son calling coyotes near McCall Idaho.

Mike writes:

On a recent Idaho calling trip near McCall, we started our day off just as the sun was coming up, my son Carl is just starting to appreciate predator calling and how much fun it can be.  I let out a female coyote howl with my Wildlife Technologies KAS-2030-MM electronic caller and the response was stunning.  Nearby coyotes produced a rally howl that was so loud it made us both a bit nervous.  A coyote came in within a few minutes and I shot it at close range with my .243 Savage rifle. 

I enjoy every minute of predator calling, but Carl sometimes gets bored when we have a series of stands that don’t produce anything.  When we have a stand that produces a coyote or two, it has a way of making up for all the times we got skunked.  Keep those kids out there with you – the memories last a lifetime. 

Finally, here’s a few shots from the last two novice groups I took with me on some morning gray fox stands near Globe, Arizona. 

Marc Reindell and Harrison 'Bedhead' Healy with an Early Season Gray Fox

Justin & Tyler Gross and Alex Tackett Sporting "Civilian Camo"

Tyler Gross and his .410 Shotgun – Ready to “Tip ‘Em Over”

Yeah, sometimes it’s not easy taking the kids, but it’s worth it.  We all know how addictive this sport is – this is one addiction that’s worth passing on!!  Even if the kids don’t want to shoot, get them to spend some time outdoors and let them see some wildlife that you call in, up close, and look for the smiles, they’ll be there!

Good calling to everyone and thank you for your comments!

Mark Healy

mark@widlifecallers.com

All we ask is for you to answer a predator hunting trivia question!  The first 20 correct responses will be awarded one free ticket to the show, a value of $15.00, tickets will be good for any single day of the show!  Parking to the show is free and children 15 or younger are admitted free as well!

All answers need to be submitted to us by no later than February 19th, we will award the tickets to the first 20 correct responses we receive. 

Ok, so here is the trivia question:

In 1957 the first “World Varmint Calling Championship” was won by Jim Dougherty of California.

 Where was this event held?

1. Sacramento, California
2. Tulsa, Oklahoma
3. Chandler, Arizona
4. Kansas City, Missouri

Please send your responses to info@wildlifecallers.com no later than Feb.19th,  ticket winners will be notified by e-mail with details to pick up their tickets.

Good luck! We look forward to hearing from you and awarding 20 lucky readers their tickets!

Thanks!

Marc Reindell

info@wildlifecallers.com

Tickets cannot be exchanged for cash value – this contest is void where prohibited. 

Since 1871 the NRA has stood at the forefront of 2nd Amendment protection and the promotion of shooting sports and hunting  (Click Here for NRA History).  I’m a proud Life Member of the NRA and strongly encourage that everyone with a passion for hunting and shooting sports join their ranks.  A regular membership bought online is only $25 for the first year, and helps fund the fight against legislative threats and frivolous lawsuit abuses. 

Click the NRA image to learn more:

The Founding Fathers of the United States gave every law abiding American a special gift in the 2nd Amendment.  Please do your part to help preserve this heritage that’s so uniquely American. 

Best regards and good hunting,

Mark Healy – NRA Life Member

mark@wildlifecallers.com