Coyote Carcass, Could It be Useful?

Al Washington

New member
I'll need to start this off, by saying I'm new to this type of hunting. I've only bagged one, but I feel the addiction starting to run through me.

Anyway, I was watching a video I think it was by Primos, "The truth 1". It seemed somewhat informative, but it raised some questions that I have no one to ask. I would sure appreciate any insight anyone can offer.

#1 In one of the hunt's the guy was using a decoy and calling them in. After he dropped the dog, he removed his decoy and placed the dead dog in its place. Then returned to his spot. I'm not sure if I missed something there or not; I've watched it a few times since then and still find my self-asking the same question. Why would you replace a moving decoy with a dead coyote? Couldn't his friends smell him? Wouldn't they just say to themselves, boy that loud bang and that smell in the air, looks like Pete bought the farm? Or do their thought process only involve looking for the next meal? Can they smell the dead dog? Do you think that odor would bring them in to investigate, or make them keep their distance?
And B: (Hopefully this is the correct forum to ask this on) Would you suggest skinning the dog at the stand you took him at, before you move to your next stand?
If you threw the carcass out there would they come around it, or would it be quite a while?

The final thing I wanted to ask is, how far away would you go before trying your calling again. The way I've read it look's like you would go about a half-mile or so.

I guess this is really the last thing I'll ask on this post: When you set up, i.e., your decoy, speaker, gun etc, should you wait a certain amount of time before you begin calling? To let the area "calm down"

I was always told that there is never a stupid question, I've also learned that may be true only to the person asking the question.
Thanks in advance for any help you can lend.
AL
 
Al,

I don't think I'd get up from my stand to move a dead coyote & remove my decoy. I'd leave the coyote where he droped as more decoys. I don't think one coyote can tell by smell if another coyote is dead? but if he hears a distress sound and smells other coyotes that will stimulate his hunger even more.

My first and only tripple, each dog was damn near standing on top of the dead one when I shot them, had them stacked like cord wood.

I'ts allways easier to skin and warm animal than a cold one, in winter frozen is a bitch to skin.

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Keep your hooks sharp and you powder dry.
Wildoats

"The expactations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools."
Confucius
 
My $.02 would say that yes after you get into your stand sit still and quiet for about 5 minutes. Listen intently and familiarize yourself with your surroundings. It gives not only any nearby animals to settle down, but gives you a chance to settle as well.

Have fun. Good luck.

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Matt/Spinner
 
Well...

The longer you sit there the more chance you have for your scent to disperse through the area (IE: Your stinkin' up the place).

Plus the time you sit there "not calling" sucks productive time away from another stand you could be calling later in the day. (more stands = more coyotes)

If you shoot one early in the stand, just keep calling.


edit: part 2 of question: Skin em now or later?

Heres an analogy of "skinning time":
If your fishing and you catch one, do you stop fishing and clean it right then and there... OR do you keep fishing and clean em all at once when you get to the boat dock... ?

Course that easy for me to say since Im down here in Sunny AZ, but I think you can still see what Im getting at... (assuming you fish)

[This message has been edited by Robb/Scottsdale/AZ (edited 12-06-2001).]
 
Al, Welcome to the board. Wildoats pretty much said it. I wouldn't get up halfway through a stand to go replace the decoy with the coyote I just shot either. Your running a risk of getting busted if another coyote is on its way.

I called in a coyote one time that I shot at about 125 yards. I continued to call and a few minutes later another coyote was coming in but it was starting to circle downwind of my position. It happened to circle about 50 yards downwind of the dead coyote. As soon as it hit the dead dogs scent stream it turned on a dime and went right up to the dead coyote and started to sniff it. I dropped that one right on top of the first.

Yeah, warm animals skin better than cold ones.

As far as distance between stands is concerned. It can vary greatly with terrain and how sound happens to be carrying that day. I would go to the next good calling location that will put things in your favor. Don't call a spot just because its a 1/2 mile away. The setup is very important. You want to give yourself the advantage over an incoming coyote. That might be 5 miles away or it might be just over the hill but its better than calling at a spot where you'll just educate any coyote coming in because you were set up at a poor location.

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It is my opinion that a coyote recognizes that an animal is dead when he sees it laying there. After all, why would (it) be taking a nap with all that distress sound playing? Yes, they show by the body language that they see it, and know what they are looking at. From that point on, you can't count on what happens next. If they have come in on the same track, chances are they know the other one, and are likely to walk up and sniff it, or maybe just stop real close, and look at it for a bit. If he came in from another direction, he may not care to figure out the details, he may flare off or he might stand there, hard to predict? In any case, it isn't a bad thing, and often, the dead one can't be seen. You are taking a risk for very little cause, just let it develop.

I have also stacked them up like cordwood a time or two. They are almost always related, with siblings being the most common.

Good hunting. LB
 
Thanks for all of the input so far!!
It's really been interesting. I'm going out tomorrow for my first "real" hunt. I just got the Phantom caller and the feather flex decoy. I'm Pretty psyched! My only problem now is deciding where to go. I have three places in mind that I'd like to try. Time for me, like everyone is tight, and of course I'd like to bag one. Well, I'll decide by tonight then I'll kiss the wife and be gone. Man, sometimes that is the best part! Especially at "that time" Ha,Ha,Ha! Anyway, I'll let you know how it goes.
AL
 
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