Varmint Hunting Questions

[salvo]

I have decided that I need more days in the field hunting, so I'm going to start varmint hunting. Went to one of the free seminars at Sportsman Warehouse yesterday, it was informative.
No shortage of places to hunt around here and S. Utah. I even have my Dad talked in to it, going to run up to Utah next weekend and get him set up with some camo and calls.
Here in Nevada you don't even need a hunting licence for coyotes, badgers, raccoon, jacks and ringtail, year round, you can even spotlight at night on dirt roads. You can get two Mtn lion tags a year and bobcat requires a licence, if you plan to sell the hides, no limit as far as I can tell, bobcat furs are bringing good money these days. I'll be checking the regs for Utah too.
I have given coyote hunting a try before so I'm pretty well set on mouth calls and coaxers for them. Me and my dad might just pitch in on one of those FoxPro callers, any one have any advise as far as those electronic callers are concerned?
Not sure about a rifle though, would love to use a lever but I don't have one that is suitable, maybe my 9422Mag or Marlin 917 .17HMR. I would like something with a bit more range. I could scope my 16" Bushmaster .223 AR to get me by while I figure out the right rig. Sounds like the Ruger .204 is what most are using.
Any ideas or input would be very mush appreciated.

[jnyork]

Varminthunters.com is a great board on this subject, you can find anything you need to know there.

[salvo]

I'll check it out, thanks.

[nemhed]

I have to admit, I'm plenty jealous. Nevada has more public land than any other state (or so I've read). If I lived out there I would opt for a 22-250 for the added range it would offer over the 223. For my purposes here in Indiana, the 223 does everything I want it to for varmints. What ever you decide, have fun!

[Jaguarundi]

Nice website for info on Long range hunting and not limited to varmints-http://www.longrangehunting.com/index.php

[mescalero1]

Long before the varmit calling fancy rigs were available I made do with a cassete player and a remote speaker.
I feel the remote speaker is important, get them looking at where the sound is coming from.
I have a yellowbellied woodpecker on tape thet will bring them when nothing else will.'If you are going to call bobcat, be patient, and you and your dad face oppisite directions.
They seem to be able to come in behind you.

[salvo]

Thanks for the great links!
mescalero1 I found a site called Varmint Als, and he has some pretty simple plans using an Ipod to store the sounds. Probably save some money just building a caller, not sure if it would be as good though.

[JReed]

Check these guys out. They have plans on how to build your own caller much cheaper then buying a FoxPro. http://www.predatormastersforums.com/

[marlinman93]

I've used various calibers while varmint hunting, but we generally take several guns. I always take a handgun in either .22LR or a centerfire, and a .22LR rifle, plus my favorite the Rem 700VSF in .22-250. A few years back I added a .17HMR on a CZ452 to the varmint arsenal so it goes along too.
I'd steer clear of hunting after dark, even if it is legal. Too dangerous, and it irritates anyone within earshot to hear guns going off after dark. No reason to do that, or take a chance the wrong predator will approach in the dark.-Vall

[salvo]

You guys are keeping me busy today, lots of stuff to catch up on those sites.
Vall, I know what you mean, any time I have seen spot lighters you naturally think they are up to no good. Fortunately there are plenty of remote areas to hunt out here.

[JReed]

Thanks for the great links!
mescalero1 I found a site called Varmint Als, and he has some pretty simple plans using an Ipod to store the sounds. Probably save some money just building a caller, not sure if it would be as good though.

Great site he has alot of quality sounds that you can download for free. Plus his site is a wealth of general varmint info. I like to carry either a 22WMR or a .223 with my 20ga SxS loaded with #4 buck as backup for when they sneak up close before you see them.

[Blaine]

I'm hoping to use my recently acquired 1894 in .218 Bee for coyotes later this year.

[salvo]

JReed, all those sites are massive! A guy could read for weeks
What type of rifle is your .223?
My Dad is set, Winchester 88 .243 (See we are on topic)

[salvo]

I'm hoping to use my recently acquired 1894 in .218 Bee for coyotes later this year.

Now thats a classy coyote rig, let us know how it works out.

[JReed]

My .223 is a Stevens 200. The 22WMR I used to use was a Marlin 783 sold it to a friend who has been using it to great success on fox and coyotes it is the same as the 983 that they make now.

The 243 is a great long range coyote gun but as you get better at making stands you will find most of your shots will be shorter then 100 yards.

[stew71]

Salvo, I use a CZ527 Varmint rifle chambered in .223 when I hop the CA-NV border to go after 'yotes. It's topped with a 3-9 Leupold right now, but that will get upgraded to a 4-14 or 6-24 later this year along with a Harris bi-pod. My buddy uses a Ruger M77 in 22-250 and another friend who is a USDA trapper out of Reno uses a Ruger M77 chambered in .243.

We were north of Pyramid Lake just before Xmas on a chukar/coyote outing. Didn't jump any birds but we took a few pokes at a couple of dogs we called in just before dark. Fun all-around.

[salvo]

Stew71, I was looking at the CZ 527 Varmint, nice looking compact rifle, even the varmint barrel one was pretty light. There are quite a few nice bolt guns out there that are priced reasonable in .223 & .204 Ruger.
I figure I'll get a scope for my AR and if I get a bolt gun just swap that scope for it.
Have you or your buddies had any experience with the .204?

[waz]

I have a friend with a 204. It's a pretty impressive little calibre. Now, we don't do long range shots on small animals (200m at the absolute most). I have found that a these distances, it doesn't out-shoot a good 222 or 223.

Also, over here the factory ammo is pretty dear, so I would recommend getting some reloading gear.

[salvo]

Thanks waz, reloading is the only way I can afford to shoot
I'm thinking my little AR carbine might be just the ticket, like JReed said if you set up right shots can get pretty close. I have read that the .204 has almost no recoil making it possible to watch your shot hit through the scope.

Waz, what part of Australia is Toowoomba located?

[Modoc ED]

Here's a great link for varmint hunting. Lots of links and good info.

http://www.varmintal.com/

[major]

I hunted yotes in Utah for 3 years at night you can get a spotlight permint from the courthouse were I lived there was a $15 bounty on yotes you have to clip the ears and turn in to courthouse and they cut you a check for everyone you kill or at least that was the case in 2004 I mounted a magnet with a speaker on the cab of my truck and played a cd in the truck with spotlights out both windows and when we would see the eyes of the yote whe would turn the volume down to draw them in close and I used a 17HMR.....it is a awsome way to hunt....I don't know if there still is a bounty on yotes or not.

[salvo]

major, I'll check it out, bounty's make it more interesting. The guy that gave the seminar last weekend at Sportsman's said that is the way he hunts Bobcats, except he turns the electronic caller off and coaxes them in with a mouth call. He said after you night hunt for a while you can tell what the glowing eyes belong too, from the color, height off the ground and spacing of the eyes.

[major]

very true you have to handle each situation differant depending on the animal but it isn't hard to start knowing which animal you are viewing by their eye's,size and behavior.... it is by far one of the most enjoyable ways to hunt yotes when it is dark and they are trying to be very sneaky and you can cover a very large area some nights we would cover 200+ miles in a night.