Coyote Hunting/Calling Noob - What am I doing wrong?

[NDJRL]

New to the forum, welcoming any and all tips/advice.

I’m an experienced outdoorsman, except when it comes to coyotes.

I hunt mainly in the SE quadrant of North Dakota.

Struggling with no success on my coyote stands.

I’ve watched countless hours of YouTube how to coyote hunting videos, cover lots of acres scouting, talked to successful local hunters, hunted many different types of stands everything from cattail sloughs, tree patches, open rolling hills, you name it. All in areas where I know there are coyotes (hear them howling at night and talked with farmers). Have hiked miles from any roads, tried all sorts of different calls, different times of day, and different times of year. I always pick which place I’m going to hunt based on the wind, I’m mindful of wind changes on my hike into the stand, and am always as quite as possible (usually coyote hunt solo for less noise/scent).

I’ve kicked coyotes out of the same areas I hunt deer and pheasants, see them once in awhile, know where a few dens are, but can never get a coyote to come into a call - even the yearlings.

I’ve used hand calls for 20 or so stands, and have since switched to a fox pro shockwave and tried many different calls and sequences on probably 15 stands. Also have stayed at stands for up to an hour and a half.

In the winter I’ve been successful by flushing coyotes out of tree patches and shooting them on the run, but would like to find my groove calling them in.. just feels more sporting.

My next option I’d be willing to try is night hunting either with thermal or a light setup in hopes that their guard is down at night. But thought I’d try here to look for any daytime calling recommendations from you guys.

I appreciate any input and will try anything.

Thanks!

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I lost count on coyotes I've killed, but it's somewhere around 5,000. Believe it or not, the vast majority have been killed between 2 and 4 PM (food for thought).

Over calling and playing out the same areas is a huge issue. I've killed more coyotes spot and stalk or run and gun on the ATV than calling them in. Way more.

If you are seeing them regularly, you need to learn their physical location patterns. I wouldn't call them "predictable" by any means as they can all of sudden come in from behind you, but in general, they take the same routes in and out of denning areas.

Wind is important but not always a deal breaker, ideally it's wind at your face and sun at your back for coyotes when possible.

Their vision is incredible! Don't sit out in the open or too close to your caller. You will stick out like a sore thumb in their regular hunting areas.

Go ahead and shoot me a PM for more details.

 

[Rafter_K]

I like a cross wind with my down wind side as open as possible. You will never fool a coyotes nose. Lots of scouting and knowing at what times coyotes are moving through a particular area always helps. Good luck.

 

[William Sublette]

The coyote market finally tanked after a great run up since 2014.

Your neighborhood has been pounded hard for 7 or 8 years.


Night hunting educates more than it kills.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Dont feel alone. I've been trying to call in a cat for 3 years.
Worst part is I havent called in ANYTHING with fur.
Only crows, hawks and owls.
Maybe gonna try some new ground this year.

 

[Northpark]

Should be able to get out now. Pups are easier to call in in September and October. I really stick with hand calls because everyone else is using a fox pro. Makes it easy to change up the sound. I’ve had better luck with coyote sounds like challenge howls at certain times of year generally in the breeding season. Pup distress can work well in the summer and early fall. Right now with this years pups starting to get out on their own the standard small animal distress sounds work well. I’ve killed coyotes all hours of the day but 1-4 pm seems to be rather productive for me.

 

[Skerhunter]

What is your calling sequence like? - If you keep using the same sounds/sequence (with no success), expect the same results. If you area has a lot of other callers, you will have to find sounds that others don't use and the coyotes like.

Do your stands give them some cover slightly down wind, so they feel safe coming to you or do you expect them to run across a wide open field? Can you cover the down wind side of your stand, so you are 100% certain they are not circling you and getting your wind (calling solo can make this difficult)?

Do you have continuous land to hunt? Can you make a good stand and move 1/2-1 miles and make another good stand? Do you only have small random pieces to call and have to bounce around a lot (makes it harder)?

