# February 2018 Club Hunt



## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

This would be our 4th club hunt Tim and I have been able to do as a team this year. Every February PVCI does extra points for H.A.M. weapons and we were looking to take full advantage of that! As we looked around the state at the forecast we concluded 1 thing, no matter the spot wind would be a big factor on this hunt. Another variable was that we would be hunting an area that neither of us have been to in the past as well. A little risky but we'd rather do that than over call one of our honey holes. So at dark thirty we headed out in hopes of finding good ground and seeing some action.

After finding our turn off into the desert we parked about 400 yards South of what we were pretty sure was a dry stock tank. No rain at all in this area but we know the predators still use the thickets as a hideout. We walked about 100 yards in off the dirt road and setup. Tim setup right in the edge of a small wash bottom and I was watching his backside from the height of the ladder. He began calling softly and after only 2 or 3 sequences I heard him lip squeaking. I very slowly turned to see what he was coaxing in but I came up with nothing. As the report of his muzzleloader sounded Tim very casually started calling again. No confirmation to me tyhat he was successful or not on the shot. After a few more minutes went by he called off the stand and quietly said, "Bobcat." I totally thought he was pulling my leg since he said it so nonchalantly. Sure enough though as we walked out about 80-90 yards there he was laying on the ground!

After having people drive through our next 2 stands we decided enough was enough and hiked a bit deeper from the roads. We were setup looking at a mountain pass where a big wash gouged right through the middle. There were Coyote and Bobcat tracks all around us on the way in so we were expecting to see action, and the Coyote didn't disappoint. We setup on the same bush as I was only armed with my new Ruger Single-Six in 17hmr and Tim backed me up with his muzzleloader. After 10-12 minutes and 3 different hand calls used Tim heard something walking in behind us on his side of the bush. I had heard nothing as I was still in the call. As Tim turned to look the Coyote was staring at him from 10 yards away. The Coyote made the first move and started trotting away at a 45° angle from us. We both stood up and Tim waited for him to stop but the Coyote had other plans. Tim let the round fly and just missed(he couldn't hold up that heavy gun any longer!). At that moment I started barking rapidly and the Coyote paused out at 75 yards behind a thin creosote. I lined up the sight on that little revolver and squeezed the smooth trigger slowly. As the 20 grain round met the mark on my target the Coyote limped off into the brush. We took chase immediately but couldn't find blood or figure out which Coyote print belonged to our potentially fatally wounded critter. We grid searched the area he ran into quickly but couldn't locate the Coyote.

The rest of the first day we battled the wind and it won for the most part. Around 2:30 we found a giant bowl shaped area that was on the backside of the mountains to guard it from the wind so we decided to hike into it and call. After 20 minutes of hiking we made it to our destination and it looked good. Tim setup in front of me and I was 30 yards away watching the downwind and his back. There was one little bush in my view but I figured he could see that so I didn't worry too much. I think at this point we both were wind blown and a bit lethargic, just going through the motions until the wind dies down and gets our hopes up. He began calling and kept calling for at least 20 minutes. I heard the ending call of the stand and sent it back to him as the all clear. We both stood up and that's when we realized we made a mistake on setup. A Bobcat jumped up and ran straight away from Tim back into the nearby wash! That cat made it into 15 yards without either of us seeing movement!

At first light the next day we made our way close to a known water source. It was a hilly area and we setup overlooking multiple draws. Tim once again sported his 50 cal muzzleloader and I had brought the AR-15. He would watch downwind for me. I began calling ever so softly on a high pitched cottontail call. After just a few sequences I heard 2 sets of footprints coming from a draw directly behind me so I just sat and waited. As I kept watching left a Coyote slowly came over my ridge 10 feet away and looked over. Without a clue that I was there he started working the ridge while walking away. As he went behind brush I moved my rifle into position and began lip squeaking. I kept lip squeaking for a couple minutes as he wouldn't show himself. Meanwhile Tim thinks I'm lip squeaking in order to get him to see something that I wanted him to take with the muzzleloader so he starts picking apart the landscape. In doing so he spots 2 different Coyotes walking in on a ridge straight towards him. My lip squeaks brought a very large Male right to his toes and he let him eat a 250 grain pill at 30 yards. By the time the smoke cleared his second Coyote was long gone. I also watched a 5th Coyote run out from the bottom of a draw as he shot. Little did we know that we were surrounded on that stand!

Even though it was a grind with the wind one day and extreme heat and lack of any breeze the second day we had a great time. We ended up taking second place in the friendly tournament and were extremely happy with that!

- Mark












































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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice write up Mark ! Congrats to you and Tim for another great showing !


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Congrats. on the hunt, thanks for sharing.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Great work considering the environment and the "tools" you had chosen.

I guess that secret-signal lip squeaking can have more than one purpose. Do you have plans to alter the sound somewhat for different scenarios?

Apparently, you got the pistol on target now. Very bold in any event.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Congrats Mark and Tim!

Well you guys should be pretty good at skinning bobcats...how about the rest? are you fleshing and stretching yet. You can't mount them all ????.

Congratulations again...


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## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

glenway said:


> Great work considering the environment and the "tools" you had chosen.
> 
> I guess that secret-signal lip squeaking can have more than one purpose. Do you have plans to alter the sound somewhat for different scenarios?
> 
> Apparently, you got the pistol on target now. Very bold in any event.


Glen,

Thank you, we knew we would probably lose shot opportunities using the muzzleloader but it was a fun challenge!

Yeah we might have to start using certain sounds to each other for events like this. In any case it is certainly easy to see how you should've done a stand in a new area....after its all over and the mistake was made.

I'm still running the pistol with my shims under the front sight for now. Seems to be shooting right on at 75 yards, although my max range for a Coyote with a handgun 17hmr should probably be more like 40 yards. Higher chance of recovery at that range for sure.

- Mark

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## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

azpredatorhunter said:


> Congrats Mark and Tim!
> 
> Well you guys should be pretty good at skinning bobcats...how about the rest? are you fleshing and stretching yet. You can't mount them all .
> 
> Congratulations again...


Thanks Eric!

Haha, yeah our freezers have filled up with furs this season and we still need to learn the fleshing and stretching process of this hobby. I know it would sure help pay for the gas if we could get these cats sold....maybe even a nice gift for the wife on occation to make up for being gone. 

- Mark

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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Stop putting big holes in them and you'll have enough gas money for next year ????.

And this stuff ???? ???? ???? ????


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## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

azpredatorhunter said:


> Stop putting big holes in them and you'll have enough gas money for next year .
> 
> And this stuff


Yeah........50 caliber isn't my recommendation for Bobcat hunting. 

- Mark

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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

* CONGRATS GUYS---WTG*

*SVB*


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