Calling has finally begun

Today was my first day of calling coyotes this season. It was an awesome day When I started the day it was 14 degrees and mostly sunny. Wind was light and the ground has a good 6-8 inches of snow on the farm I hunted today. This farm is 5 miles long with a road running right through the middle of it. It seems the wind blows from 2 directions this time of year, east or west. So I can usually only call from one side of the road or the other. Today put me on the river bottom side which I like the most anyway I started the day out on a hillside overlooking a flood plain off the Black River. Sitting up this high gives me a good view of a large area. This was also my chance to try out the electronic call. I started this stand with the squeling woodpecker call. The only response I got here was from a redtailed hawk But, it was sure peaceful to look out over the river bottom in total silence again. This is one of my favorite places to go to just unwind.
The next stand was overlooking two small cornfields with a small strip of trees dividing them up. At the end of the cornfields it drops off into the bottoms and I have seen tons of tracks in this field. This stand was aslo a bust, in fact all stands were unproductive today. For this stand I chose the coyote pup in distress tape. This is a great sounding tape and I am confident it will bring in a coyote sooner or later
My next stand was also overlooking a large cornfield way away from the road. On this stand I used my hand calls. I love using the handcalls more than anything. I started off with a yip and a long lonesome howl. I then waited and went to the cottontail call and played the bunny blues. I stayed on this stand for a good 30 minutes with no action
My final stand took me way back to the bottoms in a pretty thick valley. This area is always filled with various tracks, anything from deer to coon. I went with the e-caller here playing a gray fox fighting tape. This stand produced a bunch of crows Even though today didn’t produce any coyotes I still had a great time out there. There is nothing like spending time in the woods matching predator against a predator. Coyotes will make you earn every shot opportunity you get. I like the challenge of it all. I have a few pics of todays outing I will add. It gives an idea on the country I am hunting as well as some of my equipment

Here is a pic of my first stand area and my favorite place on the farm. You can see how far out the flood plane goes. I killed a decent buck here as well as caught my rats trapping right below. It is an awesome place and view

Here is a pic of my first stand area and my favorite place on the farm. You can see how far out the flood plane goes. I killed a decent buck here as well as caught my rats trapping right below. It is an awesome place and view

This pic is of some of my equipment. I don’t carry all this to every stand. It depends on if I am using hand calls or the e-caller. I do however always carry 1 hand call when I use the e-caller just in case I am using a Model 10 Savage rifle chambered in 22-250 with a Simmons 3x9x40. Not the most expensive rifle on the market, but suits me fine. I also carry a seat pad with me to keep from freezing my rear

This pic is of some of my equipment. I don’t carry all this to every stand. It depends on if I am using hand calls or the e-caller. I do however always carry 1 hand call when I use the e-caller just in case I am using a Model 10 Savage rifle chambered in 22-250 with a Simmons 3x9x40. Not the most expensive rifle on the market, but suits me fine. I also carry a seat pad with me to keep from freezing my rear

Here are a few of my hand calls. The ones pictured are my personal favorites. From left to right are a Knight&Hale Howler, Primos Raspy Coaxer/mose squeker, Promos Still Cottontail, and a Primos Deer Bleat.
With my hand calls, I sometimes start with a howl but most times I just use a distress sound. I have called in quite a few coyotes with just the howler, so they are effective. I am a big fan of Primos calls as they have been good calls for me over the years.

Here are a few of my hand calls. The ones pictured are my personal favorites. From left to right are a Knight&Hale Howler, Primos Raspy Coaxer/mose squeker, Promos Still Cottontail, and a Primos Deer Bleat.
With my hand calls, I sometimes start with a howl but most times I just use a distress sound. I have called in quite a few coyotes with just the howler, so they are effective. I am a big fan of Primos calls as they have been good calls for me over the years.

The last pic is where I made my last stand of the day. This area is loaded with tracks but notice how thick the woods are. This is tough calling in this area, but I really think I can get a grey fox out of here.

The last pic is where I made my last stand of the day. This area is loaded with tracks but notice how thick the woods are. This is tough calling in this area, but I really think I can get a grey fox out of here.

Good stuff Wats!

Good stuff Wats!

My season will start soon. Tomorrow I will finish putting a model 70 .223WSSM together for a buddy, then we are going to the range to sight in his rifle and check the zero on my rig. Then I am ready to go. No lack of coyotes around and fur prices are decent. Got on a new place just recently, went out there and shot some quail as I scouted it. Lots of coyote tracks and I found 4 fox dens. Will not shoot the fox though, never do unless they are sick. I like high pitched sounds just as you seen to.

My season will start soon. Tomorrow I will finish putting a model 70 .223WSSM together for a buddy, then we are going to the range to sight in his rifle and check the zero on my rig. Then I am ready to go. No lack of coyotes around and fur prices are decent. Got on a new place just recently, went out there and shot some quail as I scouted it. Lots of coyote tracks and I found 4 fox dens. Will not shoot the fox though, never do unless they are sick. I like high pitched sounds just as you seen to.

Great post Wats. What a great way to spend the day

Great post Wats. What a great way to spend the day

Great post mike man i miss that place.

Great post mike man i miss that place.

Yeah, it is an awesome farm to hunt and trap on One of these days I should buy an Iowa license and come down there and shoot some

Yeah, it is an awesome farm to hunt and trap on One of these days I should buy an Iowa license and come down there and shoot some

Any time you want to come down is fine with me we always have room.

Any time you want to come down is fine with me we always have room.

Wats theres alot of coyotes down here around Cedar Rapids where i live. When fishing at night down on the Coralville reserviour you can hear them yelp and holler all night long, i’ll bet there’d be some good shooting down there. Tony i used to bowhunt a farm up by you that Les Fink owned right outside lansing. His land adjoined the mississippi and his place was over run with coyotes. He said there used to be more deer there but the coyotes were taking the fawns and he had to watch his young cattle and keep them penned when small.

Wats theres alot of coyotes down here around Cedar Rapids where i live. When fishing at night down on the Coralville reserviour you can hear them yelp and holler all night long, i’ll bet there’d be some good shooting down there. Tony i used to bowhunt a farm up by you that Les Fink owned right outside lansing. His land adjoined the mississippi and his place was over run with coyotes. He said there used to be more deer there but the coyotes were taking the fawns and he had to watch his young cattle and keep them penned when small.