Curt Barrett
New member
I got out Sat afternoon for a couple stands. I made two stands and called 3 to the first stand getting 2. This particular place is hard to call normally because of the usual west wind we have. Entering the better stand on the property puts the wind behind your back. Saturday however the wind was blowing from the southeast allowing one to sneak in undetected much easier. The weather was perfect for calling. Partly cloudy and about 55 degrees. I parked behind a hill about 500 yards away and walked in. There was quite a bit of scat on the farm road going in so confidence was high.
I found a spot to set up a stand that offered a commanding view of the head of a draw. Finding a small tree to sit under I placed the FX-5 about 50 yards crosswind and a little upwind of where I would sit hoping any coyotes that came would end up in front of me attempting to wind the e-call. I also had the Skyote along. I didn't think I could like an open reed call as much as my beloved Critr Call but this Skyote is fast becoming my favorite. Not to sound like a salesman but this little call does it all. Howls, distress, easy blowing and doesn't lock up. Most importantly it brings the coyotes in. I've probably whacked a dozen coyotes with this call alone since deer season ended. Today I wanted to try it combined with the FX-5.
I started with a single howl from the handcall. It wasn't even 10-15 seconds and I got a multiple response from quite a distance down the draw in the valley below. It sounded like 3-4 yip howling back at me. I gave one more howl back and let them quiet down hoping they were heading my way. After about 5 minutes I did a series of distress on the handcall (Skyote) and waited a bit and did another series.
After another 5 minutes or so I started the FX-5 playing Magpies and let it run turning it off occaisionally. I usually don't call much longer than 20 minutes on a stand but I decided to hang on and it was hitting the 30 minute mark now. At approximately 35 minutes I see a coyote about 300 yards out cautiously making it's way up the draw. There was a fence with a bunch of tumbleweeds bunched up against it about 200 yards out between me and the coyote. While watching this coyote approach I see another coyote closer coming under the fence. It isn't being cautious and is trotting in. He is much bigger than the farther coyote. I stop the caller and he stops approaching. I'm hoping the farther one will close the distance a little so I have a chance at both. I hit the Magpie sound again for a couple seconds and both start coming. The closest one is probably 60 yards now and almost downwind of the caller and changing direction heading towards some trees and bushes. Not wanting it to get in those trees I decided to shoot the big one and try to get a shot at the smaller one still way out after. A gave a "whoop" to stop it and the big one fell. Small one bolted disappearing from view in a low spot.
I changed the sound on the e-call to Coyote Death Cry and let it run. About 5 minutes later a coyote is crawling under the same tumbleweed covered fence. At first I'm thinking the one that ran was coming back. It was charging in and bunny hopping along the way though. Much bolder than the one that ran and looked bigger too. I let it come to about the same distance as the one laying on the ground and gave a "whoop". It stopped offering a straight on chest shot and I shot it in the chest. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I let the Death Cry play for a bit longer and wrapped up the long stand. They were some good sized coyote for this area. Most coyotes around here average around 25-30 lbs. These were 38 lbs and the other a hair over 40 lbs give or take a pound with my Walmart fish scale. lol!
Took these guys awhile to get there but it was worth the wait for them to cover the ground. Sometimes in this situation I would split the distance and get closer to the howling coyotes and set up again. I decided to stay put at this stand because once you get about 300 yards closer you are exposed to the sprawling valley below.
I had time for one more stand before dark. Started out the same getting howl backs immediately from a couple different locations. All a long ways away. I spotted a pair two ridges in front of me. They were exchanging howls and then the wind turned around behind my back gently blowing directly to them. They didn't leave but they weren't coming either. One just gave me the bad eye while the other wandered around pizzing on everything. It was getting dark quick and getting hard to see them through my scope. I gave a couple more howls and they started to head my way. I spotted one of them on the ridge across from me about 200 yards but lost it in the sage and could not pick it up in the scope again. I decided it must have got a nose full and left. I was in a ghillie and well hidden so I'm confident they didn't see me. I waited for it to get darker and quietly snuck back to my truck about 1/4 mile away and backed out of the field with my headlights off hoping to be able to return.
Sorry so long winded. I brought a camera this time so here are some pics.
View from where I was sitting looking at the tumbleweed choked fence where the coyotes crawled under. Coyotes are lying straight out from the gun about 60 yards. E-call was in the grass to the right of pic.
Standing at coyote #3 (2nd one being the escapee. lol!) looking across the stand. 1st dead coyote laying in the distance.
