RedHunterLLC

Night Hunting Coyotes with Night Vision Scopes

2010-10-04T12:26:00.000-07:00

Pre-season Checks for Success

2010-09-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

The time for coyote calling and predator hunting is getting near. As our summer transitions into fall, the predators will become a lot more active. Instead of bedding down and avoiding the heat of the day, they will be out doing a little hunting and foraging for food. The coyote pups will have grown quite a bit and the little bobcat kittens are learning the ropes from their momma. I have even heard some coyote pups sounding off in our neighborhood, much to the chagrin of my dog.

YOUR WHEELS
After Labor Day, when all of the summer activities slow down, I begin to devote my time to coyote hunting and predator hunting preparation. I usually start with my hunt rig, a 1981 Full sized 2-door Jeep Cherokee Chief. I do all of the usual preventative maintenance checking: Tires, hoses, belts, batteries, fluid levels, chassis lube, oil change, radiator flush, brakes, new plugs, clean the K&N air filter, check under the hood for any abnormalities like oil leaks, etc. I then run the rig down to my Jeep mechanic and have him look it over.

All of this preparation may sound obsessive to you but I hunt coyote way out in the barren Mojave Desert of California and Nevada. There is no cell phone coverage and if you get stuck, help is not forthcoming. It may be a long, hot walk out to a paved road and even after getting there, you may not see a soul for hours. I feel a lot more comfortable knowing that I have done everything possible to make sure my rig is reliable.

YOUR CALLS & HOWLERS
Next I check out all of my coyote calling gear. I begin with my mouth calls and coyote howlers. I check the reeds on all of my calls and make sure they all sound like they should. If they need attention, I change the reeds or address whatever other issues need attention. The same goes for my coyote howlers. I check each one out for sound quality, check lanyards and when I am sure they are good to go, I pack them at the ready.

MP3 & ELECTRONIC CALLERS
My electronic MP3 coyote caller is next. I happen to like the Minaska “Ultimate One” predator caller because of the volume potential when calling in open country. It features 2-speakers and they can be used independently or together. The sound quality is second to none and it even has a built-in, remote controlled decoy. I know there are a load of devoted Foxpro fans out there but sorry guys, in California lingo, I say Minaska “rules”. Just my opinion, use what you like. They will all call in animals.

At the beginning of each new season, I install a brand new 12-volt battery in the Minaska ($10.00) and I also purchase a spare battery and pack it in the caller’s backpack. I replace the battery in the remote, pack some 9-volt spares and then take the coyote caller out for a field check in a nearby park.

The screams of dying rabbits and other horrific sounds emanating from my Minaska coyote caller drive all of the park yuppies nuts (love it). One lady even threatened to call the police and report me because she claimed I was “harassing the squirrels”. I offered her my phone if she would let me listen in as she made the report. I would love to have heard her describe what she witnessed to the police. That would have been funny…

The Minaska Coyote caller is re-charged using a 110-volt plug-in charger. I have two ways to charge my electronic predator caller when in the field. I can plug the 110-volt charging unit into a small 100-watt inverter that I run off the Jeep’s auxiliary battery or, the Minaska caller can be charged from a solar panel that I adapted just for that purpose. Solar charging is quick, free and I sometimes leave the solar panel connected to the Minaska coyote caller when I am on long desert stands. I can chill, knowing that when I decide to start calling, my electronic coyote caller has a full charge and is ready for action. I will illustrate how you can make a solar charger for your Minaska or other 12-volt powered coyote caller in an upcoming blog.

PREDATOR & COYOTE HUNTING LIGHTS
Since night hunting for coyote and bobcats is legal here in California and Nevada, our predator hunting light is a key tool. Let’s face it, if you can’t see coyotes & bobcats, you can’t shoot coyotes and bobcats. After using a bunch of commercially available lights, homemade can lights and a bunch of other cobbled together Rube Goldberg contraptions, I decided that I would make my own light that incorporated all of the features a night coyote hunter would need. I knew what I didn’t like and I have heard all of the complaints from other night hunters. I knew exactly where I was going with this design. Rather than go into the details here, go to this link for all of the details on my innovative “lateral beam” coyote hunting light. http://www.shop.redhunterllc.com/REDHUNTER-ULTIMATE-PREDATOR-HUNTING-LIGHT-RH-CPHL-01.htm

OK, so I check the operation of my coyote hunting lights (primary & spare). I clean my light’s lenses, check all controls for operation, check the plugs, check the power cords and I make sure I have spare fuses. Back in their storage bag they go and they are ready.

Next are two other important lights. One is my coyote or bobcat “pick-up” light and the other is my powerful green “kill-finder” laser.

COYOTE PICK-UP LIGHTS
My coyote pick-up light is the flashlight I use to retrieve the animal once it has been dispatched. In the old days, I used to rely on a massive 4-cell police style flashlight. Those days are long gone however and now I pack a small (but super powerful) CREE LED flashlight that is about 10X more powerful than the old D-cell flashlight. RedHunterLLC sells these powerful pick-up lights at a very reasonable price. Go here for info http://www.shop.redhunterllc.com/CREE-DIODE-TACTICAL-FLASHLIGHTS-UF-CREE-TAC.htm These little lights will amaze you with their power and long-lasting beam. I will never go back to any type of conventional flashlight again. The LED technology is amazing and if you are looking for your kill, this type of light really does the job. I have even taken one and tinted the lens red for away from the rig lighting. I can pick up a coyotes eyes at 300-yards using the little tactical flashlight.

COYOTE KILL, LASER POINTER
Of course, finding a dead coyote or bobcat that you’ve dispatched in the dead of night can be a bit difficult. Once you leave your hunting rig or stand area and start walking out 200 or so yards, it’s easy to lose your bearings. That is when the laser is worth its weight in gold. I have my hunt rig laser mounted to a magnetic base. Once the shooter takes his shot, he keeps his scope on the general area where he fired at the coyote. The lighter (hunting partner) fires up the laser and the shooter directs the beam to the kill zone. Once it is zeroed, it is locked into position and the hunters can follow the green beam right to the kill. No searching, walking in circles or guesswork. The dead coyote should be right at the end of the beam. Inexpensive lasers can be found on-line and at some retailers. Most are way too under-powered. I just happened to order mine from an overseas supplier just before the feds put limits on the output power available to the general population. Check around though because it is a valuable tool. I am going to search for a good source too and when I find a good, reasonably priced unit, it will be tested by John and me and then sold in our store.

COYOTE & BOBCAT DECOYS
Next, I address my decoys. I sometimes use a Foxpro “Jack-in-the-box” coyote decoy. I also like my home-made, simple 1.5 volt coyote, fox and bobcat decoy made from an aluminum arrow shaft and half of a Decoy Heart (that throws a little stuffed critter around in circles). And lastly, for days with a slight breeze, a very simple low tech arrow shaft coyote decoy using a feather or two, tied to a light swivel with fine monofilament fishing line. I simply stick it in the ground and the breeze blows the feather around. It’s just enough action for a coyote or bobcat to fixate on. I check the batteries (and pack spares) and operation of the electric coyote decoys and look over the simple stuff to make sure everything functions as planned. I even go so far as to put all of the coyote decoy toppers into a plastic zip-lock bag and generously apply the scent or attractant that I want the Coyotes to smell. I don’t want my coyote decoys to smell like me or any other human.

FIREARMS
Next I get out to the range and make sure all of my predator hunting rifles are shooting as tight as possible. I also check and inventory my reloaded ammo for each rifle. In addition, I pattern my shotguns and make sure my handguns are zeroed for the ammo I will be using. Finally, I touch up any of the nicked or worn camo paint areas on my coyote hunting firearms and make certain there is no chance of reflected light spooking an inbound coyote.

OPTICS
Next, I clean all of my coyote hunting rifle scope lenses with an approved cleaner so as not to damage the delicate lens coatings (See the “Op Drops” sold by RedHunterLLC. http://www.shop.redhunterllc.com/Op-Drops-Optics-Cleaner-McN-40716.htm I also service my binoculars and make sure they are clean and ready.

Once I’ve checked all of my main coyote hunting equipment, I start checks on all of my general field gear like hunting license, bobcat tags, flashlights, knives, tools, gloves, head gear, camo, boots, sleeping bag, scents, etc. Lastly, I reassess my pre-hunting checklist and make sure it is updated and complete. Once I have completed my preparation, I should be good to go for the season opener.

By making periodic checks part of your hunting routine, you’ll always be ready for that last minute call from a buddy saying, “Let’s do a one-nighter and slam some coyotes”. Oh man, how can you resist that?

Play Their Instinct, Not Their Hunger

2010-09-30T08:40:00.001-07:00

This is the time when of you should have your rifles sighted in, your rigs ready to roll and all of your other necessary gear fine-tuned and ready. The last remaining factor that spells success or failure is totally dependent upon you, the hunter. Ultimate success will be dictated by your skill and strategy.

All of us spend a great deal of time analyzing our prey. We scout for the most likely habitat and attempt to zero in on just exactly where and when the animals are most active. However, what worked just fine last month and produced several kills may not work at all this month. Coyotes seem to move around a lot and in the process; they can become more “educated” due to hunting pressure. These shifts in animal behavior necessitate a shift in our attitude and procedures too. Perhaps it is time for you to try something completely different.

Although the general animal habitat guidelines don’t change, perhaps our attitude and techniques for attracting them should. Chances are, the typical coyote and bobcat have heard the pleading jackrabbit call more than once or twice and it may not have the startling effect we would expect. Hey, even my dog is a perfect example of that. He hears me testing different pitched calls all the time. Now he is used to those sounds and he only reacts when I introduce something new into the mix. Therefore, new ideas and a fresh approach might make the difference between hunting success and failure.

On the last hunt, I tried sounds, sequences and techniques that were different than my usual bag of tricks. I changed more than the sounds however; I tried an entirely new coyote calling psychology.

In the past, my calling was not a part of a larger plan. There was no scripting of sounds or end game in mind. I simply played a CD or worked a mouth-call hoping that a hungry critter would respond. I was only appealing to one sense…..hunger. That would mean for me to be successful, the following factors would have to be in place:

• A hungry coyote would have to be within hearing distance of my call.
• That coyote would need to be hungry enough to respond.
• That coyote would be comfortable responding in the calls’ territory.
• The coyote would not be educated to the specific sound.
• The coyote’s hunger would overcome caution.

For my money, those are too many variables. By appealing to only one sense, you severely limit yourself. For the best success, appeal to as many of the animals senses and “instincts” as you can. The ultimate key word there is instinct.

Webster’s dictionary defines instinct as “a largely inheritable and unalterable tendency of an organism to make a complex and specific response to environmental stimuli without involving reason. b: behavior that is mediated by reactions below the conscious level.

That is our ultimate edge gentlemen, playing on their instinctive responses. If you plan your ambush to appeal to instinct rather than their thought process, your chances of success will be greatly enhanced. Their instinctive reactions will override their education and hopefully result in a bang-flop for you. My last hunt seemed to prove this theory out and if you give careful consideration to formulate more of an overall plan to your calling techniques, I’m sure you will agree.

Rifle Scope Info You Need to Know

2010-08-18T17:00:00.001-07:00

By Paul Coburn

"I've answered questions about scope parallax about 300 times, and it's always a long drawn out thing, going several e-mails, and a few phone calls. It doesn't seem to make any difference how long the guy has been shooting, this one always keep screwing guys up.
OK... here goes (Whew, this is gonna be a long one).
There are several things that go on inside a scope, and in the eyes at the same time. Some of them workie against each other.
But some terminology first... and we'll leave out lenses that are there to correct some optical or color errors, but don't have anything to do with image forming.
We'll start at the front of it all, and work back.
1 - The "Object"... the thing that you are looking (shooting) at.
2 - The "Objective". The front lens is called the "Objective"... it forms the first image of the "object" we are looking at (that why they call it the Objective
It is the lens that "captures" all the light, that is solely responsible for the image quality of the scope... if it is poor, you can't fix the poor image later.
This lens is usually made of two different types of glasses (called "elements") sandwiched together, and is called an "Achromat".
The Achromat is fully color corrected for blue and green. The red wavelengths are partially corrected, but have what is called "residual color errors".
This is the normal type of objective used in shooting and spotting scopes. In quality, they can vary from badd, through sorta OK, to pretty damn good.
If one of the elements is made of an "ED" glass, or a "Fluorite" (CaF) glass, the two element lens can be very good to friggin' outstanding.
In some instances, objective lenses are made of three elements, and all three colors (blue, green, and red) are completely corrected. This type of lens is called an "Apochromat", and this is the finest lens that can be bought. The best of these can also have "ED" glass, or Fluorite as one of the elements.
3 - The "First image plane". The Objective focuses the light to make an image of the subject, just like a camera lens. This image is upside down, and right/left reversed. This is the first image plane, but NOT the "First image plane" that is talked about when shooters talk about reticles.
4 - The "Erector lens"... (if it is a group of lenses, it is called the "Erector cell"). Because the first image is upside down/wrong way around, we (as shooters) can't use it... so we flip it around with a simple optical group called the "erector cell". This cell gives us a new image that is right way around, called the second image plane. Moving this cell causes this second image plane to move... so micrometer spindles are put against the cell, to get elevation and windage adjustments.
5 - The "Second image plane". This is the second real image plane in the scope, and this is the image plane that shooters call the "First image plane" when talking about reticles. In a fixed power scope, or in a variable with a "First image plane reticle", the reticle would be placed in this image plane.
This is where Premier Reticle puts those magical "Gen II" reticles.
6 - The "Zoom group". In a variable scope with standard (non-magnifying) reticle, the zoom group of optics would follow #5. This group of lenses can change the size of the image plane in #5 and then form a new (third) image plane behind it.
7 - The "Third image plane" In variable power scopes, this is the plane that the reticle is placed in. By being here, it allows the image to change sizes, but the reticle to stay the same size. In the context of reticles, this is the image plane that is referred to as the "second image plane"
8 - The "Eyepiece". This optical group is like a jewelers loupe. Is is (or should be) a super fine magnifier. It's only job in the whole world, is to focus on the reticle.
Let me repeat that for those that live in Rio Linda...
THE ONLY JOB FOR THE EYEPIECE IS TO FOCUS YOUR EYE ON THE RETICLE!!!!
It CANNOT adjust, or compensate for, or do anything else when things look bad in the scope, or when you can't hit the target... and you CANNOT use the eyepiece to try to correct for parallax. That is sheer folly at best, and raw stupidity at worst.
If you expect it to do anything else, then stop wasting your time with long-range shooting, cuz you are never gonna make it past mediocre... and take up golf!!
OK... now that you know what the insides are like... lets move on. We'll use the zoom scope for our examples. cuz if you can understand the zoom scope, then the fixed scope is a walk in the park.
In the scope that is set for infinity range, the object forms an image behind the objective (the first image plane)... the erector cell "sees" that image, and flips it over and makes it right way around in a NEW image plane (the Second image plane). The zoom group adjusts the size of this image plane, and makes a NEW image plane (the Third image plane) that is the desired size. There is a reticle placed in this last image plane, and the eyepiece focuses on the reticle AND the image at the same time.
When things are good, that's how the scope workie!
---
But... now the booger falls into the soup... IF the third image plane and the reticle are not exactly, (and I mean EX-ACT-LY) in the same place, then your eye cannot see them LOCKED together as one picture.
It sees them as two separate pictures, and the eye will look at each separately, and the eye can also look AROUND one to see the other.
---
Lenses are measured in metrics (aka Millimeters). Not because the Europeans wanted the metric system 20 years ago, but because optical strings and chains of lenses (like scopes) are really a string of numbers.
There are constant ratios of "this divided by that's" that give image sizes, "F-ratios", and image locations. It's so damn easy to do the engineering using a 10 based system that the optical guys were using the metric system way back in the 1800's.
The objective has a "Focal length"... this is the distance behind the lens that the first image plane falls when making an image if a subject that is at infinity (or very damn far away).
If the objective has a focal length of 100mm, then the image of that 1000 yd target is 100mm behind the lense.
But the problem with geometric optics (which is what we are dealing with here), is that they follow the laws of geometry... and optics make triangles like rabbits make babies.
AND... in an optical chain, when you change one thing, one angle, one ANYTHING, everything else follows along and changes BASED on the ratios involved at THAT stage.
If we take that same target, and move it to 100 yds, the image in the scope moves BACKWARDS, going further into the scope. Not by much, but it doesn't take much, cuz we're dealing with very small distances inside the scope, and very high magnifications.
How far the image moves back, and what it's new position is, is predictable by the mathematical ratios of the angles formed by the subject and the first image... OR (for us dummies that lost our slip sticks) by the ratio of the distances to the Target and the focal length, multiplied by the focal length. then ADDED to the focal length.
The target is at 100 yds (91440mm), the focal length of the objective is 100, so the displacement is 1/914 x 100, which means that the first image is now at ~100.1mm. Hmmm only .1mm, that doesn't seem like much.
Read the following paragraph twice...
In a 1x scope, 0.1mm would mean nothing... but this displacement is repeated throughout the chain, AND if any of the optical groups change the image ratio (aka image size), then the displacement (aka ERROR) is changed in direct proportion to the increase in magnification. So in a 3x scope, it would be .3mm, and in a 10x scope, it would be 1mm, and in a 30 power scope, the image would be 3mm behind the reticle.
Now, you should have seen a pattern in this last paragraph.
READ THIS TWICE!!
With the same error in the objective (scope focused at 1000, and target at 100), the parallax INCREASES WITH MAGNIFICATION... got it?
If not, READ IT TWO MORE TIMES!!
OK... now, if we do the same math for closer distances, like 50 yds, and 25 yds we will see that the error gets really big, so that with a target at 50 yards, and the scope set at 35 or 65 yds, the parallax makes the combination un-usable.
---
Parallax is... when the image of the target, and the reticle, are NOT in exactly the same plane, and by moving the eye up and down... or side to side, either the target OR the reticle appears to move in relation to the other.
You might see the target move and the reticle stay still, or you might see the target stay still and the reticle move over it... both are exactly the same, and which you see, is only a matter of your OWN perception.
It is NOT possible to have parallax while moving up and down, but not have it when you are moving side to side.
If you think that is what you have, you have other problems... either you are moving the rifle, or you have eye problems.
---
HOW TO SET UP A SCOPE!
This is the only way to do it...
First, screw the eyepiece out (CCW) all the way, until it stops.
If you wear glasses, put them on.
Hold the scope up and look OVER the scope at the sky, and relax your eyes. Then move the scope in front of your eye.
The reticle should look fuzzy
Turn the eyepiece in 1/2 turn, and do the same thing again. You will have to do for a while before the reticle starts to look better. When you start getting close, then turn the eyepiece 1/4 turn each time.
Do this until the reticle is fully sharp and fully BLACK immediately when you look through the scope.
Than back off one turn and do it again to make sure you are in the same place.
Then LOCK the ring on the eyepiece, and leave it alone forever!
Second.
Set the scope down on something sold, where it can see something at a long distance... half a mile of longer is good.
It can be on the rifle, and rested in sand bags at the range... but pick something at least 1000 yds away... even further if possible.
If the scope has an "AO" Adjustable objective, then set it for infinity, and look at the distant object, and move your head from one side to the other, or up and down if you prefer.
If the reticle seems to move, there is parallax.
Change the distance setting and try again... if you are very careful, you can move your eye, and adjust the distance at the same time, seeing which direction gets better.
With front objective adjustments, you can turn them either way without worry... BUT with side adjustment scopes, like the MK4-M3, the M3-LR, or the other LR family of scopes, the adjustment must ALWAYS be made from the infinity end of the dial. Turn the adjustment all the way until it stops (past infinity), and then start turning it in a little at a time, until there is no parallax. If you "overshoot" the proper setting, you can't just turn back a little, you must go back to stop at the end of the dial, and start over again.
While "AO"s dials are locked in place, and if the indicated distance doesn't match the real distance, there's nothing you can do about it... the side focus dials are not locked in place.
Once you have found the setting for infinity on the side focus models, then (CAREFULLY) loosen the screws, and set the dial so that little sideways infinity symbol is lined up with the hash mark, so it is calibrated. You can also make little marks or put on a paper tape for other ranges instead of using the round dots that don't match any range.
Now you can set it to infinity, but remember that you MUST turn the dial all the way past infinity to the stop, EVERY TIME before going from a close range to a longer range.
If you are set for 500 yds, you can go directly to 100 yds, but if you are set for 100 and want to set it to 500, you MUST go all the way back to the stop, and then go to 500
This is because there is a fair amount of backlash (aka SLOP) in this wheel linkage to the focusing cell, so you can set it only from one direction to make sure the slop is always on one side. The other problem with it is, even if you decided that you wanted to calibrate from the other end... the recoil will push the cell back. SO you must ALWAYS set these dials from the infinity end of their scales.
To make it easy to not have to remember... I always start from the end stop, when I change range, no matter which direction I'm going in... it adds about 0.023 seconds!
---
Now... you gots a friend that says to set up a scope a different way???... he don't know doodly-squat about scopes.
The guy at the range said to do it a different way... he don't know either.
You know some guy who's in the Marines says to use your eyepiece to correct parallax... he doesn't know about optics either.
You got a friend that shoots benchrest and says something different... he don't know crapola!
This is the way, the only way, there is no other way.
... as Rushbo would say... this is from GOD-da .
You gots questions, just e-mail me.
You wanna "debate it", then go play golf, cuz you're wasting my time!
'lito (gettin' grumpy in my old age!)"

