# Coyote troubles



## chris-remington (Oct 7, 2012)

I'm having a hell of a time getting onto the coyotes. I've had a group located for the past two weeks, always within the same two or three miles. I get them to respond to coyote calls. But I haven't put eyes on them yet. I'm wearing snow camo, scent free (as free as possible), not moving, not talking, tried fawn and rabbit distress, tried numerous coyote calls using my primos alpha dog. I've had them probably within 200 yards, scared me when they howled and yipped. Hunting open fields, should I take it to the woods?


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## tsb3 (Dec 31, 2013)

Chris, here's my $.02. If you have them holding up and barking at you then they have busted you for some reason. You mention camo, scent, being still and being quiet, however you did not mention the wind. If your not playing the wind they will bust you every time. Calling from fields and woods both can work. My most recent success was calling from a fence line across a small field to a big woods 250 yds away. Just keep after 'em, you'll get 'em.


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## BVW (Jul 25, 2002)

Sounds like you are probably outside of their core area or sitting in an area they are not comfortable getting close to. Like tsb said they may be on to you, I would try to figure out where you are hearing them exactly , pull up Google earth, look for areas of cover and plan a set up much closer to them using distress sounds. Which calls are you using? I think people confuse coyotes and turkeys a lot.. Just because you hear them it doesn't always mean its a good thing. Normally they are nervous and excited and would rather sort things about verbally instead of running into a potential problem. They are one of the worlds best survivors for a reason  good luck!


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## Copper15 (Oct 17, 2012)

chris-remington said:


> I'm having a hell of a time getting onto the coyotes. I've had a group located for the past two weeks, always within the same two or three miles. I get them to respond to coyote calls. But I haven't put eyes on them yet. I'm wearing snow camo, scent free (as free as possible), not moving, not talking, tried fawn and rabbit distress, tried numerous coyote calls using my primos alpha dog. I've had them probably within 200 yards, scared me when they howled and yipped. Hunting open fields, should I take it to the woods?
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


2-3 miles? That's a big area to try to cover. I keep having them in a .5 mile section but never laid eyes on them but I'm hunting a really thick swampy area. Had them howling back to me continuously for an hour yesturday and tracks everywhere.

Good luck.


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## dasuper (Sep 23, 2007)

How many other people are calling these same dogs? They do learn real quick that certain sounds are not what they seem. My area has one hunter who calls all of the time now that he is retired and they just don't even respond any more.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Have there bellies filled with winter killed deer to be really interested in some squealing little rabbit when there is plenty of venison laying on the ground to feed on?

They are probably on of the few critters that will come out of this well fed and healthy.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Sometimes you just need to grab the gun and go sit in the woods to catch them on the move. I see lots of them when I am fishing and hunting. Most of the time I am in the thick stuff and they are just passing through. I have had both wolves and coyotes come by real close and not know I am there. I don't use the cover scent or scent blocker either.


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## DFJISH (Mar 30, 2009)

By this time of the year any coyotes left are the wariest of all. You mentioned hunting open fields. Any coyotes willing to cross open ground to answer a call have long since been skinned. :lol: My suggestion is that you get close to or into heavier cover.* Get to a place where you can see into cover DOWNWIND of where you sit.* Coyotes _will_ work downwind AND want to stay in cover. That's where they feel safe enough to investigate a call. It's VERY low odds this late in the season any way you look at it. Good luck.


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## chris-remington (Oct 7, 2012)

Wow a lot of replies. Thanks everyone!

To answer a few questions.

I try to play the wind, and won't sit in a spot I know the wind isn't favorable in. However it's been swirling lately.

Yes I have them 'pinned' to a 2 or 3 mile area. It's thick swamp with scattered fields which is what I've been hunting. I haven't ventured into the woods yet because all the yote hunting I've seen/heard about has been done in fields so I still don't have their travel pattern down.

