Post by gritguy on Apr 28, 2009 19:11:02 GMT -7
Like all trapping and hunting tools used for harvesting animals, there are a myriad of ways to use them all.
Not much different with squeakers, cept for one thing, you have to remember the unit is an attractor for primarily hungery animals.
However they can also be very useful as a curiosity attractor as well depending on the sounds and placement of them.
I'll try to just genralize use for now, and those with questions for specific animals I'll try to help as best I can for you. Just leave your commments or questions here and we will go from there.
First I would like to say it is very important that one know something about their target when using squeakers, meaning not just it walks on four legs. It's important to know how an animal reacts to sounds in distress, what motivates them and how most will react and move to the sound.
All of these and some other minor details will help one in placing the units to the best use and greatest appeal for bringing in animals. The animals will react, there is no doubt about it, some react differently but they all react to distress and natural sounds from squeakers.
Canines, specificly coyotes and red fox, these two cautious dogs use their ears for locating sounds and as soon as they find where the general area it's coming from is, they no longer use them, but switch to eye sight, exception would be of course hearing the units at night.
They will respond just as one would calling them in the fields with rifles and shotguns, they know no different. Some on a run some not so, but we are never there to see this, so we must look for sign of them moving about to gauge effectiveness of the units. Tracks and trails left are the biggest giveaways and are oout away from the units.
If one knows how these two respond, they should realize that they will hold up at certain distances trying to wind the suspect to ease their cautious nature. Meaning when units are placed in the wild for calling these two, one should expect to be setting thier traps out about 30 to 45 yds away from the units.
These two have hard time committing directly to something they cannot smell in distress. This is why they hold up, and make circles around the units. If you have sets out in this perimeter your more likely to catch them here than setting right at the unit.
Set on trails, snare trail entries just as one would with out the units, the units will keep them moving until they investigate your trap sets. Rest is up to your knowledge of setting.
They will make circles around the units until frustrated and mark the area, returning agian and agian to the sound. Learning it.
Which brings us to a little known helpful hint about using the units with these two cagey fellers. Removing the unit from the area and then setting where it was, will almost certainly give one another chance at a catch. As the dogs now move in tight to find where the sound was, knowing it was here some where.
Keep the units up off the ground out of sight and securely tied to something as other animals will move off with them as well.
The greatest advantage to using squeakers where legal for harvesting animals is that they call all kinds of animals and one should be gang setting every time they set up a unit. You may catch your target, however you may just as well catch another different target as well.
Use the predominat prey as your call sound or a sound close to it as possible. Change ups should be used if you have competition in your area or some are heavily calling dogs.
Remember animals are a lot like most everything else there are always exceptions to every rule of thought, and we are the only ones who ever pay attention to the rules.
Greys, Raccoons, will come to the units very easily and quite quickly as well, raccoons being so social usually show up with more than just one, great reason for gang setting, Greys like to really bust in on them and will try to move them as well. Always tie them down securely. Bird sounds and rabbits for the greys, and really obnoxius raucous sounds for coons will generaly produce expected results. Keep the units hid, up off the ground.
Agian knowing about your target benifits you in setting the unit.
I'm not a fan of using the units low to the ground, simply being you want the sounds to move as far as possible, being close to the ground is a very large muffle for them. Even for badgers I want the unit up. Simply because I'm indiscriminate in harvesting fur, I want what comes by.
I've also never worried about predominat wind direction when using the callers, just as I don't worry about it when out calling coyotes either, they come from where ever, and when your not out with your sets theres no worry about your leaving fresh scent for them to wind you with. So set them up and forget about the wind direction.
Cats, boy what can one say about cats, just as soon as you lay an example down, there will be some one to challenge that it's not workable.
Squeakers were designed for cats primarily when first brought out. There was no worry or need for use with other animals. Cats were and still are the main focus of use of squeakers.
If you want more cats in your harvest you should incorperate squeakers in your tool arsenal, when something holds a cat up and you can't tag him. Go to a squeaker unit, better yet just use one to begin with and not bother about waiting long check times for catching them.
Place the squeakers with int 5 yds of your sets, about 3 to 5 feet high, hidden, maybe in cubbies, or in the trees or ledges, you have to make them search for it. If they find it sitting out where they like to look your going to ahve a harder time bringing them in to investigate your sets. Always remember you want the cats moving, just as with other targets, more they move the apt they are to get caught.
I've witnessed many times where cats will cut off a trial hundreds of yards away and even on another ridge line to come to a squeaker set up. Units are very effective at bringing cats to your areas where sets are.
