Need some more advice please

coyote_220

New member
I have been camping the last couple of weeks and I tried some calling. I even got a response using my hand call ( felt like a big accomplishment to me). However here is my problem The first evening at the first stand I let out a howl and it sounded to me that 3 or 4 coyotes responded they let out howls a couple of times and then everything went dead I don't beleive that they even tried to come in maybe I missed them. All I used was a howl should I have used a distress of some sort? The next evening I made a different stand I used a howl and got no response waited for a few then used a woodpecker distress with no results I tried another howl and got a reply but yet again the coyote howled a few times and never came in. I waited about 20 min. is that long enough? The next time I tried a night job and the first stand I hit the howl on a coyote started barking and coming in three barks no howl. He never howled only barked is this maybe a young coyote? I spoted him at around 200 yards but however the only gun I had was a 12ga. so no coyote yet. How long should I wait before calling those spots again? The area that I am hunting isn't very big so I only have 4 stand possible for the area. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Shawn
 
Shawn - When you ask the question "how long should I wait" some would answer that you should wait another 2 - 3 months. Until the fur is more or less ready and the pups are deffinately on there own.
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I am not going there with this though.

When howling to the coyote you should first listen to real coyotes talking to one another. At sunset they will raise hell for about 1 minute, the next group will raise hell for another minute and this will spread around the area for a while then STOP. The coyotes have talked themselves out and will not respond for quite some time after that. On your first stand it appears that this is what happened. Doesn't mean that they weren't out there and it doesn't mean that they were not responding. A distress sound may have loosened them up some and they may have come on in, then again maybe not. The second day the coyote probably had you. The third night it sounds like you were dealing with a territorial struggle to me. Remember the adults are still very protective of the pups and you got one of the adults going. Probably the male. You got him pissed and he came until he hit his teritory limit and stopped. You had him comming but you weren't where he wanted to go. Later when things loosen up a but for the adults you may have had him come all the way ready to fight. Generally it sounds like you had a good time playing with these coyotes and what more can anybody ask.

Michael
 
Ahh, coyote hunting, ain't it great? Without being there I can only assume what might or what might not have happened. But since I'm constantly making an a$$ out of myself, here goes.

First of all, those barks you heard may have been aggressive/warning barks, warning other wiley's to stay away. I'm not sure what your skill level is with a howler, but that may have been your problem. Howling is a great way to locate but calling them in solely by howling is a tough proposition indeed. A bunch of guys on here are really adept at this howling thing, I'm not so I'll leave that to the pros on here.

They could have winded you, spotted you or knew you were a fake when you started howling, it's all happened to me. I'm a pro at getting all of the above so I think I can safely respond to those matters. Maybe hunting with a shotgun limits you, if you saw them at 200 yards, well..maybe a longgun is in order. I use a shotgun only when I know the coyote has no other avenue of approach other than one I've picked, maybe an impassable draw or box canyon where the coyote can't navigate and has to pass through my zone of fire.

I discovered a long time ago after countless forays ending in disaster how to move while hunting everything. I move like Michael Jackson without the glove. Instead of a steady movement of my head, I'm like a second hand on a clock, I make deliberate short movements while scanning the area.

Getting winded is easy to do but if you take the right precautions it may put off the coyote for awhile. I've had coyotes get within 5 feet of me after eating Kimshi, so I guess it depends on what the coyote actually feels like. I've had them wind me at 400 yards, I mean they came running like mad and bam, stop on a dime and bail for Topeka. I bury my camo, leave it in the ground for awhile and dig it back up for hunting. I try and eat stuff that doesn't, well, no gaseous foods. I had more than my fair share of toots while hunting that scared game in California....and I was hunting in Nebraska. That carne asada burrito can have disastrous effects on your hunting. I use unscented everything...

Now that you know where the coyotes are, you might try and just call them in with a distress call, jack, cotton, woodpecker or even a doe in distress or pup, it's that time of year. Buy some tapes from guys on here that really know what the hell they're doing with howlers and practice.

I'd say hit the stands again, just be careful on the approach. I'm a low crawler when I get to my stands, slow and deliberate except when I'm in Texas, Arizona or New Mexico....got a scorpion in my crotch once while doing that, discovered my talent in break dancing one time.

20 minutes is the max for some, others its a half hour or more. I've called a bunch of times, got nothing, sat down and took a bite of a moon pie while 45 minutes had elapsed and shot coyotes no more than 20 feet away from me, ya just have to get a feel for things. Hunt your area, observe and scout. Scouting for me is actually one of the most enjoyable things about coyote hunting. I'll walk for miles and take note of what's happening without a weapon. I take a notepad with me and record what I see, location of kills, scat and dens. I make a note of where the cattle, deer and turkeys are moving because the coyote will most likely move with them. With a topo, a compass and a little thought I can judge pretty well where the coyote will move. Most animals are creatures of habit, coyote where I hunt are no different. If'n you know what they've done you'll most likely know what they'll do.

