I usually tag a couple a year by calling. Not one of those calls were more than 15 minutes from start to drop. I know, every body else says hang out longer.
One of the biggest items that I found is that you have to get in there back yard. Every year up until the last couple I found myself with a called cat, but it was 300 to 500 out. Thankfully I was smart enough, weather cooperated, and I gave them 2 to 4 weeks of calling rest before hitting them again.
It's tough, one of my best cat calling experiences was a couple years back. I headed out one weekend, first call (son was just setting, still bright light on) and a cat hit the crop edge, set on his butt and just listened to me. I gave that one 3 weeks, and then called about 80 yrds from where I saw that cat sit and listen. Sure enough, it came slowly down the frozen creek, up the bank, looked at my feather on a stick about 15yrds away and I dropped it. Good thing because my gas key was leaking on my AR and it didn't pick up the second round.
What made this call really cool is that I told my ol man that I had to go call a cat at 3:30pm, by 4:30 I was in my set, and by 5:30ish, I pulled in his drive to show him. Work to calling spot is about 15 or so miles out.
I've called a couple cats that I know were there for 15 minutes or so just watching me until I noticed them. How is this, well I would or thought I would see a bit of movement, like virtually none, but couldn't make anything out. I would get restless (maybe 15 minutes or so in) and move my weak hand to adjust sticks......movement, presentation (ever so slight, bang). Damn things are ghosts in SW KS yucca terrain.
I wait until it is snow, cold for over a couple weeks, and then hit em. If not, I'm on the dogs.
