Timing of your calling sequence

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NevadaZielmeister

Member
Predator hunters,

I was curious what the timing is on a typical stand. With the editing they conduct on these hunting shows, it is hard to understanding how they are doing it. My questions are mostly: How long until you setup and your first call? How long do you play each sound for? How long between your calls? How long do you stay at a stand? How long do you wait until your last call and you get up to leave?

Sorry for the newb questions. I just wanted to see how on or off I am since I have not had the best of luck calling them in. I know there are ton of other factors: wind, concealment, positioning. I just wanted to keep this thread on the timing aspect of the stand.
 
I walk only as far as I have to. I have pulled up to a hill walked over the top about thirty feet setup and within thirty seconds had a coyote down. I run my caller continuously for ten minutes. I turn my caller up almost as loud as it will go.

You will get hard charges coming in up to four and a half minutes after that it will be lurkers up to the seven minute mark. After the seven minutes your lucky if one comes in (not saying one won't come in). So ten minutes I'm outta there.

My brother starts out minimum sound and works his way up and down over twenty minutes. I personally think it's a waste of time, he is reaching the same coyotes with his loud volume as I do, it just takes longer for him.

I go for quantity over quality.
 
My routine goes something like this.

Stop truck wait about 20 to 30 minutes. Play a game on the phone just let everything calm down.

Get out let out a howl to see if anything is around close. Wait a minute or two for a response. If nothing setup in the area I was going to go anyway. If I hear something adjust accordingly.

Careful with slamming of doors and rattling of gear as much as possible.

Setup try to get the call cross wind from me so I can see upwind, downwind and the other side of the call as best as I can.

Wait a few minutes after I setup and blow a hand call or two for 5 to 10 minutes or as much as I can, (I am fat and old).

Wait a little longer maybe 2 or 3 minutes and then play on 3/4 volume whatever sound I like for probably another 10 minutes.

If nothing switch it up for another 10 minutes.

If still nothing sit back and enjoy the day. Better then heading in and watching TV.

I hope that helps and take what I say with a grain of salt, do your own thing and have fun. It ain't serious business and shouldn't be. Best of luck to you and if you get something be sure to post pictures.
 
I hunt a couple of large ranches, so I drive my RZR close to areas I am going to hunt, then walk in. I may walk 15-30 minutes to each stand. I always let things calm down for 5-10 minutes after I get the call where I want it, and after my set-up is finished. Depending on location, I will usually only stay 15-20 minutes, very few times I will stay 30 minutes. Seems like 80% of the time I will have action within 10 minutes, or nothing. I always mix up my e-caller with hand held calls. In my opinion getting in and set up quietly are essential. Yesterday I walked in to an area that is usually productive, but the wind was doing all types of weird stuff. I never saw or heard anything at all, so I picked up and as I was walking back to RZR following my tracks in, I noticed not 40 yards from my stand I had a yote take a dump on top of my tracks I had made not 40 minutes earlier.....
 
This applies to me hunting the wide open spaces of Colorado:
When I sit down, before I call, I glass the surrounding area for a minute or 2, mainly looking for a coyote that is watching me from waaay out there. If I see one looking at me, I don't make a sound until he is out of sight for a few minutes, then I'll start calling.

I call (hand calls), for about 20-30 seconds, then watch the area for 2-5 minutes. Repeat. I'll typically stay on stand for 15+ minutes, with 20+ minutes in Jan/Feb/March.

Before I stand up to leave, I glass again. Many times I see a coyote at 1,000+yds, on the way in to the call, and had I stood up, they would have spotted me.

Good luck.
 
It is never set in stone, some places I walk a distance, sometimes just barely out the door. I try and call from a place that the critters can't see the vehicle so I might park in a dip and walk back or far enough that a coyote is low enough in the cover that he cant see the vehicle coming in. I walk in my caller and decoy are handy, no unloading just set and go and return to where I want to where I want to sit, now wandering around. Here I set up my chair, sit, set the rifle on the sticks, check to make sure it is loaded and turn on the caller, my remote is velcroed to thigh when I leave the house. My sounds are on presets with the starting volume already adjusted a couple minutes into the stand start to turn the volume up, I might vary the volume a little and near the end of the stand will switch to quiet rodent squeaks. I never have to mess with the remote other than to press a button. I've had coyotes just out of sight for most of the stand come charging in at the change of sound. I rarely mess with coyote vocals but am going to give it a try a little more. Mouth calls have been just emergency calls but again my asthma has really lessened since I retired and can call now without lapsing into a coughing fit so these will be getting more use.

