cjdavis618
New member
Well, now that the mornings have started to get a bit cooler, I have had the itch to get out and call. Farmers are beginning to get crops out and the coyotes are beginning to be seen on the roads more around here so I couldn't take it any longer.
Over the past few days, I have been out scouting and found some new public land that is geared more for duck hunters, but is dried out and covered in grass. I looked around this area and decided it was time to get the calls tuned up. I went out on Sunday of last week for a couple of quick stands, but the Deer bow-hunters were out in force, so I decided to hit it in the mornings before work. I watched the weather and noticed that we would have a North west and west wind on both Wednesday and Thursday of last week and it was perfect for the areas I wanted to try, so I went.
On Wednesday, I get there and started getting setup and I had a Game warden start checking the area. We talked for a few minutes and he said "Do you mind if I go with you for a couple of stands and see how you do it?" I told him I would be glad to do that, he was a younger warden and he offered to use his truck to drive us into some areas that he had seen them running the routes he patrolled. So we took off on Wednesday and made a couple of stands in places I couldn't drive through. All of the places that he took us to were not really good for calling, but we tried a couple of quick stands anyway. Never the less, he got to see what coyote hunting is about and will be able to recognize it when checking for poachers. After a couple of stands, he got a call to another WMA and we had to part ways, but he will be a good resource and friend in the future.
On Thursday, I was able to get my Nephew to go with me and he had never been hunting before at all for coyotes and hates deer hunting. Since the wind was right for 2 areas I had scouted the morning before, we decided to hit them before work. Little did I know I would be a bit late... (Sure is nice being self employed.. lol)
We first get setup way up on a hill and run a locator call through the Foxpro, Every direction, we get responses all around us. Most of them no more than a half mile away and multiple adults and pups alike. The eyes of my Nephew lit up like I had never seen. He wasn't sure whether to be scared or happy. We set on that hilltop and listened to them for about 10 minutes before they all shut up. Once they were done, we moved down to the first spot for the morning. As we get setup, we have a field with ankle high field grass in front with a huge burnt patch to the left of us that would have exposed the coyotes as they circled. To our right about 200 yards was the main road, with a rice field on the other side. About 10 minutes into calling, we here a lone howl at the road, and then a group light up across the road in the field. I believe the 1st coyote group that responded came from across the road and spotted my truck in the ditch and that was a warning howl to stay away. We never saw anything else there.
On the second spot we went, we moved up the road another mile and then spotted a pair of coyotes walking the gravel road that goes into the WMA. We pulled around the corner but they weren't spooked and just walked off the edge of the road. At this point, I throw the truck in reverse and backup out of sight and make a plan. They exited the road on the upwind side and the road was straight and went about a mile in front so we would see them if they crossed back either way. We decided to walk up just a bit beyond where we saw them and try to call them back. About 1/4 mile down the road, we found a kidney bean shaped food plot that was about an acre in size that was off of the main road about 100 yards. Since there ankle high CRP and 3-4 foot oak trees spaced out in the crp. I thought they would feel secure coming out to check out my Mojo. We set back under the treeline across the main road, with the sun at our back facing the opening to the food plot but could see all the way through it and around it. Called with a bit of Snow shoe High Pitch and they came in on a string at a dead trot. Took them about 2 minutes to close the distance to the call from wherever they were. Did a little kissing at the first coyote and we had contact. Nice older male coyote, his mate made a dash but I couldn't get on her fast enough and I will leave her for another day. After this one fell, about 10 minutes later, we got another lone howl in the area to the north of us, but it wasn't coming out. I tried for another 15 minutes to coax it out but it wasn't going to play.
My nephew was a bit surprised at how it all happens and what planning is involved, but he is hooked now and was asking about what he needs to do and wants to go anytime I'm going to learn what he can. For his first trip out, he did great and I look forward to taking him out there again.
Over the past few days, I have been out scouting and found some new public land that is geared more for duck hunters, but is dried out and covered in grass. I looked around this area and decided it was time to get the calls tuned up. I went out on Sunday of last week for a couple of quick stands, but the Deer bow-hunters were out in force, so I decided to hit it in the mornings before work. I watched the weather and noticed that we would have a North west and west wind on both Wednesday and Thursday of last week and it was perfect for the areas I wanted to try, so I went.
On Wednesday, I get there and started getting setup and I had a Game warden start checking the area. We talked for a few minutes and he said "Do you mind if I go with you for a couple of stands and see how you do it?" I told him I would be glad to do that, he was a younger warden and he offered to use his truck to drive us into some areas that he had seen them running the routes he patrolled. So we took off on Wednesday and made a couple of stands in places I couldn't drive through. All of the places that he took us to were not really good for calling, but we tried a couple of quick stands anyway. Never the less, he got to see what coyote hunting is about and will be able to recognize it when checking for poachers. After a couple of stands, he got a call to another WMA and we had to part ways, but he will be a good resource and friend in the future.
On Thursday, I was able to get my Nephew to go with me and he had never been hunting before at all for coyotes and hates deer hunting. Since the wind was right for 2 areas I had scouted the morning before, we decided to hit them before work. Little did I know I would be a bit late... (Sure is nice being self employed.. lol)
We first get setup way up on a hill and run a locator call through the Foxpro, Every direction, we get responses all around us. Most of them no more than a half mile away and multiple adults and pups alike. The eyes of my Nephew lit up like I had never seen. He wasn't sure whether to be scared or happy. We set on that hilltop and listened to them for about 10 minutes before they all shut up. Once they were done, we moved down to the first spot for the morning. As we get setup, we have a field with ankle high field grass in front with a huge burnt patch to the left of us that would have exposed the coyotes as they circled. To our right about 200 yards was the main road, with a rice field on the other side. About 10 minutes into calling, we here a lone howl at the road, and then a group light up across the road in the field. I believe the 1st coyote group that responded came from across the road and spotted my truck in the ditch and that was a warning howl to stay away. We never saw anything else there.
On the second spot we went, we moved up the road another mile and then spotted a pair of coyotes walking the gravel road that goes into the WMA. We pulled around the corner but they weren't spooked and just walked off the edge of the road. At this point, I throw the truck in reverse and backup out of sight and make a plan. They exited the road on the upwind side and the road was straight and went about a mile in front so we would see them if they crossed back either way. We decided to walk up just a bit beyond where we saw them and try to call them back. About 1/4 mile down the road, we found a kidney bean shaped food plot that was about an acre in size that was off of the main road about 100 yards. Since there ankle high CRP and 3-4 foot oak trees spaced out in the crp. I thought they would feel secure coming out to check out my Mojo. We set back under the treeline across the main road, with the sun at our back facing the opening to the food plot but could see all the way through it and around it. Called with a bit of Snow shoe High Pitch and they came in on a string at a dead trot. Took them about 2 minutes to close the distance to the call from wherever they were. Did a little kissing at the first coyote and we had contact. Nice older male coyote, his mate made a dash but I couldn't get on her fast enough and I will leave her for another day. After this one fell, about 10 minutes later, we got another lone howl in the area to the north of us, but it wasn't coming out. I tried for another 15 minutes to coax it out but it wasn't going to play.
My nephew was a bit surprised at how it all happens and what planning is involved, but he is hooked now and was asking about what he needs to do and wants to go anytime I'm going to learn what he can. For his first trip out, he did great and I look forward to taking him out there again.
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