Why learning History is Important

2010-03-26T08:35:00.001-07:00

When I was a kid, I sure could not appreciate the importance of learning History. After all, it was old stuff that had already happened. I was more interested in the "new" stuff. The value of history is wasted on youth. We never realized that life is a circle and although times, clothes, appliances, transportation and a vast array of other "things" change, the minds and hearts of men do not. There is always the urge to suppress, rule, dictate and totally control the masses.

I believe we are at a crossroad right now. Over the years our federal government has grown into something the framers of the Constitution were very concerned about avoiding. Slowly, one small Constitutional perversion at a time, the federal government has violated the limitations placed upon it by the enumerated powers listed in the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. And, as we all know, the more a thief steals unabated, the more brazen he becomes.

Today we are faced with a Marxist/Socialist as president and two chambers of Congress dominated by leftist "progressive" democrats. The mandates and imposed sanctions for a failure to comply are now law, as evidenced in the latest "Health Care Reform" bill. Sadly, this is only the beginning of the Obamanation and if we, as a nation, do not realize that our liberty and freedoms are at stake, we will soon lose them.

I have listed many of my favorite quotes below. They are from very different eras and very different people. However, they all warn of the same thing. Read these...I mean REALLY read these words and take the time to think about them. As you are thinking, watch your children play and think of your responsibility to assure their freedom, security and liberty in the future.

In the military, there is an old slogan, "You fight like you train." If you are unwilling to take action to protect your liberties now by legal, politically active means; when your liberty is finally taken away you will surely not have the will to fight to get it back.

History is unfolding right in front of your face right now. Will you simply stand there and watch as Lady Liberty is raped at your feet? Will you look the other way as Uncle Sam is pummeled by leftist members of Congress that are pushing a statist agenda? Are you a "moderate" live and let live kind of person? If you are any of the aforementioned, you do not deserve the God given liberties bestowed upon you. Our liberty is not the fruit of "moderate" forefathers. The Founding Fathers of this country were not "moderate" by any means. They risked their lives and property to create a country free of the bonds of an oppressive government.

Well, the free ride is over and now we must face the enemy of freedom that is no longer at the gate. The enemy is in the White House, in the chambers of Congress and in the Attorney General's office.

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"Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle!

Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did, and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to, and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them; and these will continue until they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress." -Frederick Douglass, August 4, 1857.

"There are always a few, better endowed than others, who feel the weight of the yoke and cannot restrain themselves from attempting to shake it off: these are the men who never become tamed under subjection and who always, like Ulysses on land and sea constantly seeking the smoke of his chimney, cannot prevent themselves from peering about for their natural privileges and from remembering their ancestors and their former ways.

"These are in fact the men who, possessed of clear minds and far-sighted spirit, are not satisfied, like the brutish mass, to see only what is at their feet, but rather look about them, behind and before, and even recall the things of the past in order to judge those of the future, and compare both with their present condition. These are the ones who, having good minds of their own, have further trained them by study and learning. Even if liberty had entirely perished from the earth, such men would invent it. For them slavery has no satisfactions, no matter how well disguised." - Etienne de La Boetie, in "Discourse on Voluntary Servitude", 1548.

"And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the right of resistance? Let them take arms ... The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure." - Thomas Jefferson.

"Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any bands of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States." - Noah Webster.

"We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force." -Ayn Rand

"Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period and pursued unalterably through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a deliberate, systematical plan of reducing us to slavery." -Thomas Jefferson.

"A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself.

For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their garments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear." -Marcus Tullius Cicero, 42 BC.

"Human nature is full of riddles; one of those riddles is: how is it that people who have been crushed by the sheer weight of slavery and cast to the bottom of the pit can nevertheless find strength in themselves to rise up and free themselves first in spirit and then in body while those who soar unhampered over the peaks of freedom suddenly lose the taste of freedom, lose the will to defend it, and, hopelessly confused and lost, almost begin to crave slavery?” - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil Constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and transmitted them to us with care and diligence. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or to be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men. -Samuel Adams.

"When all government, domestic and foreign, in little as in great things, shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power, it will render powerless the checks provided of one government on another, and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated." -Thomas Jefferson.

“Tyranny is the exercise of Power beyond Right, which no Body can have a Right to. And this is making use of the Power any one has in his hands; not for the good of those, who are under it, but for his own private separate Advantage. ... For where-ever the Power that is put in any hands for the Government of the People, and the Preservation of their Properties, is applied to other ends, and made use of to impoverish, harass, or subdue them to the Arbitrary and Irregular Commands of those that have it: There it presently becomes Tyranny, whether those that thus use it are one or many.” - John Locke Two Treatise of Government (1698) Book II, Chapter XVIII, § 199.

"As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression. In both instances there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such twilight that we all must be most aware of change in the air - however slight - lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness." - William O. Douglas, Supreme Court Justice.

"If we run into such debts as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our callings and our creeds, as the people of England are, our people, like them, must come to labor sixteen hours in the twenty-four, and give the earnings of fifteen of these to the government for their debts and daily expenses; And the sixteenth being insufficient to afford us bread, we must live, as they do now, on oatmeal and potatoes, have no time to think, no means of calling the mismanagers to account; but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains around the necks of our fellow sufferers; And this is the tendency of all human governments.

A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent for a second, that second for a third, and so on 'til the bulk of the society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery, to have no sensibilities left but for sinning and suffering... And the forehorse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression." -Thomas Jefferson.

"The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny." - James Madison, Federalist Papers No. 47.

Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra.

I see right through your thin disguise,
your alligator tears, and your crooked smiles.
You bite with stolen teeth; speak in false tongues,
indoctrinate people when they are young,
with the lie that crawls out of your mouth:

I, The State, am The People.

You say "there's nothing greater than I,
the ordering finger of God, am I."
You roar and the sheep kneel.
But you can't affect anyone who feels
the lie that crawls out of your mouth:

I, The State, am The People.

Somewhere there are still peoples, and herds.
But where we live, we live among turds.
You mean the death of those who believe,
who fail to realise, who fail to perceive,
the lie that crawls out of your mouth:

I, The State, am The People.

END.

The NRA is to the 2nd Amendment as H & R Block is to the 16th.

2010-03-12T16:57:00.000-08:00

KeepAndBearArms.com — A March 12, 2002 news item got me thinking. It was titled "Gun Violence Prevention Groups Claim Victory as H&R Block Severs Ties with National Rifle Association." It wasn't the article itself, or what the article was about that was significant. It was the title that used the names "NRA" and "H & R Block" in the same sentence. Seeing those two names together reminded me of something too many people in the pro 2nd Amendment movement either don't see or refuse to recognize, the effect of self-interest.

We live in a time characterized by far broader concerns over issues of liberty and unconstitutional encroachment upon liberty by government than just those centered on the Second Amendment. Over the last quarter century or so (a period concurrent with the gun control vs. 2nd Amendment battle) we have also seen the rise of an ever-growing anti-income tax movement. And, just as the gun control battle orbits a Constitutional amendment so too does the battle over the income tax. We've all seen serious and well-researched assertions that the 16th Amendment that created the income tax was never legally ratified. We're also seeing the government refusing to address the issue.

So, what's all this got to do with the NRA and H & R Block? Plenty! Why? Because of a fact of life far too many of us in the pro 2nd Amendment movement either fail to see or refuse to acknowledge. That fact of life centers on the economic self-interest of an organization and its leadership.

Expecting the NRA to support the position that "shall not be infringed" means just that -- no permits can be required if it's a "right" and not a "privilege" -- is a lot like expecting H & R Block to support the position that the 16th Amendment was never legally ratified.

If the 16th Amendment and the income tax are thrown out, H & R Block is out of business. That much is pretty obvious, but Block does not hold itself out to be opposed to the income tax. The situation is very different where the NRA is concerned, and this is what gives rise to the dichotomy of opinion about the NRA within the pro 2nd Amendment movement.

We all need to become more aware of what the NRA is and has been historically. We then need to take a really hard look at what the strongest supporters and members of the NRA do for a living. Looking at it this way reveals one likely reason why the NRA refuses to support the position that no permits or registrations should be required if firearms ownership is a "right" that "shall not be infringed."

The NRA is, and has historically been, the single strongest advocate (and provider) of firearms use and safety training. Think about this for a minute. How many firearm use and safety course instructors do you know of who are NOT NRA certified? According the the NRA's own website, there are currently some 38,000 NRA Certified Instructors throughout the United States. The NRA may not be the only organization that certifies gun use and safety instructors, but it is certainly the single biggest one. 38,000 NRA Certified Instructors averages 760 per state. The numbers alone prove the NRA virtually owns the firearms instruction certification market in this country. Now there's nothing wrong with this. The NRA does a wonderful job teaching gun safety and certifying instructors. It's what they're really good at and I fully approve of what they do in this regard. Personally, I think every gun owner should take at least one gun use and safety course from an NRA certified instructor. I don't think any governmental body should require it though.

Now take a look around the country. Most states have now become "shall issue" states and in every one of them (that I know of) the "issue" of the "permit" requires two things:

1. A clean criminal record 2. Attending and passing some form of firearms use and safety course

Where do you think the instructors for these courses come from? Wouldn't you have to assume that with 38,000 NRA certified firearm safety instructors in the U.S. that most (if not nearly all) of the people who teach the courses required for CCW permits are among those 38,000? I would. Now ask yourself this: How many of these NRA certified instructors, whose economic life depends upon a steady stream of course attendees, are likely to support the position that it is illegal and unconstitutional for any level of government to REQUIRE gun permits and gun safety courses? While you're at it, take a look at the NRA as a national organization. What do they sell and profit from? It is the sponsorship of gun training and gun safety courses and teaching materials. Furthermore, this is what the NRA has been doing for over a hundred years. It is their core business. Do you REALLY expect them to support the position that gun permits (and the training required by them) are unconstitutional? If you do, I've got a bridge between Manhattan and Brooklyn I'll sell you cheap.

Gun control isn't like being pregnant. Being pregnant is a binary state. Someone either IS or ISN'T pregnant. But gun control exists on a continuum. You can have total gun control, such as outright bans, or only a little gun control, such as permits.

The mistake too many in the pro 2nd Amendment movement make is the assumption that the NRA is opposed to gun control. This assumption is false. The NRA is, always has been, and will continue to be a PRO GUN CONTROL ORGANIZATION! They will always support requirements for permits and attendance at gun safety and training classes because teaching these classes is what the economic life of so many of the NRA's strongest supporters, depends upon. Any assertion that the NRA does not virtually "own" the firearms and gun safety instructor training and certification market in this country is like making the assertion that Microsoft does not virtually "own" the computer operating system market. Both are obvious on their face.

It is because of this that I do not belong to, nor support the NRA in any way. Supporting the NRA is supporting (a form of) gun control and I am opposed to ALL forms of gun control... unless you define "gun control" as being capable of putting a .30 round through an enemy of the Constitution's left eye at 300 yards.

Gary Clark is a writer, small business owner and staunch defender of the right of every individual to own, bear and use ANY type of weapon that can be carried on the person. He lives in Las Vegas and can be reached by e-mail at Liberty@wtw.org.

by Gary Clark

We Get letters.....

2010-02-23T10:45:00.000-08:00

I recently got an order for one of our RedHunterLLC Custom Predator Hunting Lights. Since I fabricate these lights myself, one at a time, the lead time is usually 6 to 8 weeks. This customer was in a real hurry though because he wanted to use the light in a predator calling contest in Texas. Unfortunately, the contest date was about two weeks from his order date. Since my "lateral beam" concept is unique, I really wanted his team to have the benefit of using it in the contest. So, I worked hard to complete the light in time to get it in his hands in time for the contest. The contest started on a Friday and UPS delivered the light to his house on Thursday afternoon. It was close, but it got there just in the nick of time. Here is a quote from the note I received from him on Monday:

“The new light worked very well. Our hunting rig drew mega attention and we got a real good opportunity to show off the new light. It impressed lots of folks. No one had seen one like it. You should get some inquiries for lights. I gave out your email. Your light worked like a dream--better than I had hoped. I will send pictures soon. Thank you so much for getting our light out to us on time for the contest. I am attempting to set up a hunt with Gerald Stewart (Johnny Stewart Game Calls) to tap on his calling experience. I will keep you posted on how that goes.” From: Dennis Long, Woodway, TX

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I recently purchased both a Leupold and a Hawk scope for my hunting rifles. I placed the Leupold on my 30-06 and the Hawk on my 22-250, and then headed to the range. Both where zeroed at 100 yards with good results. One of the things I wanted to do was test my 100 yard zero, at a 200 yard range.

One big advantage I saw with the Hawk scope was it comes with a ballistics program that allowed me to calculate my rifle trajectory, and printed out a trajectory graph that I was able to place on the scopes flip up protective cover. This was a big plus for me since it took out all the guess work once I was one the 200 yard range. With the program I knew just where my aiming point should be to hit the 200 yard target.

The difference between the hawk and Leupold was the Hawk SR-12 reticles. I found the reticles extremely helpful once on the range. I’m not trying to say that the Leupold is not a top of the line scope but the Hawk had several features that made my old eyes work like they did 25 years ago. Also the day I went to the range there was a cross-wind of about 7 miles an hour blowing the SR-12 reticles also comes with Wind bars that proved helpful.
Again the Leupold is a top of the line scope but I had to use Kentucky windage to walk my 30-06 into the target. Since I had a good zero at 100 yards this wasn’t a hard task but it took three shoots to hit the center mass on the target as compared to the Hawk with the 22-250 first round was dead on but right, once I adjust for windage the second round was on target. From: Robert Ison, Madison Alabama

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Jeff says, ""Hey Red...thanks for the new Hawke Sidewnder 30, 4x16x50 scope. I mounted it on a Remington AR15 VTR SS varmint. I took my first shot at this dog and sent it down his kisser/see his broken lower jaw." - Jeff Young, NY State

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"I decided to try one of the RedHunter medium range cottontail mouth calls. I bought the Mini Blaster III. I am jazzed because no longer than 15-seconds into the stand, I called in and shot a nice gray fox. On my next stand, I called in a nice bobcat and nailed him too. I like this call because it’s small, easy to carry, durable and projects a nice sound. The reed does not stick either." From: B. Keller, Irvine, CA

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Red,

Your howler is awesome! It is the easiest to use cow horn howler I own (compared to a silver dog and a rude dog). It howls great makes a great bark. Ki-yis and yelps and whines are also very easy and very authentic sounding. I was using it last week and in conjunction with a rabbit distress call. I was using yelps and small barks and growls.

