Basics for Predator Hunting?

[Firefighter3158]

I've snared a few fox and seen a few yotes near me. I have what i think is a decent spot in Morris county. Wife got me a primos call for Christmas, what else is needed? I know season ends in March sometime do i need a light of somekind? Was planning on setting a call up in a snowy/icey clearing where i see yote on fox tracks. What else is needed for a first timer?

[Matty]

My friends will probably kill me for helping at all, especially because you're so close and this sport seems to have started booming this year.... but I'll give you some basics.

 

If you're night hunting, you'll need a light. You can wait for snowy, moonlit nights, but you still won't see half or more of the animals that respond.

 

Sniper Hawg Lights - excellent

Boon Dock Outdoors - Headlamp - excellent *(one of the first vendors to drop out of ESOS too)

Ultrafire 501-B - pretty darn good

 

Get good batteries. Sniper hawg batts are good, panasonic are great, cheap batts suck.

 

Decide whether or not you want gun or head mount. I prefer head. So I got this strap to put my mini hawg light in:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nitecore-HB02-Gen-2-Headband-Multi-Flashlight-Headlamp-High-Quality-Strap-System-/221166209386?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item337e88896a

 

I'm not going to give you any tips on calling. Sorry. I'd be castrated by my predator hunting buddies if I gave away that info.

 

But setup in relatively open areas where you can move the light around to scan for eyes without casting a million shadows everywhere. Shadows will scare them if they are moving.

 

So....Keep the light on at ALL times. Turning it on and off will only alert the animals. (Always use red lights too) (people say you can use others, green, white, etc, but RED is the only color that doesnt dialate their pupils and effect their nightvision enough to scare the more wary ones.)

 

They CAN'T see you behind the red light. Anything in front of the light though, like you're barrel, they can see. So don't move anything in the light. Behind the light you could dance an Irish jig.