# Camouflage: The Art Of Deception



## JTKillough (May 4, 2010)

The Art of Deception

Savvy predator hunters know that in order to consistently be successful, one needs to be nearly undetectable to the sharp eyes, ears, and nose of predators. All predators possess extremely keen senses. This enables them to detect minute noises, movement and scent of their intended prey. We've all heard the tales of coyotes hearing the squeaks of a mouse at 50 or more yards away, under a blanket of snow. Keen hearing on the coyote's part simply means more food in his stomach. And what predator hunter hasn't observed a bobcat, setting at the edge of cover intently staring at the caller. You've been busted, or at the least, your movement was detected. The sharp eyes of the bobcat have evolved into a finely tuned movement detectors, able to pick up the slightest movement from a flitting bird to a twitch of a cottontails ear. Top that off with a sense of smell that is totally out of our comprehension and you will begin to understand how challenging calling predators, especially coyotes, can become. Are there ways to deceive these senses, to skirt past what all predators use for survival on a daily basis? I think so.

I had hunted this area so many times I was beginning to think that the coyotes here knew my name. The place was good. It always held a resident dog or two, and the sign on the road going in, indicated just that. A chat with the rancher that owned this spread, more than a few hunts earlier, had pointed me to a remote, solar powered water well and drinker used by his cattle. He had seen quite a few coyote around there and like most ranchers, wanted the calf killers gone, if possible. On that hunt I had taken a young female, but since then I had failed to connect. I had called in another resident coyote on more than one occasion, only to be barked at from cover. He was cagey, never showing himself for long, never standing still long enough for a shot and always retreating to an impenetrable thicket at the far end of the draw. I had my mind set on going in after him.

When a predator hunter is faced with a well educated adversary, you need to do your homework. First, plan your route by studying topographical maps and aerial photos of the area, paying close attention to any areas that can provide safety for the predator. Look for thick cover that can provide shade or warmth. Water is essential, is there water nearby? Look for access points for your stalk. How close can you get with your vehicle, and do you want to get that close? Remember that keen hearing, if you get too close you may put a predator on alert and ruin your chance of getting a shot. With a well educated coyote, I like to walk at least ¼ mile from my vehicle, closer to ½ mile is even better. It's better to walk a little farther, than risk detection. The farther you walk, the more time passes for things to calm down after your intrusion into the area with your vehicle, but you also risk detection by walking, unless you go about it in a stealthily manner. While studying topo's and photos, look for small gullies, and low lying washes that can aid in your approach. Try to pick out a route that will keep you hidden, and moving in as straight of line as possible to your set-up spot. Using these methods, a hunter can plan out his entire route from vehicle to set-up, before ever putting boots on the ground.









Notice how correct use of camouflage (earthtones on bottom, green vegetation colors on top) aides in the deception. While setting down in front of vegetation, these colors blend in remarkably well. But you'll never get this far, without employing good stalking techniques.

The camouflage you wear is your greatest asset in predator hunting, and blending into your surroundings is essential. During your planning phase of the hunt, take note of the vegetation in the area. Is there low brush? Is that brush leafy or green, gray, or tan. Is there ground cover? Is that cover green, brown, tan or just rocky? Is there a brushy hillside in the area of your set-up with which to hide and blend into the scenery? The whole idea here is not to dawn any camouflage and hope for the best, but to disappear. In order to disappear from a predator's sight, you need to blend in to whatever is behind you and use bits and pieces of that backdrop to aid in your deception. Just a few minutes spent in preparing your set-up, can mean everything, when a coyote is standing mere feet away and totally unaware that you are even there.

I parked the Jeep at a gate in the fence line I had seen in aerial photos, and quietly gathered my gear, a Foxpro Firestorm, center fire rifle, and my shooting sticks. After silently clicking the door shut, I slipped through the fence gate and began my stalk towards the upper end of the draw that I had watched this coyote retreat into on several occasions. The wind was blowing slightly, maybe a few miles per hour. My plan was to follow the fence line some 200 yards to a sandy wash then veer to the left and follow an adjacent wash to a low ridge just to the north of my selected hide. A straight line route from the Jeep to my hide showed 4/10th's of a mile on my topo program, but with my meandering and in order to stay hidden from any eyes; I had to cover well over ½ a mile. I would stay in a general southeasterly direction, trying to end up about 500 yards east of the fence line. Past experience had taught me that coyotes sometimes treat a fence line as a territorial marker; I opted to stay well away from it, hoping any responsive coyote would not "hang-up" at the fence.