I was in a small clearing in a heavily wooded patch of land. I could hear some footsteps in the woods and a stick snapped under the foot of whatever it was out there. I could never get the critter to show itself. Where I hunt is much like hunting eastern coyotes, dense woods, thick underbrush. My weapon of choice is a Beretta 12-gauge with 3.5 magnum T-shot. They are out there because I have stirred up a pack at dusk several times but I cannot seem to get them to show themselves, I think the terrain lets them see me long before I can get a visual on them.

Back to the calls!! I could not be happier. Yours is my go-to howler. Good call on the tactical camo finish, it's perfect for me and looks great. Thanks for touching base." From: Patrick Williams,Texarkana, TX

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"For various reasons, I have had more trouble with electronics than I care for. I told Fred he had caught my "hex" of bad luck with electronic players. Since I had wanted to use Red Barbarossa's RedHunterLLC calls (the Mini version) for quite some time, I figured this would be a good opportunity to employ his product.

A couple miles up the dirt road we turned off onto a side road and set up for a new try. Fred caught eyes in the spotlight and I got the Savage pointed in the lights direction. The way the animal moved made me think it was a bobcat. I followed it in my scope until I could get a good view of him. When the Savage fired, I heard the slap of the bullet and knew the earlier target practice had paid off. We called a little longer, and then I walked out to collect my trophy. It was a nice bobcat. On the scale it weighted over twenty two pounds. We took some photos and inserted the cat into a burlap bag. (I skinned him later at home, and put him on a stretcher).

Fred and I reversed roles; I took the spotlight and Fred toted the rifle. The moon was down most of our calling time, which worked well for us, although the last two animals (coyotes), I called while the moon was up. The last three stands of the night produced two coyotes. Fred missed the first one. The coyote may have moved just as he fired. Although, it was my turn to shoot, I told Fred to continue as shooter as I had an animal and wanted him to bag something. The very next stand I called in another coyote to close range. The coyote stopped, but Fred wasn't quite able to get on him. Next the coyote moved in a semicircle around us, and Fred took a shot at the close moving target. The shot was a miss, which was disappointing to Fred, but at least he was having a share of the action.

The entire time (from 6PM to 1AM) I used only the Mini Blaster III, RedHunterLLC mouth call. I liked the high pitch and was anxious to tell Red what good luck we had using his product. In all, I called five Kit fox, a Grey fox, a bobcat, and two coyotes. The action was spread out evenly the entire time and kept us keyed up for more fun. I had collected my first trophy with the Savage, and called a bunch of critters with the new call." From: Rick Macey, Lake Forest, CA

Dedicated customer service and products that do the job is what we are all about. Just the facts Jack.

Branded!

2010-02-18T08:37:00.001-08:00

No, I’m not going to write about branding cattle or branding people, my topic today is merchandise branding.

When I was a kid, I was raised in a family that did not have a lot of money to spare. I am not complaining; my sister and I had plenty of love and everything we needed to be happy. My Dad was a hard working milkman and my Mom worked part time in different retail stores. Due to our financial situation, we simply did without extra goodies we didn’t need.

When it came to clothes, shoes and that kind of stuff, my folks couldn’t afford to buy us the big name “branded” products. You know; the stuff that was and is always being pushed down kid’s throats on TV and in every other form of media. All of the big brand names a lot of kids thought they “had to have” were way out of reach for us.

Actually, it was only an issue once and a while because I knew in my heart I was not going to get the stuff anyway. I wasn’t going to get those PF Flyer sneakers that would make me run faster, jump higher and stop quicker. I was going to get the no-name brand from the other store across the tracks. Somehow I managed to run and keep up with, and sometimes even beat the guys wearing the PF Flyers. To cut to the chase, I never had name brand anything and I never really missed it. My parents taught me to become “value conscious” and look for value in what I purchase.
It’s funny that to this day, I am not a big name labels guy. Now, I am not saying that I don’t buy good stuff because for some things, the famous brand might just be the best value. What I am saying is that I don’t buy stuff just because of the brand name that’s slapped on it. That brand name comes at a price and the price we pay includes a lot more than what is in the product.

Any major brand has gone through a great deal of growing pains. Every big company starts out small and grows bigger. At least, that is the plan. As the business grows, so do the associated expenses. Therefore, the business must constantly expand to survive. Outside forces and responsibilities begin to mount up such as rent, payroll, insurance, legal fees, trade show expenses, union issues, advertising, marketing, distribution, supply-chain issues, warranty claims, equipment purchasing, repairs, testing, and on and on.
Each and every one of the liabilities mentioned above must be paid for. How, you ask? Well, the costs are built into the sale price of their product. You, the consumer, pay a premium for that “brand name” and what you are paying for is the whole enchilada, not just the materials, design, construction and packaging of the product but everything it takes to bring the product to market and keep it in the forefront. And, as the operating pressures build, so does the pressure to streamline production, reduce manufacturing costs and maximize profits.
So why am I flapping my gums and writing all about this business 101 stuff on a hunting blog? Well, I’m glad you asked (even if you didn’t, I telling you the story anyway). It is a true story of human nature, peer pressure and the result of being pounded by professional marketing organizations for 63-years since the inception of television.

RedHunterLLC is in the information and merchandise business. However, I have the same attitude I have always had. When I purchase something for RedHunterLLC, it had better be a good value. The product has to offer my customers value and performance that will meet or exceed the comparable “name” brand products out there. This actually really gets me excited. When I find a product or a product line that kicks butt and will not cost my customers an arm and a leg, I get all juiced up. When I find such a product or a product line, I am thrilled to offer it to our customers. However, before putting our good name on the line, we test the products ourselves under actual hunting and range conditions. We don’t just sell the stuff, we use it. If it passes actual field testing to our satisfaction, then we offer it to our customer base. We want to grow a good reputation as well as a business.

The reason I started this topic is to comment on branding, human nature and peer pressure. A perfect example is the HAWKE line of optics we offer. HAWKE has been doing business in England for about 25-years but they have only been marketing in the U.S. for about 4-years; so they are not exactly a household word in hunting and shooting circles. They run ads in the shooting magazines but they don’t pump out the full page color ads like the big optical companies do. That also helps to keep the selling prices down.
In 2008, the giant wholesale Shot Show exhibition was in Orlando, Florida. John and I attended hoping to find some new and interesting products. We were also looking for an optics line that we liked. After running the gauntlet of a zillion exhibitor booths we came upon the Hawke booth. At this point, we had already looked over at least 15 or so other brands and we were getting a bit burned out. But, upon examining the Hawke optics and looking at their pricing structure, we got really excited. This was truly great stuff with terrific optical quality, feature packed and backed by a strong warranty. Hoo Rah! Eureka! Our hunt was successful.

We looked at many other brands at that show and I am sure many of you would recognize all of the names. Some we examined offered lots of profit margin but we thought they were either junk or way overpriced for the level of quality. The bottom line is that after all was said and done, we chose Hawke.

After the show we purchased an assortment of Hawke optics and began field testing. We were very pleased with the results and performance and I can honestly say that I have removed many of the existing scopes (Bushnell Elite 4200, Elite 3200, Millett Tactical, Mueller, Nikon) and replaced them with Hawke glass. I am quite satisfied. However, I digress…..again.

What inspired me to write this entry is the reaction of the average person that visits and perhaps joins internet hunting forums. Many are new to shooting and hunting, many have some experience and then you have the old timers that have been shooters and hunters all their lives.
I advertise RedHunterLLC on several Predator hunting forums but I frequent one more than the others because I find the members to be a bit more interactive. It’s just a personal preference thing and is no reflection on the other forums. I’m just more comfortable there.

Every so often, a new member or an existing member will ask a general question about what scope brand he should buy for his new rifle. As you can well imagine, the opinions are varied and the usual “branded” names are typically put forward. Then, I chime in and attempt to introduce the member to what I believe to be an excellent product and a killer value. Well, some respond positively and ask for additional info, some flat out ignore me and others simply want to follow the crowd and pay more for a product that may not be as good as what I am offering. At least I tried.

I have to admit that at times it is frustrating to operate an internet business. If I had a brick & mortar storefront and a customer walked into my store, I could put several “branded” scopes on the counter alongside my Hawke scope and simply say, “Compare them.” I can’t do that on the net though so I attempt to appeal to reason and use my company reputation to influence the customer.

The simple fact is that we, RedHunterLLC, are in business and selling products via the internet to the general public and to members of various interest forums. We know full well that our products had better perform or our reputation is toast. The success of our business is assured only by offering quality products at reasonable prices that out-perform the competition, responsive customer service and the ability to offer real value to our customers.

Another example of incredible value is the tactical flashlight we sell. They feature CREE Diodes and truly out-perform the major brand that is way overpriced. I’m telling you, these lights kick major butt. And, we sell our tactical flashlights for one-third the price of the big name “branded” ****Fire light.
I can honestly say that I have not had one customer that was not completely satisfied with a product we have sold. Perhaps because we hand pick each and every product we sell. We also test each and every product. And, we hand make many of our own calls and coyote howlers.

So, how can I get some guys to try something new? How can I convince a customer that I have an excellent product that will save them money, give them more features and provide them with a higher level of quality and value than the brand name scope he is about to spend 30% more for? It beats the hell out of me but if you have any suggestions drop me a note at red@redhunterllc.com
I'll see ya later.....I’m heading over to Old Navy now to buy some no-name jeans.

What to do if you are attacked by a coyote.

2010-01-28T13:55:00.000-08:00

Every once and a while I come across something really stupid pertaining to predators. In this particular case, it was a WIKI with advice from people that know nothing or next to nothing about coyotes. My comments are in bold print. Please see the statements below:

Being confronted with a coyote is a rare experience, and will probably never happen. But it's best to be prepared, especially if you live in the country. (Or in a major city, or in a beachfront community, or just about anywhere today. Coyotes are now in every state in the union, they're very smart and they know where the tasty pet dogs and cats live.)

Stay calm. Make an effort to take deep breaths, even in a few seconds. (Sure, it's easy to stay calm when a coyote is sizing up your little dog for dinner or a mid-day snack.)

See if you can find any sharp stones or sticks to throw at the animal. (Yeah, sure....I can see Grandma scrounging for stones and hurling the high speed missiles at the coyote with accuracy....not.)

If you have an umbrella, open it quickly on the coyote as soon as you see the whites of its eyes. (By the time you see the whites of the coyote's eyes, your dog/cat is in his mouth and is about to be carried away for lunch. I don't know about you but I don't often carry an umbrella with me. Perhaps this pertains to a coyote encounter in London.)

If you can find a house, yell for help. (Yup, but if they are inside the house watching Wheel of Fortune, The People's Court or any number of other TV shows, they won't hear your yells for help. Even if they do, Mr. Coyote will not wait to attack your dinner on a leash.)

If a coyote attacks you: (These are really silly.)

Try to fasten your hands around its muzzle. (This is my personal favorite. This is incredibly stupid. You will be bitten for sure. It is a wild P R E D A T O R and bites for a living. You have a better chance of farting the Star Spangled Banner than getting your hands around an attacking coyote's muzzle.)

Try to stun it with a large stone. (Good luck again. I have seen coyotes take a bullet and still go for it.)

Throw dirt, gravel, anything you can find in its eyes. (Sure, make the target smaller. By the time he is that close, his jaws are around your leg, arm, neck, etc.)

Do not let it get near you if possible. (WOW! I never would have thought of that suggestion.)

Other sterling suggestions:

It's wise to carry a small knife if you are going to be hiking in the country alone. (Wrong.....BIG knife. A pistol is not a bad idea either.)

If you do receive a coyote bite, treat it quickly, otherwise it could infect. (INFECT? Not to mention RABIES...genius.)

Stay calm at all times. It's much easier to think that way. (Sure. Mrs. Brown will be very calm if one or more snarling coyotes decide to come and visit her and Poochie Woochie.)

Don't engage a coyote in a fight if it hasn't noticed you. (Now there is some good advice....huh?)

Keep very clear of its teeth. If you can, restrain it without coming in range of its teeth. (Great idea. Now can you tell the class just exactly what method we should use to restrain an attacking coyote without coming within range of its teeth?)

Don't forget: Its claws can do damage as well. (Get out of here.....really? I never would have guessed.)

This is all Walt Disney's fault (tongue-in-cheek). His cute stories and movies portraying wild animals as cute, cuddly creatures has totally misrepresented wild creatures. As a result of that, old and young ladies (and most girlie men) are leaving food dishes out in their yards for the wild animals that come to visit.

Eventually, the predators lose their fear of man (and women) and that is when the trouble starts. Predators start seeing kids, pets and people as prey. California has a nasty mountain lion problem for that very reason. The state halted lion hunting (thanks to the bed-wetting tree-huggers) and now innocent mountain bikers and hikers get attacked and killed. The last person that was "taken" by a lion in California did not receive as much in public donation money as the lion did. I kid you not.

For crying out loud....if you are hiking in the wilderness, carry an effective weapon and know how to use it. You or your loved ones may be attacked by an animal or some freaked-out, deranged human type. Protect yourself and plan for the unexpected. Remember....when seconds count, the police are usually many minutes away. If they show up at all.

The Last Stand

2009-12-30T10:10:00.000-08:00

Two weekends ago I was hunting with Ken, my usual predator calling partner. We had very good luck calling in animals at night but our day stands were rather disappointing.

The day stands should have been successful because all the factors for success were there. For instance, on Saturday we were rolling down this country highway with pastures on both sides of us. The pastures had trees, rolling hills, and better yet, what looked like streams running through bottom land. We wheeled over to the side of the road, parked and quietly got our gear together. We held the barbed wire fencing apart for each other and began to trek out (through cover) to what looked like a good area around some Aspen trees.

As we worked our way quietly through the bush, we stumbled on what appeared to be a den and some coyote scat. Mama Mia! Not just a few random turds but a crap load of them. I mean we were in the coyote turd capitol of the nation. And even more exciting, the turds were big and somewhat fresh. We looked at each other and smiled. This was definitely a hot zone and we stepped right into it.

We found a perfect place to call, set out a remote caller and a remote controlled furry bunny decoy, spread some coyote urine and bile scent around, hunkered down, waited about 10-minutes for birds to resume chirping and began to call softly.

In my mind I can already see the big coyotes charging in and falling to the blasts from our shotguns. Oh, and they are big ones too. My imagination is really running wild with anticipation. The setup was perfect, the terrain was perfect, the lighting and wind was in our favor, there were BIG piles of scat around and there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that this was going to be a stand to remember. After 5-minutes passed, I upped the caller volume slightly and then backed it down. I turned the caller on and off as well as the decoy. I played this stand carefully because I knew our chances for success were excellent. All systems were go and this was a no-brainer kill fest for sure.

So much for the things dreams are made of. After 40-minutes, we packed it in and left……empty handed. So what happened? With everything so absolutely perfect, why didn’t my fantasy come true? Why weren’t we fending off the charges of 15 hungry coyotes, hot shotgun hulls flying through the air, #4 buck rolling coyote after coyote? It’s sad to say…….I don’t freaking know. They simply did not come. The dream slipped through our camo gloved fingers like water through a sieve. We trekked back to the truck, heads down in sadness. I felt like a kid that found no Christmas presents under the tree on Christmas morning. Seeing pile after pile of scat on our way back to the vehicle did nothing but depress us more.

If someone asked me the thing I hate most about predator calling it would have to be the “not knowing why” factor. When a stand does not bear critters, most times you’ll never know why. Then, without fail, the questions begin to swirl around my head. Did they bust us on the way in? Were they watching us all the time? Were they out hunting in another area? Did we break the stand too soon? Was my partner picking his nose, farting, moving, sleeping, etc.? The absolute worst part is we will never, ever know why any particular stand was not a success. The coyotes never tell. It sure would lessen the pain if we knew for sure what happened. Like most efforts, we can always learn from our mistakes. In the case of predator calling however, we are not afforded that benefit when things don’t pan out.

If your beginning to get interested in this sport and have tried calling without much success, don’t fret my friend because it happens to all of us. You just never know what will happen. Sometimes you’ll be calling an area that is not the perfect set-up by any means and ol’ Wiley will come a runnin’ right into the decoy. It is truly a roll of the dice each and every time. After all, a lot of factors are in play here.

For success to happen:
Animals have to be where you are calling
Animals have to be hungry, interested or curious
Animals have to get up and boldly answer the call
Animals have to be seen by you or your partner
Animals have to react within the timeframe you have set for your stand
You and your partner must have a good hide for the ambush
You can’t make any mistakes (busted)
Your partner can’t make any mistakes (busted)
Luck must be on your side too

I will say that perhaps it is the uncertainty of this sport that makes it so much fun. You have to stay positive at all times and always believe that the next stand will be “the one”. If you don’t, you can be sure that when things do happen, you won’t be ready. Oh, and that really hurts because I have been guilty of that mistake. The bottom line is stay ready. Follow the basic rules of the game and ALWAYS expect the unexpected. Most important of all, enjoy your time in the wilderness. Relax and enjoy being away from work, family pressures, computers, cell phones and everything else that crowds our lives these days. Oh….and always stipulate your field of fire with your partner. Don’t shoot each other. That’s a bad thing.

