Where to Find Coyotes

Coyotes can be found in all fifty states. They can live at almost any elevation, and survive in any terrain. No matter where you live, you most likely have some coyotes living near to you! In order to hone in on where they are actually living, it pays to do a little bit of scouting. Go out to areas that seem promising and look for coyote signs such as tracks, scat, and dens. This will tell you for sure that there are some coyotes nearby, and give you a great starting point! 

How to Hunt for Coyotes

Once you have located a good area with plenty of fresh coyote signs, you are ready to start formulating a hunting strategy. There are different ways you can actually go about hunting coyotes, but by far the most popular and the most effective is using predator distress calls. These calls, whether they are hand calls or electronic, mimic the sounds of prey animals in distress. These sounds will attract hungry coyotes looking for an easy meal, and give you an opportunity to see and shoot them.

When calling for coyotes, it is important to pay close attention to the wind. A coyote’s most powerful tool is his nose, and he will use it to his advantage. Sit somewhere downwind of where you think the coyotes will approach from. You should also set up somewhere where you have clear shooting windows and lanes, that way you can have a clean shot whenever a coyote shows up.

Lastly, stay patient. After using the distress calls. Sit and wait for several minutes in silence. Watch the surrounding areas closely, as coyotes are not usually vocal when hunting and if they hear your calls, they should be! Keep your rifle or shotgun at the ready as an encounter could happen quickly! Coyotes also tend to hunt in packs, so if you see one coyote there is a great chance that there are more nearby. Even after you shoot, continue to call and look as you can sometimes harvest more than one animal when sitting and calling.

Final Thoughts

Coyotes are a lot of fun to hunt, but they can be a challenge. By doing some scouting and finding where they live, as well as setting up correctly to call them, you can start successfully hunting them in no time at all!

Want to know more about coyote hunting? Check out the articles below:
Coyotes In The Wild: How To Scout And Locate Them
Predator Hunting: Pursuing Bear, Mountain Lion, Coyote, Wolf, and Bobcat

For more great ideas on how to fish and hunt from the experts, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Hunting & Fishing Blog for more great tips & tricks.

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Get the Right Gear

Before you ever head out, it is important to get the right gear. While you can definitely grab frogs using just your hands, it is extremely difficult and will cause you to miss a lot of frogs during your time hunting. Instead, most expert frog grabbers will use a tool called a gig. This tool is essentially a spear with a special head that is used for grabbing the frogs. 

Properly spearing a frog will ensure that it does not escape and will give it a quick and painless death. Your gig is one of the most important pieces of gear, but don’t forget other things like a headlamp (as the best time to hunt is at night) and some bug repellant. 

Finding the Frogs

Like we mentioned, the best time to hunt for frogs is at night. But where do you find them? There are a few different places along the water that frogs like to hide, and this is where you should start your search! 

The Shallows

Frogs love to live and hunt in shallower water, especially waters that are 2 feet or less. Whether hunting around a river, pond, or lake, walk slowly and carefully around the edges and shine your lights in the shallows. You should be able to see the eyes of the frogs that are in the water, as well as those that are still sitting on the shore right around the water. This will give you a chance to strike when close enough! 

Weeds and Cover

Another excellent place to start searching for frogs is around thick covers such as weeds, branches, and tall grass. Frogs love these types of areas as it gives them protection and keeps them safe from other predators. It also allows them to stay hidden from their prey as they hunt. With a good gig, you can search around weeds and other cover and use it to spear frogs from their hiding spots if you have good eyes and move slowly and carefully. 

Final Thoughts

Frog grabbing straight from the water is a lot of fun, and afterward, you can be rewarded with a great meal!

For more great ideas on how to fish and hunt from the experts, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Hunting & Fishing Blog for more great tips & tricks.

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1. Rabbits

One of the most popular small game species out there, many hunters get their start by hunting for rabbits. Not only are they generally very common and easy to find, but they can be one of the easiest small games to kill which makes them great for beginners. And of course, you can even hunt them with an air gun! Rabbits are smaller critters that do not take a lot of speed or power to kill, making them perfect for air rifles.

2. Squirrels

While rabbits may be popular, squirrels are perhaps the king when it comes to the most popular small game that is pursued every year. There are many different breeds of squirrels, and they are all a blast to hunt. In addition to being an enjoyable challenge to hunt, they also taste great regardless of how you prepare them for the dinner table. Small and quick, they are a great critter to pursue with your air gun if you are looking for a challenge.