Critters...both males.
Long stand....
Love this call...
Windmills to the right of me....
Windmills to the left of me...It's like the freaking plague.
Lot's of old homesteads out here. Not much left of this one. They just plow around it.
Good hunting! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
I found a spot to set up a stand that offered a commanding view of the head of a draw. Finding a small tree to sit under I placed the FX-5 about 50 yards crosswind and a little upwind of where I would sit hoping any coyotes that came would end up in front of me attempting to wind the e-call. I also had the Skyote along. I didn't think I could like an open reed call as much as my beloved Critr Call but this Skyote is fast becoming my favorite. Not to sound like a salesman but this little call does it all. Howls, distress, easy blowing and doesn't lock up. Most importantly it brings the coyotes in. I've probably whacked a dozen coyotes with this call alone since deer season ended. Today I wanted to try it combined with the FX-5.
I started with a single howl from the handcall. It wasn't even 10-15 seconds and I got a multiple response from quite a distance down the draw in the valley below. It sounded like 3-4 yip howling back at me. I gave one more howl back and let them quiet down hoping they were heading my way. After about 5 minutes I did a series of distress on the handcall (Skyote) and waited a bit and did another series.
After another 5 minutes or so I started the FX-5 playing Magpies and let it run turning it off occaisionally. I usually don't call much longer than 20 minutes on a stand but I decided to hang on and it was hitting the 30 minute mark now. At approximately 35 minutes I see a coyote about 300 yards out cautiously making it's way up the draw. There was a fence with a bunch of tumbleweeds bunched up against it about 200 yards out between me and the coyote. While watching this coyote approach I see another coyote closer coming under the fence. It isn't being cautious and is trotting in. He is much bigger than the farther coyote. I stop the caller and he stops approaching. I'm hoping the farther one will close the distance a little so I have a chance at both. I hit the Magpie sound again for a couple seconds and both start coming. The closest one is probably 60 yards now and almost downwind of the caller and changing direction heading towards some trees and bushes. Not wanting it to get in those trees I decided to shoot the big one and try to get a shot at the smaller one still way out after. A gave a "whoop" to stop it and the big one fell. Small one bolted disappearing from view in a low spot.
I changed the sound on the e-call to Coyote Death Cry and let it run. About 5 minutes later a coyote is crawling under the same tumbleweed covered fence. At first I'm thinking the one that ran was coming back. It was charging in and bunny hopping along the way though. Much bolder than the one that ran and looked bigger too. I let it come to about the same distance as the one laying on the ground and gave a "whoop". It stopped offering a straight on chest shot and I shot it in the chest. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I let the Death Cry play for a bit longer and wrapped up the long stand. They were some good sized coyote for this area. Most coyotes around here average around 25-30 lbs. These were 38 lbs and the other a hair over 40 lbs give or take a pound with my Walmart fish scale. lol!
Took these guys awhile to get there but it was worth the wait for them to cover the ground. Sometimes in this situation I would split the distance and get closer to the howling coyotes and set up again. I decided to stay put at this stand because once you get about 300 yards closer you are exposed to the sprawling valley below.
I had time for one more stand before dark. Started out the same getting howl backs immediately from a couple different locations. All a long ways away. I spotted a pair two ridges in front of me. They were exchanging howls and then the wind turned around behind my back gently blowing directly to them. They didn't leave but they weren't coming either. One just gave me the bad eye while the other wandered around pizzing on everything. It was getting dark quick and getting hard to see them through my scope. I gave a couple more howls and they started to head my way. I spotted one of them on the ridge across from me about 200 yards but lost it in the sage and could not pick it up in the scope again. I decided it must have got a nose full and left. I was in a ghillie and well hidden so I'm confident they didn't see me. I waited for it to get darker and quietly snuck back to my truck about 1/4 mile away and backed out of the field with my headlights off hoping to be able to return.
Sorry so long winded. I brought a camera this time so here are some pics.
View from where I was sitting looking at the tumbleweed choked fence where the coyotes crawled under. Coyotes are lying straight out from the gun about 60 yards. E-call was in the grass to the right of pic.
Standing at coyote #3 (2nd one being the escapee. lol!) looking across the stand. 1st dead coyote laying in the distance.
Critters...both males.
Long stand....
Love this call...
Windmills to the right of me....
Windmills to the left of me...It's like the freaking plague.
Lot's of old homesteads out here. Not much left of this one. They just plow around it.
Good hunting! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
