# PVCI September Novice Hunt



## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

Hey guys, here is my writeup on the first PVCI hunt of the season, hope you enjoy!

Well the season starter is here for PVCI and we always kick it off with a novice hunt to encourage the expert hunters to take someone new out and get them involved. We had Mike Reiner start coming to the club a couple months prior and he also attended the boot camp this past August. He came to the club due to seeing us post about it on our Predator Beguiled Facebook page we run. I called him up well ahead of this hunt and asked if he would be interested in coming along to see what Tim and I do on these hunts. I let him know it would be long hard days and he was excited to see what the competitive side of the club was all about! 
We met up at Tim's house the afternoon before the hunt kicked off and we made our way up to the hunt area. It was a nice way to ease into the hunt considering we had about a 3.5-hour drive to get to the area. We camped out on cots under the incredibly bright stars and enjoyed a campfire until we went to sleep. The Elk were bugling in the distance and it was a perfect 48 degrees that night. While sleeping that night we had a Bull Elk messing with us the entire time. He would get within 100-200 yards of camp and then let out 2-4 screaming bugles which woke us up each time. He continued this most of the night about every hour. That is the only time I have not enjoyed Elk bugling around camp!
After the restless night of Elk bugles, we woke up to a heavy dew on our gear, but the weather was looking great for the morning hunt. We made our way to an area where the Coyotes were howling when we went to bed and made our first stand. It was the first of many blank stands that day (16 to be exact). In fact, we didn't see a predator until about 1:30pm that day! After many blank stands and switching areas twice we decided to get back on the maps and re-think the afternoon hunt area. We picked a spot that was off the mountain and more in a transitional area. These areas have produced the best for us in the past. 
The first stand in this new area would be in a cut nestled between 3 stock tanks, surely there would be a predator taking advantage of this hunting ground. It was my turn to call and I setup Mike downwind of the call at the start of the small meadow about 60 yards back. Tim would watch the backside of the stand and I was situated over the caller. I started off with Crow Fight and then bled into Cottontail distress which played for just a few minutes. A Coyote came blowing past Mike just 25 yards out or so and was tearing its way through the meadow towards the sound of dying rabbit! He touched off a round from his AR-Pistol topped with a red dot sight but missed. On his third shot he got a piece of the Coyote which spun her to her right. I was just getting clear of a tree to get a shot with my shotgun when this happened, and I let a round of Varmint X BB load fly which connected with her head which ended her escape. We had our first kill of the trip which took off the pressure for the rest of the hunt a bit.
After another blank stand we were now at the base of the transition area and decided to call an area within ¼ mile of another water tank. We worked uphill just enough to be away from the road a bit and then setup. We were on a ridge with cuts up both sides that lead into the bluff above. Mike was watching the right side, Tim was centered watching the call and right of the call, and I was watching the far-left area which was downwind at the time. After more Crow sounds leading into rabbit distress it only took a couple minutes once again. I caught movement to may extreme left and saw a streak of a Coyote coming into view. I immediately knew it was an issue as the wind was blowing right where he was headed. The Coyote hit our scent cone and spun 90 degrees to its left as I swung up on it. Just before it made the safety of the brush line, I let a round fly again from the 12 gauge and anchored the Coyote with a head shot. This was a large male and he knew the game well.
The rest of that day we called but saw no more predators. We found a great flat area to camp and while the guys setup their cots I started cooking Elk Tenderloin, fried Flathead Catfish, and Fried Striped Bass. Mike has never had any of that game and Tim hasn't tried either fish. Everyone enjoyed the meal and were beat from the 13-hour day of calling. It was too windy anyway to have a campfire so we all just hit the bed. No Elk bothered us that night and we all got great sleep! 5:15am came early and the wind was supposed to pick up bad on Sunday, so we got camp packed up quick and made our way to the thickets for shotgun setups. 
Tim was up for calling and after driving a bit we walked further in on foot until we found a spot that was just open enough to call and had some ravines feeding into the stand location. Tim placed the call between Mike and himself and I watched the far left and downwind area. As the area settled Tim began the call. As the call was playing a rabbit distress sound a Grey Fox popped up from the ravine to my slight right and was staring toward the caller and Tim. He was just 20 yards out and usually an easy shot for me except for the fact that it was to my right. As I pulled up the Fox looked my way, but my shotgun caught on my ghillie suit and I had a hard time lining up the shot. I rushed it a bit figuring that at any moment that Fox was going to turn and burn. As I let my BB load fly the Fox reared up on its hind legs clearly hit by the pellets but then gained footing and took off! I took another running shot and missed clean. I had a terrible feeling I didn't get a good enough hit to recover the animal but after we ended the stand Tim found the Fox just 20 yards away. A single BB had hit it in the center of the chest and was a perfect heart shot. Talk about a lucky BB!!!
We did a few more blank stands with swirling winds and then decided that it was time to try to find a less windy area on the way back to Phoenix. When the trees are swaying it is time to call it! We relocated twice that day but never did call up any more predators. We ended up getting first place in this hunt thanks to the double points we got by taking out a novice hunter. It was a really fun hunt and we were happy to have Mike along as he did very well listening to suggestions we had and putting them into practice immediately. He will make a fine predator hunter if he puts in his time finding great areas to call.

- Mark






























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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*Congrats on your hunt, Win and kills--------Enjoyed your post and pic's Thanks for taking your time to share--------- svb*


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Glad to see someone is out there. ????????


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

I bet your hunting partners are strongly considering those Winchester Varmint X shotshells now that you've paved the way. No doubt that the rifles can do things the scatterguns can't and vice versa. Good to have all the bases covered.

Looks like you are still using open sights on your shotgun. Have you considered and optic such as an Aimpoint or EOTech?

I have an EOTech mounted on my smoothbore and I believe it's made me a better shot (not that you need any particular improvement in technique, though). My pal, Bullwinkle has a Bushnell red dot sight and sometimes in bright light the red dot gets lost, whereas, the models mentioned above can overcome the sunshine. They are also good in low light with the 1-MOA dot, whereas less expensive units reflect the red light back at the shooter making it impossible to see.

In any event, you've become a solid mentor for these hunters with little or no experience. And, for that you are to be commended!


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## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

glenway said:


> I bet your hunting partners are strongly considering those Winchester Varmint X shotshells now that you've paved the way. No doubt that the rifles can do things the scatterguns can't and vice versa. Good to have all the bases covered.
> 
> Looks like you are still using open sights on your shotgun. Have you considered and optic such as an Aimpoint or EOTech?
> 
> ...


Thank you Glen, I enjoy shortening the learning curve for those interested in predator hunting!

As far as the Winchester Varmint X goes, Tim has switched over to them. Nathan's gun patterns 4 buck better so he still uses the Federal Premium Copper Plated 4 Buck.

Funny you bring up the shotgun optics. I just installed the Nikon PTactical Reflex on my Mossberg 500 and absolutely love it! The brightest setting is just bright enough for mid day stands and the field of view is awesome!









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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

There ya go. I like the dot on birds, too.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Way to go Mark, I'll have to agree with Glen that you are to be commended for all the time you put in teaching others your particular set of skills. Congrats on another fine hunt !


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## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

Thank you Don.

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