Calling in coyotes

[Hawkeye29]

I’ve killed a handful of coyotes after 30-45 minutes. I think unless you know right where they den or live it’s worth sticking around for a little longer. I’m no pro but I’ve had them on the decoy in less than 5 minutes and come in slow after 30.

ETA: I’m also hunting dense timber in western wa, could have an impact on the timing piece.

 

[hibernation]

Get the wind in your favor, I start 4 mins rabbit, 4 mins bird, 4-5 mins pup distress/fights. I’m in big open country and crank it up. If nothing in that time I move to the next. When I get around 15 mins probability says I have a better chance at moving and starting over. Most coyotes I kill are 4-8 min mark.

Drive 1-2 miles and Repeat process all night!

Does that 4-8 min response change for daytime hunting, do you think they're faster to come in at night?

 

[Wiscohunter1234]

You sound like you're in the same boat as me. I daytime hunted coyotes for the first time last year. This year bought a good thermal and had my first sit last night. Still working out what calls to use. When I'm reading about it a lot of people seem to like coyote vocalization first. I'm going to be trying a lone howl at a lower volume and some raccoon distress instead of rabbit. See what happens. Good luck.

I’m going to try the same thing tonight, change it up a bit, good luck brother!

 

[SteepNdeep]

Does that 4-8 min response change for daytime hunting, do you think they're faster to come in at night?

I’d say on average day time coyotes are in sight or killed before 8-12 mins in my own experience. Although I’ll go a little longer in the day around 20 min mark. Yes I feel coyotes commit to the call better at night

I should mention I hunt in places there’s 100’s of miles of blm and public in every direction that look the same. For me the more stands I make through the night = more dead coyote’s more often than not. So the run and gun night routine might not work for everyone especially if you only have a handful of properties and access issues. Then waiting longer may benefit you more.

Saying all this means nothing, coyotes will do coyote stuff. That’s why it’s so fun, this just works for me!

 

[Telford29]

The Hornady podcast had a good episode a couple days ago on coyote hunting. Episode 214, Coyotes beware.

 

[Arkyvarminter]

I usually start out with rabbit distress and end up with pup fights....Pup fights will bring them running but I usually use it last in case there is a cat around to call in...

 

[Fatboy]

I keep it short. I am working on better approach and not being lazy

 

[River Reaper]

If you killed one out of a group of 3 this morning on a pack locator followed by a female howl/bark (about 6 mins calling, shot after about 1 minute silence), and planned to hunt the same spot the next morning, would your strategy be similar, or completely change it up to some sort of dying pray call and avoid coyote sounds?

Learning a lot from this thread. Thanks!

 

[Hawkeye29]

Here is a little recap from a successful set yesterday:

BLUF: be flexible with calling strategy and be patient if you know there are coyotes in the area.

It was the 2nd set of the day and very cold for western Washington, about 28 degrees. I set up on the edge of a clearing I hadn’t called before and started with “Adult Cottontail” from the Foxpro. With possible bobcats in the area I chose not to lead with howls. After about 45minutes of calling with no luck I turned on the “Coyote Location” howls on full volume. Nothing.. I waited 5 more minutes and then a small pack lit up with howls on the other side of the clearing (I’d guess 6-800yds). Since the rabbit didn’t do anything for them earlier I put the pup distress on and sat for another 10 minutes. Sure enough two coyotes snuck in through the fog and started circling and 70yds (in no hurry at all). I quickly turned down the call and put a baby rabbit sound on. After 2-3 more minutes an OLD male came into shotgun range. I was hoping the female would also show since her pelt looked much better.

 

[trippcave]

I gave up on electronics and carry three different mouth calls. A howler, baby cottontail, and baby jack work for me. Stands last about 30 min in open country, shorter in brush and on windy days. I’ve started to pay close attention to the approach to a stand to avoid exposure and it has paid off. They know what the trucks bring and won’t move far if they see them.

Any recommendations on specific mouth call brands? Do you have any moving decoy setup while calling? I want to start calling them in but not ready to drop some change on something like a FoxPro electronic call.

 

[riversidejeep]

Any recommendations on specific mouth call brands? Do you have any moving decoy setup while calling? I want to start calling them in but not ready to drop some change on something like a FoxPro electronic call.

Circe, get a cottontail and a jack . I prefer the separate calls over the 3 in 1. I found that a extra pack of voices are helpful in the long run.

