Hunting
in the off-season
If you’re looking for something with a little more
weight on it, try hunting predators, such as coyotes,
cougars, and bobcats. Coyotes are native to most
of North America but are abundant in the north and
northwest part of the U.S. Cougars have relatively the
same geographical culture and both of these predators are very intelligent and hard to even spot. Hunting them proves to be quite a challenge, even for the
most experienced hunter. If you consider yourself to
be an expert, try hunting these animals.
Coyotes and cougars both have very keen eyesight
and hearing, so you’ll want to find a secluded nook in
the forest or field edge to position yourself in. From
there, it’s all about silence and scent. Your scent
shouldn’t be strong, otherwise they’ll catch it in the
wind a half a mile away and steer clear of you. Hunting
coyotes and cougars in the spring/summer months is
ideal, because they’ll be roaming for breeding purposes. A deer rifle will do the job nicely, and when you
finally take one of these beasts, you’ll have outsmarted the savviest of predators. Bobcats are good predators to hunt in the southern states, as they are more
popular there than coyotes and cougars. They can be
hunted the same way and without limit. You may also
use your dogs to chase these predators year round.
Looking for something new and unusual? Try
bowfishing. It is exactly what it sounds
like; fishing with a crossbow.
18 Summer 2015 Adventure Outdoors
An up-and-coming favorite, it satisfies both the hunter and
the fisherman in you. The arrows used for this sport have
fishing line attached to them. You simply aim and release
the arrow to spear the fish. Then just reel the bad boy
back in when you’ve caught him. This edgy tactic puts a
new spin on fishing and allows you to brush up on your
bow skills during fishing trips when you just wish you were
somewhere else hunting.
There is a little bit of hunter in all of us, but for those of us
who have a genuine passion for the sport embedded in
our cores, year round availability is music to our ears. So,
whether it’s shooting at squirrels or testing your abilities
against a cougar, be sure to check out the summer game
options in your area. Grab your gear and your gun because
any time is hunting time!