I just don't get it

M

mikebosmans

New member
Last night was another disappointing evening in southern Marathon county. 3 sets, not a thing, so I did some driving. 95 miles and about 25 stops for trying a siren, foxpro calling. Nothing, not a single response. I tried pack howls, female invites, long howls, short howl, barks, you name it.

Whats the deal? I can understand if the properties I hunt have low populations on them and I skunk out there. But when I try all over the countryside, how can I come up short at every stop?

Last week thurs I went down to SW WI and literaly the first place we pulled over and hit the siren, they let loose right next to us. We had a couple packs howling at us in Soldiers Grove, numerous packs in the Kickapoo River valeey near Wauzeka, and got skunked in Prairie du Chien.

I can handle hearing them close by and them never showing up for a lead dinner, but I am officially disgusted with my local area. Any one have suggestions?

There's a Ratio Post going right now and I am literally 0 for about 50.
 
I feel your pain guy, I've lost a couple good partners just because they said it was a waste of time.

Bringing a newbie out 15 different sets and not seeing or hearing anything..then they blame me and you know the rest...

Id say keep at it, I've been trying to "cherry pick" my days, meaning only go to my good spots when condtions are perfect..

Don't sweat it man, I've been struggling lately too.
 
Here is my take.

In yrs past I've I.D'd some local adult coyote pairs (pr's). Their territories I also I.D'd from seeing them on it & no where else.

Total territorial area are close to 10 square miles. ie; roughly 2+ miles wide x 5+ miles long. Shaped irregular in total mass. These territories "over-lap" neighboring adult pr's territory. By a 1/4 mile give or take.

If you are where they are not, at any given time. Then don't expect a response.

Also during this time. There are many single nomadic yearlings or groups of yearlings on the move. Constantly tresspassing as they travel from one marked territory to the next.

Now, IF you were a yearling & was tresspassing on an adult pr's land. Would you sound off or respond to howls? I surely wouldn't as I would draw the local adult pr to come kick my rump.

So I would remain silent & move on.
 
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When it comes howling I couldn't tell you why they howl sometimes and not others. It seems they don't howl in the fog and when its real cold for the most part. It is weird like that. Its been a real tough year in general for coyote hunting in my opinion. Even in ND it was pretty tough for me and not any howling, but tracks all over.
 
I like your take Kirby. In my experience they don't seem to howl (as much) in extreme cold. Hunter Lee ...u couldn't put it any better......it's been a real tough year for coyote hunting in general!!
 
Originally Posted By: deadogwalkinI like your take Kirby. In my experience they don't seem to howl (as much) in extreme cold. Hunter Lee ...u couldn't put it any better......it's been a real tough year for coyote hunting in general!!

I've spent alot of time observing local prs on their territory, as well as thier yearlings. I've also observed how a neighboring or nomadic/(coyote that pass'es through only once, or lingers a day or two) behaves while they are tresspassing. These tresspasser's are the most wariest of them all. Other than a local adult female. As no matter if they are bedded down or on the move. They constantly scan 360 degrees. IMO, they know they are tresspassing via (scent markers)& are on the look out for the local pr.

Local adult prs, historically do not scan 360 when they are bedded down. But scan to their down & cross-wind areas mainly.

I watched a documentary many yrs ago about coyote behavior. Doc shown a large male coyote that tresspassed. Soon the local pr shown up. The local male 1st & confronted the large male tresspasser. Well the tresspasser, rather than confront the local male, took off running away from him. With the smaller local male on his rump. Soon the local female shown up & joined in. Assisting her mate.

The narrator commented. A coyote soon knows when it is tresspassing & will most often run rather than fight. Personally, I believe that to be true as well. As I've seen the same.

That is one reason why I believe. Some coyotes remain silent & or do not show themselves, regardless.
 
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Just curious, how long are you listening after doing the vocals? We get a lot of late talkers after howling. This evening it was at the three minute mark before they chimed back at us.
 
I usually wait 3-5 min, but I have spent as long as 10 min listening. I finally got one small group to howl back last night. I got permission for that land today, we'll see how it goes tonight.

I did put on another 60 miles last night and yet only had that one group respond.

It was a bit foggy in spots last night, but we definately are not having cold temps. Was 27 degrees last night at 1am.
 
This year is real tough, lots of tracks but not many responces to howls or calling. My go to spots in North Dakota are tough, and Honey holes in Minnesota just are slow. Keep trying now with the mating season and hopefully things will turn around. I hope the fog breaks aroung here.
 