TOO MANY RIFLES - YOU ONLY NEED TWO

2009-12-28T08:22:00.001-08:00

OK, I admit it. I am kind of a gun nut. Just like most other guys, I read the nice glossy magazine ads, drool on the photos depicting beautifully machined steel and polished hardwood and the next thing I know, I am at the local gun shop spending more money. It’s like I’m in some sort of Zombie trance. I just love hardware that goes BANG. It’s beautiful, feels nice to the touch and I want it. Yeah, that’s right, “I want it.”

I tell myself (and my wife) that it’s not a sickness and my proclivity for new rifle purchases can easily be compared to a golfer and his bag of clubs. I explain that just as it takes different clubs to hit the golf ball accurately to suit the range of the hole the golfer is playing, the same holds true for hunters that hunt different game under varying conditions. Well…..sort of.

The truth of the matter (not that truth has anything to do with my desires) is that if need be I could easily whittle my long arms down to two rifles and a shotgun. OMG! What am I saying? Yeah….it’s true, I could probably do that. I never would, but I probably could.

Paring down the rifle locker makes perfectly good sense. Taking into account the many bullet choices available to reloaders today, one can reduce the number of rifles owned by tailoring the rounds of a particular caliber to a variety of game. Taking that fact into consideration, I could indeed keep and shoot just two rifles. Hmmmmmm, maybe I’d hold on to my Howa .243 (with a faster twist) and my AR in 6.5 Grendel.

Uhhhh…no, maybe my 223 AR and my Grendel. But the Kimber .308 and my Husky/Mauser 30-06 would be good to have too. They both offer varied bullet weights and versatile loadings. Oops, I almost forgot my Tikka 25-06 that dropped those Antelopes like a brick. Now that’s one rifle I would not want to do without. Hmmmmmm…..but wait…what about my light calibers. Yeah, my CZ in .17 Remington really kicks butt with those 30-grain Berger hollow points jamming at 4200-fps. It liquefies coyotes. And it is such a fun rifle to shoot. Yikes, I can’t forget my Howa in .204 Ruger. That’s another one that really is fun to shoot. Dang, but how could I ever give up my Tikka T3 in 22-250. It is such a sweet shooter and what could be more versatile than the trusty, classic 22-250 caliber.

OK, let’s see….plinking, we all love plinking. Well that’s .22LR territory for sure. I gotta keep one of those handy. Ok then, the 10-22 is a keeper. Plus, I have so much money in that stupid 10-22, I can’t afford to sell it. Sure, but that Marlin in 17 HMR has got to be one of the most accurate and fun rifles I own. How could I part with it?

Come to think of it, my C&R rifles are really worth holding on to also. The Enfields in .303 British really have some smack-down power. My Enfields in .308 kick butt too. Even the Nagants in 7.62X54 Russian can slam a deer well. In a pinch, what military rifle is more versatile than my old M1-Carbine. I could never part with that. Nor could I give up that old, collector’s classic 8MM Mauser with Nazi markings.

You’ve heard the saying, “Beware of the man with only one rifle”. Because of the fact that he owns only one means that he knows its limitations and shoots it very well. Amen to that. Maybe I’ll only keep one rifle and wring all the accuracy I can out of it. One man, one rifle. Yeah….that’s it. Just like the saying goes. NOT!!!

I can assure you that any suggestions that I sell off some of my arms would be met with laughter. Why….because they’re fun and I enjoy each and every one of them. They all have individual character, shooting characteristics and memories attached to them. Nope, I ain’t selling even one of them. Come to think of it, they may be a gittin’ lonely fer some new company. I don’t own one of them there short, fat calibers yet. I may just have to amble down to my buddy’s store and have a look see. Not that I need one….dang…here come the Zombies again.

NEW LEAD FREE AMMO FROM NOSLER

2009-12-24T13:49:00.000-08:00

Leading American bullet manufacturer Nosler (http://www.nosler.com) has done it again. Nosler has developed a revolutionary, environmentally friendly, non-lead bullet that promises extreme accuracy and the elimination of all lead bullet environmental concerns.

Their latest eco-friendly offering, called the SBCS is manufactured using a top secret proprietary process that has been many years in development. The real news is that the SBCS contains no metal at all. The Nosler acronym SBCS stands for “Soy Based Condor Savior”. In essence, as a result of advanced technology, we can now grow our own ammunition.

Naturally, Nosler is pretty tight-lipped about the manufacturing process but rumor has it that Nosler and French nuclear company Singe Puant are partners in the “heavy-soy” research project. Nosler and Singe Puant are not officially commenting but there is word that the manufacturing process enlists the use of pre-processed, French power plant radioactive waste to transform food grade soy into “heavy soy”, therefore suitable for nano-compression and bullet manufacture.

It is believed that the combination of simultaneous exposure to radiation and nano-compression (super-compressing the radiated molecules of the soy product in a space-like vacuum) has produced a bullet product that is heavier than lead and twice as dense. The SBCS is also relatively frangible and will not ricochet as a result of striking hard objects such as rocks, etc.

Preliminary tests have shown the new projectile to be devastating when striking ballistic gelatin. Upon impact, the nano-compressed molecules are released from their radiation-bonded, molecular-cohesive state and instantly expand to one hundred and fifty times their compressed physical size. The instantaneous expansion of form coupled with the traditional ballistic spin causes unimaginable terminal damage and promises a small entrance wound with no exit wound.

Other claimed advantages to using the new Nosler SBCS are:

• Environmentally friendly, 100% biodegradable
• Glow in the dark much like tracer ammo but will not start fires
• Stray bullets actually grow soy plants (germinate in 6-months)
• Rifle ranges actually become eco-friendly feed lots for deer and other game
• Lost hunters can eat their ammo to survive after boiling for 35-minutes
• Contain no trans-fats
• Easy to find your ammo in the dark
• Smaller calibers effectively kill larger game

“The legislators of California have spoken and Nosler has listened”, said Tad A. Charlatan, Nosler’s California legislative liaison. Look for the SBCS Nosler bullets to be on the shelves of California sporting goods stores by May of 2008. They are packaged in a sporty, black, lead lined box and should not be stored near children’s living areas.

OK, so it's a joke article. I hope you had a laugh. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Food for thought....or...your legislators in action.

2009-12-24T13:29:00.000-08:00

Control Criminals, Not Guns
By Walter E. Williama

Every time there's a highly publicized shooting, out go the cries for stricter gun control laws, and it was no different with the recent murder of Philadelphia Police Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, in a letter to the state congressional delegation demanding re-enactment of the federal assault weapon ban, said, "Passing this legislation will go a long way to protecting those who put their lives on the line every day for us. … There is no excuse to do otherwise
Gun control laws will not protect us from murderers. We need protection from the criminal justice system politicians have created. Let's look at it.
According to former Philly cop Michael P. Tremoglie's article "Who freed the cop-killers?" for the Philadelphia Daily News (May 8, 2008), all three murder suspects had extensive criminal records. Levon Warner was sentenced in 1997 to seven and a half to 15 years for robbery, one to five years for possessing an instrument of crime and five to 10 for criminal conspiracy. Howard Cain was convicted in 1996 on four counts of robbery and sentenced to five to 10 years on each count. Eric Floyd was sentenced to five to 10 years in 1995 for robbery, rearrested in 1999 for parole violation and later convicted in 2001 for two robberies. If these criminals had not been released from prison, long before they served out their sentences, officer Liczbinski would be alive today. So what's responsible for his death: guns or a prison and parole system that released these three criminals? Tremoglie cites other examples of criminals, with convictions for violent crimes ranging from robbery and assault to murder, who were paroled and later murdered police officers.
A New York Times study (April 28, 2006) of the city's 1,662 murders in 2003-2005 found that 90 percent of the murderers had criminal records. A Massachusetts study reported that on average, homicide offenders had been arraigned for nine prior offenses. John Lott's book, "More Guns, Less Crime," reports that in 1988 in the 75 largest counties in the country-region, over 89 percent of adult murderers had a criminal record as an adult.
A few days after the murder of Liczbinski, Gov. Rendell told a news conference, attended by state elected officials and top law enforcement officials, "The time has come for politicians to decide. You have to decide whether you're on their side – the men and women who wear blue – or whether you're on the side of the gun lobby." Instead of saying "whether you're on the side of the gun lobby," Rendell should have said "whether you're on the side of the criminal and the courts, prosecutors, prisons and parole boards that cut soft deals with criminals and release them to prey upon police officers and law-abiding citizens."
If there is one clear basic function of government, it's to protect citizens from criminals. When government failure becomes so apparent, as it is in the murder of a police officer, officials seek scapegoats, and very often it's the National Rifle Association and others who seek to protect our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. We hear calls for stricter gun control laws when what is really needed is more control over criminals.
There are many third-party liability laws. I think they ought to be applied to members of parole boards who release criminals who turn around and commit violent crimes. As it stands now, people on parole boards who release criminals bear no cost of their decisions. I bet that if members of parole boards were held liable or forced to serve the balance of the sentence of a parolee who goes out and commits more crime, they would pay more attention to the welfare of the community rather than the welfare of a criminal. You say, "Williams, under those conditions, who'd serve on a parole board?" There's something to be said about that.

SEND A CHRISTMAS CARD TO OUR RECOVERING TROOPS

2009-12-17T11:01:00.001-08:00

This is a Great Idea!!
When doing your Christmas cards, take one and send it to this address:

A Recovering American Soldier c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue NW; Washington, D.C. 20307

If we pass this on, think of how many cards these wonderful special people would get.

Why HAWKE Optics?

2009-11-18T07:33:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, RedHunter LLC is a proud dealer of HAWKE Optics. Who is HAWKE and why did we choose them? Well, because we literally spent days at the last Shot Show in Orlando, Florida just looking at optics. There were manufacturers from all over the world showing their scope, binocular and spotting scope lines. Everybody was there boosting their wares. Small factories were there as well as all of the premium big name brands.

Our goal was to sort through them all and determine what we thought represented the best value for the dollars spent. After examining them all, and I mean all, we settled on the HAWKE line of optics. HAWKE has been in business for 30 years in the United Kingdom and the British designed HAWKE Optics have just been introduced here in the United States.

Here is a bit of news for you regarding rifle scopes. Just about all of the rifle scopes made today are made and/or assembled in Asia. Almost "all" of the lenses are ground there and the only determining factor betweena cheap scope and a more expensive model is the "quality" of the lens grind. What it comes down to is, "How much quality control do you want in your lenses?" Better brands should be spending more money on quality control than the so-so brands. The scope's mechanical engineering may be done by the different brand manufacturers but many share the same basic parts and proven design features.

So, at the shot show when we compared the HAWKE rifle scope optics and features next to the most popular premium brand, we were very impressed. Same for the HAWKE spotting scopes. During a recent Antelope hunt, we did a side-by-side comparison of the HAWKE Frontier spotting scope (Under $225.00) and a $3,000 Swarovski Spotting Scope and the results astounded the hunters and guides. They were amazed at the clarity of the HAWKE spotting scope and could not see any apprecible difference in quality between the two.

Same for the HAWKE HD binoculars. When the professional guides looked through them, they were impressed. The HAWKE HD binos cost $400. and we put them side-by-side against a $1000. pair of Leupolds....the HAWKE binoculars won hands down for clarity, light weight (Titanium body) and brightness. Needless to say, the Leupold owner was not happy. But, he did buy a spotting scope from us.....LOL

It was never our intention to put any other brand down. Our quest was, and continues to be, to find the best products for our customers (and ourselves) and offer these field tested products at a reasonable price. I can honestly say that I have replaced three of my rifle scopes with HAWKE Optics and I love them. John and I presonnaly use all of the products we sell. If we don't believe in them, we don't sell them.

Speaking of rifle scopes, I just got word that the new HAWKE tactical line (built on the Sidewinder 30 chassis) is due out next week. I have already ordered a 4.5 X 14 X 42 Illuminated with an SR6 reticle for my .223 AR Rock River Arms Coyote rifle. I will be testing this new, smaller offering and write a review on it soon.

Here is a sneak peek........

Where are all the coyotes?

2009-11-13T09:14:00.000-08:00

I live in the communist state of Kaliforniastan, sometimes referred to as Commiefornia. Life here is very interesting because we have a never-ending supply of big brothers and big sisters that are always taking care of us little people. They care so much about our every need and thank God, they know what is best for us or we would have to resort to thinking for ourselves. Ha! And you know how people get in trouble when that kind of "independent thought" begins to take place. OMG! Anything can happen.

Thanks to our elite class of rulers, many, many restrictions have been passed down and legislated to help govern us, the great unwashed, you know....keep us in line so we don't hurt ourselves, the planet or the Three Toed Tit Mouse. Unfortunately, these abundant helpful rules and restrictions have caused businesses (you know, those evil businessmen that hire employees and pay taxes) to leave the state in droves. Hmmmmm...could the coyotes be leaving too?

The last three years have proven to be pretty dry for us Southern California desert coyote hunters. I am speaking of the weather and the coyote population. The bottom line is that there seems to be a declining coyote population in the desert areas that were once quite fruitful. So where have the coyotes gone?

Any of us that have hunted coyotes have a great respect for their intelligence. I think the coyotes have figured the game out and the smart ones have moved to "no-shoot" areas surrounding suburban housing developments. It is the perfect coyote habitat. Lot's of tasty cats, small, delicious dogs and plenty of food left out to feed on during the evening hunt. Even better, some of the compassionate humans have actually begun feeding the local coyote population. Yup, suburban areas surrounded by foothills are truly a coyote's paradise. It may even be a part of Obama's "No Coyote Left Behind" program. Yeah, that's it....the new ACORN logo wil be a coyote giving up his paw.

As I mentioned in a prior post, we scoured areas on our last hunt that were usually good areas for calling coyotes. However, no sign was evident and we had to keep scouting instead of hunting hard. The drought has definitely taken its toll because we saw no jackrabbits or rodents. Where there is no coyote food, there will be no coyotes.

So, as I sit at my desk and look at "Ralph" my skinned coyote friend, I contemplate the location of his former companions. I spend hours (when my wife is distracted on Facebook) searching Google Earth in hopes of finding some hidden "honey hole" and striking the mother load on my next series of stands. All too often however, the Google photos are old and what looked great when the photos were taken is dry as a bone when we get out there.

As most of you know, the key to successful hunting is scouting. Well, that is where the reality of our daily lives takes its toll. All week long I am a slave to routine. By day I sit behind a desk and attempt to solve engineering issues (OK, I may daydream a bit about having a triple on a stand). In the evenings, time must be devoted to family and general welfare, personal tasks. That doesn't leave much time for serious scouting. (Those damn retired guys have all the luck)

So, I guess I will continue to seek out unincorporated, sparsely populated areas where it is legal to hunt and shoot. I won't have time to scout those areas but I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that coyotes will be there. In this time of drought, I believe that those places will bear the most fruit. It worked last weekend and for the limited amount of time I have to hunt, those areas seem to have the best calling odds.

So, stay legal, hunt around rural homes (as per DFG and local laws) and never take a shot in the direction of a house or road. Good luck and keep the faith.

OTHER LEAD-FREE BULLETS AND MORE ON THE LAST HUNT

2009-11-11T09:09:00.000-08:00

DRT bullets must be made from Uranium enriched gold or “Unobtainium” or some other substance from another galaxy far, far away. They are waaay too expensive for most of us working stiffs. It may be a great product but manufacturing limited numbers gets expensive and I am not one that will pay that price…not yet, anyway.

My buddy tried the Varmint Grenades (.223) on a bunch of ground squirrels up in Cedarville and did not notice any “grenade-like” results. It killed them but most passed right through. More “explosive” results were achieved with standard hollow points and Nosler Ballistic Tips.

I won some non-lead Dead Coyote bullets (.224, 70-grains) in a club raffle and loaded up some. They were very accurate from my .223 RRA Coyote AR at the range and I will try those on the next coyote hunt and see how they perform.

I have tried the Barnes TSX rounds from my 22-250 Tikka and although they would group two touching, I would always get a flyer. I’ll try them from my AR and see what happens. I am not a Barnes fan though, mainly because they were a player in this whole Kaliforniastan non-lead ordeal. It’s like trying to forgive a wife that cheated on you. No matter how good the product is, I can’t forget their role in that mess and I don’t “trust” the company.

Thinking back to last weekend’s coyote hunt, I am amazed we called in as many animals as we did….considering the reeking oil odor from my rig. I recently noticed my valve cover leaking so I had the gasket changed about a week before the hunt. After I got the rig home (a short drive from the Jeep shop), I cleaned all traces of leaked oil from the engine. However, after an hour of driving, as my hunt buddy and I were riding on the freeway heading to our first hunt spot, I mentioned to my buddy that I could smell burning oil again. Gauges looked great so when we stopped for gas, sure enough, oil was leaking from the valve cover again. So we hunted all weekend, smelling like smoldering crankcase oil, leaving a trail like a stunt plane at an air show. I never noticed oil was blowing out of the dipstick area too.

On Monday, I dropped my FSJ hunt rig off at my mechanic’s place and he mentioned that there was excess crankcase pressure. Fortunately, the cause was diagnosed as a bad PCV valve (cheap fix) and now my baby is back home awaiting another post-hunt clean up, air filter cleaning and engine scrub. She’ll be ready to hunt real soon.

I just got word that HAWKE Optics will be introducing a new line of tactical scopes for 2010. That will be a perfect excuse for me to buy new glass for my RRA AR Coyote rifle. The tactical line will be built on the very successful Sidewinder chassis. Demos units will be here at the end of November and RedHunter LLC should see some serious inventory by mid-January. I don’t have pics or specs yet but I’ll keep ya’ll posted. The HAWKE Sidewinder 30 scopes have been very popular and really perform in the field. Every customer has been thrilled with their purchase.