Well, this post has got quite long and friggin boring, so I'll quit. I'm absolutely positive you'll get a better response to your question from guys who really know.

Good Luck and congrats on getting your first response, whether good or bad, who cares, at least they responded.

edit: What Michael said!
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Bob

Lost Mountain Ranch
www.LostMountainHunts.com

[This message has been edited by Big Jerk (edited 07-11-2001).]
 
Coyote220,
You didn't say which direction the wind was in. If the coyotes that answered were downwind of you they may have caught your scent, which would explain why they would not come in. If they saw you over there they wouldn't come in either. If it was pups of the year who didn't see you or smell you, then they may have been afraid the big coyote over there (you) would kick their butt if they came in.
 
Coyote220,
Big jerk is right about the shotgun thing. Shotguns are for the brush country where shots will be fast and close-up. With a good rifle you could have whacked that 200 yard coyote and told us a good success story. Big Jerk ain't such a "Jerk" after all now is he?
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I haven't had much action lately either. (There is a large sheep ranch near Helena that needs year-round help with coyote control) I definately agree with the above, but I never go anywhere without a gun (the new AR15 lately), especially when I'm out scouting.
When I'm calling, it's almost always fairly open country (like Butte) & no matter how close I watch, a few always sneak up on me!
When I'm not walking too far from the truck I take a rifle and a 10gauge, I set up both in front of me, that way I'm ready for anything!
Dennis
 
DOH!!...He's from Montana!....Coyote 220...take a friggin arm with ya...grenades if'n ya have them...you guys have big nasty large toothed bears there don't ya? I failed to notice his geographical location. Thanks for noticing that MT...

You know?...you forget to take one pill and all hell breaks loose...geez....sorry about that.
 
220: I let out a howl and it sounded to me that 3 or 4 coyotes responded they let out howls a couple of times and then everything went dead I don't beleive that they even tried to come in maybe I missed them. All I used was a howl should I have used a distress of some sort?

They were probably just answering you in typical coyote fashion. Basically, they are probably letting you know that this territory is occupied by these coyotes. They can respond to just the howl but they usually respond better with a combination of a howl and some type of distress call.

Make sure you have the basics covered here first in that they can't see you, they never saw you approach your stand, and they cannot smell you. Otherwise you may just get warning barks or they will move off in another direction.

If they were far enough away from you, sometimes they will just answer you and not come in. Sometimes you have to move closer to them.

220: The next evening I made a different stand I used a howl and got no response waited for a few then used a woodpecker distress with no results I tried another howl and got a reply but yet again the coyote howled a few times and never came in. I waited about 20 min. is that long enough?

If he answered you twice, chances are that this coyote was not going to come to you but rather was letting you know that he/she occupied that territory. Chances are also good that he never even heard you distress calls which usually do not carry like a howl. 20 minutes is enough, you just needed to move closer to him with the wind in your face and keep a low profile so they don't spot you in your approach.

220: The next time I tried a night job and the first stand I hit the howl on a coyote started barking and coming in three barks no howl. He never howled only barked is this maybe a young coyote? I spoted him at around 200 yards but however the only gun I had was a 12ga. so no coyote yet.

That coyote probably saw you! Barks are usually indicitive of a coyote that saw you.


220: How long should I wait before calling those spots again?

You can go back relatively quickly if you use a different sound from a different approach.

Wiley E
 
Thanks everyone for the pointers I appreciate the advice. I went back out camping after I posted this message so sorry for the slow reply. When the cold weather hits here in MT I will get as serious as I can and try to get a coyote. Just last night I was sitting in front of the camp fire and I herd a coyote barking not more than 200 yards from the camp site. He would bark 2-3 times then let out a short howl. What does that mean is it a challenge howl? It didn't sound like a warning howl to me but it might have been. Camping sure makes a great time to practice with the howler. Bad news is still no coyote but on the bright side I have caught a ton of fish
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Thanks
Shawn
 
In no way am I an expert with a howler, but this is what has worked for me.

In Ed Sceery's howler video there is a "hello anyone out there howl". I do this twice.

Wait about 2-3 minutes then go into a coyote in distress. I have noticed that it does take them a little longer to come in over rabbitt calls in the winter.

When you went to school, and some one yelled "fight!" what happens.... Everyone and there brother runs as fast as possible to catch a look. Animals are the smae in some ways.

Best of luck in the future,

Chad
 
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