I have a primos alpha dog electronic caller. I've been using the territorial set (usually I'll get a response everytime.), rabbit distress, fawn distress, coyote distress and coyote pup distress. I am unaware of any other coyote hunters in the area. But you guys are right, if there were any other hunters, those calls are probably played out. Maybe I'll try something new...domestic cat distress, domestic puppy distress.?.

I know it's late in the season but I figured there would still be a few dumb ones around, guess I'll keep trying and hopefully get some this summer when it opens again.


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## jd4223 (Feb 12, 2012)

Sit just inside the edge of a field(tree line,fence line)using the wind.Set a decoy just a couple yards outside of the edge into the field where it can be seen by any yotes looking into the field.Then use your calls.Depending on what you're shooting,the decoy can be placed at a longer distance from you.If you're shooting a shotgun,then you really have to be extra careful in your set up and camo,and scent,and movement,due to the short range of the shotgun.As far as decoys,check the internet and see what the local sports stores carry.I've seen good success using a rabbit type decoy that moves and shakes on a timer.


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## chris-remington (Oct 7, 2012)

jd4223 said:


> Sit just inside the edge of a field(tree line,fence line)using the wind.Set a decoy just a couple yards outside of the edge into the field where it can be seen by any yotes looking into the field.Then use your calls.Depending on what you're shooting,the decoy can be placed at a longer distance from you.If you're shooting a shotgun,then you really have to be extra careful in your set up and camo,and scent,and movement,due to the short range of the shotgun.As far as decoys,check the internet and see what the local sports stores carry.I've seen good success using a rabbit type decoy that moves and shakes on a timer.


I'm using an ar15, range isn't an issue. If I can see it, I can hit it. So should I place the decoy across a field close to a wood line? Or would that interfere with the call being close to me and the dying decoy so far away?


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

I know a local guy that lives to kill coyotes. This time of the year he hunts them on the great lakes ice. He drives about 200+ miles every day, once on the ice they move and seldom if ever stop moving. A 400 yard or more shot is pretty common. You better know your gun and have a good scope.


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## chris-remington (Oct 7, 2012)

Robert Holmes said:


> I know a local guy that lives to kill coyotes. This time of the year he hunts them on the great lakes ice. He drives about 200+ miles every day, once on the ice they move and seldom if ever stop moving. A 400 yard or more shot is pretty common. You better know your gun and have a good scope.


Wow I didn't know people hunted them on the ice. That's pretty cool. 400 yard shot is fine, comfortable with my gun, load, and glass out to 600, I'd shoot past that but it would be a guess how the wind would effect it.


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## jd4223 (Feb 12, 2012)

Does your caller have a wireless remote? If not,then you have to make sure you're down wind of the decoy when calling.Basically you want the decoy between you and the dogs.If there is still snow on the ground where you hunt maybe you can see the track where the yotes are running and what direction they are coming from.If,and I say if,the wind is right you can set up with the decoy between you and the track.I'm not sure if you're allowed to hunt from an elevated stand.I know you can't when it comes to hunting small game.If you can hunt from an elevated stand,then wind wouldn't be a major factor,plus you would have a better field of view.It would be like shooting fish in a barrel with the type of gun you're using..


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## BVW (Jul 25, 2002)

Another tip would be to be carefull with the aggressive vocalizations. They work to get the group howling but to actually make them come in can be tough. A group or "pack" of coyotes normally have an alpha pair that is in charge. Other pack associates normally are offspring from the previous litter are far less likely to approach a perceived threat in the territory. Also transient coyotes that may be around will rarely approach an aggressive howl so you just limited yourself to only a few potential coyotes in a large area.. Then you factor in hunt pressure and a naturally suspicious animal and it starts to make sense why they are such a challenge to call in. Pup distress is a good sound!
Here is a video from last year in the type of cover I have had the best luck in.