50-GRAIN BARNES VARMINT GRENADES ON COYOTES?

2009-11-10T12:56:00.000-08:00

Things have been real busy around the ranch and last weekend I finally got an opportunity to get out and call some coyotes. On Friday afternoon I packed the hunt rig with my gear, food and guns and picked up my buddy Ken. We forged our way through the usual crappy California traffic and headed out to some desert country to catch up with ol' Wiley Coyote.

We scouted some of our favorite calling areas in one zone and found no sign whatsoever. No tracks, no scat, no nothing. We saw no rats, mice or jack rabbits either. WTF? I guess the dry weather we have been having for the last several years has taken its toll on the desert dwelling animals.

I decided to break out my call and give one area a shot, just for the hell of it. I was using our RedHunterLLC Backstabber call (one of my favorites) and after calling for only about 30-seconds, out of the cover came 4 dogs. Ken's trigger finger was twitching and I yelled WAIT! They were not coyotes but just some wild dogs. Three took off and I used the coaxer on the back end of the Backstabber to bring him right up to us. He was a cute little pup about 2-months old. He looked like a cross between a Lab and a Pitbull. Big paws and big jaws but he was a bit on the friendly side. He was skinny as a rail and real hungry.

I reached into the cook box of the rig and pulled out a sleeve of Ritz crackers. He was loving them but it seemed cruel to feed crackers to a dog in the desert. I reached back into the cook box (the dog's eyes were wild with anticipation) and pulled out a can of Spam. By this time, he was drooling with both front paws on my rig's tailgate. I chopped up the Spam into small pieces and fed him slowly. He wolfed the Spam down like there was no tomorrow. God knows when he ate last. I then took the Spam can and filled it with fresh water. He lapped up two cans and sat down and gave me that, "Is there more?" look. I tried to pet him but he was not into the affection thing. I don't believe he has had much human contact. He was pretty darn good though and I felt bad leaving him in the desert to his own devices. Ken and I joked that when he got back to his pack, the others would smell Spam on his breath and ask, "Hey! Where did you get the Spam?"

Anyway, sundow soon came and we began night hunting. The Backstabber did a great job and I called in fox after fox...unfortunately, they were Kit Fox and we can't hunt them here in Kaliforniastan. No coyotes came to the call. I tried some howls but could not get any to howl back. Truth is, they just were'nt there.

We decided to move to another location and hunted on and off as we traveled down remote two-track dirt desert paths. We heard nothing and saw no tracks or scat. We ended up throwing in the towel at about 3 AM and camping for the night.

On Saturday we scouted and still found very few paw prints and zero scat. These used to be good areas but for some unknown reason, the yotes seemed to have moved on.

By Saturday night we were in an area that I usually always hunt with success. We saw some tracks but none of the usual territorial markings of scat along the trail. Finally at 7PM on Saturday night, we called in our first coyote.

It was a big night for Ken because he was trying out his new Rock River Arms heavy barrel AR in .223 caliber. Prior to our hunt, Ken had loaded up a bunch of different ammo and shot for groups at the range. The new rifle seemed to like just about everything he stuffed in the tube. Just for kicks, he loaded up some 50-grain Barnes Varmint Grenades that shot very accurately at the range and packed them for this hunt. Barnes touts their "explosive" effect on animals so Ken thought he'd give them a try.

Coyote number one was young, dumb and hungry. He came right in from just about dead down wind and stopped about 100-yards from the rig. I had his eyes lit up with a dim red light and Ken put a round right between the red dots that were the coyote's eyes reflecting back to us. We set our green laser line out to mark the location and went out to pick up the yote.

We were surprised when we got there because the hit was good but the animal was not dead. It was wounded and suffering. Ken and I never like to see an animal suffer and we strive to make sure they're dead before they hit the ground. Using Nosler Ballistic Tips, Sierra Blitz Kings or Hornady V-Max bullets assures that once hit, the yote is on to the promised land quickly. As far as we are concerned, the Barnes Varmint Grenades are for ground squirrels, period. Ken had to shoot the animal twice more at point blank range, into the vitals before the yote expired.

So we learned a lesson that night. Stick with bullets that have demonstrated proven performance on the game we usually hunt. The Barnes Varmint Grenade was the first "lead free" round we have tried on coyotes and we were not impressed.

By the end of the weekend, I had called in ten animals. Four coyotes and 6 Kit Fox. Two smart coyotes winded us and high-tailed it out of the area and two fell to Ken's AR. I decided to do the calling for most of the weekend so Ken could bloddy his new AR. The Backstabber did a great job and when there were animals around, it pulled them right in.

The Eyes Have It!

2009-09-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

I have been working hard for a while. It has also been very hot here in Southern California. It’s way too hot to venture into the Mojave Desert. There is no doubt about it, I have really got the itch to go hunting and I can’t wait to get out there again.

Before I get into the body of this message though, I have to relate a story that happened while serving aboard the last vessel. I was working aboard a ship that was doing training for errant young men. It was a boot camp on the water where we drilled the boys hard in physical training, lifeguarding, CPR, ship fire fighting, and several other disciplines. We also did several night operations to boost the boy’s confidence and challenge their fears.

Unknown to the boys, some of the training staff is placed on the beach (as shadow observers) in full camo to watch the boys operate and give assistance if there is an injury. On a moonless night, as several of us staff approached a remote beach by Zodiac on Santa Cruz Island, I was illuminating the shoreline with my super-bright green LED flashlight. All of a sudden I see a big set of eyes, right in the tree line by the water’s edge. I immediately get all jacked up and call out, “Eyes! I’ve got eyes!”. The instructors in the boat look at me like I’m nuts. They have no clue what I’m talking about. The eyes were big and shown bright green from my flashlight.

As we beached the Zodiac, the eyes were about 100-feet away and beginning to move through the brush and up the hillside. I explained to the guys what I was talking about and they began to get excited too. The only guy that wasn’t too excited was the guy we were leaving on the beach alone to wait for the cadets. He was a little freaked out because we couldn’t get a positive ID on the animal. What ever it was, moved up the hillside slowly and kept looking back at us. We guessed a deer, a goat, a pig, it was anybody’s guess what we saw. That did provide a bit of excitement for me though and made me think that I had to get out coyote hunting again soon.

Some quick coyote hunting tips for the new guys:

Wind Direction: Always walk to your stand location into the wind. Don’t let your scent beat you there. Also, shoot your animal before he gets downwind or the game is up.
Range the area: Use your rangefinder and range some key points in your field of fire.
Anticipate: Position yourself facing the most likely direction the coyote will come in from. Have your partner cover your back.
Equipment: Check your gear before each stand.
Decoy: Use a decoy so the predator sees it and not you.
Camo: Camo everything, especially your face and hands.
Comfort: Get comfortable, stay still and have your rifle in position to shoot.
Sounds: Be absolutely quiet walking into your stand and never skyline yourself. Take the low route and avoid cresting hills.
Don’t overcall. Learn to use a howler and appeal to all of the animal’s emotions. Be patient and don’t break the stand until you’re sure there are no predators around.
If you make a kill, keep calling. There may be others out there.
Hunt safely and always make sure your rifle is unloaded when you approach your vehicle.

Good luck to all and remember that safety is always your first concern. Never let the excitement of the moment override your basic hunter/safety safety rules. And check out RedHunterLLC.

How to Improve Your Night Vision

2009-09-09T07:08:00.000-07:00

As humans we are gifted with an amazing set of senses. One of the most amazing is our sense of sight that allows us to focus and see in near darkness as well as bright sunlight. When night hunting predators, our night vision is very important and we should do everything possible to preserve and protect it.

A key factor for effective night vision is a chemical called Rhodopsin. The text book definition is as follows: “Rhodopsin, also known as visual purple, is a pigment of the retina that is responsible for both the formation of the photoreceptor cells and the first events in the perception of light. Rhodopsins belong to the G-protein coupled receptor family and are extremely sensitive to light, enabling vision in low-light conditions.”

To give you a better understanding of the mechanics of the eye and night vision, you’ll have to bear with me and dive into this a bit deeper. So, hang in there as we take a little trip inside our eyes. Understanding how the abovementioned chemical and the mechanical aspects of our eyes work will help you to be a more effective night hunter.

The door to our eye’s engine room is the pupil. It automatically expands and contracts (just like a camera lens) depending upon the amount of ambient light we encounter. When the light is very bright, the pupil closes down and allows just the right amount of light for us to see well. In low light situations, the pupil opens wide and lets in all the light available.

The light is then projected into our eye and on to the eye’s retina. The retina has two different types of cells called rods and cones. Cone cells perceive colors in bright light and rod cells perceive black and white images and work best in low light. Rhodopsin, the chemical I mentioned earlier, is found in the rod cells.

Rhodopsin is the key to night vision. It is the chemical that the rods use to absorb photons and perceive light. When a molecule of rhodopsin absorbs a photon, it splits into a retinal and an opsin molecule. These molecules later recombine naturally back into rhodopsin at a fixed rate, and recombination is fairly slow.

So, when you expose your eyes to bright light, all of the rhodopsin breaks down into retinal and opsin. If you then turn out the lights and try to see in the dark, you can't. The cones need a lot of light, so they are useless, and there is no rhodopsin now so the rods are useless, too. Over the course of several minutes, however, the retinal and opsin recombine back into rhodopsin, and you can begin to see again. Simply stated, exposed to light, the pigment immediately photo-bleaches, and it takes about 30 minutes to regenerate to your optimum night vision again.

Keep in mind that the retinal used in the eye is derived from vitamin A. If a person's diet is low in vitamin A, there is not enough retinal in the rods and therefore not enough rhodopsin. People who lack vitamin A often suffer from night blindness and they cannot see in the dark. So, a couple of weeks before night hunting starts, you may want to start pumping some vitamin A into your system.

The predators we hunt have several advantages over us humans. You’ll want to even the odds as much as you can by taking good care of yourself and sharpening your senses the best you can. Don’t forget to get your body in shape before the hunting season starts. I guess Mom was right. Take your vitamins and you’ll be a more successful hunter. For your other hunting needs and tips for more successful hunting, be sure to check our RedHunter LLC. Good hunting and shoot straight.

The Mystery of Barrel Twist Rates

2009-09-08T14:30:00.000-07:00

What is the ideal bullet weight to use with your rifle barrel’s rate of twist? If you know the rate of twist of your rifle barrel, something called the “Greenhill Formula” could be a big help when it comes to finding that magic pill.
For the majority of standard rifle cartridges, the Greenhill Formula is expressed this way:

T=150(d/r) (Note: For velocities in excess of 2,800 fps, substitute 180 for 150)
“T” is the twist rate
“d” is the bullet diameter
“r” is the bullet’s length to diameter ratio (bullet length divided by its diameter)

Let’s illustrate this formula by using a very common caliber and bullet. Suppose you owned a .308 caliber rifle and you were going to be using 168-grain Sierra Match King bullets. Using the formula above, you would arrive at a calculated twist rate of 1:11:.76. Since that’s pretty darn close to 1:12, let’s just call it that. The whole thing seems to make good sense because the typical twist rate for most of the classic .308 rifles is 1:12.

Let’s look at another example. Suppose you were using that same .308 rifle and you wanted to shoot a heavier bullet. This time we plug in the data for a Sierra 175-grain Match King and the Greenhill Formula equation looks like this: T=150 X .308/4.081 and that equation computes our optimum twist rate to be 1:11:.32. So, we have a difference of 0.44 of an inch. That may not seem like a whole lot but in this application, it is.

Check a lot of the custom .308 rifles on the market and you’ll notice that their twist rates are faster (1:10 to 1:11.25 range) than the typical classic .308s of old. The faster twist will enable the new custom .308 to shoot heavier 175-grain bullets well while the classic 1:12 twist rifles will max out accuracy wise around the 168-grain mark.
That’s not to say that the newer rifles with a faster twist won’t shoot the lighter weight bullets because they can, and very well. The lighter bullets don’t seem to mind being rotated faster so the faster twist is a benefit over the slower twist barrel. Therefore, you’ll get the best of both worlds with a slightly faster twist rate.

Having a Chronograph to check the speed of your hand loads can really help your load building efforts too. If you are on the cusp regarding your bullet weight and twist rate (bullet a tad too heavy for your twist) you may be able to pinch additional accuracy by going for the hottest “safe-load” you can build.
Can a bullet be over stabilized? Can it be spun too darn fast? Yes it can. If the exiting bullet is spun too fast, the bullet has a tendency to travel along its downward arc while its bullet tip points skyward. This attitude steals velocity and hence increases the bullet’s susceptibility to wind drift. If all factors are as they should be, the properly stabilized bullet tip should tip downward as the bullet begins its downward arc.
If you over stabilize a bullet, chances are you will never notice it. Unless, of course, the over stabilization is extreme and you are rotating the jacket right off the bullet. Typically though accuracy deterioration from an “over-stabilized” bullet will only be noticeable at very long ranges. For your average 100 to 250-yard hunting range, it’s not really much of an issue.

Using this formula will most certainly help when planning the purchase of your next rifle. The preparation and homework will make it more likely that, in the end, you’ll be happy with the rifle, caliber and bullet weight that will best suit the intended purpose of the new rifle. Another important accuracy factor is your glass. For the best performance, choose a quality HAWKE rifle scope from RedHunterLLC.

Big Bucks Doesn't Guarantee Top Performance

2009-09-05T17:13:00.000-07:00

Last year, before starting RedHunter LLC with my partner John Hunter, I bought a nifty, new tactical riflescope from a company internationally known for its quality optics. It cost me a good amount of money so I assumed that was an excellent quality scope. I mounted it on my 25-06 and sighted it in at the range. I achieved excellent results with teeny, tiny groups. Naturally, I was very pleased with its performance.

As soon as I had a chance I loaded up my gear, picked up my hunting buddy and drove to the desert to do some coyote hunting. My super-accurate Tikka T3 Lite with its new tactical scope was all sighted in and ready for business.

Our first two coyote calling stands were dry and we had just begun the third when at about 10PM, a nice coyote came into the call. Mr. Coyote locked up at about 150-yards but thanks to the lighting skill of my buddy Ken, I had a bead drawn right on the coyote’s boiler room. I squeezed off a round and heard that unmistakable sound of a bullet hitting flesh. I looked up, confident that the Hornady 75-grain V-Max had done its job and the coyote was dead before it hit the ground. NOT! The coyote was up and starting to run off. I fired again and he went down. I was amazed that he could survive my 25-06 when I knew exactly where I had placed the rounds.

After checking around us 360-degrees, we set the laser on him and walked out. Low and behold, the animal was still alive. I had to put him down with one more shot. I wounded an animal twice. Something I consider inhumane and troubling. But why were my points of impact not agreeing with my point of aim? I was right on him and I knew where I placed the shots. This really bothered me. Naturally, Ken teased me about my marksmanship but I knew something wasn’t right.

The next morning I set a can out at about 100-yards and shot at it with my scope set at 3-power, our usual night setting. I was resting on sand bags and held steady. The round impacted about 4-inches low and to the left. I fired again and the same thing happened. Hmmmmm….the scope was dead-nuts on at the range. Then I remembered that while sighting in at the range, I set the scope at 16-power so I could see the target better and shoot for the tightest groups. So, I cranked up the power to 16 and fired at the can again. The result was a clean, dead-on shot through the middle of the can. Something was definitely wrong with the scope because points of impact should not change when you change power settings.

After we got home, I removed the new tactical, big name scope from the rifle and sent it back to the manufacturer for testing. They tested it and concluded that the scope was bad. They sent me a brand new replacement scope.

Another lesson learned. You can bet from now on when sighting in my hunting rifles at the range, I’ll be checking the point of aim at different powers. You might want to check yours too. Remember also that if you don’t reload your own ammo, purchase and use the exact brand ammo and bullet weight you originally sighted in with to retain a consistent point of impact.

Good sportsmanship dictates that when we shoot an animal, it needs to be dead before it knows what happened. I did not enjoy dispatching that poor coyote after I had wounded it. I hate to see any animal suffer. Learn from my experience and check those points of impact at different levels of scope magnification.

At the 2009 Shot Show in Orlando, Florida, John and I closely examined every scope manufacturer there. We wanted RedHunterLLC to offer the best possible optics for the dollars spent. After two solid days of examination, testing and comparison, we determined the HAWKE optics line as the brand of optics we wanted to offer our customers. HAWKE is new in the United Stated but well known in England. HAWKE offers an incredible value for your hard-earned dollars. MY 25-06 is now topped with a HAWKE 4 X 16 – 50 Sidewinder and I love it. The HAWKE optics are clear, sharp, work great in low light and are reasonably priced. The warranty is great too.

All of RedHunterLLC’s products are field proven by John and I and we don’t sell products we don’t believe in or use ourselves. Side-by-side, HAWKE optics outshine the competition and perform like optics costing three times the price. We don't show every HAWKE optic (rifle scopes, spotting scopes, binoculars, etc) in our RedHunterLLC web store but we can order any product you want and have it shipped to you quickly.

DE-SKUNK YOUR HUNTING DOG

2009-08-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

Tomato juice has long been a folk remedy for removing skunk odor.

However according to chemists who have analyzed the makeup of skunk “juice,” it doesn’t work. They say tomatoes only mask the skunky odor at the same time that our noses suffer from “olfactory fatigue,” a condition in which nasal receptors are overwhelmed and no longer detect particular smells - perhaps that’s why you can’t smell your dog, but others can.

