My dad was in the process of dropping me off at place to hunt small game. It was a late November in Northeastern Pa and it was cold. So much so that as we drove up near my drop off point.. A large buck ran across the road.. What I remember so well is the buck was running hard. The bucks warm breath in his lungs shot out the sides of his nostrils. The buck look like a locomotive running hard with the steam running out both of it nostrils..
Later on as I got into calling I would visit this area of NEPA and call...I remember calling one cold cold cold day..I could not see any critters approaching but I did see that same vapor from an animal that came in fast to my calling... It was a dead give away that there was a critter just behind the bush even though I did not see it's body...
We are soon going to be hunting bobcat and coyotes in our colder regions of the state... Just keep this in mind when calling... Watch for that steam or vapor coming from the mouth and or the nostrils of a fast incoming animal to your calling.. You could get the jump on it if you see this winter thing that happens to all of us mammals..
Many of us will be hunting in thick cover with heavy wooded areas filled with Mountain Laurel & Scrub Oak as we try to call in a bobcat.. Just remember this dead give away that something has responded to your calling.. Now make sure you confirm it's a targeted animal...After all every mammal that lives on land will be a SMOKEN when they come in hard and fast to your calling...