After nearly 30 minutes of quiet walking, I neared the slight rise just at the edge of the big draw. If my aerial photos were right, I could slip over a slight ridge and quickly drop into a depression that led to the edge of the main drainage. I stayed low and quickly slipped over the top. As planned, the depression was there and I silently slipped down into the area where I could set my trap. I found a small bush just left of center on a slight curve in the northern edge of the draw. Setting the Firestorm in the bushes shadow, I turned and looked for a sizable bush that would provide a shady back-drop to break up my outline. I wanted to be to the right of the scent-cone emanating from the calling machine, this placement would be crucial. Any coyote approaching from directly downwind of the machine would only scent the machine and never cross my scent-cone or trail. I located my chaparral bush some 30 yards up a slight slope and walked directly to in. I brushed away any stones and thorns in a setting area, snapped off a few twigs in order to have the best visibility and nestled in, and went to work prepping for an ambush.









Using local vegetation to break up and disguise a hunter's outline can cause one to disappear. But look at that shine coming from the brim and top of my hat. Any movement of the head, would cause a predator to react. Shade is a crucial element.

I took a few of the twigs I'd snapped off and brushed then across my camouflaged clothing, then placed a few around my hide to help break up my outline. The chaparral bush emits a pungent scent that is common in the desert; this I hoped, would help mask my scent. I personally feel that you cannot fool a coyote's nose; you may confuse it for a moment, or in this case, try to smell like the desert, but you will not confuse or hide from that nose for very long. Maybe long enough to get a clear shot and I hoped that's all I would need.

Using camouflaged clothing is simple but effective. Rather than wear a complete set of one particular brand or another, I use tan or brown (earth-tone) colors on the bottom, a Mossy Oak Brush or Natural Gear type pattern works well. Then, use a greener type pattern for the shirt, allowing a hunter to blend in with any brush. Cover your face with a mask. Cover your hands with gloves. Use your cap or hat to cover your head and shade your face, providing shade over your glasses if you use them. Then put a few sprigs of native brush on or around yourself, allowing you to disappear.

Movement is one of your worst enemies when pursuing predators. Coyotes, cats and fox all have keen eyes for movement, thus able to find prey. Any movement on your part, will more than likely be detected. Before starting any calling, allow yourself a moment to relax, get your breathing back to a more normal rate after your long stalk, and focus. Take a moment to check the wind. Early morning breezes can shift and swirl. A light breeze is better than no breeze, because it will blow your scent in a predictable direction, that way it is easy to plan for and take appropriate measures. No wind constitutes a scent plume, or area around you that contains scent. A hunter has no way of knowing to any degree where that scent is. No way of knowing when or where that coyote will hit that wall of odor and turn tail to flee. Now is a good time to take a good look at your set-up area, taking mental notes of anything that may look like a hung-up predator later in your set. Remember, movement is your enemy, so picking up those binoculars to check that bush you think may be a cat later in your set-up, could blow your cover.

I was in it for the long haul. I knew that an old dog lived in this area. It was just a matter of getting into his yard and not getting busted. I started my set with a Jackrabbit Distress, but instead of the normal soft volume start, I cranked up my volume to well over half, before ever un-muting the Firestorm. At the push of a button I sent a loud cry deep into the thickets and deep draws. I sat motionless, eyes scanning, my head ever so slowly turning to check the areas outside my peripheral vision, but nothing else moving. Twelve minutes, nothing moving. No coyote. I changed the sound from the Foxpro to a pup distress and started soft and low on the volume. Another eight minutes with no takers.

