Now before the dogpile begins, let me say I have nothing against thermal hunting or for that matter any new technology. As a matter of fact, I do not even own a thermal scope, however I have spent plenty of time in west Texas sitting in a high rack behind a white light. So I have a pretty good idea how night hunting works.
For 55 years I have hunted and trapped coyotes in 11 states. No elk. No deer. No antelope. Just predators. It is safe to say I have observed many changes over those years. It all started with hand calls because that was all that was available. The Burnham Brothers were my heroes. Then there were record players , but I never owned one of those. Then to cassette players and Johnny Stewart was kind enough to put one minute of silence in front so you push play and still have time enough to hustle back to you hidey hole. Then to crude electronic callers that you could remotely change sounds and volume. Now we have ecallers that revolve 360 degrees with an attached decoy if you are into that decoy thing. The latest is the Freq ultrasonic caller which produces frequencies that no other ecaller can duplicate. I do not know anyone I can trust to give an accurate evaluation of that caller.
I welcome new technology, but it comes with a price. That price is pressured/conditioned coyotes. With thermal costs coming down, anyone willing to knock the dust of his checkbook can purchase an ecaller and thermal scope. All that's left is just start pushing buttons. Nowadays, coyotes are pursued 24/7 and everyday of the year. That equates to lots and lots of pressure, but coyotes are very good at adapting to pressure. That is what I am seeing now with fewer hard chargers and having to deal with coyotes that just don't want to come in the daylight. In a few years the coyotes will realize they no longer own the night and will adapt to that situation as well.
For 55 years I have hunted and trapped coyotes in 11 states. No elk. No deer. No antelope. Just predators. It is safe to say I have observed many changes over those years. It all started with hand calls because that was all that was available. The Burnham Brothers were my heroes. Then there were record players , but I never owned one of those. Then to cassette players and Johnny Stewart was kind enough to put one minute of silence in front so you push play and still have time enough to hustle back to you hidey hole. Then to crude electronic callers that you could remotely change sounds and volume. Now we have ecallers that revolve 360 degrees with an attached decoy if you are into that decoy thing. The latest is the Freq ultrasonic caller which produces frequencies that no other ecaller can duplicate. I do not know anyone I can trust to give an accurate evaluation of that caller.
I welcome new technology, but it comes with a price. That price is pressured/conditioned coyotes. With thermal costs coming down, anyone willing to knock the dust of his checkbook can purchase an ecaller and thermal scope. All that's left is just start pushing buttons. Nowadays, coyotes are pursued 24/7 and everyday of the year. That equates to lots and lots of pressure, but coyotes are very good at adapting to pressure. That is what I am seeing now with fewer hard chargers and having to deal with coyotes that just don't want to come in the daylight. In a few years the coyotes will realize they no longer own the night and will adapt to that situation as well.
