Curious Bear

I often get asked what it is I do that helps me to get so many predators every season, especially at the close distances I generally shoot them at. The answer is generally the same: I utilize the basics. I choose stands based on terrain and animal activity, I move as quietly as I can, and I stay still once I get to the stand. Many hunters want some kind of high-speed, low-drag answer - some kind of secret ingredient. While there are a few things that I do to ensure my success, it's the basics of predator hunting that will put fur in front of you.

The guy in the following video isn't predator calling, but it really shows how keeping still and staying quiet can bring the animals in close; in this case almost too close.

Click here to watch the video: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=134_1288992280

Predator Xtreme - Accuracy Training Article

This month in Predator Xtreme you'll find a few really good articles, including tips on calling bears and radical tactics for coyotes. You'll also find my article entitled "Get Your Hits!" It's about accuracy training and how to make sure that when predators show up to your stand that they don't leave breathing.

Not a subscriber to Predator Xtreme magazine? Subscribe here.

Recreational shooting is a lot of fun, and can be a great way to enjoy the outdoors and even blow off some steam. When you decide to train, however, you should train with a purpose - in this case it's putting more fur on the ground. Setup your "Predator Practice" with as much realism as you can and you'll not only enjoy it, but it will build shooting skills that will pay off when you need them most.

If you're interested in quality firearms training, whether for hunting or for self-defense, contact me through my training organization, Independence Firearms Training. We train primarily private individuals and groups, and we are available to travel anywhere in the United States.


And since my season has died down, here's a picture from the files of yesterday. I shot this coyote a few years ago from a standing offhand position at about 60 yards - my calling partner, Rich Higgins, hadn't even seen the coyote yet when I took the shot. Practice pays off!

Season's End

It's that time of the year again, when I hang up my predator calls for a short time and get out my baseball glove and my fishing rod. The time when I bid a temporary farewell to my furry opponents and give them a chance to replenish and regroup. I still go out and call during these next few months, though mostly for ranchers and landowners, thinning out problem animals and protecting livestock. And sometimes, just for fun, I'll call in a few predators just to say hello, to let them know I am still around and that I'll see them again real soon. Once August and September roll around, I'll be back out in force - chasing Wile E. and Mr. Bob and the Not-So-Crafty Fox.

So until then, I'll engage in other outdoor activities, but spend time remembering the exciting moments that I had on stands during this last season. Like the mystery ghost fox that looked dead or asleep through the entire stand, only to disappear suddenly at the end. Or the bobcat that got the drop on me, but was distracted by a simple leaf blowing in the wind, which allowed me to turn the tables in my favor. There's all of those days and the many, many stands where no animals showed up, but time was spent with family and friends enjoying the outdoors and the wonders of nature. And I can't forget the coyote that came back to the call after being shot at . . . . twice! And there will be more memories to be made next season, so I will spend what time I have daydreaming about those future adventures.

But fear not! Though I have been a little sparse with my blog posts lately, I will continue to keep you updated throughout the summer. Look for my upcoming posts about camo selection, getting ready for predators in the off-season, how to find new hunting areas, new calls and sounds, and more!

In the meantime, check out Independence Firearms Training - it's what has been keeping me busy and therefore away from updating my blog lately. Training during the warmer periods of the year is ideal, and the best day to prepare for the worst day is today! We are available to travel to your location, or you can come and train in beautiful northern Arizona. Contact me through email or call me (520-831-3683) for more information.

I hope that your predator hunting season was as good as mine, and if you're still out there - Happy Hunting!

Rattler Skull

I haved cleaned the skulls from a lot of different animals, but a recent request from a hunter in New Mexico brought a bit of a challenge to my door. He wanted me to clean the skull of a rattlesnake he'd just killed, so he boxed the head up and shipped it over to me. I didn't know how my beetles would take it, but as usual they didn't disappoint. Once they got the skull cleaned it basically fell into a couple of pieces, and it turns out that a rattlesnake skull is fairly fragile. Once I got it put together, though, it was really interesting to see where all of the glands and organs go. That's actually one of my favorite parts of cleaning skulls, is to learn about the anatomy of different animals.

One of these days I'll buy a better camera, but for now I got as detailed of pictures as I was able to of the rattler skull. And if you'd like to see more pictures of some of the animal skulls I have cleaned up, click here to go to an online album.

Shhhhh! Be Still.

One of my students from Coyote Clinic 2010, named Sid, has become a very excellent predator hunter. He knows how to get them in, with hand calls or an e-caller, and he knows how to seal the deal. He called me last week and told me a story that is a great example of what can happen if you stick to the basics - in this case, sitting still and being quiet.