Experienced predator callers learn what to look for when scouting areas. Some areas just look too good not to hold predators, and the more a hunter pursues predators, the better you get at judging these areas. Look for water, food and cover. Water is easy to find with today's maps and imagery. A scouting trip to most areas will reveal if food is available, rat and mouse trails, cattle, rabbits and hares, all can be observed by a good look around. Cover can be a little trickier. Predators like being away from humans at all costs. If there is a road or building near, look farther away. Look for anything that can provide a shady retreat, far away from anything. A deep draw with thick cover and a shady leeward hillside, protected from the wind is ideal, and this place was simply too good, it had to hold coyotes.

Most predator callers pull out after that mythical 15 minute mark, but as predator hunting gets more and more popular, it can pay off to stay at it, and a place like this called for at least one hour of calling, maybe more. I switched again, changing to a submissive female howl, but only a few, maybe two full series of howls, and then I went silent.

I sat still and scanned for the coyote I knew had to be there for over ten minutes. Still nothing, but I had that feeling that something was near; I just couldn't pick it out. A few Morning Doves blew through from the west; I slowly turned my head slightly to scan the area more closely, but seen nothing. After another eight minutes I resumed calling, but elected to put some urgency into it by using an adult coyote attacking a puppy sequence.

The sequence starts with a puppy and cottontail rabbit, then after eight minutes an adult coyote comes in with sounds of attack, growling and snarling, the puppy going silent while the adult is noisy with snarls, then puppy distress comes in while the adult is silent, then I threw in a circling raven to add comfort and realism. The whole sequence is quite realistic and I have had more than one hunter have the hairs on his neck stand up when the adult sounds burst into the sequence. I was hoping to play on the instinct of a coyote to protect the young, or just come to check out a fight, even if it wasn't quite denning season yet.

After the sequence had played from the Foxpro for over ten minutes and the coyote attacking the puppy was in full swing, I caught movement from behind and right. An adult coyote burst from cover at 25 feet, the hairs on his back stood erect as he skidded to a stop and stared at the area of the noise. I was a stone, in plain view; just a look to his left and he could see me. I froze and waited, looking for an opportunity to get my gun up for a shot. It would take him but a few steps toward the Foxpro to place a small clump of Chaparral between us, which would be that opportunity. Almost as I formulated this plan, the dog stepped behind the brush, and at that moment I raised my TC 204. He continued toward the machine, exited the brush, then halted, wide open and in the clear. My firing pin struck the go button, instantly bucking the little 204 against my shoulder and the coyote went down.









Here, you see a good example of the perfect use of shade, camouflage, and vegetation. But don't disregard the wind! And be sure to limit movement to a minimum.

Just over 40 minutes into the set-up, I had my coyote. He had come from behind and right, not from the draw I had suspected, but possibly circling to avoid danger. By walking farther, correct placement of the machine to draw the coyote to a predetermined spot to keep that coyote from catching my scent and using camouflage to disappear, I was able to bring him in to 25 feet without ever seeing, smelling, or hearing any danger. The perfect deception? It's not magic; any predator hunter can make themselves disappear.


----------



## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Well done JT as usual, lots of tips throughout, read it a few times and you'll find more. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## jimmy shutt (Jun 2, 2013)

great read JT, thanks for the post this is something to read over and over, the pics show how you have mastered the art of deception!!


----------



## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

As always JT, great info. Persistence and deception brought the calf killer to your lap.


----------



## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I'm with hassell. Read it twice. 
Thanks JT.


----------



## dwtrees (Mar 5, 2012)

Good write up - Don't read it twice - Read at least three or four times. Get something new every time.


----------



## JTKillough (May 4, 2010)

Thanks guys. It was a fun hunt and an easy write. Very exciting and one of my best call ins. Hats off to that old boy (Mr. Coyote). When I first started writing, I was really into Pat McManus of Outdoor Life fame. I know this is a predator hunting forum, but I would like to give up one of my first. A comedic fishing story, for you all, maybe a bit closer to Christmas. Hey, there are predatory fish, right? Do you think that would be okay?


----------



## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

Great write up JT..............looking forward the the fish story. McManus was always the first article (story) I read when I got my hands on an OL in years past.


----------



## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

An enjoyable, informative read. I'm rethinking some things I'm doing that ,makes me think I've erred on the shadows and absolute militaristic discipline of no movement.


----------