I rarely stay more than 15 min. although I will stay a couple min. longer as the season progresses.
 
My setup is much like AWS. Get in with as little fuss as possible. I'm mostly a handcall guy but the concept is the same. I try and let the terrain dictate how long between calls if it's fairly open and I can see open fields in front of me I will wait 5 min between calls. in heavy brush I will add 2 min for unseen coyotes to become visible.
An avg stand is 15-20 min but if I hear coyote responses or Ravens and magpies starting up in a bush for no apparent reason I will sit a bit longer in case a coyote is in there disturbing them.
 
Originally Posted By: NevadaZielmeisterPredator hunters,

I was curious what the timing is on a typical stand. With the editing they conduct on these hunting shows, it is hard to understanding how they are doing it. My questions are mostly: How long until you setup and your first call? How long do you play each sound for? How long between your calls? How long do you stay at a stand? How long do you wait until your last call and you get up to leave?

Sorry for the newb questions. I just wanted to see how on or off I am since I have not had the best of luck calling them in. I know there are ton of other factors: wind, concealment, positioning. I just wanted to keep this thread on the timing aspect of the stand.

I don't "wait" to call after setting up and I have had them show up within a minute after I started calling. As far as how long I call, I usually go between 12 and 18 minutes unless I make contact, i.e...they howl, I see them, etc...

I go with a 3 strikes rule. I run 3 stands the same way and if I get no takers, then I switch one thing and run 3 more stands. That way when they do show up, I know what to start using. That way I can spot their pattern. I usually run the calls for 2-4 minutes and might use up to 6 different calls on a single stand.

This time of year I run a couple different rabbit calls, a bird call or two then some vocals and pup distress.

There is no magic bullet. It can be fun and frustrating to find a call sequence that works. Then you'll have seasons where nothing seems to work. It happens.

Good luck and good hunting.
 
Originally Posted By: SnowmanMoOriginally Posted By: NevadaZielmeisterPredator hunters,

I was curious what the timing is on a typical stand. With the editing they conduct on these hunting shows, it is hard to understanding how they are doing it. My questions are mostly: How long until you setup and your first call? How long do you play each sound for? How long between your calls? How long do you stay at a stand? How long do you wait until your last call and you get up to leave?

Sorry for the newb questions. I just wanted to see how on or off I am since I have not had the best of luck calling them in. I know there are ton of other factors: wind, concealment, positioning. I just wanted to keep this thread on the timing aspect of the stand.

I don't "wait" to call after setting up and I have had them show up within a minute after I started calling. As far as how long I call, I usually go between 12 and 18 minutes unless I make contact, i.e...they howl, I see them, etc...

I go with a 3 strikes rule. I run 3 stands the same way and if I get no takers, then I switch one thing and run 3 more stands. That way when they do show up, I know what to start using. That way I can spot their pattern. I usually run the calls for 2-4 minutes and might use up to 6 different calls on a single stand.

This time of year I run a couple different rabbit calls, a bird call or two then some vocals and pup distress.

There is no magic bullet. It can be fun and frustrating to find a call sequence that works. Then you'll have seasons where nothing seems to work. It happens.

Good luck and good hunting.

Good advice here.
Also don't over think it and just have fun.
I rarely stay on stand more than 15 min. and then it's On to the next one ole son...as Dale Brisby would say it.
 
Thank you gentlemen for all of your responses. I gather that it depends on many factors and like lures in fishing, each one works for the area you have experience in. I really appreciate the experience and just love being outside. Bagging a coyote, to me, is a bonus. Going to try and get out this weekend and change things up a bit, while also playing some new sounds that some of the more timid and experienced coyotes might not have heard before.

And yes, I will be sure to post pictures of my successes in the future.
 
These are questions I'm still trying to find the answer to and I've been calling in over 100 coyotes a year. I find it interesting to listen to what others have to say.

How long until you setup and your first call?