When are you calling? If your coyotes are content (full bellies, nice weather, calling outside of sunrise/sunset) you can call to them all you want and they generally won't respond. This can be very frustrating! Even calling at night they can be lazy. Ask the landowners when/where they see them the most.

What is happening around you on the days you go out? If you see other cars driving by, others hunters, farmers/ranchers farting around, you are lowing your odds of calling one in and it's best to find a "quiet safe stand". Coyotes get chased and shot at year round!

 

[Dan Carey]

Take a trip to your calling area at night, use the FP with a group howl every mile or so, don't spend more than a few minutes on a spot. Coyotes are not as smart as people think. They have excellent hearing and can smell as well as any dog, they survive using their instinct.

 

[Coyote conquest]

I hardly ever use prey sounds any more unless it's really cold or bad weather. Being in the east coyotes have a lot of food. I learned a long time ago to use coyote vocals.
Also see if you can get them to answer back. If they do move closer. Most won't travel far or go up steep hills.
Most also bed down in the thickest stuff they can find

Don't over call. Let out a howl sequence like long howl or sore howls and just wait for about 5 minutes then try another sound.
Also get some fight sounds. I've called in a few with MFK fight sounds.
I also always try to keep a cross wind. They usually try to get your wind and I want them to cross where I can shoot. Having some kind of boundary like a river or creek down wind helps.ypu want them to feel comfortable so a little cover for them also helps if possible
It will come to you. I called 1 in the first time I went. I remember it was in September, but it took over 2 years to get my next. Here several years later I just called in 3 2 weeks ago. It was the last time I went.
Good luck

Sent from my motorola one 5G ace using Tapatalk

 

[cjhansen29]

Following! Thanks for the great tips. I'm just getting into coyote hunting...finding lots of good advice here! Much appreciated.

 

[TheGDog]

Are you starting off with less volume? In case they just so happen to be already nearby? And then... incrementally bumping up volume in the pauses you take after each new couple minutes playing the sound?

Are you positioning the caller and the motion decoy aligned with each other in such a manner so that from the direction from which he enters the scene, he'll perceive the sound as emanating essentially from the decoy? Remember, he's very gifted at locating an object by sound!

Are you only doing prey distress stuff? Or are you trying other things like pup distress? Learn about the kinds of sounds that can be more helpful at certain times of the year. Based on what typically happening in their lives right about then.

How long do you let the sound play for? And then, how long do you leave it off before playing it again?

Most importantly where are you sitting at within the space?

Are you backed up into the shadows against a bush or tree that's behind you to breakup your outline as best you can be?

Are you employing things like 3D leafy suit and boonie hat and/or leafy facemask or mesh facemask and liner gloves so least amount of pink skin is showing sticking out like a sore thumb?

For S&G when you're out in the field, pay attention when you see another hunter who isn't covering his face or hands and notice how easy it is to see them. Also if you're not able to be in the shade, your movements stick out like crazy. Even with concealment gear on.

The 3D leafy stuff can buy you those extra milliseconds at critical times that provide you more chance to react and make it happen before he recognizes you're a person.

Are you sitting as down low to the ground as you reasonably can?

From where you're set up at right now... would he be able to see your parked vehicle, and thus know and be aware there's likelihood some hooman is around?

And are you making sure to at first look with your eyes and not by turning your head? You gotta be constantly scanning around the area you're setup looking upon. Sometimes they'll creep in and be just standing there beside some bush curiously checking out the caller or decoy some lil number of yards away. And it'll catch you off guard!

Also... are you trying to sorta hide the eCaller? Like partially stuffing it into a bush, or positioning it within a branch a bit off the ground in a bush?

If they have been called to a lot they might get pissy about the presence of a decoy and bark at it from a distance away.

 

[Dan Carey]

Google "how does a coyote's eyes work" its an eye-opener, so to speak.