3. Birds

Birds are one of the most numerous species that most people will run across in their daily lives, but have you ever considered hunting them with an air gun? Not all bird species can be hunted this way, but many of the overpopulated species in areas such as pigeons and doves can be hunted year-round with air rifles in order to help control their populations. This gives hunters a great opportunity to practice and keep their skills up while helping keep the birds in check at the same time.

4. Coyotes

Moving up in size, coyotes are also a great critter to target with your air rifle. While they can be a challenge to hunt, they live almost everywhere and are very numerous. Because of this, most places have very liberal seasons on them, and you can hunt them at almost any time and with any weapon. This means a perfect way to break in the air gun and help manage the predator populations in your area.

5. Wild Hogs

Last but certainly not least, one of the favorite animals that people pursue with air guns is wild hogs. These things cause devasting damage to crops, fields, and food sources for other wild game, so many places allow you to hunt them with few restrictions. While you will need a higher power gear or caliber of gun to get the job done, wild hog hunting with an air rifle can be a ton of fun and help keep their populations under control!

Here are a few more articles that may help you when hunting:
How to Hunt with an Air Rifle
Small Game Hunting: Rabbit, Squirrel, and Raccoon
The Ultimate Guide to Hunting Spring Squirrels

For more great ideas on how to fish and hunt from the experts, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Hunting & Fishing Blog for more great tips & tricks.

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Where to Hunt

Depending on where you live in the US, there are different seasons and regulations for the variety of dove species that live here. Many states, however, allow liberal seasons that allow you to hunt throughout the majority of the year. This is especially true if you are targeting invasive species, which often have year-round season dates and unlimited bag limits!

Depending on the state you intend to hunt, you will still need to acquire the proper hunting licenses and hunt within the correct season dates. A little bit of homework online can show you all of these dates as well as where you can purchase your hunting license.

Finding a quality dove hunting location in your area is very simple as well. All you have to do is find where they are feeding, and you are sure to find plenty of doves. Agriculture fields are a favorite pick, such as harvested wheat or corn. Once you have a bead on where they are feeding, you can start to hunt them!

Dove Hunting Shotguns

Of course, you will need a good shotgun before you are ready to hunt for doves. While the large variety of shotguns and ammunition can be intimidating, doves don’t require anything special. Stick to popular shotguns sizes such as 12 or 20 gauge, and load them with standard birdshot ammunition. This can be shot sizes like 7, 7 ½, or 8. Doves are fairly small and don’t take a whole lot to bring down, so don’t stress about your shotgun too much!

How to Hunt Doves

The preferred method of shooting doves involves shooting birds as they fly over you (also called pass shooting). After you arrive at your hunting area, find a comfortable place to stand or sit and patiently wait for the doves to come to you. The best times of the day to hunt are right after sunrise and right before sunset. This is when the doves will be most active and feeding, giving you the opportunity to have them fly in front of or above you.

Final Thoughts

Dove hunting is a lot of fun and luckily it is extremely easy to get into, even for a complete novice. Not only is it a great way to enjoy the outdoors, but doves are some of the tastiest birds out there as well!

Want to learn more about game bird hunting? We’ve got you covered! Check out the articles below:
Game Bird Hunting: Grouse, Quail, Dove, and Pheasant
Top Tips For Hunting Snow Geese
Waterfowl Hunting: Duck, Geese, and Swan

For more great ideas on how to fish and hunt from the experts, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Hunting & Fishing Blog for more great tips & tricks.

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So how do you hunt with hawks and where is it legal? Let’s take a deeper dive into the world of falconry and how you can get your own start!

Training and Licensing

One of the most important things to consider is that you cannot just go out and expect to buy or tame a hawk without the proper training and prerequisites. In most areas, becoming a licensed falconer that can hunt with birds like hawks have to go through several years of apprenticeship and many exams before they can go off on their own.

This is due to the protected nature of the birds, as well as the fact that they are very hard to train. In fact, most veteran falconers will say that the birds are never actually tame, and simply learn to stick around for the food. Because of the difficulty and precious nature of the resource, there are a lot of different hoops to jump through if you want to hunt with a hawk of your own.

Luckily, there are different schools and training programs that can help new falconers get their start. In fact, one of the biggest requirements is to be trained by experienced falconers that have been in your shoes before!