I will usually start calling as soon as I am set up. Occasionally when it is dead silent or if I feel like I need to let things calm down I'll wait to start calling. If I park my vehicle close to my stand I might wait 5-10 minutes to start calling.


How long do you play each sound for?

Sometimes I will play a sound on E caller for 5 or 10 minutes straight and other times only a minute or two. Other times I may do a simple howl and then no calling for a 2-5 minutes. With hand calls I'll often call 30 seconds to 3 minutes with distress sounds and then go silent for 3-5 minutes before calling again.

How long between your calls?

Rarely will I wait more than 5 minutes between calling but silence and soft sounds can be an effective tool to lure a coyote.

How long do you stay at a stand?

Normally a minimum of 20 minutes from September to December and a minimum of 30 minutes in the later season from January to April. I've killed many coyotes after being on a stand more than 30 minutes. Instead of staying on a stand more than 45 minutes I think it is generally better to reposition my location if coyotes are howling at me or just move on to the next stand. The length of time I spend on a stand all depends on how I feel about a particular stand and what type of calls I'm using. If I'm mixing howls and coyote vocals, I find they can come a little slower and it is better to give a stand more time. If I'm using and aggressive rabbit distress (Lighting Jack on fox pro or aggressive hand calls) for 10 minutes straight then it is probably not very productive to stay on a stand more than 12-15 minutes. I've killed dozens of coyotes after being on a stand more than 30 minutes and the quickest I've killed one was less than 15 seconds after calling. That 15 second coyote must have been curled up and sleeping in some low lying grass 150 yards from my when I set up for my stand and he sat up and looked at me after a single howl. At 150 yards I thought there was no point at trying to call him closer and gave him a dirt nap.

How long do you wait until your last call and you get up to leave?

Normally I try to give it at least a minute or two after I stop calling before getting up. I probably average closer to 4 or 5 minutes. I've had multiple coyotes show up 5-10 minutes after I stopped calling. One old female that had multiple missing teeth came in more than 5 minutes after I stopped calling. I packed up all my stuff and picked up my E caller and took a few steps back toward my vehicle when I spotted her coming in about 400 yards out. Lucky for me, she didn't spot me so I just laid prone with my rifle rested across my pack. She continued to slowly work her way in and I shot her at about 100 yards at least 10 minutes after I had stopped calling.

In general I think it is better to be more aggressive and play sounds constantly for 10 minutes straight and not stay on stands too long for coyotes that haven't been as educated by callers. You are more likely to call in more coyotes if you make 6 stands in a morning than 3 stands.

It is better to play softer sounds, have more periods of silence than calling and stay on stands longer when the coyotes have been educated by callers.
 
Originally Posted By: NevadaZielmeisterI gather that it depends on many factors and like lures in fishing, each one works for the area you have experience in.

Comparing fishing to coyote calling is a good example of how thinks can work. Weather, time of day, availability of food and lures used can all affect if a coyote or a fish will "strike". Some days the fish and coyotes will strike at about any lure you use but there are some fish and coyotes that are not going go "bite" regardless of what you throw at them.
 
I pretty much wing each stand and do it based on "feel" I guess you can say. I have no set anything, though, unless I'm actively working a coyote(s) I very rarely stay past the 20 min mark. I will say if a particular sound works on one stand ill usually start with that one on the next one. Ill play sounds short or long go up and down in volume etc just doing whatever seems right at the time.
 
I am repeating some of what has already been said, but that in itself is of value to you. My input below is primarily for coyotes, since that's what I mostly target.

I "run and gun," which means I hunt from a vehicle on relatively accessible roads. I have access to a lot of public ground, most with huntable numbers of coyotes. I usually just blind call an area, meaning that I don't pre-scout, though I'm always on the lookout for good calling areas when out in the desert doing other things. I decide where to go calling and as soon as I get into the area, I start looking for a place to make the first stand. The main factor that drives my stand locations is Tom Austin's Rule #1 - hide the ride. When I find a decent looking place to call and a good place to stash the truck, I go for it. I like to get at least a few hundred yards from the road, but may call sooner or walk further if conditions dictate. I think it's more important call a place where incoming coyotes can't see the vehicle than it is to set a certain distance.

