Coyote Hunting tips

  • jig_head
    Elk Mound Wi
    Posts: 42
    #1245146

    What is the best kind of call for coyote hunting? And how do you use them and how often do you call?

    amwatson
    Holmen,WI
    Posts: 5130
    #329516

    There are as many answers to those questions as there are hunters . My personal favorite are any of the predator calls made by Primos. I usually use a howler, rabbit call, or fawn call. Almost all of my experience is calling out west (Wyoming and Colorado)and it is much different than here in the Midwest. My typical day would be to set-up on a high spot with camo that matches the surroundings. I would then position myself so I called into the wind. Start off with either the howler or the rabbit call. Start soft in case there is a critter close to you. It is hard to describe the cadence of my sequence because I just put some “feeling” into my calling and rarely do the same rythm twice. But I usually give a sequence softly for maybe 5-7 notes. Then scan with your eyes, not your body. Predators can and will pick you off in a hurry. Give it at least 5 minutes before doing another set of rabbit squels or howls. If nothing shows, call again, but this time louder.Watch another 5-10 minutes before doing another set of calls. I “normally” never sit longer than 20 minutes per location. But that isn’t necessarily the rule. If you are in a very open area, such as most of Wyoming, sit a little longer. The coyote may be quite a ways away and is still on his way to you. If you have a pretty stiff wind, call longer and louder. If you know there are coyotes in an area you can also sit little longer. I have watched coyotes come from a mile away to the call. I have also had them pop up from behind a clump of sagebrush less than 50 feet away. You just never know where they will appear. In my experience, almost all of the coyote came from the direction I was calling. Very few have circled to get downwind. They are also all different. Some will charge the call on a dead run, while others will slowly work there way to you. If you get one coming in and he suddenly sits down looking in your direction, you are busted . I have found it is much tougher to call coyotes in this area. Once that first one comes to a call, you will be hooked .

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    #329521

    Very good and interesting post Mr. Watson

    I hear them howling frequently in the Afton area..makes me worry about leaving my fur ball dogs outside alone. They look like blonde rabbits.

    amwatson
    Holmen,WI
    Posts: 5130
    #329544

    I just love calling coyotes . When I worked on a big cattle ranch in Wyoming, that was my job, exterminating coyotes. They were a real problem at calving and lambing time. The coyotes around you probably wouldn’t eat your dogs…..that would be a snack for them . Every fall I have dreams of going back west just to hunt the coyotes. But every winter I find myself still here and too busy with ice fishing .

    jeff_hansen
    Posts: 475
    #329556

    What kind of success have you had around this area? I’ve been out a few times w/ no luck, and can’t determine if I’m doing something wrong or if I just need to keep trying. I’ve got a fair amount of hunting experience upland, waterfowl, deer bow/gun… but feel a little “green” at the coyote thing… I can’t wait to see the first one come in… any tips you have for calling around this area would be appreciated

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    #329557

    Sounds like a blast! Two years ago one of my dads (so called) friends gave him some …are you ready for this? Coyote Jerky!

    He says to this day he can taste that stuff…Maybe it was made wrong..maybe my dad’s just too fussy….maybe it just tasted like…dog…not sure…never going to find out

    I’m guessing hunting would be a little easier out that way without all the cover that’s around here.

    Jeremiah Shaver
    La Crosse, WI
    Posts: 4941
    #329561

    If any of you guys need some coyotes exterminated, feel free to call upon the Slopster….I’d love to get one mounted.

    amwatson
    Holmen,WI
    Posts: 5130
    #329566

    I am going to hit the area pretty good this year. The problems I find here are:
    1. Heavy cover
    2. Readily available food sources
    3. Guys running dogs (No, I am not bashing the hound hunters )
    If you can find open areas surrounded by woods, and you know there are coyotes around (seen tracks, heard them howl, or physically see them), then you will have a chance. The way I would go about it is this. Get set up in the open area with the wind in your face. Do the same calling as above. The object is to get the coyote(s) to come out into the open. With the right setup, they will come. The key is to make sure you BLEND into the surroundings. Coyotes have extremelly good eyesight,unbeleivable noses, and their hearing is unreal. Sound does not carry as far in the woods as it does in the open out west. You will probably not want to sit in an area more than 20 minutes. But, you can also move shorter distances to make another calling location. Out west, I would move 1/2-1 mile or more before calling again. Here you could get away with more set locations in a smaller area. You will want to move at least 200-300 yards depending on terrain. The biggest thing is to have coyotes in the area. If they aren’t there, they can’t answer a call. Also, try different calls, such as the fawn call, or woodpecker, and mice squekers. Keep trying, one day it will pay off Also, wait until we get some real cold weather and a little snow also helps.

    amwatson
    Holmen,WI
    Posts: 5130
    #329573

    Jerky!!!!!!! Ah man, I think I am going to be real sick . I wouldn’t mind having one mounted, but my taxidermy bill so far this year is almost $1000 . Yeah, calling coyotes out west is pretty easy. There seems to be an endless supply of them. It does help a lot when you can see them coming from quite a ways away. Western Minnesota has a lot of the same terrain and is a little closer, might have to try that sometime.

    sean-lyons
    Waterloo, IA and Hager City Wi.
    Posts: 674
    #329597

    Any opinions on electronic callers?

    Shane Hildebrandt
    Blaine, mn
    Posts: 2921
    #329607

    hey littleB,

    I went out last year up north, we used an electronic caller and it seemed to work pretty good. he had a 50 ft cable attached to the speaker and we played the fawn, rabbit, and a few others. it was nice to be able to set the speaker up away from you so you are not easily detected. we sat out for about 5 hours, had a few answere but nothing came in. check them out, i know that the tapes are around $10 for the different calls. also pretty expensive for just the call and 25 ft of speaker cable.

    shane

    jeremy-crawford
    Cedar Rapids Area
    Posts: 1530
    #329635

    You guys make it way to hard…
    Trap a rabit, tie him up out in the open and give him a little love tap. Then sit on your tailgate and watch the show. You can sure pile em up.
    jc

    amwatson
    Holmen,WI
    Posts: 5130
    #329726

    The electronic callers have their place. I myself love to use the mouth blown calls. I have hunted with people who own e-callers and have good results. The good thing about them are they have a wide range of tapes to use. Most mouth calls are overused and the coyotes become call shy in a hurry. They are easier to use then mastering the mouth calls, just throw in a tape or CD and go.

    Art
    Posts: 439
    #332913

    Call the Horseman crew between Chatfield and Rushford. They get bewteen 50-90 a year. They work hard for them. Lot of miles on snowshoes. Best years-snow. They’ve done it long enough they sell 40 hides a year to LL BEAN. They basically do it for sport. Money they make pays for exp. and they have never made a profit. If you go with them you had better be in shape.

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