Without getting into the complex chemistry of skunk spray, de-skunking requires a product that neutralizes the smelly compounds. Fortunately, there is such a concoction (invented by a chemist) that you can make from readily available ingredients. In a bucket, mix 1 quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent.

Soak your dog with water, work the mixture into its fur (keep it away from its eyes), leave it on for 5 minutes and then rinse thoroughly. Don’t try to store the de-skunking mixture; the combination of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda can blow the lids off containers. Note that skunk spray won’t permanently damage a dog’s eyes, but they might be red and painful. If inflammation persists, see your veterinarian. RedHunter LLC The Coyote Hunting Experts

BUILD YOUR OWN COYOTE HUNTING RIG

2009-08-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

I wanted to own a dedicated predator hunting rig but any expendable cash I had would always be vectored in another direction. That is, until one day when something very unusual happened. I actually sold a boat and made money on it.

I’ll try and keep the story short and to the point. I got a great deal on this neglected, classic boat, bought it and worked hard to refurbish it. We used it as a family boat on lake trips for five years until my wife and son got tired of going to the lake. Since they were no longer interested, I put it up for sale and make a tidy profit on the deal. Yes, strange but true.

Certainly, the only logical thing to do was to buy an old full-sized Jeep Cherokee Chief and transform it into my concept of a California/Nevada coyote hunting rig. Keep in mind that “bling” was not a consideration here. The project focus was to achieve multiple goals. When completed, I wanted a coyote hunting vehicle that was reliable, utilitarian, economical, comfortable and stealthy. I am happy to report that old “Jezebel” does the job. As they say, “This old dog can hunt.”

The photo below shows the added lighting. The driving lights for dark back roads and below the bumper are my "creeper" lights. The creepers are pointed down and give just enough light to run trails without spooking nearby coyotes, bobcats, fox or other predators.

The photo below shows some added backup lighting. There are two tractor lights pointing down and a rectangular quartz lamp in the middle. They come in handy when backing up in rough country.

The engine in the photo below is a straight six (258 cu. in.). It's not a powerhouse but it keeps the rig light and has a bunch of low-end torque. I ditched the old carb, smog pump and a bunch of vacuum lines when I yanked it all and installed a Mopar multi-port fuel injection system. I was forced to buy the fuel injection kit because the old gal would not pass the strict California smog test with the old electronic carb. Then, after beginning the fuel injection installation, the new intake manifold was hitting the brake booster. So that meant I had to go for a Hydra-Boost braking system. The sucker will stop on a dime though and the increased performance from the fuel injection is worth the effort. I also purchased a 3-core radiator and some other goodies to increase performance and MPG. Right after I bought the jeep I had a rebuilt engine installed and most of the drive train rebuilt or replaced.

Below is a photo of the cab. It shows a gadget bag on the passenger side for my hunt partner’s coyote hunting odds & ends, a home-made center console for predator hunting stuff and some extra instrumentation, including vehicle attitude gauges and a dedicated charging indicator for the rear battery that feeds power to all of the coyote hunting related lighting and electronics.

Below, the photo of the roof shows the Nevada hatch, my spare fuel containers (8) and the rifle rest surrounding the roof area. Sandbags (6) are set all around for easy access when calling coyotes, bobcats, fox and other predators. The rifle rest surrounding the hatch is made from lightweight, inexpensive plastic sewer pipe and attached securely to the old roof rack with stainless hose clamps.

This interior photo below shows the underside of the coyote hunting hatch, some of the rifle racks on the driver's side, a plywood roof console I made that holds the CD player & MP3 amplifier for the under-body coyote calling speakers, the top of the hydraulic predator hunting chair for the hatch (on a portable base so it can be removed for sleeping in the rear of the rig), easy access attractant and cover scent spray bottles, cow horn coyote howlers, red & white interior lighting and you can barely see the top of the auxiliary battery by the seat back.

Below, another interior view shows the spare water, cook box, cooler, and a better view of the battery behind the driver's seat. The underside of the roof console also has two 12-volt cigar lighter receptacles for coyote hunting lights.

Below is a rear photo of the passenger side. It shows the shooting seat base, rifle racks, a couple of coyote decoy sets hanging on the overhead, fire extinguisher, shovel, hatchet, and some Home Depot carpenter's aprons that I affixed to the side of the rig to hold small items like coyote tail cutters, rubber gloves, laser pointer, etc. You’ll also notice an inexpensive laser pointer on a tripod and a white strobe light (used to find the rig again after walking away from it to find critters…yes, that’s another story).

Below is a complete rear view. When hunting, the coyote lighting hatch is pulled off and bungeed to the bar that holds the cooler and cook box in place. All loose gear is stowed on top of the cooler and cook box and held there by the hatch. Everything is removed for sleeping. The rear is floored with 3/4" plywood, padding and carpeting. It is very comfortable for two guys to sleep in.

There is a bunch of other stuff I didn’t mention such as under floor storage, a 4” Skyjacker chassis lift, coyote calling speakers under the front and rear of the rig; CD player, MP3 player, 50-watt amp for any predator calling input source, under-vehicle speaker controls, 110-volt AC inverter, gas stove and more. Also, the only component that wasn’t replaced or rebuilt is the ash tray…LOL I hope you new predator/coyote hunters will benefit from this overview of a California/Nevada style hunt rig. It’s not the Ritz but I love the old girl. She takes me way out there into the Mojave Desert and beyond and always brings us home.

NOTE: Night hunting coyotes and lighting predators from your vehicle is legal in designated areas in California; however, shooting out of a vehicle is not. Also, the vehicle may not be in motion while lighting. Nevada is a free state and it is legal to shoot from a vehicle in remote areas. You can also light and call while rolling in Nevada.

Check your local laws before attempting to night hunt. Even where night hunting is legal, restrictions may apply. Know your facts and be prepared to politely defend the legality of your actions. Sometimes local police and fish & game officials may be in error. No matter what the situation, always remain polite, courteous and cooperative when dealing with any law enforcement officials or land owners. Don’t ever argue or raise your voice. Also, most importantly, never volunteer information. When in doubt, keep your mouth closed and don’t make a “statement” to any peace officer.

Camo Painting Your Coyote Rifle

2009-08-28T06:09:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I like to paint my hunting rifles. I am a painting advocate for two main reasons. The most obvious is stealth. Camo painting your rifle will make it disappear in the field and prevent a barrel or receiver reflection from spooking your prey. Secondly, coating will prevent your firearm from rusting by encasing the blued steel in a jacket that seals the pores of the steel and keeps out the elements. Some may be horrified at the thought of painting a rifle but I regard my rifles as tools. Painting them not only makes them harder to be seen by predators but it also makes them much easier to maintain.

Until recently, I have been using DuPont Krylon camo spray paint with reasonably good results. It sprays on easily, dries fast and adheres pretty well to every surface. The down side is that it is not as scratch and wear resistant as I would like it to be. Therefore, I decided that I needed to investigate some other, more high-tech options.

The next step up in the durable coatings category is the “two-part” chemical process. With these coatings, you have a base product and a hardener that must be mixed in an exact ratio for success. Of the two-part coatings there is another category, baked-on and non-baked finishes. One will cure in hours by heating in an oven and the other is dry for use overnight but takes up to a month to completely cure to optimum hardness.

I don’t know about you guys but if I attempted to bake a painted gun part in our kitchen oven, my wife would not be too pleased. Keep in mind that while baking, certain chemicals flash off and permeate your oven (and house) while the baking/curing process is in progress. I just don’t think that would fly at our house. So, I began to look more closely at the non-bake type finishes.
Upon further investigation, one name stood tall above the rest. The name of the product is DuraCoat. Steve Lauer of Lauer Weaponry is the inventor of DuraCoat and the development of this firearm-specific coating process has changed everything. DuraCoat is now recognized as “the” premier firearm coating and Lauer’s satisfied customers now span the globe.

Like many other inventors you’ve read about, Steve Lauer developed his DuraCoat process in a residential garage. After years of trial and error, Steve finally developed a product that displayed all of the characteristics he was looking for. DuraCoat was born.

DuraCoat is a two-part mix that must be applied by spraying with an airbrush or HVLP spray setup. DuraCoat can not be brushed on to a surface. The surface must be clean and should be roughed up enough to provide some “tooth” for the coating. Once applied, it adheres to the surface like a tight plastic wrap. It sprays on thin and really holds on when cured. After spraying your rifle, it dries to the touch in 30-minutes to an hour and your firearm is ready for service in 24-hours. Complete curing will take several weeks. How durable is DuraCoat? Steve Lauer says that under normal use, DuraCoat will last several lifetimes. That seems like a reasonable service life to me.

One of the other benefits of DuraCoat is the almost endless choice of colors. With almost 100 different shades and finishes, you will surely find one (or several) that will suit your needs. If you plan on a camo job, Lauer also sells camo template kits that will pimp out your hunting rifle like you never thought possible. The Lauer Weaponry website Lauer Weaponry has a world of info concerning the DuraCoat product, color illustrations and various camo designs and kits.

DuraCoat is a process that is relatively easy to apply, especially if you purchase one of the many kits that are offered by Lauer Weaponry and follow the instructions. The kits also include a CD that can be loaded into your computer so the process can be watched. Lauer has made the tricking out of your favorite hunting arm as easy as possible and the customer service is second to none. Stave Lauer wants you to succeed and he and his staff are there for you should you have any questions or problems. When I called for information, Steve talked with me for at least 15-minutes and was very informative.

I recently purchased a curio & relic Enfield rifle that was produced in 1965. The finish on the rifle was failing and the stock was pretty grimy. After taking the entire rifle apart, I decided to refinish the metalwork with DuraCoat. I purchased a basic kit from Lauer Weaponry and got busy.

My .308 caliber Enfield was manufactured in India at the Ishapore Armory and as a normal practice; they coat the metal on their rifles with some kind of funky black paint. I think by the look of it, they used a dirty cotton ball to apply the paint. Needless to say, that had to go. The first step was the removal of mass quantities of Cosmoline (a light amber ointment to seal the rifle’s pores and prevent rust from forming). Once that mess was removed from the stock and metal parts, the stripping of the funky black paint began. After stripping off layers of the black paint, the metal was cleaned, all rough edges were faired with a file and the metal surface was sanded with 220-grit sandpaper. Then, it was on to every screw. All of the screws had idiot marks (apparently they only have one size of screwdriver in India, (the wrong size) and after careful filing and sanding, they were all returned to like new condition and prepped for the DuraCoat finish.

After all of the prep work was done, I laid everything out for spraying with DuraCoat and began the process. For the Enfield, I chose the “Parker” color. I have never used an airbrush before but it was easy to learn and the DuraCoat process went off without a hitch. Apply the product as suggested in the instructions, in thin coats, and you will have no problems. I started with the barrel and receiver and then shot light coats on everything. I did about four rounds of light coats before I was satisfied with the finish. It dried to the touch in about 30-minutes but I let all the parts sit for 24-hours before messing with them. No kidding, this stuff is fool-proof. I am convinced that anybody can use this stuff and if the directions are followed, the results will be perfect the first time.

The Enfield’s Mahogany furniture has been stripped, cleaned, and sanded. It’s now undergoing a hand rubbed, tung oil finish and that will take a lot more time and effort than the DuraCoat process. After seeing the completed DuraCoat finish and the progress on the stock, I am confident that when this rifle is re-assembled, it will be one super-sweet example of the .308 caliber Ishapore Enfield.

What can I say? I am sold on the merits of DuraCoat and I can think of several other rifles in my safe that will benefit from a DuraCoat finish. It’s fun, easy, affordable and a great way to preserve your favorite hunting or defense arms. For more examples of the DuraCoat finish, see "Red's Page" on the http://www.redhunterllc.com website.

How to Outsmart a Coyote

2009-08-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

By this time, most of us have our rifles sighted in, our hunt rigs stocked and ready to roll and all of our other necessary gear fine-tuned and ready. The last remaining factor that spells success or failure is totally dependent upon you, the hunter. Ultimate success will be dictated by your skill and strategy.

All of us spend a great deal of time analyzing our prey. We scout for the most likely habitat, look for sign and attempt to zero in on just exactly where and when the animals are most active. However, what worked just fine last month and produced several kills may not work at all this month. Coyotes seem to move around a lot and in the process; they can become more “educated” due to frequent calling and hunting pressure. These shifts in animal behavior necessitate a shift in our attitude and procedures too. Perhaps it is time for you to try something completely different.

Although the general animal habitat guidelines don’t change, perhaps our attitude and techniques for attracting them should. Chances are, the typical coyote and bobcat have heard the pleading jackrabbit call more than once or twice and it may not have the startling effect we would expect. Hey, even my dog is a perfect example of that. He hears me testing different pitched calls all the time. Now he is used to those sounds and he only reacts when I introduce something new into the mix. Therefore, new ideas and a fresh approach might make the difference between coyote hunting success and failure.

A little side note is in order here.

My personal feeling is that bobcats are nowhere near as smart as coyotes. Cats are cats and they seem to be dominated by instinctive reaction. A bobcat will often come back to the same call even after being shot at and missed. You know how cats are…..if they hear an interesting sound and a see a moving object to match that sound, chances are they are sneaking into the ambush party. Highly educated animal behaviorists may disagree with me but I believe coyotes “think things through” while cats simply become entranced in their stalk, dominated by instinct. I have had bobcats so focused on the caller and decoy that they have walked right by me and didn’t even notice I was there.

My point is, coyotes are damn smart and I believe their brain has the capacity to overpower their instinctive reactions. Just watch the typical adult coyote coming to the call. If he or she is not starving, the animal will approach to a certain distance that is comfortable. From that vantage point, the coyote will take a hard look around and check things out.

If I were asked to describe a coyote’s best attribute, it would be “situational awareness”. That call we’re playing is not a game to a coyote, he knows it could be a life or death situation. His exceptional vision, acute hearing and finely tuned sense of smell all kick into overdrive. Your stand is toast if a hunter makes the slightest movement or if the sun reflects off of some unnatural surface like you rifle, scope or sunglasses, I don’t care what tortured animal sound you play, the coyote has figured out the game and he is gone.

On the last hunt, I tried sounds, sequences and techniques that were different than my usual bag of tricks. I thought of all the sounds other hunters were using in that area and I purposely avoided using any of them. Instead, I used one of our RedHunterLLC Nutcracker Squirrel Barkers. I changed more than the sounds however; I tried an entirely new coyote calling psychology.

In the past, my calling was not a part of a larger plan. There was no scripting of sounds or end game in mind. I simply played a CD or worked a mouth-call hoping that a hungry critter would respond. I was only appealing to one sense…..hunger. That would mean for me to be successful, the following factors would have to be in place:

· A hungry coyote would have to be within hearing distance of my call.

· That coyote would need to be hungry enough to respond.

· That coyote would need to be comfortable responding in the calls’ territory.

· The coyote would not be educated to that specific sound.

· The coyote’s hunger would overcome caution.

For my money, those are too many variables. By appealing to only one sense, you severely limit yourself. For the best success, appeal to as many of the animals senses and “instincts” as you can. The ultimate key word there is instinct.

Webster’s dictionary defines instinct as “a largely inheritable and unalterable tendency of an organism to make a complex and specific response to environmental stimuli without involving reason. b: behavior that is mediated by reactions below the conscious level.

That is our ultimate edge gentlemen, playing on their strongest instinctive responses. If you plan your ambush to appeal to instinct rather than their thought process, your chances of success will be greatly enhanced. OK, it will indeed be easier to do this while hunting bobcat but the coyotes will take a bit more thought and planning.

You’ll need to play on a variety of instinctive reactions. A few examples of coyote instincts you’ll want to tickle are mating, hunger, defense of territory, defense of young, curiosity sounds, curiosity smells, visual decoys, etc.

The fact is, soon after the season starts, most of the really young and dumb coyotes are dead. If you’re going to put fur into your rig, you’d better prepare yourself with some new tricks and have something different to offer.

Today’s successful hunter will devise methods that play to a coyote’s instinctive reactions and hope that the bait (in whatever form that may be) will override the coyote’s education. If you keep true to all of the other basics, the result should be a bunch of bang-flops for you.

Since most of our southern Kaliforniastan hunting areas are frequented by far too many other predator caller/hunters, my last hunt seemed to prove this “instinct” theory correct. There are no hard and fast rules for success when it comes to coyote/predator hunting but a fresh, approach is always worth a try.

Before your next hunt, think about where you’ll be going and what new sounds, scents and visual effects you can add to your stand. Make your ambush site look safe, easy to approach and attractive to Mr. Coyote. The easier and more attractive it looks, the more success you will have.

HUNTING BOBCATS

2009-08-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

Bobcats are very interesting little critters. Bobcats are extremely adaptable and can be found all over the United States in mountain areas, thick forest, swamps, rocky cliffs, deserts and chaparral.

The bobcat is not a large creature. The average sized bobcat body is only about two feet long with a tail from four to eight inches long. Although the bobcat originally got its name because of its stubby tail, there are some with longer tails.

Bobcats look very much like a pumped up housecat. The muscle structure is stronger but the face is housecat all the way, only larger. The average bobcat weighs between twelve and twenty-five pounds and its average height is eighteen to twenty-five inches. Bobcat tracks measure around an inch wide with no visible claw marks.

The bobcat is a predatory killing machine. Its claws are long and super sharp. They are excellent for climbing and for holding their prey while they administer the death bite. When Mr. Bobcat is not using those razor sharp claws, they are pulled way back into his toes. Like I’ve said, they won’t be obvious in his tracks.

Their teeth are made for the kill too. The bobcat sports long canine teeth to perfectly stab and hold their prey. Their back teeth are arranged much like a pair of scissors and are perfect for cutting through hide, meat and bone.

