Dan Tone and Arizona's First Nighttime Lion Since 2011 Rule Changes

Just 2.5 weeks after we reported the new Arizona nighttime hunting regulations for mountain lions on THIS POST, Dave Martens of Wildlife Callers and Dan Tone (who’s been featured on the WC Blog before) set out in one of the nighttime lion hunting areas and connected with a mature 7-9 year old female cougar – the actual age will be determined by the AZ Game & Fish.  The lion took about 30-32 minutes to arrive on the stand and came to a mixed bag of sounds.  Here are some of the details:

Arizona Mountain Lion and Deuce the Lion Calling Jack Russel

Locations:  When you think of nighttime lion hunting think of bighorn sheep.  Heavy lion predation has long been a issue for bighorn herd growth and sustainability around AZ.  Accordingly the locations in AZ for hunting lions at night have been chosen by the AZ Game & Fish biologists to provide the most relief to the Desert and Rocky Mountain Bighorn populations.  There isn’t a hunt unit listed in the Arizona Game and Fish lion hunting regulations that we haven’t scouted or hunted, and not found lion sign in.  Actually, we’ve called lions in many of the special units, so to answer the obvious question “where is the best place to go find lions” — all of the special bag units have lions — actually the whole state has lions.

Sounds:  Dave’s calling style is typically mix-it-up and throw out an active multi-critter sound scene for the predator to get interested in.  We’ve said it here before – you can’t confuse a lion by playing sounds that typically don’t go together – they’re not that smart.  Thus, when you create a completely unbelievable sound scene by playing ten minutes of mixed rabbit & small bird distress, followed by several minutes of deer fights and deer distress, followed by javelina sounds and distress, the lion never says ‘hey…I know that would NEVER happen in nature.”  It’s just sound stimulus – nothing more – there are no bad sounds. Mix it up.

Dan Tone, Deuce, and an AZ Mountain Lion

The Caller:  As is always the case, Dave was using his Wildlife Technologies Mighty Atom 21.  If you haven’t heard one, do yourself a favor and give us a call — truly amazing.

The Hunt:  Dave & Dan chose the calling location based on past experience in the area.  Dave has called near the area before and seen plenty of sign along the long ridge lines and hardpan wash bottoms the area is known for.  They kept the caller less than 20 yards away from them when they set up along the side of a dry wash.  The moon was nearly full and visibility was pretty good.  The plan was to, if possible, leave their spotlights & high intensity flashlights off until a lion was spotted or something was heard nearby that needed lighted investigation.

Dave had been playing his varied & lengthy list of sounds for about 30 minutes when the form of a solitary lion was spotted walking toward the speaker.  The lion arrived on Dan’s side of the caller and was closing toward the speaker in a deliberate and unhurried fashion.  Dan raised his 12 gauge and waited patiently while the lion continued to close on the speaker.  The lone lion eventually cut the distance to the speaker down to just 6-yards and came to a stop.  Dan activated the high-intensity light mounted on his shotgun and looked at the lion for a few seconds.  He immediately confirmed what he already knew, the lion was a large, mature cougar.  Boom! Dan shot the lion with a load of #4 buckshot and at just 19-20 yards away it was killed immediately.

Good View of the Large Shoulders and Head on the Lion

Night Calling Logistics:  Dan said that hunting lions at night should continue to be more and more productive as they learn more about doing it and better ways to set up.  But, he cautioned, the logistics of calling after the sun goes down are more complex than in daylight.  He said that something as small as a poorly designed spotlight or a flashlight that’s not bright enough can ruin a stand.  Stand selection takes longer.  Walking to the stand takes longer.  Tripping hazards with guns, callers, and extra gear makes things interesting.  And oftentimes once you’ve set up and think you’re in a good spot, you turn on the light only to find you really have almost zero visibility and have to move.

Takeaways:  Scouting and field experience cannot be underestimated.  Dave has spent many hours in this area scouting for lion sign, using trail cameras to confirm hunches, and calling during the daytime when it wasn’t legal to call at night.  His expertise and knowledge really paid off.

If you like what you’ve read here please - Sign up for our free newsletter!

Thanks again for reading – your comments are welcome below.

Mark Healy- Wildlife Callers

I have written other blog posts HERE , HERE, and HERE and posted scouting photos on our Wildlife Callers’ Facebook Page that talk about terrain considerations when scouting and calling for mountain lions.  This video captures nicely the “lay-up” concept that we talk about.  As you watch the video and the camera pans right you will see (at about 27 seconds) the lion has chosen a daytime hideout just below a saddle located on the ridge line above the rock/brush pile it pops out of. 

Without seeing the area in person and being able to walk the ridges around the brushed up rock pile the cat jumped out of, we can only make an educated guess that the lion is using the ridge/saddle as part of it’s travel route.  Based on past experience with travel paths and scouting for lay-up areas to call into, it stands to reason that ridge line is at least one of the travel routes in the area. 

It is also highly likely that this or another lion will use this lay-up again in the future.  Having a location like this jotted down in a calling journal will provide a spot to call into every single time you’re in the area.  Other than calling the area and getting a mountain lion to respond, there is no reliable way to know exactly when the cat will be back.  Based on the radio collar data that we’ve looked at and the trail camera evidence that we’ve collected, the day or night and actual time the lion will show back up can’t be accurately predicted.  However, paths that they use for travelling get used again and again. 