What to Hunt with a Hawk

So if you complete all the training, pass the exams, and are legally able to hunt with a hawk, what could you hunt with it anyway? Birds of prey regardless of they are falcon, hawk, eagle, or owl, are primarily used to hunt small game such as rabbits. They can also be used to hunt other birds such as pheasants and waterfowl. The type of prey you intend to hunt largely depends on the species of bird you own, as they all have their own special abilities and shortcomings.

Final Thoughts

Hunting with hawks is no easy task, and the road ahead is full of challenges and difficulties if it is something that you truly want to accomplish. Still, if you go through the proper avenues it is a perfectly legal and fun way to connect with nature!

Check out this article for hunting with eagles and falcons:
Directions to Hunt with Eagles and Falcons

For more great ideas on how to fish and hunt from the experts, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Hunting & Fishing Blog for more great tips & tricks.

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Manchurian Vs Ringneck Pheasants

Almost every hunter is familiar with the infamous ringneck pheasant, but even veteran bird hunters would have some trouble telling apart the ringneck from some of the Manchurian pheasants. This is because the two species look almost identical! Only a few key differences set them apart, and these differences are what more and more farmers and hunters are turning to when it comes to raising and hunting them.

Manchurian pheasants are slightly larger than your average ringneck pheasant, and while almost the same exact color, they have a wider white ring and a white spot near their ear. This is one of the few ways to tell them apart. What really sets them apart from ringnecks, however, is that they are much better at surviving when released into the wild. Not only can they roost in trees to escape from predators, but they can survive even the harshest of winters when ringnecks might otherwise not.

Where to Find Manchurian Pheasants

More and more hunters, farmers, and landowners are starting to breed and release Manchurian pheasants for hunting purposes the more they learn about how hearty these birds are. So anywhere you would typically find your average ringneck pheasants (which are introduced as well) there is a good chance you can find some Manchurian pheasants that have or will be introduced in similar areas. Again, this is all up to the landowner and what they want to introduce onto their property.

How to Hunt Pheasant

Lastly, hunting Manchurian pheasants is exactly the same as hunting any other species of pheasant. They like to live in the same areas, so walking around and flushing them out is a great way to kill them. Bird dogs are also extremely effective when hunting the Manchurian strain of pheasants just as they are with other bird species.

Final Thoughts

With more and more people turning to Manchurian pheasants for their hunting, there is a good chance you may actually have some near to you! If not, they are definitely worth taking a look into if you want to hunt an amazing bird or raise some for hunting for yourself! 

Check the articles below for more tips on hunting pheasants:
Pheasant Hunting 101: Everything You Need to Know
Game Bird Hunting: Grouse, Quail, Dove, and Pheasant

For more great ideas on how to fish and hunt from the experts, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Hunting & Fishing Blog for more great tips & tricks.

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Eastern Coyotes

Eastern coyotes tend to be a lot bigger than western coyotes. Many people debate on why exactly this is, and there are many theories such as better food sources, easier living conditions, etc. They also tend to behave a little differently than their western counterparts. An example of this is when you are using distress calls to lure them into a location. Eastern coyotes are used to thicker brush and terrain and will attempt to get as close as they can to noise without being seen.

These canines will often sit at the edge of fields or trees and try to visually see the source of the sound before committing right away. Again, this often has to do with the vegetation and the terrain that they are living in which in turn affects their patterns and behaviors when they are on the hunt!

Western Coyotes

Now let’s take a look at western coyotes. While technically the same exact species, coyotes found in the western half of the country tend to be much smaller. On the other hand, they also seem to be much more numerous and capable of adapting. But often the biggest difference that hunters will notice about western coyotes is how they act and respond to calling when compared to their eastern brothers. 

Because the west has more open terrain, these predators tend to run in a lot faster and more aggressive than those in the east. This could also have to do with the added completion of more coyotes as well as other predators such as foxes, bobcats, wolves, bears, and mountain lions. This means that western coyotes tend to respond much better to distress calls. Of course, this is just a general statement and it really all depends on the terrain they are living in and the type of hunting pressure they are used to seeing.

Final Thoughts

Even though western and eastern coyotes are a part of the same species, many hunters often view them as two separate species entirely. While they may act a little different from one another, there is still no doubt that both of them are equally as fun to hunt during hunting season!

Want to know more about coyote hunting? Check out the articles below:
Coyotes In The Wild: How To Scout And Locate Them
Predator Hunting: Pursuing Bear, Mountain Lion, Coyote, Wolf, and Bobcat

For more great ideas on how to fish and hunt from the experts, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Hunting & Fishing Blog for more great tips & tricks.