The ears of the bobcat are one of its finer assets. This cat has acute hearing and by moving its radar-like ears from front to back, the bobcat can pick up on the distant sounds of mice, rabbits, ground-dwelling game birds and other small critters. Some scientists believe that the little tufts on the top of the bobcat’s ears improve the sound reception, much like we use our hands to cup our ears.

The bobcat has a wonderful, natural camouflage that blends him into a variety of backgrounds. When a baby bobcat is born, his fur is heavily spotted but most of that tends to go away as they get older. The adult bobcats that keep those belly spots are prized for their coats. Bobcats in seasonal areas change their clothes (fur) twice a year. In the winter, the bobcat’s coat can be striped, blotchy and a very dense, almost grayish color. During the summer months, the bob’s coat is more of a brownish-red in color.

The bobcat also has some very unique tricks up its sleeve. When it comes to stealth, the bobcat has a special method for running down its prey. It knows to put its back feet into its front feet’s spot, therefore reducing noise on its stalking approach. Usually, the prey never hears the bobcat coming. The bob is a patient and steady hunter and he doesn’t mind taking all the time needed to carefully stalk its prey. If speed is needed, that presents no problem. The bobcat can sprint to thirty miles per hour and sometimes faster.

Bobcats are not pack hunters. You won’t see a “pride” of bobcats working together to stalk a beast. They are loners that stake out their own separate territories. An alpha-male bobcat can have a territory as large as forty or so square miles. The male bobcat is not a total dud though because he will tolerate several female bobcats in his territory. He does this because he mates with those females. I guess having the ladies around breaks up his territorial patrols. I can understand that.

Unlike some humans, the male bobcat will not only impregnate all of those females, but he will also take full responsibility for feeding the mother and her kittens. Female bobcats have their kittens in the spring and usually birth two or three kittens each year. The little ones are born with their eyes closed (like housecats) and their eyes don’t open for ten days. The little kitties are breast fed for a couple of months and they slowly transition into their hunting classes by the age of five months. They are in no hurry to leave their mother and teacher and can stay with the mother for almost a year before going off to establish their own territory.

Although bobcats are quite common in North America, the bobcat’s natural camouflage is so good, they are rarely ever seen. Like all other cats, the bobcat is a total carnivore. His favorite goodies are mice, squirrels, birds, rabbits and any other meat he can pounce on.

The bobcat has no natural enemies. He is most often the predator and it extremely rare for him to be preyed upon. He is kind of like the barn cat of the wilderness, eating mostly vermin that man has no use for.

North America is inhabited by more than a million plus bobcats. They are not endangered or threatened in any way and sport hunting and trapping is controlled by local fish & game authorities. These creatures are very adaptable and seem to have no problems sharing their territory with coyote , fox and others.

Unfortunately for the bobcat, he has a beautiful coat. A properly tanned bobcat coat is a thing of beauty. The fur is soft and supple and the markings are usually very attractive.

Calling bobcats takes patience. You will rarely have a bobcat charge into the call. They will respond like a housecat. Slowly, cautiously and always taking their time to stop and study the situation.

The best sounds to lure in a bobcat with are high pitched squeaks, bird-like noises and rustling sounds. Expect to devote a half-hour or more to a stand and keep a sharp eye out for the bobcat. He won’t be easy to see coming in and sometimes you won’t even notice him until he “appears” on scene.

Using a small bird decoy or a small bunny decoy seems to work really well for bobcat day hunting. Keep it small because the cat will pick up on even the slightest movement. If you have a remote for your decoy, so much the better because you can taunt the cat with jerky movements. Play the bobcat as you would your housecat and you will have success.

Since the fur is thick his actual body may present a smaller target than you think. The bobcat has soft skin and a smaller caliber rifle works just fine to put him down and save that beautiful fur. Place your round carefully and make certain the bobcat is dead before picking him up. I have seen the aftermath of a hunter that assumed the bobcat was dead and haphazardly tossed the bobcat over his shoulder. Believe me when I tell you, that bobcat opened up a major can of whoop-ass on that hunter and tore him up pretty badly.

The most effective calls to use for a bobcat are a Lil' Pekker, Big Pekker, Nut Cracker, Brassy Alto, Death Screams II or a Mini-Blaster III, all available from RedHunterLLC Store

Voted Best New Coyote Hunting Product of the Century

2009-08-25T13:21:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE
25 August 08
Huntington Beach, CA

RedHunterLLC introduces incredible breakthrough hunting product.

At first, there was the Indian style, learned predator call. Calling predators took a lot of practice. The next step introduced mouth-blown devices to entice predators and these aids could be mastered quickly. Eventually, advanced, battery powered electronics ushered in pre-recorded calls and subsequently, the remote controlled digital caller.

Once again, the science of predator calling has taken a giant leap for mankind. RedHunter LLC is proud to announce the "green" energy and planet friendly game calling system of the new century; the new “RedHunter LLC Typhoon” Predator Calling System. Typhoon uses no batteries or clunky electronics, it is “Planet Friendly”, it’s recyclable, it’s hands free and requires no special learning skills.

The Typhoon Calling System comes with the following components:

• Special, variable pitch calling insert with replacement reeds.
• Custom, fitted undergarment to accept calling insert.
• Proprietary fabric hunting pants with O-ring sealed access area and patented, anti-escape vapor barrier, camo print fabric.
• One case of Red’s special “Magic Beans”. This is our introductory variety case that is guaranteed to attract coyote, fox, cats and other predatory animals.

How this incredible system works:

The night before your hunt, simply make a hearty meal from one 16-ounce can of the “Red’s Magic Beans” scent of your choice. The amazing part is that this space age system works while you sleep. By morning, Red’s Magic Bean, advanced enzyme formula will have you fully charged for a day’s hunting and calling.

When you arrive at your hunting/calling area, simply remove the safety plug and insert the variable pitch call into the “access area” of your custom designed RedHunter LLC hunting pants. Now you’re ready for hands-free calling action. For added comfort, order the RedHunter LLC special “relieved” hunt seat that allows your call to project through the seat material for added comfort on long stands.

To begin calling, simply relax and let Red’s secret formula do its job. Soon you will be effortlessly calling (hands-free & battery free) and simultaneously releasing an attractant scent that coyotes and other predators simply can’t resist. (NOTE: Make sure to tighten the waist cinch cord on your RedHunter LLC hunting pants to prevent the Magic Attractant Vapors from escaping into your shirt area as the vapors may cause your eyes to water and make sighting difficult).

At last, a predator calling system that works naturally and in harmony with nature. Protect you planet, recycle and enjoy your favorite sport at the same time. Yes, you can have it all. Order your RedHunter LLC Typhoon Predator Calling System today. Operators are standing by.

Sorry, no returns on the variable pitch calling inserts or used reeds. Please mail all used reeds and calling inserts to B.H. Obama, Charles Schumer, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, and Dianne Feinstein or to any local office of the DNC.

Coyote & Bobcat Predator Hunting Preparation

2009-08-25T10:16:00.001-07:00

YOUR WHEELS

After Labor Day, when all of the summer activities slow down, I begin to devote my time to coyote hunting and predator hunting preparation. I usually start with my hunt rig, a 1981 Full sized 2-door Jeep Cherokee Chief. I do all of the usual preventative maintenance checking: Tires, hoses, belts, batteries, fluid levels, chassis lube, oil change, radiator flush, brakes, new plugs, clean the K&N air filter, check under the hood for any abnormalities like oil leaks, etc. I then run the rig down to my Jeep mechanic and have him look it over.

All of this preparation may sound obsessive to you but I hunt coyote way out in the barren Mojave Desert of California and Nevada. There is no cell phone coverage and if you get stuck, help is not forthcoming. It may be a long, hot walk out to a paved road and even after getting there, you may not see a soul for hours. I feel a lot more comfortable knowing that I have done everything possible to make sure my rig is reliable.

YOUR CALLS & HOWLERS

Next I check out all of my coyote calling gear. I begin with my mouth calls and coyote howlers. I check the reeds on all of my calls and make sure they all sound like they should. If they need attention, I change the reeds or address whatever other issues need attention. The same goes for my coyote howlers. I check each one out for sound quality, check lanyards and when I am sure they are good to go, I pack them at the ready.

MP3 & ELECTRONIC CALLERS

My electronic MP3 coyote caller is next. I happen to like the Minaska “Ultimate One” predator caller because of the volume potential when calling in open country. It features 2-speakers and they can be used independently or together. The sound quality is second to none and it even has a built-in, remote controlled decoy. I know there are a load of devoted Foxpro fans out there but sorry guys, in California lingo, I say Minaska “rules”. Just my opinion, use what you like. They will all call in animals.

At the beginning of each new season, I install a brand new 12-volt battery in the Minaska ($10.00) and I also purchase a spare battery and pack it in the caller’s backpack. I replace the battery in the remote, pack some 9-volt spares and then take the coyote caller out for a field check in a nearby park.

The screams of dying rabbits and other horrific sounds emanating from my Minaska coyote caller drive all of the park yuppies nuts (love it). One lady even threatened to call the police and report me because she claimed I was “harassing the squirrels”. I offered her my phone if she would let me listen in as she made the report. I would love to have heard her describe what she witnessed to the police. That would have been funny…

The Minaska Coyote caller is re-charged using a 110-volt plug-in charger. I have two ways to charge my electronic predator caller when in the field. I can plug the 110-volt charging unit into a small 100-watt inverter that I run off the Jeep’s auxiliary battery or, the Minaska caller can be charged from a solar panel that I adapted just for that purpose. Solar charging is quick, free and I sometimes leave the solar panel connected to the Minaska coyote caller when I am on long desert stands. I can chill, knowing that when I decide to start calling, my electronic coyote caller has a full charge and is ready for action. I will illustrate how you can make a solar charger for your Minaska or other 12-volt powered coyote caller in an upcoming blog.

PREDATOR & COYOTE HUNTING LIGHTS

Since night hunting for coyote and bobcats is legal here in California and Nevada, our predator hunting light is a key tool. Let’s face it, if you can’t see coyotes & bobcats, you can’t shoot coyotes and bobcats. After using a bunch of commercially available lights, homemade can lights and a bunch of other cobbled together Rube Goldberg contraptions, I decided that I would make my own light that incorporated all of the features a night coyote hunter would need. I knew what I didn’t like and I have heard all of the complaints from other night hunters. I knew exactly where I was going with this design. Rather than go into the details here, go to this link for all of the details on my innovative “lateral beam” coyote hunting light. RedHunterLLC Coyote Hunting Light

OK, so I check the operation of my coyote hunting lights (primary & spare). I clean my light’s lenses, check all controls for operation, check the plugs, check the power cords and I make sure I have spare fuses. Back in their storage bag they go and they are ready.

Next are two other important lights. One is my coyote or bobcat “pick-up” light and the other is my powerful green “kill-finder” laser.

COYOTE PICK-UP LIGHTS

My coyote pick-up light is the flashlight I use to retrieve the animal once it has been dispatched. In the old days, I used to rely on a massive 4-cell police style flashlight. Those days are long gone however and now I pack a small (but super powerful) CREE LED flashlight that is about 10X more powerful than the old D-cell flashlight. RedHunterLLC sells these powerful pick-up lights at a very reasonable price. Go here for info:
RedHunterLLC Tactical Pick-Up Coyote Lights

These little lights will amaze you with their power and long-lasting beam. I will never go back to any type of conventional flashlight again. The LED technology is amazing and if you are looking for your kill, this type of light really does the job. I have even taken one and tinted the lens red for away from the rig lighting. I can pick up a coyotes eyes at 300-yards using the little tactical flashlight.

COYOTE KILL, LASER POINTER

Of course, finding a dead coyote or bobcat that you’ve dispatched in the dead of night can be a bit difficult. Once you leave your hunting rig or stand area and start walking out 200 or so yards, it’s easy to lose your bearings. That is when the laser is worth its weight in gold. I have my hunt rig laser mounted to a magnetic base. Once the shooter takes his shot, he keeps his scope on the general area where he fired at the coyote. The lighter (hunting partner) fires up the laser and the shooter directs the beam to the kill zone. Once it is zeroed, it is locked into position and the hunters can follow the green beam right to the kill. No searching, walking in circles or guesswork. The dead coyote should be right at the end of the beam. Inexpensive lasers can be found on-line and at some retailers. Most are way too under-powered. I just happened to order mine from an overseas supplier just before the feds put limits on the output power available to the general population. Check around though because it is a valuable tool. I am going to search for a good source too and when I find a good, reasonably priced unit, it will be tested by John and me and then sold in our store.

COYOTE & BOBCAT DECOYS

Next, I address my decoys. I sometimes use a Foxpro “Jack-in-the-box” coyote decoy. I also like my home-made, simple 1.5 volt coyote, fox and bobcat decoy made from an aluminum arrow shaft and half of a Decoy Heart (that throws a little stuffed critter around in circles). And lastly, for days with a slight breeze, a very simple low tech arrow shaft coyote decoy using a feather or two, tied to a light swivel with fine monofilament fishing line. I simply stick it in the ground and the breeze blows the feather around. It’s just enough action for a coyote or bobcat to fixate on. I check the batteries (and pack spares) and operation of the electric coyote decoys and look over the simple stuff to make sure everything functions as planned. I even go so far as to put all of the coyote decoy toppers into a plastic zip-lock bag and generously apply the scent or attractant that I want the Coyotes to smell. I don’t want my coyote decoys to smell like me or any other human.

FIREARMS

Next I get out to the range and make sure all of my predator hunting rifles are shooting as tight as possible. I also check and inventory my reloaded ammo for each rifle. In addition, I pattern my shotguns and make sure my handguns are zeroed for the ammo I will be using. Finally, I touch up any of the nicked or worn camo paint areas on my coyote hunting firearms and make certain there is no chance of reflected light spooking an inbound coyote.

OPTICS

Next, I clean all of my coyote hunting rifle scope lenses with an approved cleaner so as not to damage the delicate lens coatings (See the “Op Drops” sold by RedHunterLLC). Op Drops Scope Lense Cleaner I also service my binoculars and make sure they are clean and ready.

Once I’ve checked all of my main coyote hunting equipment, I start checks on all of my general field gear like hunting license, bobcat tags, flashlights, knives, tools, gloves, head gear, camo, boots, sleeping bag, scents, etc. Lastly, I reassess my pre-hunting checklist and make sure it is updated and complete. Once I have completed my preparation, I should be good to go for the season opener.

By making periodic checks part of your hunting routine, you’ll always be ready for that last minute call from a buddy saying, “Let’s do a one-nighter and slam some coyotes”. Oh man, how can you resist that?

Beware of the Hunter With Just One Rifle

2009-08-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

Like a lot of you, I receive monthly coyote hunting and shooting magazines and all sorts of predator hunting catalogs. Sometimes it seems as though the flood of coyote hunting product marketing has no end. Most of the monthly shooting magazine covers feature a new rifle caliber or yet another improved version of a Colt 1911 offered by one of the major manufacturers. Yup, there is always attractive bait on the hook in hopes that we consumers will consider adding yet another rifle or pistol to an already crowded gun safe. The latest marketing technique is the “combo deal” where they offer a rifle already fitted with a scope or some other accessory package. Vendors continue to make the deal attractive and easy.

Their new offering is claimed to be lighter, stronger, more accurate, and better suited to a broad spectrum of hunting. It also features this brand new caliber that will eventually prove to be a better coyote hunting round than all the rest. We’ve seen it all before, heard it all before and read about it all before, but for some strange reason we actually consider (albeit for only a few moments) buying one. The truth is that marketing works. Hence the plethora of coyote hunting and calling product and service related magazines out there competing for our subscription dollars. And…..OK, I’ll admit it…I am a sucker for most rifle ads. I have bitten the hook many times…….like a shark that hadn’t fed for a week. I just happen to be a hardware freak and in the past, I just may have been a tad too impulsive.

The truth of the matter is that the hunter that owns one rifle and shoots that one rifle all the time, typically has the higher kill ratio per shots fired. It stands to reason that if he is totally familiar with that particular rifle and the ballistics of his pet load(s), the odds for success are on his side.

As an example, consider the .243 caliber rifle. It would make a pretty darn good overall rifle for the average hunter. With a versatile barrel twist, a hunter could load and shoot a wide selection of different weight bullets to suit a variety of game. Everything from rabbits to deer sized game could be easily taken with this one caliber. It may not be your first choice for an “only” rifle but I would certainly give it serious consideration for coyote hunting.

In order to become a successful coyote hunter, you will need to be deadly accurate, efficient, familiar and safe. Accuracy comes from repetition and practice, much like a guitar player becomes proficient with his guitar. The more you shoot, the better you become. In time, you’ll develop shooting muscles that will become much steadier. You’ll be more familiar with your rifle and as a result of mastering all the combined factors mentioned above, you will be a force to be reckoned with.

Shooting one rifle and becoming thoroughly familiar with its controls, characteristics, ballistics and handling gives a hunter a definite advantage. So, if you have not gone overboard (yet) purchasing different rifles for different game, perhaps you should hold off, think about exactly what you need and keep the firearms count down to a reasonable level. Also, you'll need to check out our actual "field-proven" products from RedHunterLLC . You’ll benefit in the long run.

Remembering My First Coyote Hunt.....sort of.