Set your regular sets, funnels, trails, covered, uncovered what ever, though make the cat work thru your set to reach the unit. They will sometimes hang up a long time listening and looking, but sooner or later they will move. Curiousity is a true killer of cats. You must use this for your benifit.
I'll not try to dictate what sets will work or what won't. There are some that are more successful than others, but what works depends on the habitat your working with. So leaving a suggestion about one set may or could preclude leaving a whole lot of other ideas out. I'll leave this up to you to be clever enough to do.
Lions, tie to a tree, use a rabbit, bird or lion whistle(custom units)
set up camera or make sure you have a visible entry when checking sets, be careful, carry protection. Lions are top dogs when it comes to hunting. they have no fears and are big enough, bold enough to move right in on the units, don't really matter how you set up traps or snares they will move around the units for quite a while until satisfied, or find the unit.
I don't have much background in gators, otters, pine martins, fishers, though my customers have bought units for almost every known predator there is, and are having success with using them for these applications.
Skunks are usually caught as well, though I think mainly as a wandering critter still.
Badgers will come in quite readily to bird sounds and chirps and squeaks if in the area, remember they are roamers and generally don't stay in an area to long, hwoever if they are close enough to hear a unit they will respond one. Again your sets should be developed for coyotes here and badgers will usually be around for you to pick up.
Wolf, bear, wolverine, lynx I personaly have not caught, however I do have some testimonials about people using them. Not a great deal due to the nature of the weather where these live. Exceptions would be the bear, blacks mostly. They have no averisons to comeing right in on a rabbit or a fawn bleat(custom units)
Raptors, most are protected and they will respond as well, sold many units to photographers wishing nature shots with an inexpensive call and a light weight one as well. Should set the unit up where they can actually see the unit, notice this is different than for mammal predators. You want the birds to react to the unit for picture taking. Of course you could hide the unit, but your going to get more fly bys than lites for pictures.
This is pretty much it in a nut shell, I welcome questions ideas and your comments, experiences, postives as well as negatives, I'm sure I can help those with some need for use as well as helping those not fully positive about the worth of the units.
I'll end by saying the units are not for everyone, some simply feel them to much tech for the art of trapping. I feel if your legal in using them and want a stronger edge for harvest than by all means add them to your trapping and hunting arsenal. They will benifit your harvest ratio.
Not much different with squeakers, cept for one thing, you have to remember the unit is an attractor for primarily hungery animals.
However they can also be very useful as a curiosity attractor as well depending on the sounds and placement of them.
I'll try to just genralize use for now, and those with questions for specific animals I'll try to help as best I can for you. Just leave your commments or questions here and we will go from there.
First I would like to say it is very important that one know something about their target when using squeakers, meaning not just it walks on four legs. It's important to know how an animal reacts to sounds in distress, what motivates them and how most will react and move to the sound.
All of these and some other minor details will help one in placing the units to the best use and greatest appeal for bringing in animals. The animals will react, there is no doubt about it, some react differently but they all react to distress and natural sounds from squeakers.
Canines, specificly coyotes and red fox, these two cautious dogs use their ears for locating sounds and as soon as they find where the general area it's coming from is, they no longer use them, but switch to eye sight, exception would be of course hearing the units at night.
They will respond just as one would calling them in the fields with rifles and shotguns, they know no different. Some on a run some not so, but we are never there to see this, so we must look for sign of them moving about to gauge effectiveness of the units. Tracks and trails left are the biggest giveaways and are oout away from the units.
If one knows how these two respond, they should realize that they will hold up at certain distances trying to wind the suspect to ease their cautious nature. Meaning when units are placed in the wild for calling these two, one should expect to be setting thier traps out about 30 to 45 yds away from the units.
These two have hard time committing directly to something they cannot smell in distress. This is why they hold up, and make circles around the units. If you have sets out in this perimeter your more likely to catch them here than setting right at the unit.
Set on trails, snare trail entries just as one would with out the units, the units will keep them moving until they investigate your trap sets. Rest is up to your knowledge of setting.
They will make circles around the units until frustrated and mark the area, returning agian and agian to the sound. Learning it.
Which brings us to a little known helpful hint about using the units with these two cagey fellers. Removing the unit from the area and then setting where it was, will almost certainly give one another chance at a catch. As the dogs now move in tight to find where the sound was, knowing it was here some where.
Keep the units up off the ground out of sight and securely tied to something as other animals will move off with them as well.
