Distance between stands in hilly country, and time on each stand?

enchantor

New member
2nd post and exhausted the search engine looking for answers, apologize if this has been discussed.

I'm headed back to "my spot" in AZ to see if I can have any luck before it's too hot out there. The country is pretty hilly. I'm wondering how much distance you guys space your stands, is there a rule of thumb? I want to avoid spacing too closely and hunting an area that was already pressured from a previous stand.

Secondly, how long should my stands last? I'm interested in coyote, but do have a lion tag in the off chance one responds to my call. I'll probably stay towards the long end of whatever the rule of thumb is just because I have limited areas I know how to navigate/hunt, but would like to know what time tables people are generally using.

Thanks in advance for your knowledge, so far everyone in here has been super helpful and generous with their minds.
 
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Welcome, and thanks for trying to research the topic before posting. My typical rule of thumb is at least 1 mile between stands. I usually satellite scout an area that I want to hunt first, so that I have an idea of where my stands are going to be. But if that doesn't work, then it's time to carpet bomb, and I will go a mile and throw out a stand no matter what the area looks like.

As far as stand length, that varies based on time of year. I use a "3 strikes rule." I will call using the same sequence 3 times in a row. If I am unsuccessful, then it's time to change something. It might be changing a certain call, volume, or time on stand. But try to only change one thing so that when you start connecting, you will know what it was that was successful. Then you will lock onto their pattern and be ready when the pattern shifts, and it will shift.

This can help you to build a more successful "toolbox" of predator hunting skills.

Mo
 
Terrain, cover, and wind as well as coyote densities can all play a role in distance between stands too.
Cold calling, i usually use the 1 mile rule too.
 
Great input thanks fellas. I am definitely doing a ton of e-scouting - building off my past route and dropping some pins. I really appreciate the info and will put it into practice this weekend. I've done very little howling calls and mostly rabbit distress so far, but noticed guys having success with just howls. I think this weekend I will give that a shot and see what happens.
 
I try to go one mile between stands on flatter ground.

Up in the hills and mountains a 1/2 mile or only a 1/4 mile maybe be far enough apart. If you are calling on the tops of ridges and mountains and you have a canyon a 1/2 mile away you can go that 1/2 mile away and call down into that canyon.

I was deer hunting with a friend of mine many years ago on a big ridge top. I was about 50 yards from the top of the ridge. My buddy walked about 200 yards total up over and down the other side of the ridge so he was not very far away. He killed a buck with his 30-06 and I didn't hear him shoot his rifle.

Big ridges and mountains can block the sound much more often than those sounds will be blocked on flat ground.

I have some spots on mountain tops I can call down towards a canyon or two and then just walk 400 yards around the mountain and call down into a different huge canyon.
 
Be sure to check the topography on your "fly overs". Ravines and sharp ridges can mute the sound in certain directions. Another draw may not be a mile away but it's steepness can affect how far the call will carry so I will call on the opposite side of a ridge that is less than a mile away but I may go farther down a draw or canyon than a mile so I don't get a lot of overlap. I had good luck this spring starting out with group hunting howl to get attention then moving on to pup distress.
 
Wind will dictate distance between stands. On a still day the sound carries pretty far but a breezy day will cut that in half. I usually sit between 10-15 minutes per stand.
 
I think both of these are very subjective. A mile between stands would either put me in poor calling places or bypass some good ones. I find that callers can be directional so I'll call one direction go over the ridge and call another.

Length of stand again is pretty much up to the stand. Some places you seem to know that just a short call is enough and the next a longer stand will be needed.

These two were taken a couple hundred yards apart fro either end of an arroyo/gully. The first calling the flat feeding it and the second a little while later(long enough to move) a the bottom of it calling out into the flat that it drains into.
Gqv5KF.jpg


I tend to call small/thicker areas with quiet sounds and closer distances. I call terrain rather than distance between stands
 
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Some folks are just havin' way too much fun, AWS.
wink.gif

Just color me jealous, that looks like so much fun.

I do have one question: Have you ever had a coyote's leg get into your rear spokes?

Regards,
hm
 
Not yet but I only hauled a half-dozen this way. I did make some changes so they will ride higher. As they are they start swinging back and forth and add a challenge to keeping it upright in rough terrain, one isn't so bad but two is worse. I usually just haul them to the nearest tree, fence gate or windmill and skin them before going to the next stand but the second stand was on the way to the windmill.
 
Originally Posted By: Mr. PoppadopalisI have moved another 400 yards and called in coyotes.

I've done the same. Make a stand in the wind, blow the call and see nothing, walk into the wind a couple hundred yards and repeat. Usually call them in within a couple minutes cause they were bedded close by.

I used to ride a motorcycle too. Works awesome in the dez except for carrying critters. I'd park the truck and use the bike to make stands. When I got one I'd carry/drag it next to the closest dirt road. Put it in a hefty bag. Made it easier to spot and kept the ravens off of it. A few hours later I'd pick it up in my truck.
 
Originally Posted By: Mr. PoppadopalisI have moved another 400 yards and called in coyotes.

Just got back from my trip. I tried spending an hour in spots I thought were good as opposed to 20 min and mostly implemented the mile spacing rule. Funny thing is, when I was finally successful, it was because I spent an hour on a big open bowl with a few good avenues the coyotes could come in from. As the sun got low, I decided to move to the opposite side of the bowl to see what was on the other side of the ridge. I ended up moving to a second ridge, probably exactly 400 yards from my original spot and finally had one come in to my calls about 15 min before last light. He only showed me his head from behind the rocks, but that's all I needed to get a fur in the cooler. I really appreciate everyone's input, I owe you all for a successful hunt.
 
Excellent!!!!Originally Posted By: enchantorOriginally Posted By: Mr. PoppadopalisI have moved another 400 yards and called in coyotes.

Just got back from my trip. I tried spending an hour in spots I thought were good as opposed to 20 min and mostly implemented the mile spacing rule. Funny thing is, when I was finally successful, it was because I spent an hour on a big open bowl with a few good avenues the coyotes could come in from. As the sun got low, I decided to move to the opposite side of the bowl to see what was on the other side of the ridge. I ended up moving to a second ridge, probably exactly 400 yards from my original spot and finally had one come in to my calls about 15 min before last light. He only showed me his head from behind the rocks, but that's all I needed to get a fur in the cooler. I really appreciate everyone's input, I owe you all for a successful hunt.
 
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