Late in the evening, Sid stalked into a stand deep into thick brush. He placed his e-caller out in front of him, crept back to a juniper tree, and played a bird in distress sound, during which he sat perfectly still and didn't make a sound (other than what was coming out of the e-caller, of course). After about 15 minutes he decided this stand was a bust so he slowly raised up and looked around, taking care to mind what he had learned in Coyote Clinic to take your time when leaving a stand. He walked forward to retrieve the caller when movement caught his eye - he spun his head to see that a bobcat had been sitting on the other side of the juniper tree that he had been sitting under, just a few feet away! He quickly got a sight picture and fired, dropping the cat, but as he did so, two more bobcats which he hadn't seen ran off into the brush. They had been just a few yards from him.

So Sid called in three bobcats and none of them busted him while on stand - that is impressive! And because he got up slowly and was aware of his surroundings he was even able to get one of these bobcats, and you can bet that he'll be going back for the others. Stealth has a lot to do with getting to a stand, being on a stand, and then leaving a stand, and it may just be the difference between seeing three bobcats, and not seeing anything at all. Great job Sid!

There are a number of hunters who have contacted me after reading my book or attending a Coyote Clinic and told me similar stories where they were able to get the drop on animals or get animals in very close because they didn't move around a lot like "those guys in the videos." I can't even tell you how many stories I have heard (and been involved in!) that used stealth to get very close to animals - it's how I measure so many of my shots in feet instead of yards. Hunting thick brush and utilizing situational awareness can work wonders for you on a predator stand.

Here's the payoff for Sid's patience:

Kaboom! Double-check your map.

In October I had a chance to head out with another hunter named Daniel, who was home for a while from spending some time overseas. We had a pretty good day, and called in a number of predators and even gave a few a long dirt nap. Well Daniel was home again and so we headed out into the low desert of southern Arizona to try and bag some more predators.

Our first stand was an interesting struggle. I setup the FoxPro but couldn't get the remote to work. This hadn't happened before, so I moved around and danced about and finally figure out that a small dirt rise between me and the caller was preventing the signal from getting through. We laughed about it and headed back to the truck. On the way we spotted an official looking truck parked alongside the road near us, but we pulled away and we thought nothing of it. As we got to the next stand location, however, we were crossing a fence when that same truck pulled up and a uniformed officer asked us "You're not going in there, are you?" My leg was about halfway over the fence, so of course I said "Yeah, we are." "I wouldn't do that - it's an active bombing range." "What?! There's no signs up." So he says "Yeah, you gotta look on the map." Lesson learned: look at the map or you might find yourself on an active bombing range. So after a little more verbal roundabout with this officer, who was actually very friendly, we headed back up the road a few miles to the auxiliary air field, so that we could get one of these obviously necessary maps and also a permission form to hunt on the inactive parts of the range.

The air field was a real treat - it looked to be from the WWII era, it was half deserted, and was seemed to be mainly a paperwork junction. We watched a fantastic and well-made 15 minute video about hunting on the range, not touching unexploded or inert ordnance, and leaving the land better than you found it (and at the end I had a sudden strong urge to join the Air Force). Then we filled out the paperwork, got our permission slips and much-required map, and we were on our way. On the very next stand, as we setup and began to call, we got to listen to F-16s dropping live ordnance on the now very active range. Yikes! Turns out the government does not have to put signs up everywhere, and GoogleMaps sure doesn't warn you about it either!

On our way out of there, we found exactly what the video warned us about - though I think this is a flare of some kind:

Things were getting a little windy by now, and we still hadn't seen any fur. We did get to watch some pretty awesome low flybys by F-16s and what appeared to be a game of tag by a couple of pilots. Heading down the road we also got to watch some A-10s on the other side of the highway, though they later flew right over one of our stands in a group of four jets. Yeah, that'll drown out your calls, by the way.

We were really enjoying the air show and the beautiful landscape, though we still hadn't run across any predators. Sign was pretty scarce as well (we had our own theories on that) so we decided to head a little farther south, out of the range of F-16s and A-10s. We eventually ended up in some pretty excellent looking bobcat country, and even found two recent quail kill sites, presumably by bobcats, so hopes were high. Those hopes didn't pan out so well for us, though, so we headed on down the road again. After forcing Daniel's truck down a road that I think was made for quads, we came into some fantastic rolling hills covered in creosote and saguaro, but we still produced no animals on stand. One thing there was no shortage of was trash, though, especially in washes and hideout-type areas. Lots and lots of trash - this is a major frustration point for me. And we came upon this little site as well - an interesting structure in the middle of nowhere.

We hadn't run into too many people, but we also weren't running into much predator sign, either, and we sure as heck weren't seeing any predators. We had tried everything - e-caller, handcalls, up high, down low, spread out, back-to-back . . . . nothing seemed to work. But we had good conversation and interesting sites to see, so we pressed on.

Finally we ended up at the base of some very rocky hills. We were thick in the desert brush but had an excellent view of the surrounding landscape. Still, no predators showed themselves. The sun soon sank below the horizon, so we resorted to spending the remaining minutes of daylight killing water bottles and discussing the finer points of caliber effectiveness on plastic. As we headed back towards civilization, and a long drive home, we ran into an AZGFD Warden who was a little more excited about carrying his rifle than I would have liked to see. But after a check to make sure that we were law-abiding citizens, he bid us farewell and we all went our seperate ways. This was actually the first time in my entire life that I have ever been asked for my hunting license.