Catching the lion the next time it’s in this lay-up is a game of chance, but persistence pays.  If you have 20 locations like this identified with scat, tracks, other sign, and perhaps some trail camera photos and you consistently call into  them, eventually you’ll be in the right place at the right time and you’ll get your big cat to come in.  We’re certain it’s a whole lot more reliable than random calling into areas that simply “look like good cat country” but have no physical evidence to go with the good looks. 

Thanks again for reading.  Comments and questions are always welcome at the bottom of this page. 

Subscriptions to the blog are free – Sign up below. 

Good luck this season,

Mark Healy

mark@wildlifecallers.com

480-882-1210

Are you an outfitter?  Hunting or Calling Club Member?  Please call for details on bulk purchasing rates.  We can save you even more money on a group order!  Toll Free 1-877-734-1010 

Regular readers to The Wildlife Callers’ Blog know that routine scouting has been a huge part of our success in calling mountain lions.  Before we spend a lot of time mountain lion calling in a particular area, we use trail cameras to find out if an area is getting frequent cougar activity.  These cameras are also part of our scouting arsenal for Coues Whitetail and Elk. 

We’ve had great luck with the infrared flash DLC Covert trail cameras, believe other people will too, so we became a distributor.  They have a fast 1.2 second or faster trigger, take excellent 5mp photos and up to 60 seconds of video.  We’re offering these great little cameras as a single unit and in a money saving twin-pack.  To see specs on these battery-friendly, compact cameras in our store, just click on the photo, or CLICK HERE.  As of this blog post we have them in stock and ready for immediate delivery. 

Covert II Trail Camera by DLC

There is another compact game camera that caught our attention as well.  Wildgame Innovations has taken some of their best & time-tested trail cam technology and put it in a much smaller case.  They’re calling this camera the Wildgame Innovations X6c – boasting infrared flash technology, crisp 6mp still photos and up to 30 second video in the video mode.  At under $150 this camera is priced right.  To see the X6c game camera specs CLICK HERE:   

Wildgame Innovations X6c - Compact Trail Camera

And, don’t forget your memory cards.  We searched for high-quality memory cards that we could bring to you for a great price – we found them.  These Kingston Technology 4gb SDHC cards will store thousands of images and we’re selling them for less than the Kingston Tech 2gb cards we bought for our own use (live & learn).  At just $13.48 in the Wildlife Callers’ Store you don’t have to compromise and get smaller cards!

Kingston SDHC 4gb Class 4 Memory Card

So, there it is — the whole package.  Compact trail cameras and 4gb cards priced right.  Our mission is to keep bringing these useful field items to you at the best prices possible.  As we get a chance to test mounting brackets we’ll add more camera mounting accessories to the site. 

If you’re wondering why we haven’t put some of the larger body cameras on the site, we really didn’t see a need to.  Bigger is not better when it comes to these cameras.  We have used several of the larger camera brands, but nothing we’ve used takes a better picture, has better battery life, and packs into the field as easily as these compact models. 

Thank you again for reading and subscribing to the blog.  As always, if you have any questions, we’re just a phone call away at 1-877-734-1010.  You can also reach us at info@wildlifecallers.com 

Good scouting,

Mark Healy

 Dave Martens and I have placed trail cameras in dozens of locations that have rendered great photos & videos of mountain lions.  It wasn’t always as easy as it is today for Dave to locate a lion hot spot to place a camera.  Dave’s many hours in the field and the experience that’s come with it, allow him to quickly size up a long ridge or hardpan wash bottom and hang a camera that will produce lions nearly 100% of the time. 

Some guys will say, “hey, I’ve taken lots of pictures of lions on my deer cameras on such & such waterhole”.  That’s great and we love to get pictures of lions anywhere, but keep in mind we rarely put cameras on waterholes.  We’ve had much of our success calling lions well away from waterholes and we’re more interested in how lions travel in their territories and where they go to lay-up after they’ve been to water. 

There is, however, a feature that we always look for when scouting for lions.  When we find it, our success in finding lions travelling through the area has been 100%.  That feature is scent marking areas, or as well call them, scent stations.  There are times when we locate a small area that is literally covered in a wide variety predator poo — and poo from many other critters as well.  The spot that you’ll see in the video is one such place.  Since finding this location we have taken still photos and videos of several lions, fox, bears, and other predators.  This location, which unfortunately is well off the beaten path, if called frequently will eventually produce a lion. 

Have a look at the first video of a fox, bear, and coati, using the scent station:

Then, have a look at this female lion (we’ve taken many pictures of her) and the way she behaves on the scent station:

Just like humans, where there are ladies the guys seem to just show up.   We’ve taken a few photos of lions much larger than this female that we hope to someday call.  We have worked diligently in the area to find the best places to call from and be able to see lots of open areas and tight cover.  Now it’s a matter of getting the stars to align and be there calling when one or more of the mountain lions are home. 

As always – you can subscribe to this blog for FREE by adding your email in the SUBSCRIBE box on the upper right side of this page.  Or:   

Please add your thoughts or questions in the COMMENTS section at the bottom of this page. 

Thank you all for reading and good hunting,

Mark Healy

Mark@WildlifeCallers.com

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 often 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 9 pound macho men gonna do with 40lbs of hurtin’ pig and the 120lb 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.

Subscriptions to this blog are always free!

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

Mark Healy

Mark@wildlifecallers.com