 

[Skerhunter]

If you killed one out of a group of 3 this morning on a pack locator followed by a female howl/bark (about 6 mins calling, shot after about 1 minute silence), and planned to hunt the same spot the next morning, would your strategy be similar, or completely change it up to some sort of dying pray call and avoid coyote sounds?

Learning a lot from this thread. Thanks!

Safe play is to give that exact spot some time (where the caller was). If you can move to the another part of the property I wouldn’t change anything and go right back in - try vocals then distress then pup distress.

 

[Junepapa]

The more pressure in your area, the longer I may sit. Sometimes they hold up and will come in after to check out the area. It's hard to wait in the quiet but it can work

 

[Eradicator]

The first coyote I ever killed came charging in at the 43 minute mark. First spotted him at a tick over a half mile. He never broke stride right up to the point he literally bit the bullet at 40yds.
It was a smaller property. I always to this day run 45 minute sets if I have limited space. If lots of land at my disposal I'll run 20 minute sets. All daytime hunting

 

[A_Brandt]

Locating coyotes prior beforehand is the biggest key. Gather info on them beforehand the night or 2 prior and get them to sound back for confirmation of any in the area. Seems very cliche but 100% the biggest tip for calling coyotes. Has to be coyotes in ur area/range to be able to call any in

 

[Canis Latrans]

Switch sounds if you have had a bunch of times where they were responding and went quiet. They likely circled downwind and now know you impersonate animals with those sounds.

 

[TheGDog]

Any recommendations on specific mouth call brands? Do you have any moving decoy setup while calling? I want to start calling them in but not ready to drop some change on something like a FoxPro electronic call.

IF... the area is high-pressure, ya just might want to consider NOT using a motion-decoy.

If they're educated at all... seems like they either turn and book-it the hell outta there as they were running on up... OR... they'll hang back where they feel safer and bark at it, effectively blowing that spot out.


EDIT: RE mouth call brands.
NONE.. of my Dan Thompson closed Reed calls can you EVER "blow too-hard into them" and cause the reeds to "lock-up" once you pass some pressure threshold.

Some other brands, (Primos 3rd Degree comes to mind) though they work fine and sound great, you CAN "blow too hard" into them and cause the reeds to lock-up under excessive pressure. Which I have to imagine would key-in a coyote to the fact that something's amiss.

In General?... you are NOT supposed to need to breath into the dang things all kindsa hard.

Let the tool do the job of being loud for you. (For example that's why Dan Thompson has models that are specifically for longer range calling, so the TOOL is doing the work, not You!) You should be doing more "cheek-breathing", rather than "diaphragm-breathing" when it comes blowing into the call. Doing a whole bunch of the latter... will make you winded/dizzy in nothin' flat.

EDIT: P.S.S. - ALWAYS bring at least a couple hand calls with you... just in case during the drive out there somehow somethign in your pack caused your eCaller or it's remote to get powered-on. Thus causing you to show up to the field with a dead eCaller. And with the drives costing in the neighborhood of $100+ each time for me, you quickly realize why having the hand calls with you as well is very important.

ALSO of Note? For Sh!ts and Giggles, if you're ever Upland hunting... and ya end up getting a long shotgun shot on a JackRabbit... and maybe it immobilizes him, but doesn't take him out initially? If you EVER luck-out to have this happen? LISTEN!!! Imprint HIS distress sounds into your brain! PAY ATTENTION to ALL the little nuances about how he sounded while he was wailing in pain before you got close enough for the coup de grace.

 

[TheGDog]

Here is a little recap from a successful set yesterday:

BLUF: be flexible with calling strategy and be patient if you know there are coyotes in the area.

It was the 2nd set of the day and very cold for western Washington, about 28 degrees. I set up on the edge of a clearing I hadn’t called before and started with “Adult Cottontail” from the Foxpro. With possible bobcats in the area I chose not to lead with howls. After about 45minutes of calling with no luck I turned on the “Coyote Location” howls on full volume. Nothing.. I waited 5 more minutes and then a small pack lit up with howls on the other side of the clearing (I’d guess 6-800yds). Since the rabbit didn’t do anything for them earlier I put the pup distress on and sat for another 10 minutes. Sure enough two coyotes snuck in through the fog and started circling and 70yds (in no hurry at all). I quickly turned down the call and put a baby rabbit sound on. After 2-3 more minutes an OLD male came into shotgun range. I was hoping the female would also show since her pelt looked much better.

Oh yeah... them teefies tell the story! He's got some mileage on him.