Mike, got my cabin between Wausau and Merrill, Went out Saturday, set up let out a locator call and got an answer right away, unfortunetly they were so stinking far away nothing came in. made a couple of sets and decided tonights not the night. Persistance is all we got going for us.
 
this year has been TOUGH!!. very few multiple days. some full days have been without a single coyote spotted.
the last 3 winters it was common to have 3-4 come in on a stand. this year i can olny remember about 5 times where multiples have come in.
 
I'm thnking that hunter pressure is starting to play a large part in the problems it sems we're all having. 15-20 years ago I was the only one that I knew of that was predator hunting in my area. Now I'm finding out there's quite a few hitting the same areas I've hunted for so many years. I AM NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT MORE FOLKS ENJOYING PREDATOR HUNTING...but, the more we have out there slinging the same calls, making mistakes, etc., the tougher it's going to get. We all know coyotes aren't stupid, and they may be learning more about US than we think.

Just my opinion.

Moosetrot
 
You know coyotes can hear from a long distance. Maybe your calling is too loud and they know the loud stuff is not right. try using the calling to a quieter tone. sounds more real that way. i was taught blast it a few times and now lower the sound for a few times.i was taught from Sceery Outdoors.
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if between spots are not producing. use farther inbetween spots now.
in stead of your spots (3 miles apart try 5 miles apart.)a example.
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I know this sounds crazy, but in the last couple of years I've found myself waiting a lot longer before I start calling. I'm talking upwards of an hour. What I've found is that I seem to get a lot more vocal responses. In turn I seem to get more visuals. This seems to work better on spots that get more pressure. Maybe it takes longer for animals to feel secure after they hear or see something. I'm not sure, but I'd rather make three sets and see one, than make ten and see nothing. Just my two cents.
 
I agree whole heartedly with you Snowking. Been calling for 25 years and the last 5-7 years have had to increase our 'stand time' a lot to be productive. Used to be that 20-30 minutes we'd have them come in. Now 45 getting to be the norm. Probably more hunting pressure and yotes getting 'educated'. Used to be tough to hear them get vocal and have to wait so long to see them, but getting used to it now. My biggest complaint is not getting to make as many stand sites.
Did kill at 37lb male on Friday about 15 minutes into the stand though, a quite pleasant surprise.
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Well we failed at the only place locally that I had heard them. We waited almost 1.5 hours on the set. Tried vocalization and distress, nothing. As we are about to leave I hit the vocalizations real hard for about a minute or two. Finally get a couple to answer back. Played with them for about 30min with the caller. Originally heard them guessing 3/4 of a mile away. Seemed like they were getting closer for awhile, then they just shut up.

We waited on stand another 45min, let loose just a single lone howl every 10 min or so, but nothing came in.

Oh well. This after noon we head back down the SW Wisconsin, going to hit up the Soldiers Grove, Wauzeka and Prairie Du Chien areas again. Even if we don't see anything I'm very confident in the populations down there and at least hearing dogs to keep it interesting.

If anyone wants to take out a couple guys that are struggling, or point us in the direction for more properties give me a pm. We'll be down there all night tonight and all day tomorrow. Definately wouldn't mind taking pointers from anyone who knows how to shoot coyotes.
 
Originally Posted By: mikebosmansWe waited almost 1.5 hours on the set.
We waited on stand another 45min,



You were on one stand 2 hrs and 15 mins? Wow. Is this place the one and only place you have to hunt?

I think if I was going to stay in one place that long I get me a Lazy Boy recliner, lean er back, stay totally quite and still and just hope something wandered by.
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No, just the only place we've come across fresh tracks and heard them howling in the past week. We only planned to do that one set and we had a way to get in and out very quietly while most other properties are like eggshells right now.

It seemed like if we were getting responses to our howling we had best stay put in the hopes that they do come in. We definately couldn't have shot them if we packed up and headed home.
 
Hey Mike,

I feel your pain. I'm over on the western side of the state, and it's been a four month dry spell. I've been hitting spots every other night for the last two months, and nothing but foxes. Not many coyotes to be found. Plenty of tracks, scat, no problem hearing them howl around 1:00 AM or so, but nothing's coming to the calls.

In terms of 50:0 loss ratio, I bet I've got you beat. But hey, that just makes it all the more fun when you do get one to come racing in. It sure does make me miss the SW part of the country though :)

Cheers,

Russ
 
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