SIX FAVORITE SPRING HUNT OPPORTUNITIES

SIX FAVORITE SPRING HUNT OPPORTUNITIES

Just Hunting

Story by Tom Claycomb III

Many begrudgingly stored away their guns right around Christmas and didn’t plan on pulling them out again until the Fall seasons once again arrive. Don’t do that. There are a lot of hunting opportunities either just winding down or right around the corner.

Some hunting is right here in the Lone Star State.  Others take a little more planning and travel for things to come together.

Let’s start with some of my favorite hunts that are winding down close to home and then move to the ones that are on the horizon plus a little further away.

COYOTES

Coyote hunting is allowed year-round but most hunters quit hunting them the end of February for two reasons.  First they breed in January so the females are pregnant and second depending upon where you hunt the pelts will start slipping so they aren’t worth anything to have mounted or to sell if there is a market.

If you’re reading this article the end of February don’t despair, you still have a few weeks of good coyote hunting left. The females should be bred by now but there might still be a couple that didn’t stick so you might use some of the calls use in January.

My favorite call is a FoxPro. Of course, a dying rabbit call is always popular but don’t forget to use whatever game is in your locale. For instance, out by Marfa maybe an antelope fawn in distress, around Llano a whitetail fawn in distress and so forth. Use what they are used to.

Like with any varmint hunting, camo up. Wear a facemask and gloves since your hands make up 80 percent of your movement. Hide in brush, along a fence row and in the shadows. I carry a piece of cam burlap to lay over brush to make a quick improvised blind.

If you’re running/gunning and doing multiple set-ups why not use a lightweight pop-up blind? I just received a Nukem blind and am going to be using it this year.

Always use a decoy(s). The varmints hear a lot of racket and when they come in, they expect to see something. If they don’t, that raises a red flag. Montana Decoys is my choice because they’re lightweight and easy to carry.

Use scents/cover scents. It’s a guarantee that when a varmint comes in that they’re going to circle downwind and bust you, don’t let that happen.

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