Originally Posted By: NevadaZielmeisterHow long until you setup and your first call?
I don't wait in the truck. I park, kill the engine, get out, get my gear, and start walking. I find a good place to set up, set up as soon as I'm there, and start calling pretty much as soon as all hunters are ready. Don't start before all your party is ready - one can be very close and respond in seconds. It sucks to miss a hard charger because you aren't ready. Don't ask how I know...

Originally Posted By: NevadaZielmeisterHow long do you play each sound for?
When using an ecaller, I usually play each sound for 4-6 minutes. with hand calls, I call for about 15 to 30 seconds, depending on how much air the call takes and how it "feels."

Originally Posted By: NevadaZielmeisterHow long between your calls?
With an ecaller, I typically call continuously, though I will sometimes run the volume up and down or even mute for a while to add realism. With hand calls, I wait a minute or two between sets.

Originally Posted By: NevadaZielmeisterHow long do you stay at a stand?
For coyotes, usually about 15 minutes. However, this year has been different. All but two coyotes this year have responded very slowly, coming in between 9 and 17 minutes. Based on that, I've extended this year's stands to about 18 to minutes, depending.

Originally Posted By: NevadaZielmeisterHow long do you wait until your last call and you get up to leave?
When I decide the stand is over, I kill the caller. I will usually stick around for a minute or two, just watching. If the terrain lends itself to glassing, I'll run a few scans with the bino to see if any late arrivals are incoming. This has paid off enough times to make me think it's a good idea.

Originally Posted By: NevadaZielmeisterI know there are ton of other factors: wind, concealment, positioning. I just wanted to keep this thread on the timing aspect of the stand.

Yep, and those all factor in.
 
Speaking of “hide the ride” don’t use a noisy vehicle. Driving around with a big ol’ snorting diesel engine can be heard for a looooong ways away. A professional caller/guide I know uses an ATV quad with a special noise reducing muffler on the ATV so he is less likely to be heard coming into the calling area.
 
I think there's a lot of good info here. Desert Ram pretty well summed up how I go about it, though I'm all on private land I pull the utv up close behind a big hill and park, climb around/over and set up in the best place I can find with a good view and best concealment. Start calling as soon as everything is set up, everyone is set down and ready.

If I howl to start I will wait a few minutes for any response, then its pretty much continuous with the Revolt, usually 5 to 7 minutes per sound and switch right to another sound with no delay. But recently I started doing shorter intervals, playing one sound for a couple minutes, then alternate back and forth, as if two animals are in a fight. I also have started keeping the Revolt moving continuously in a circle, projecting the sound every direction as two animals would be. It just made sense to me.

I really don't know how important all these details are though honestly. I know you wanted timing info, but no 2 people do it alike, and all here kill coyotes. Far more important is having land with coyotes, preferably ones that don't know the Foxpro sound library by heart, then getting in there without them knowing about it. Quiet vehicles are a definite plus I think like Hellgate said. That being said I don't think a little vehicle noise, in places they are used to hearing it, is a deal breaker. But obviously the quieter the better.
 
Originally Posted By: HellgateSpeaking of “hide the ride” don’t use a noisy vehicle. Driving around with a big ol’ snorting diesel engine can be heard for a looooong ways away. A professional caller/guide I know uses an ATV quad with a special noise reducing muffler on the ATV so he is less likely to be heard coming into the calling area.

I think this has some merit, particularly in an area where vehicle travel is usually somewhat limited. Most of the areas I call get fairly regular traffic. The Border Patrol drives most desert roads down here pretty often with their big diesels and Raptors, and ranchers travel everywhere with their pickups as well. I've been running a little experiment in which I'm comparing call-in rates in my buddy Matt's Jeep, my wife's little Ram 1500, and my big 'ol snorting diesel engine-powered Ram 2500. So far, the jury is out still. There are probably too many variables to actually compare. We had a great day (called in 10 on 12 stands) in the Ram, a crappy three-day weekend (called in three on 17 stands) in the Jeep, and I just had a decent day (called in four plus a fox on nine stands) in the diesel. Anecdotal so far, so I'll have to continue the research.
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I noticed a lot of the responses are from guys who look to hunt large, open areas (purely based of your locations, so only speculation). But for us guys who hunt more dense, wooded areas where we can't see more than 100-130 yards, do the tactics remain the same?
 
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