Suggestion for manual calls for coyotes/coons in northern Michigan?

K

kmcdonou1

New member
I am older and would like to start calling coyotes and coons just for fun. Not looking to maximize the fur collected, but do want to show improvement. Mainly I want to learn a new skill while being outdoors. I live northern Michigan where it is very forested. I plan to call after deer season and probably will need to focus on cedar swamps and river bottoms. For coons, I may do some pre-deer season calling, and early spring or during a winter thaw.

I have reached a point in life where I gravitate towards simple over complex, and am leaning towards a few hand/mouth calls instead of an e-caller. How many calls do I need per species to be effective and yet keep things simple? I am not trying to maximize success in every scenario, but rather take the right number and type of calls that are the most versatile and effective.

I appreciate your insight.

Thanks much.
 
I don't know much about calling coons, there aren't many here in the desert. However, for coyotes I would recommend you start with a quality open reed and closed reed call (one of each). Closed reed calls are pretty simple to use and a good place to start, while open reed calls allow you to produced a wider variety of sounds. I'm a sucker for handmade gear, so the vast majority of my hand calls have been made by our resident Hobbyists/Custom Callmakers. I have been very successful using calls made by these guys.
 
Thanks much for that response. Do you have a particular closed/open reed call you recommend, or how to evaluate which model to buy? Are they all generally the same or are their subtle differences that are important?
 
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Well, like I said, I'm a sucker for high quality gear that our Hobbyists make. I don't hesitate to recommend this set:
www.predatormasters.com

Green Box Elder burl

It’s been a while since I’ve been on here. And since I’ve been in the shop. So I have a couple up for sale. They are both Dyed and stabilized green Box Elder burl with Magassar Ebony tops. The open reed has a handmade toneboard out of Blackwood. It’s tuned for female/pup howls and distress...
www.predatormasters.com www.predatormasters.com

In fact, I'm thinking about buying it, so you could save me some money by jumping in there!
 
After deer season in the UP coon calling can get pretty tough as most are hole up for the winter. Calling coon is better before everything ices up before season and warm winter thaws sound good. Raccoons make great eating also. Coyotes get tougher after deer season, lots of feed for a week or so and then everyone else is out that waited till after deer season to start hunting coyotes.

Calling is great fun and a great way to spend time outdoors. I suggest getting some type call sound recordings so you can learn to make those sounds. A great place to practice is in your car or truck, keeps the peace at home. I used to play calling sound tapes in my semi and practice, I got some really strange looks in the summer with the window rolled down.

As far as calls, closed reed calls work well and are pretty easy to learn to use, bad is if they have metal reeds they can freeze up in the cold. Running close reed calls up in cold country I pack two or three and keep the ones I'm not using inside my coat to keep them warm.

Open reed calls take some practice but you can get a lot of great sounds from them plus the reeds are plastic, in direct contact with you mouth so they don't freeze up easily.

Like DR I use both, in my younger years I suffered with asthma and used easy blowing closed reed calls, since retiring(getting away from construction sight dust) my asthma has backed off a lot and use more open reeds now. Another option are bite calls from JS and Sceery, those are two I use also. I have a drawer full of different calls now.

The call makers on the site make quality calls. Talking to them about your needs can go a long way to get calls that work well for you.
 
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Any mouth blown squeaker can make bird sounds by trilling your tongue as you blow. Never called coons but know they like to kill birds. Worth a shot.
 
There are enclosed reed coon calls out there in single and double(dual side by side) reed configuration. There are a couple different techniques for using them but mostly your looking for an easy to blow, raspy call that you can make coon chatter by trilling your tongue like making bird sounds. It will absolutley call in coons. They are made mainly for coon hunters that run hounds, they blow the call for a few seconds to make a coon peek out of a tree so they can light them up.
Many enclosed reed distress calls can do it but there is a particular reed that does it the best.
If you are just beginning to use hand calls for coyotes, you will probably find that an enclosed reed call is the simplest call to get the hang of…I would suggest you start with those vs an open reed call. Both deadly but enclosed reed calls are easier to run and everyone underestimates them… they are DEADLY when taken seriously and used correctly.
Mark
 
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