The post What are the Differences Between Hunting Eastern Coyotes Vs Western Coyotes? appeared first on Bradley Smokers North America.

While temperatures can vary depending on the location, it is much easier for the dog to get hot and overheat than it is for a human. So how can you help them? Here are three ways to prevent your hunting companion from overheating!

1. Take Plenty of Breaks

While it is very easy to get caught up in the excitement of a great day of hunting, it is important to remember to take plenty of scheduled breaks throughout the day. These breaks will not only give your dog some time to rest his legs but will allow him to properly cool down before working again. You may also need a break too! Regardless of the hunting, this is also a good time to give them some water, which leads us to the next tip!

2. Water is Key

Unless you are hunting in frigid temperatures, water will be your dog’s best friend on hot and long days of hunting. Make sure that they have access to plenty of clean, cool water in order to stay hydrated and cool. If there is a nearby creek or pond, you can also let them take a quick swim in order to quickly cool them off if you find yourself hunting on a hot day. Just make sure they have plenty of good drinking water.

3. Create a Summer Conditioning Plan

By far the best way to prevent your dog from overheating is to make sure that they are in proper shape before going out to hunt. This can be done by conditioning them long before hunting season and getting their bodies used to the amount of activity. Just as running and working out allows you to walk, hike, or run longer distances without tiring as easily, the same works for your dog! Getting on a simple exercise plan can help them stay in shape throughout the remainder of the year and be ready for hunting season once it rolls around. 

Final Thoughts

Your hunting dog can easily overheat if you are not careful due to its fur. As the owner, it is your responsibility to ensure that your dog is taken care of and not overheating!

We have a few more articles about hunting dogs that can be of great help! Check them out:
Feeding the Hunting Dog: 3 Top Tips to Maximize Performance
Here Are The Unique Characteristics of a Hunting Dog
7 Tips for Training Hunting Dogs

For more great ideas on how to fish and hunt from the experts, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Hunting & Fishing Blog for more great tips & tricks.

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You should realize right away that venison must be canned in a pressure canner.

I know that a water bath approach for many hours is used in numerous extremely ancient, traditional recipes, and some people swear by it, but it is very hazardous. Botulinum spores and other pests that could be lurking in your canned venison won’t be killed by boiling water.

Presto and All American are the two main producers of pressure canners. I prefer the All American since it’s made of thick, strong aluminum, which makes me feel better about having a pressure bomb on my stovetop. Both, though, are fine.

Before I continue, I should clarify that venison refers to any red wild game meat, not simply deer meat. Antelope, elk, moose, caribou, wild sheep or goats, and all red meat exotics like nilgai and oryx fall into this category.

Pints or quarts of venison will be used to make canned venison. Use jars with a wide mouth.

Venison Canning: Cooked or Raw?

You have the option of packing your canned venison raw or heated. This is exactly what you think it is. You may either pack cold venison chunks into jars and cook them using the pressure canning procedure, or you can brown your meat first and then pack it in.

You may also cook something with your venison and then can it, which is what I do.

This is 100 percent more useful to me. On a Tuesday night, I rarely require odd hunks of shelf-stable cooked deer, but I do crave a quick spaghetti with meat sauce, chile verde, or chile colorado, all of which are excellent substitutes for canned venison.

Beginning with just meat, you’ll want more chunks of meat, a bit of salt, and not much else, for the raw pack method.

For the hot pack strategy, I would barbecue, smoke, or burn the meat to get some pleasant Maillard activity moving on, then, at that point, pack into containers, covering with handcrafted venison stock or water. You should leave 1 inch of headspace in the container, or even a bit more. Utilize a margarine blade to look around to eliminate air bubbles. 

Regardless, hose a paper towel with a tad of vinegar and wipe the edges. You don’t need them wet, yet you need no follow buildup of fat on them. That can break your seal.

Remember to hand seal your containers and spot them in the strain canner. I like the water to go up around 1/4 of the way up the sides of the containers. Seal your canner as per its bearings — mine requires a smooth of oil around the edge of the canner — vent the canner for 7 minutes or anyway long as it required, then, at that point, start the strain going. 

You will need 10 PSI up to around 1000 feet in height, 15 PSI over 1000 feet, except if you have a canner you can dial in, in which case it’s 12 PSI from 2000 to 4000 feet, with an additional PSI for every 2000 feet over that. I utilize a weighted measure canner.