Though we went home without any fur, Daniel is a fun guy to hunt with, and that can really make up for the lack of action on stand. Finding a good hunting partner who is enjoyable to be around even when the stands are dry is an important part of predator hunting.

Thanks for the adventure, Daniel, be safe overseas, and we'll get 'em next time!

Update: Beetle Cleaning Article at PX Magazine Online

If you want to read my beetle cleaning article (and the Feb issue of Predator Xtreme) you can do so by clicking here.

And while you're there, go ahead and subscribe to Predator Xtreme - it's a great magazine filled with useful information.

A Great Group of Hunters at Coyote Clinic

Some had already sat through a few predator stands, some had even already put fur on the ground, and others had not yet headed to the field in search of Wile E. and Mr. Bob. But experience level didn't matter when the Coyote Clinic started up Friday evening - we were all there for the same reason: to learn how to get more predators in front of us!

Coyote Clinic was a great success, and there was a great group of hunters and outdoorsmen that attended. I especially enjoy seeing the kids, since they are the future of our shooting sports. Friday evening was the classroom portion of Coyote Clinic, which covered the basics of predator hunting such as scouting, equipment selection, hunting laws, and animal behavior. And there were some great giveaways, as well! We didn't get any pictures of the class portion, but it was a great four hour prep to Saturday, which is when the real fun began.

A short hike to demonstrate proper stand selection, calling demonstrations and calling sequence explanations, accuracy training and snap shooting practice, and a skinning demo were just a few of the events that took place during the Field Day. And what a beautiful sunny day to learn about predator hunting!

Thank you to all of those who attended and helped to make this Coyote Clinic successful and enjoyable. And a special thanks to our sponsors and vendors: Edge by Expedite, Kettle Creek Calls, and Kannah Creek Calls.

Another Coyote Clinic is being planned for March and will probably be held in the Tucson area, so if you missed this one then hopefully I'll see you there!

Here's some of the positive feedback I received:

"Thanks for presenting a great class. In my work, I attend a lot of workshops, meetings, and seminars and would have to say that your clinic was among the best I have attended whether in a professional or recreational setting." - Cy A.

"Wow, exceeded my expectations. Kept the newbies & experienced engaged." - Bob S.

"Glen definitely knows his stuff - he presents very well and covers all bases clearly without repeating himself. I left armed with a lot of new knowledge and better direction on how to increase my success in the field." - Steve D.

Some pictures of the event are below, and if you would like to see the entire photo album then click here. If you are interested in hosting a Coyote Clinic in your area, please email me at rizzoisready@gmail.com.


Proper stand selection is key to getting more fur in front of your gun.


A short little hike to discover and discuss different types of stands and terrain.
(lots of hands in pockets - was it that cold?)


A little bit of the calling demonstration


Ladders are a rarely used but fantastic tool of the predator hunter


Get your hits! Shooting practice is important for those who want to bring home the fur.


Skinning a fox


Coyote Clinic's first father/daughter team - what a great hunting duo!


Predator hunters who are ready for anything!

Predator Xtreme - Skull Cleaning Article

If you are a subscriber to Predator Xtreme magazine, then check out this month's issue for a short article about skull cleaning with beetles, written by me. And if you're not a subscriber, then you need to be! Subscribe here.

And if you want to get started in skull and bone cleaning with dermestid beetles, then there is no better way to get started than to contact Tim Hovey at Dermestid Inc. His colonies are well-priced and well-maintained, and Tim is an encyclopedia of beetle knowledge.

Happy Hunting!

Happy New Year - make it adventurous!

It was -2 degrees at my house in Arizona on New Year's Eve. It was record breaking cold, I heard on the radio. We had 6 inches of snow on the ground but I was warm and toasty inside the house. There was food and drinks on the table, in the oven, on the counter, and in the cupboards - none of it more than just a few steps away. There was my family and lots of friends, and we had a great time.

You know who wasn't invited, though? Mr. Coyote. Turns out he slept under a bush somewhere with a grumbling stomach. The next morning he woke up and went to work trying to secure food in anyway possible. What he really wanted was a fresh rabbit or a little wounded bird, something easy to catch and nice and warm. Maybe he got it, and maybe he didn't, but my point here is that if you were there to entice him with the sounds of wounded prey, then perhaps you'd be adding another pelt to the pile. This time of year is a perfect time to get out and hunt those predators. Make sure to dress to fit the weather conditions and bring preparations for a worst-case scenario, but don't use cold weather as an excuse to sit at home. Remember - you can't kill coyotes from the couch!

Have a Happy New Year, get out and find as much adventure as possible, and may God bless you and your family with health, joy, and success.

Now get out there and put some fur on the ground!