The greatest advantage to using squeakers where legal for harvesting animals is that they call all kinds of animals and one should be gang setting every time they set up a unit. You may catch your target, however you may just as well catch another different target as well.
Use the predominat prey as your call sound or a sound close to it as possible. Change ups should be used if you have competition in your area or some are heavily calling dogs.
Remember animals are a lot like most everything else there are always exceptions to every rule of thought, and we are the only ones who ever pay attention to the rules.
Greys, Raccoons, will come to the units very easily and quite quickly as well, raccoons being so social usually show up with more than just one, great reason for gang setting, Greys like to really bust in on them and will try to move them as well. Always tie them down securely. Bird sounds and rabbits for the greys, and really obnoxius raucous sounds for coons will generaly produce expected results. Keep the units hid, up off the ground.
Agian knowing about your target benifits you in setting the unit.
I'm not a fan of using the units low to the ground, simply being you want the sounds to move as far as possible, being close to the ground is a very large muffle for them. Even for badgers I want the unit up. Simply because I'm indiscriminate in harvesting fur, I want what comes by.
I've also never worried about predominat wind direction when using the callers, just as I don't worry about it when out calling coyotes either, they come from where ever, and when your not out with your sets theres no worry about your leaving fresh scent for them to wind you with. So set them up and forget about the wind direction.
Cats, boy what can one say about cats, just as soon as you lay an example down, there will be some one to challenge that it's not workable.
Squeakers were designed for cats primarily when first brought out. There was no worry or need for use with other animals. Cats were and still are the main focus of use of squeakers.
If you want more cats in your harvest you should incorperate squeakers in your tool arsenal, when something holds a cat up and you can't tag him. Go to a squeaker unit, better yet just use one to begin with and not bother about waiting long check times for catching them.
Place the squeakers with int 5 yds of your sets, about 3 to 5 feet high, hidden, maybe in cubbies, or in the trees or ledges, you have to make them search for it. If they find it sitting out where they like to look your going to ahve a harder time bringing them in to investigate your sets. Always remember you want the cats moving, just as with other targets, more they move the apt they are to get caught.
I've witnessed many times where cats will cut off a trial hundreds of yards away and even on another ridge line to come to a squeaker set up. Units are very effective at bringing cats to your areas where sets are.
Set your regular sets, funnels, trails, covered, uncovered what ever, though make the cat work thru your set to reach the unit. They will sometimes hang up a long time listening and looking, but sooner or later they will move. Curiousity is a true killer of cats. You must use this for your benifit.
I'll not try to dictate what sets will work or what won't. There are some that are more successful than others, but what works depends on the habitat your working with. So leaving a suggestion about one set may or could preclude leaving a whole lot of other ideas out. I'll leave this up to you to be clever enough to do.
Lions, tie to a tree, use a rabbit, bird or lion whistle(custom units)
set up camera or make sure you have a visible entry when checking sets, be careful, carry protection. Lions are top dogs when it comes to hunting. they have no fears and are big enough, bold enough to move right in on the units, don't really matter how you set up traps or snares they will move around the units for quite a while until satisfied, or find the unit.
I don't have much background in gators, otters, pine martins, fishers, though my customers have bought units for almost every known predator there is, and are having success with using them for these applications.
Skunks are usually caught as well, though I think mainly as a wandering critter still.
Badgers will come in quite readily to bird sounds and chirps and squeaks if in the area, remember they are roamers and generally don't stay in an area to long, hwoever if they are close enough to hear a unit they will respond one. Again your sets should be developed for coyotes here and badgers will usually be around for you to pick up.
Wolf, bear, wolverine, lynx I personaly have not caught, however I do have some testimonials about people using them. Not a great deal due to the nature of the weather where these live. Exceptions would be the bear, blacks mostly. They have no averisons to comeing right in on a rabbit or a fawn bleat(custom units)
Raptors, most are protected and they will respond as well, sold many units to photographers wishing nature shots with an inexpensive call and a light weight one as well. Should set the unit up where they can actually see the unit, notice this is different than for mammal predators. You want the birds to react to the unit for picture taking. Of course you could hide the unit, but your going to get more fly bys than lites for pictures.
This is pretty much it in a nut shell, I welcome questions ideas and your comments, experiences, postives as well as negatives, I'm sure I can help those with some need for use as well as helping those not fully positive about the worth of the units.
I'll end by saying the units are not for everyone, some simply feel them to much tech for the art of trapping. I feel if your legal in using them and want a stronger edge for harvest than by all means add them to your trapping and hunting arsenal. They will benifit your harvest ratio.