2009-08-22T17:01:00.001-07:00

Bob, Jeff and I loaded up Bob's rig to the max and pulled out of Orange County at about 9 P.M. on Thursday night. As it turned out, I didn't need my piano, full sized gas BBQ grill, my collection of lead soldiers or the electric contour bed but Bob was nice enough to pack it all into his rig anyway. We were aware of the fact that no kills counted prior to 10 PM on Friday but we were anxious to do some scouting and give Bob some time to whip us novices into shape. After several hours of driving we began to do a few stands. On about the 4th stand, as Bob began to call for critters, a yote barked back immediately. It happened so fast and so close; I thought it was Bob's electronic caller. It took a few seconds for me to realize that we had a real live visitor. I swung the spot around and caught the yote's eyes for Jeff who was at the ready with his new General Electric 243 mini-gating gun. Jeff opened fire in a blaze of lead and fury and after a few seconds and 3000 rounds; we decided to see if we had a clean kill. We searched the area but the lifeless body of our first predator was nowhere to be found. We discussed the stand and we all decided that the damn yote was obviously wearing body armor. We knew exactly where he had been because we found a small bag of Gummy Jack Rabbits that had been hastily left behind.

Onward we went, stand after stand, call after call but had no luck for the rest of that evening. By morning we were in the area that we wanted to hunt for the remainder of our weekend. We made a simple meal of Eggs Benedict, French Pastries, Blue Mountain Coffee and a fresh fruit platter. After breakfast and a shower in the portable shower (gee, that water heater was heavy) we ironed our hunting clothes and began scouting again. After a few stands we had luck again. We had placed Bob's call box out in a field and we all took concealed positions. Out of nowhere a yote appeared and began to close in on the caller. Bob was closer than Jeff and I so it was his shot. We watched in awe as Bob skillfully centered his scope on the wary beast. The creature closed on his position and just as Bob was taking his shot, out of the bushes came this large mountain lion. It leaped for Bob and hit Bob's shooting sticks just as Bob was taking his shot. Naturally, that caused Bob's round to miss the yote. Fortunately, the discharge of Bob's rifle scared the lion away. We didn't actually see any of that part where the lion knocked his shooting sticks, causing Bob to miss his shot but Bob told us all about it. Boy, was he lucky.

We did stand after stand that evening but could not get any eyes at all. We figured that the bushy areas around the nudist colony would have been a good area to hunt but after talking to several girls at the nudist, NFL cheerleader camp, we decided that their shrill cries and laughter must have been frightening the yotes away. Finally, we gave up and played Pictionary with the Swedish Bikini Team until our late dinner of BBQ ribs, steamed artichokes, baked potatoes and Caesar salad. Dinner was good but we all thought the cheesecake was too heavy. After dinner, we hunted more and finally went to sleep for several hours. Suddenly, I awoke to the sounds of an attacking brown bear. I jumped from my contour bed only to find that it was just Jeff snoring. Whew!! That was a close one. I changed my underwear and went back to sleep.

More stands, more calls and then we found what seemed to be the perfect spot to set up a stand. A small water hole next to an open field and surrounding it were lots of bushy areas for coyotes to hide. We set the call box by the water hole and all took our positions. Bob and Jeff took the low ground and I chose a position up on the hill at the base of a rotten tree where the ants were bigger and hungrier. I was ready. I lay quietly in the piles of scat from some unknown creature, my trusty rifle sat steady on its bipod and I had a commanding view of most of the terrain below. The ants and I were ready for action (the damn ants were, that’s for sure). Bob started calling and soon the calls were returned. A bark, then a howl, just to my left. I glassed the field, expecting to see our little visitor any second. I had a prime position and knew that he was all mine. Time passed and I could hear the caller and the yote. I just didn't see him. After about 10 minutes, Bob called the stand to an end. I hiked down from my position (a mere 200 feet up the hill) and we all met at the call box. It seems that the yote was visible to everybody but me! Bob and Jeff were waiting for me to take the shot but I didn't ever see the darn thing. Meanwhile, Bob and Jeff were watching him all the time wondering what the heck I was doing up there. In retrospect, I figured that maybe I should have taken the lens caps off of my scope.

Late that evening, we had a nice lady at a small diner make us some coffee and some grub. The crab legs and lobster were great but the wine seemed a little off. Jeff sent the wine back and we settled for a newer year. Jeff met two nice men at the table next to us and invited them to join our club. I asked them where they got their nifty camo hunting tights. Jeff took a second look and then un-invited them to join our hunting club. As we prepared to leave, we noticed that Bob was asleep at the table. We picked Bob's head up, removed the mashed potatoes from his notrils and eyelashes and left.

All in all, I had a great time. I will admit that loading the same cartridge in and out of my rifle was a bit tiring but I had fun just the same. Maybe next time I'll get to take a shot at something. The bottom line for me is; the hunt entails the entire experience. It is a combination of the hunt, the verbal zingers going back and forth, and the opportunity to get to know Bob and Jeff. It was a totally positive experience (except for the snoring, late night gas attacks, and spilled rabbit urine) and I'm confident that we'll kick some coyote butts next time.

Coyote tracks and domestic dog tracks.

2009-08-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

Do you know the difference between domestic dog and coyote tracks?
If you look closely, the tracks of the back and front foot of your average domestic dog are almost identical. Coyotes are a different story. Upon close examination, you’ll notice that front foot of a coyote is slightly larger than that of the back. The shape of the pads are also different.

The coyote’s front pad is shaped like a frown and the back pad is shaped somewhat like lips. Another way to tell the difference between coyote and dog tracks is by the pattern left in soft substrate like mud, snow, sand etc. A coyote needs to conserve energy as it never knows when its next meal is coming from and so when it runs (lopes), it will place the back foot in the print made by the front foot, creating a single line of prints which tend to be straight and usually cross open areas. Dogs tend to run with their feet side by side, making two parallel sets of tracks, which tend to meander in any direction.

There ya go then. Don’t spend half of your day tracking Lassie while Ol’ Wiley Coyote is watching and laughing from a nearby hillside. RedHunterllc.com

Frontal Shots on a Coyote

2009-08-21T21:35:00.001-07:00

This is a front view of a coyote’s vital areas. Shooting a coyote from the front can be difficult; the neck and head are smaller targets than you think and although a properly placed bullet in either place will kill a coyote, they are difficult to place because the target is only a few inches wide (under the fur).

Since the coyote’s skull has a slope to it, there is always the risk of bouncing the bullet off the coyote’s head. I know of cases where hunters have made frontal head shots and dropped the coyote hard.

Unfortunately for one hunter, the bullet grazed the coyote’s head and simply knocked him out for a few minutes. As the hunter was dragging the seemingly dead coyote back to his hunt rig, Ol’ Wiley came back to life….in a really bad mood. That encounter was not pretty and the human hunter learned a hard lesson. In a frontal situation, make sure you place your shot right to the chest and heart area as illustrated. Check out WWW.RedHunterLLC.com for more coyote hunting tips.

A Fun Night Hunting Coyotes at the Ranch

2009-08-20T17:43:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday night I was hunting with a buddy on a cattle ranch. We started hunting at about 8:30 in the evening. All the rains we’ve had have really changed the landscape of the ranch because what used to be barren rolling hills is now fully grass covered and about waist high. Even the ranch roads that snake through the pastures are overgrown. If the owner of the ranch had not been with us, staying on the road would have been difficult because without local knowledge you wouldn’t know there was a road there at all. That fact alone could have caused big problems because many of the roads have steep drop-offs into canyons. The roads were also very slippery due to the wet grass but my old 1981 Jeep Cherokee hunt rig did a great job of getting us anywhere we wanted to go.

Our first stand was on top of a ridge, looking out over several grass laden rolling hills. The Jeep was on a rather uncomfortable angle as we positioned ourselves and began to call and light. My buddy was on the gun and I was doing the calling with a RedHunterLLC cow horn coyote howler, a BackStabber sound port mouth call and lighting with a RedHunterLLC lateral beam light. Within about 10-minutes or so, I picked up a set of eyes on a distant ridge. I kept the animal’s eyes in the halo of the lateral-beam light so as not to spook him. I kept calling, hoping he would come in closer so my partner could have a better shot at him. Time passed and I guess we messed around with him for at least 10-minutes or so. He was playing peek-a-boo with us and it seemed evident that he wasn’t going to come in any closer. I was concerned that he would leave so I urged the shooter to get on the eyes and take the shot.

My partner leveled his accurate 22-250 CZ with a sweet Millett 4 X 16 illuminated reticle scope but he was having difficulty picking up the eyes. I changed the light’s angle and we fussed and fussed but under the dim red light, he just couldn’t find the coyote’s eyes with his scope. I guess he got tired of me verbally harassing him and handed me his rifle and said, “Here, you shoot the damn thing.” We swapped positions and I took his rifle. He grabbed the light, illuminated the animal’s eyes and as he said, “Can you…..” BOOM, I fired and I heard that unmistakable “thwap” of a bullet hitting flesh. “I think I got him.” I said. My buddy looked at me and said, “I didn’t hear anything.” The ranch owner up in the passenger seat said, “I heard it for sure too.” So, the hunt was on and the relentless teasing began.
We set my powerful green laser up to mark the path to the kill and the ranch owner and I began the task of trying to get to the animal. Down a hill, through a barbed wire fence, up a hill, down a hill and then we encountered faults from a recent landslide. That was no fun because the night was dark, the grass was nearly waist high and trying to navigate to the area where I hoped to find my animal was getting a bit dangerous. It would have been easy to slip on the wet grass and fall into one of the many concealed ravines. We were two-thirds of the way there but it just became too hairy of a trip. It wasn’t worth a broken leg, or worse. We ended up working our way back to my old Jeep hunt rig.

Naturally, my hunting partner teased me (it’s part of the fun) about missing the coyote. We did several more stands and picked up four more sets of eyes. They played with us and wouldn’t present us with an opportunity for a shot. The ranch owner finally got off a shot on a distant yote but we couldn’t get to that location either. My partner never did get another opportunity for a shot. We called it an evening at about 11 PM because the rancher gets up a 4:30 in the morning. It was a fun night though and what could be better than hunting coyotes with a couple of buddies.
Today was Monday and since I had left my cell phone in my car through the weekend, I did not get ranch owner’s voice message until today. On Friday, the ranch owner went out there in the daylight to where he knew the coyote might be. There it was, DOA. Weeeeeeee Haaaaaa!! My bullet had entered the coyote’s skull smack between his eyes. It passed through his head and killed the coyote before he heard the shot. The Ranch owner also sent me two photos of the kill via e-mail. The ranch owner’s friend laser-ranged the shot and it was a 275-yard trip from the Jeep’s location to the kill.

My thanks to the ranch owner for letting us hunt his ranch and thanks to my partner for letting me take the shot with his dialed in 22-250. The combination of precise 22-250 loads and my buddy’s CZ rifle topped with a clear, illuminated reticle Millet scope put the round right where I pointed it. I was so happy to finally know for sure that the coyote was mine.

Predator hunting and night shooting sharpens your shooting skills like nothing else. My partner will surely nail one next time. In the meantime, I get to relentlessly taunt him.

Coyote hunting sure beats the hell out of a sport like golf. I am so hooked on this action packed sport, it’s pathetic. I can’t wait to get out again and hunt the hunters.

Make your own open-reed coyote/predator call

2009-08-19T09:42:00.000-07:00

Imagine being able to actually talk to predatory animals? You can by making your own predator call and coyote howler. Coyotes, bobcats, fox, mountain lion and other predators all respond to the sound of an injured animal. Believe it or not, all of the above respond and will come to the call of an injured jackrabbit. If they think there is a free meal to be had, the predators will come in for it. You can purchase what is called an open-reed predator call from call companies like RedHunterLLC.com or you can attempt to make one yourself. The instructions below will allow you to make a nice, small open reed call or a coyote howler, using a cow horn that can be purchased at craft stores.

Making your own mouth blown predator calls and howlers is a fun and interesting project. I found that once I started making my own calls, I became really interested in the tuning aspects of the whole project. There are no rules and you can do whatever you like to perfect your own distinctive calls.

Going to the Sound Files page of RedHunterLLC.com will give you examples of what your calling should sound like. Once you finish making your call, practice until you can mimic the sounds on that Sound Files page and you are ready to call in some predators.

WARNING: Keep in mind that you are calling in predatory animals. These animals can be dangerous to you and people around you. Make sure you watch your back and don’t go calling alone.

You will need to assemble the following raw materials:

A section of 5/8” Delrin rod with a hollow center or you can also use PVC pipe a hardwood or whatever is handy
Rubber bands to hold the reed in place (castration bands from a feed store work best)
Reed material. You can buy 8” X 10” thin Mylar sheets at craft shops. It is used for pattern making.

The Delrin rod is shown with a hole through the center. This core becomes the mouthpiece or sound board of your call.

Step 1

The first step is to do the preliminary layout for the construction of your mouthpiece. I find it easier to use masking tape and I mask out the material to mark my basic first cuts. Once marked with the masking tape, the next step is the band saw. I have also used a hacksaw, a Mikita cordless circular saw and a Dremel tool cutter to perform the cuts. A band saw works best however.

Note that the cut bisects the upper third of the hole in the center of the Delrin rod.

Step 2

The photo to the left shows the Delrin rod after the cuts have been made. When making the longitudinal cut, let the blade cut back past the tape a tad. This will provide a small notch for the rear of the reed to rest in.

Step 3

I perform the shaping with a belt sander, using a 220-grit belt. After doing the rough shaping (shown at left) I fair the project out by hand using 220 & 320 grit paper. Delrin can also be wet sanded with “wet & dry” sandpaper for a super smooth finish.

In the photo to the left you can easily see the effect of the extended longitudinal cut for the reed end.

Step 4

Here is where it starts to get a bit tricky. You may say this is the “tuning” stage. Now it is a matter of reed material, reed length, reed thickness, reed shape and reed width. Another factor is the “shape” you made the mouthpiece end of the Delrin rod. At this stage, there are many variations and experimentation is the name of the game. Adjust the factors mentioned above to create the sound you are looking for. With a little luck and patience, you will have no problems getting the desired tone and pitch. Trial and error is the name of the game here. Hint: Play around more with your reed material prior to making any shaping changes on your mouthpiece. It’s a lot easier to change the reed than to cut out and shape another mouthpiece.

Step 5

Your basic mouthpiece is pictured to the left and has the reed mounted and banded with a “castration band”. To change the tone, adjust the reed by cutting shorter, thinner and moving the band up or down. Play with different reed materials and perform your own experiments until the desired tone and pitch range is achieved.

You have now completed the heart of your open reed predator call. You can mount it in a holder tube or go on to Step 6 and make a coyote howler.

This photo shows another style of mouthpiece mounted in a tube to make an open reed predator call. I made the tube from a solid Delrin rod and then machined the grooves in it on a lathe.

You don’t need any fancy tools or a lathe. You can make your tube from PVC or any other material that is handy. In the example above, the tube is about 3.5” long.

Some call makers love to use wood to make calls and some use metal, plastic or whatever suits their fancy. Keep your first one simple and get out and call some critters.

Step 6

The photo on the left shows the fitting of the mouthpiece to construct a cow horn coyote howler. The end of the horn was cut off with a band saw (don’t cut off too much!). Once you cut off the end of the horn there won’t be a visible hole through the horn. You’ll have to drill a hole using a ¼” drill bit through the center of the end, into the open part inside the horn.

After making your hole within an eighth of an inch of the horn’s sidewall, use a file or a rotary rasp to rough fit the mouthpiece. Do the final fitting with 100-grit sandpaper until the mouthpiece can be forced gently into place. Remove the mouthpiece and set aside. It’s time to sand and polish a bit before finally gluing in the mouthpiece.

Step 7

Now it is time to shape and wet sand the cow horn. Begin by sanding a slight bevel on the cut you made to the horn where the mouthpiece is to be inserted. You can do the rough bevel with the belt sander and the finish work with 100 and 220-grit sandpaper. After that is done, it’s time to take some 320-grit “wet & dry” sandpaper and wet sand the entire cow horn (I am assuming you purchased an unfinished horn). After wet sanding smooth, clean the inside of the horn and dry with a rag.

The final buffing will be a lot easier if you have a cloth buffing wheel on a grinder. I use 3M fine finishing compound to do the initial buffing and finish off with a glazing compound. The horn shines up very nicely and looks great when finished. See photo below.

Your finished product can be a howler or a mouth call. Your finished coyote or predator caller is only limited by your imagination. Have fun with this project and make several calls that have varied tones for different animals.

Whatever you do, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you called in that song dog or bobcat with a call that you made with your own two hands. For more info visit RedHunterLLC.

Best regards……Red@RedHunterLLC.com

Grand Opening

2009-08-19T08:35:00.000-07:00

Although I have been a writer for quite a while, I have never had a blog. At 62-years old a lot of this new fangled stuff kinda throws me at first. All the buzz words, passwords and other related stuff is not always something I have the time or energy to learn. But, there is a lot of information I would like to share and this seems to be the best medium for doing so.

My blog won't be all about me, it will be about the things I make, use and have learned about predator hunting. Hunting the hunters is always a humbling experience and no matter how much time I spend in the field scouting, tracking, stalking and calling, the animals still manage to teach me something new every time I venture out.

I will attempt to pass on information about predator hunting firearms, building coyote calls, how to call coyotes and other predators and the methods that have worked successfully for me and other coyote hunters.

My most valuable piece of equipment is my dedicated hunt rig. When I go deep into California and Nevada's Mojave Desert, my 1981 full sized Jeep Cherokee Chief if my lifeline. Because I am often way out and away from civilization or any type of support, I make dang sure that the old Jeep is in top shape. I hesitate to tell ya'll just how much money I have dumped into that old Jeep but it has taken me where no man has gone before and brought me back home, time and again.

Since I am frequently testing calls and products for RedHunter LLC, I need a vehicle that will negotiate small trails, deal with boulders and sometimes make its own road. "Jezebelle" does just that and has been a good investment. I will feature her in another blog and show you her guts and specialized predator hunting features.

So, hang in there with me, if you dare, and I will attempt to master the ins and outs of the blog thing. My posts may be a bit rough at first but I'll figure it out eventually.