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## Copper15 (Oct 17, 2012)

BVW said:


> Another tip would be to be carefull with the aggressive vocalizations. They work to get the group howling but to actually make them come in can be tough. A group or "pack" of coyotes normally have an alpha pair that is in charge. Other pack associates normally are offspring from the previous litter are far less likely to approach a perceived threat in the territory. Also transient coyotes that may be around will rarely approach an aggressive howl so you just limited yourself to only a few potential coyotes in a large area.. Then you factor in hunt pressure and a naturally suspicious animal and it starts to make sense why they are such a challenge to call in. Pup distress is a good sound!
> Here is a video from last year in the type of cover I have had the best luck in.
> http://youtu.be/nVxxiR4wXSE


I used male challenge barks yesterday. Nothing else was working for weeks. I was hoping breeding was winding down and they would be more aggressive about defending their denning area.


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## BVW (Jul 25, 2002)

Copper15 said:


> I used male challenge barks yesterday. Nothing else was working for weeks. I was hoping breeding was winding down and they would be more aggressive about defending their denning area.


Any luck? Barks are normally a threat or a warning.. In theory a territorial alpha should come in and defend the territory and resourses , But not all coyotes breed.. The breeding season isnt really like the whitetail rut.. Breeding is normally reserved for alphas because in order for pups to survive they need territory and resources also both male and female help raise the pups. Sometimes a beta will get knocked up but survival is low for the pups.
I think less threating howls would be more productive and you have less of a risk of running off the less dominant coyotes in an area. Coyotes don't like to fight.. They understand its not worth it.. Its a waist of precious energy and there is a risk of injury which could be life threatening .. So often times you will hear them but they will not show up.. I believe they will try to resolve territory issues verbally.. If some dude with an ecaller is blasting barks and aggressive vocals I am think it confuses them and makes them wonder what the heck is going on


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## chris-remington (Oct 7, 2012)

Didn't know the territorial barks and howls would possibly run them off. Last time I was out I did some barks and howls and they responded but didn't come in, thanks for that input. When I get out next time I'll try some distress calls I haven't used yet, like robin, wood pecker and such. Maybe they are pressured a lot. Thanks jd for the decoy input. I don't have one but might invest soon. My call is wireless by the way so a decoy could give me more set up possibilities.

I know the area I hunt is heavily pressured for rabbits and deer. But I haven't seen or heard any coyote hunters. Wonder what effect rabbit hunters have on yote movement.?


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## tsb3 (Dec 31, 2013)

Chris, here's a tip on a cheap but very effective decoy. Get yourself 3' of 1/2" wooden dowel, one small fishing swivel, 4-6" of fishing line and a real turkey feather. Put a bit of a point on one end of the dowel and tie the feather on the other end with the line and swivel. Stick the dowel in the ground at approximately a 45 degree angle. That feather will move with the slightest breeze. You can camo the dowel if you like. Inexpensive and very effective!


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## Copper15 (Oct 17, 2012)

BVW said:


> Any luck? Barks are normally a threat or a warning.. In theory a territorial alpha should come in and defend the territory and resourses , But not all coyotes breed.. The breeding season isnt really like the whitetail rut.. Breeding is normally reserved for alphas because in order for pups to survive they need territory and resources also both male and female help raise the pups. Sometimes a beta will get knocked up but survival is low for the pups.
> I think less threating howls would be more productive and you have less of a risk of running off the less dominant coyotes in an area. Coyotes don't like to fight.. They understand its not worth it.. Its a waist of precious energy and there is a risk of injury which could be life threatening .. So often times you will hear them but they will not show up.. I believe they will try to resolve territory issues verbally.. If some dude with an ecaller is blasting barks and aggressive vocals I am think it confuses them and makes them wonder what the heck is going on


Like I said. I had them responding for an hour but didn't come in. I did try other calls but they shut up quick when I did. Went back to the challenge call and they fired up again. I should have moved closer but the area I was hunting everything is either super crunchy or knee deeppuddles. Still lots of tracks everywhere.


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