Cat Calling

[bowhunter-tw]

Anybody been successful calling cats with distress calls? Wondering if there is a better time of day to be out calling or not? Ive found a spot with a cat in it and would like to go do a long stand there. 

[CatfishKev]

All the pics i got on cams when i was targeting cats were fairly early am just before dark and in the middle of the night. Hope that helps and good luck. I wanna get a cat bad.

[firstcoueswas80]

Called a pair in off of Ruby road a while back. Think we were using bird sounds (targeting fox and bobcats), and had only shot guns. This was before using a shotgun was legal. It was well into day light, around 8-845 I would guess.

[Edge]

Data from lions wearing radio collars confirms the obvious need for lioness's to spend much more time hunting than do males.

A lioness being tracked on her forays mainly in GMU 42, showed she was active from about an hour before sunset to about 9am. Her male counterpart in the same area slept in till roughly 9pm and retired at sunrise.

[bowhunter-tw]

Im gonna give it a try tomorrow morning I think. Probably not at first light but maybe 30min to an hour after. I want to make sure I have good visibility as the area is very thick.  Picture posted sideways but that was the track last weekend. Tried hand calling for about 10-15 min but wind was gusting up to 20mph with a steady 15mph

[bowhunter-tw]

Another question… do I bring the 243 or 308? Not sure how tough they are and also dont wanna tear it in half if I do get a shot. 

[CouesPursuit]

I would think .243 is plenty but whichever is more accurate and comfortable for you. Cat vitals aren't huge targets. And very early morning setup with calling before 9am is my $0.02 on timing.

[dzell]

I’ve been lucky enough to call in several lions all but one came in early in the morning. Distress noises have been good to me. I start out with a rodent distress or bird. Sometimes both at the same time then I work into rabbit or fawn distress calling continuously. You know that lions in the area pick a spot where you think it might go to lay up for the day and call that country. One lion that I called in came in around 2 in the afternoon. After playing bird and rodent distress for nearly an hour  I changed over to bobcat in heat and the lion came in pissed. Good luck. 

[bowhunter-tw]

44 minutes ago, dzell said:

I’ve been lucky enough to call in several lions all but one came in early in the morning. Distress noises have been good to me. I start out with a rodent distress or bird. Sometimes both at the same time then I work into rabbit or fawn distress calling continuously. You know that lions in the area pick a spot where you think it might go to lay up for the day and call that country. One lion that I called in came in around 2 in the afternoon. After playing bird and rodent distress for nearly an hour  I changed over to bobcat in heat and the lion came in pissed. Good luck. 

How long of calling sequences did you do for bird/rodent? Continuous until you switch calls or in x min bursts? Ive done plenty of coyote calling and I do short sequences 2min per call 5-6 different sounds then move.

Im planning to call for about an hour starting with bird moving to cottontail, maybe jack, then fawn, after fawn probably some cougar sounds or bobcat. 

[452b264]

I like an open reed call.. and a fawn in distress. The last one I called in was in the middle of the day and I had found fresh sign previously. I used a 223 rem bolt action it went right down.

[dzell]

Call nonstop bird rodent for 30 min then change sounds I do a very short pause maybe a minute when I change from birds to something bigger. 

[bowhunter-tw]

Im not exactly sure where it’ll be bedded during the day. Do they normally bed up high or down low? basically all I know is its in there somewhere. 

[JFP]

I have called in several, none intentional, calling for coyotes.  Have only called in two with the intent of specifically calling in a lion and willing to pass on other game.  Taken in 35a during deer season.