# August 24th, A Warm Up Hunt.



## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

Hey guys, it's been a while since I updated with any hunt stories. Finally had time to write the last few up...so here it goes!

Dad and Ben have been wanting to get involved more in predator hunting, so I set up a date to take them out for a full day hunt in the early season. There was a slight cool down, but the temperature would still reach 92 that day. We decided to start off with a few tried and true stands that I have had success at in the past. We worked our way up the 25+ mile dirt road until finally reaching our destination right before first light, perfect timing. As we got out of the 4Runner and got our gear situated 2 guys on a Razor drove up next to us and started asking where we were hunting. I didn't feel good about the first stand now that we had guys talking in loud voices right where we were going to call&#8230;but we went ahead with the stand, nonetheless.

After walking around the small hill, we setup facing the rock bluff that was 300 yards in front of us. The target predator was Grey Fox, but all predator species has been seen around this area. I situated Ben and Dad on both sides of me and I was "shooting" with the camera. I set the FoxPro out in front of us all about 40 yards and turned on the custom tail decoy. I slowly worked through bird distress, rabbit distress, and then landed on Fox pup distress. Around 3 or 4 minutes in on that sound Dad and I caught movement on his side, a Grey Fox popped out of the Junipers and began working its way into the call and decoy. Getting it all on film I wanted Ben to see her as well, so I lip squeaked and he was able to watch as Dad put her down with a single shot using his AR-15 with the red dot sight. Despite the hunters talking to us we still managed to have a successful stand!

After doing a stand further down my "Elk Camp 2-track" and not seeing anything come in we headed up to the flats where I had another great Fox stand. We drove in as close as we dared and then walked in. The wind wasn't perfect, but we were able to still call to most of the area without winding it.

Once again, I setup in the middle of Ben and Dad, but they were further apart as it was a more open meadow. I began with baby cottontail and in about 5 minutes a Grey Fox streaked in from Dads side, almost downwind of the setup. The Fox worked its way in and around the downed limb that I had the FoxPro and decoy hiding behind. As it came out in the open and paused Dad once again put it down with a well-placed shot. Another animal on film! I switched sounds to an adult cottontail rabbit and upped the volume. Just a few minutes later I spotted another Fox working its way in from about 120 yards in front of us. As I moved the camera to get it recorded, I lip squeaked to let Ben and Dad know there was something coming in. This Fox worked in through the tall grass and all you could see was its head floating through the meadow. Such a neat experience! I came to the same spot where the other Fox was laying and paused. Ben shot but forgot to aim at the top of its back due to the close range. The shot went JUST under and the Fox started walking back. Dad shot while it was on the move and missed as well. Then the Fox had enough, it took off for the nearest Juniper thicket and Ben and Dad took another shot each. One of them hit its tail at the base (oops) as it made the tree line. Somewhere out there is a Fox with no tail now. We will have to go back soon to see if we can call it back in!

Our fourth stand is a spot that I have called in all predator species in the past, you never know what you are going to get on this one! We made the 2 mile drive over and quietly worked down the hill to setup the stand. We really wanted to get Ben a kill so we setup on the edge of the Juniper thicket and I placed Ben to my right and had Dad back about 25 yards watching the left side. The caller and decoy were straight out from me 30 yards tucked into our side of a Juniper. I began calling and after doing cottontail distress for about 6 minutes I went into crow fight nice and loud in hopes of fooling a predator into thinking they were missing out on a meal. Well it worked because just a minute into that I spotted a Coyote coming in from about the 11 o'clock position. Dad had seen it as well and was positioning already for where it would come out. I lip squeaked at Ben, but he didn't hear me. I focused on recorded the Coyote and let the rest just play out. That Coyote came around the Juniper and the decoy spooked him a bit, so he jumped back and then started cutting around just downwind to go in for the kill. I heard Ben having trouble with the bipod catching rocks as he tried to get situated for the shot. The Coyote must've caught my scent coming off the caller and decoy because as it got downwind its body language changed and he decided to leave dodge! It took 3 leaps right in Dads direction and right as Dad pulled the trigger the Coyote ducked its head. The bullet connected right on the money and the Coyote piled into the ground with a nice front flip as it caught the rocks. What cool action to get on video only 25 yards away!

We kept calling the rest of the day, but nothing ever showed. The heat got the best of the predators and us as well as we struggled to keep calling without seeing anything else. We hit some more of my sweet stands towards evening that have produced in the past, but nothing showed. They were waiting for the cool of night to start moving again.

- Mark



















































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## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

And here is the link to the video.






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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice write up and video. Good shooting Dad !! 
I especially love the banjo music before and after each set.


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## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

youngdon said:


> Nice write up and video. Good shooting Dad !!
> I especially love the banjo music before and after each set.


Thank you Don. Tim put the video together per usual. 

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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*Congrats you Guys-------Mark thanks for sharing your Hunt ---Enjoyed watching the Vid-------------------skip*


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Those crow fighting sounds were a surprise for me and the sorry 'yote, which was taken out by a good shot.

Those fox tails are beautiful, too.

Great start to another season.


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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

Looks and sounds like a great hunt thank you for sharing


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