It doesn’t make any difference if you have a crude pack or hot pack, you will require 75 minutes for pints, and an hour and a half for quarts. Try not to be short this time. It’s significant.

BE PATIENT

When your time has slipped by, turn the hotness off and go accomplish something different. You need the temperature and strain to decrease normally. De-pressurizing and opening the canner too early can make the containers break the seal and shower the substance all around your canner. Ask me how I know… 

Solely after the tension measure is right at the base, and the canner has rested something like 60 minutes, even 2 hours, should you open the canner. 

The inner parts will in any case be bounty hot, so set out to settle the containers on a cutting board for the time being prior to placing them in the storage room. They’ll keep over a year that way.

SMOKING THE VENISON 

Once you’ve done all the preparation for the venison, now it’s time to smoke it. Place your venison in your Bradley P-10 smoker, or in whatever smoker you have, and put your maple sausage in for 90 minutes at 250 F (121 C). This will ensure that your venison is cooked perfectly and will produce the most delicious taste. 

DO’S AND DON’TS 

It is for the most part fine to free-form fixings when straining canning venison, with the accompanying special cases. 

No dairy! Dairy items are undependable for pressure canning. Add them when you are prepared to eat the stew or sauce. 

Eggs, as well. Eggs in a stew or sauce preclude it from pressure canning. This isn’t ordinarily an issue since who places eggs in a venison stew? 

Flour thickeners, similar to a roux. That leaves out pressure canned gumbo. However, you could in principle make the entire rest of the gumbo and afterward add the roux toward the end. 

Pasta and rice, and other boring grains. Clearly, they meddle with the hotness move of your canning, and can in principle be risky. However, beans are OK. In any case, you’ll need to half cook dry beans prior to adding to the stew.

In

Interested in learning more about game meat? Start here:

How to Butcher Entire Game Meat

Preserving Big Game Meat In The Field

How to Properly Care for Wild Game Meat in the Field

CONCLUSION 

Overall, smoked canned venison is a delicious recipe that requires a lot of time and effort. When that time and effort is put in properly, your venison turns out wonderful! Make sure to be careful about how long you smoke the venison, and how many ingredients you put into it. 

For more great ideas on how to get the most out of your Bradley Smoker, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Food Smoking Blog for more tips & tricks.

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1. Havalon Piranta

Havalon is the company that started the replaceable blade movement, so it is no surprise to see their original design here on the list. The Piranta is one of the most popular replaceable blade knives out on the market, and it has proved its worth over the years. With a stainless steel handle and a frame-lock construction, it is a great knife that comes in at just under seven inches of total length. 

2. Tyto 1.1 

Combine a scalpel with a solid hunting knife and you get the Tyto 1.1 knife. With an overall length of 7 and a half inches, this knife is made right here in the US and perfects the term ‘minimalistic’. It features a comfortable and practical paracord-wrapped handle that makes it comfortable and perfect for potential emergencies with extra paracord. 

3. Outdoor Edge RazorPro

If you want a replaceable blade knife that makes it as easy as possible to swap the blades, then the Outdoor Edge RazorPro is the obvious choice. Not only are the blades thicker and bigger in order to avoid breaks like with those that use scalpel blades, but this knife makes it as easy as the push of a button in order to change out blades quickly and safely. 

4. Havalon Talon Hunt

Another offering from Havalon, the Talon Hunt knife was designed for hunters who want the most amount of versatility from their hunting knife. Not only does this knife upgrade its blade swapping system to make it easier and safer, but it comes with a variety of blades like a gut hook, fillet, and serrated blades in order to tackle any job that might come your way. 

5. Gerber Vital Pocket Folder

Gerber created their own unique design to swap blades that is as easy as lifting up a tab and pulling out the old blade. Put a new one in and you are ready to get back to cutting. It features a very comfortable rubber grip so that your hand doesn’t slide or slip, and it comes in just shy of 7 inches of overall length. 

Final Thoughts

Having a good replaceable blade knife in your pack can be invaluable on a hunt when you finally punch your tag and get an animal down. You will never have to worry about having a dull blade ever again! 

If you’re interested in learning more about hunting gear and what to bring during your next hunt, check out these articles:
3 Cheap Pieces of Gear You Need to Have in Your Backcountry Survival Pack
Top 5 Best Hunting Knives
How to Choose a Compound Bow and Set It Up

For more great ideas on how to fish and hunt from the experts, check out the awesome articles on our Bradley Smoker Hunting & Fishing Blog for more great tips & tricks.

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