# Seven!



## 101thwacK (Sep 7, 2017)

Wanted to share a cool story I had happen last Friday. Also maybe get some advice on where we went wrong. I have been coyote hunting for 3 years now but this is my first year doing it without someone else showing me the ropes and making my own setups hunting my own properties.

The field we were in is about 300yds long and 100 yds wide running North South the long way. Road we walked in from is on the North end and there is a power line on the South end with long grasses and then a hay field. Thin fence row with trees on the east side and a low lying swampy wooded area on our west. There is a hill that runs East West about 100yds south of the road that prevents you from seeing the back 200yds of the field. We setup about a third of the way down the south side of the hill so we could see the rest of the field and yet were not skylined. On the other side of the power lines from east to west there is a wood lot then the hay field then another wood lot. We had an east wind with a slight south to it about 3-4mph. So any scent should be going towards the swamp and slightly the road. Call setup 30yds out and slightly to our east. 

Ok now that you have a picture let the hunt begin. So we arrived at this property and got set up about 2 hours after dark. Excitement was high, I had a friend out with me who had never been coyote hunting before and I had him on the rifle. I was carrying my 12 gauge just in case we got really lucky on multiple yotes in close. We called for about 20min, coyote sounds then mostly jack rabbit distress sounds, then a few more coyote sounds. Then we sat in silence for 15 minute, right as we were about to head out I picked up eyes coming out of the south east woodlot. Those are the right height I thought, and it is moving like a dog. "Right there" I whisper. My friend gets the gun up and switches from his scan light to the one mounted on the gun. "Its a coyote, and another one just came out of the woods behind him" he whispers. I now pick that one up with my light. "Stay on whichever one is closest" I tell him. These two start on an angle towards us that should put them almost straight south of us and slightly west. They are about 350 yds away at this point. as they start trotting I just catch another set of eyes exiting the woods with the edge of my light. "There's a third, stay on that front moving one for now." The first two close the distance to about 300yds entering the grass under the power lines as the third heads straight west staying in the hay field. I have my light one the third that is almost on the west side of the hay field now still a good 350 away.

"The back one keeps pausing and looking at the east wood lot," friend says. "Ok, stay on the front one for now," I reply. I then do a quick scan away from the third across the hay field and the east wood lot and what do I find? Four coyotes standing just outside the tree line on the hay field edge! SEVEN COYOTES! "Oh my word there are four more on the left," I whisper with shock hardly thinking about what I am saying. "What?!" my friend whispers as he excitedly breaks off the closest two and turns to the wood lot. I immediately get my light on the closest two. "Look quickly then get back on the closest one," I coach. He does. I quickly look for the one on the west side and he has headed back east towards the rest across the hay field. Over the next 45 minutes we watched these SEVEN COYOTES zig zag in and out of the the grass and hay field but never making it through the grass into our field 3 different times we had three different ones 5 yds from being in the field so my friend could see clear enough for a shot. After the first one did this I tried a pup distress and that brought the second one in to almost the same exact spot. Then when that one backed off I turned the call back off for a while then tried a couple young coyote yips. This brought the third one in 5yds from entering the field but towards the south west corner. He went back and forth a little staying in the grass then retreated also. I kept checking the wind and it stayed good through this whole shindig. Shortly after that to the NW a nearby houses dogs started going crazy and all the coyotes slowly made their way across the hay field and out of the south end. "You just saw more coyotes in your first ever sit than i have ever seen in a single sit, let alone all together," I said back at the truck. We sat 3 more spots after that and had one other single we just could not get close enough. He is now hooked.


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## Hackman (Aug 13, 2008)

101thwacK said:


> Wanted to share a cool story I had happen last Friday. Also maybe get some advice on where we went wrong. I have been coyote hunting for 3 years now but this is my first year doing it without someone else showing me the ropes and making my own setups hunting my own properties.
> 
> The field we were in is about 300yds long and 100 yds wide running North South the long way. Road we walked in from is on the North end and there is a power line on the South end with long grasses and then a hay field. Thin fence row with trees on the east side and a low lying swampy wooded area on our west. There is a hill that runs East West about 100yds south of the road that prevents you from seeing the back 200yds of the field. We setup about a third of the way down the south side of the hill so we could see the rest of the field and yet were not skylined. On the other side of the power lines from east to west there is a wood lot then the hay field then another wood lot. We had an east wind with a slight south to it about 3-4mph. So any scent should be going towards the swamp and slightly the road. Call setup 30yds out and slightly to our east.
> 
> ...


You know you have just educated seven coyotes, plus it's not you getting closer it's getting them to come in, they won't. Option is to go all out drink some Kool Aid and buy the 4000 dollar thermal scopes. Or go old school go out without lights on a light snow covered field at night in bust em as they circled downwind as many have done since they commercialized this so much. Good job and you will only get smarter, but so do they.


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## Capt.STU (Jan 1, 2012)

101thwacK said:


> Wanted to share a cool story I had happen last Friday. Also maybe get some advice on where we went wrong. I have been coyote hunting for 3 years now but this is my first year doing it without someone else showing me the ropes and making my own setups hunting my own properties.
> 
> The field we were in is about 300yds long and 100 yds wide running North South the long way. Road we walked in from is on the North end and there is a power line on the South end with long grasses and then a hay field. Thin fence row with trees on the east side and a low lying swampy wooded area on our west. There is a hill that runs East West about 100yds south of the road that prevents you from seeing the back 200yds of the field. We setup about a third of the way down the south side of the hill so we could see the rest of the field and yet were not skylined. On the other side of the power lines from east to west there is a wood lot then the hay field then another wood lot. We had an east wind with a slight south to it about 3-4mph. So any scent should be going towards the swamp and slightly the road. Call setup 30yds out and slightly to our east.
> 
> ...


You’d be surprised what a $5 hand mouse squeaker will do when they hang up on you like that. What county you hunting in?


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## Hackman (Aug 13, 2008)

Capt.STU said:


> You’d be surprised what a $5 hand mouse squeaker will do when they hang up on you like that. What county you hunting in?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


I brought a coyote in that was chasing a pheasant in some cattails while bowhunting years ago with my nothing but my lips. Just pucker up and suck air in or you can kiss the back of your hand and suck in, makes a perfect squeek sound. You make your own tape play it on recorder it work better than anything you can buy. Indians , Burnham Brothers, Dennis Kirk, Johnny Stewart, did it way before these predator experts blasting yotes at 300 yards with thermal. It would be fun to get a thermal rig not in my budget yet.


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## cotote wacker (Jun 12, 2012)

Some times it not best to see large expanses while predator calling, but cover a smaller area that you will have a higher percentage of calling in one for a closer shot. I would rather be close to a swamp, wood lot or grassy field, then look across a plowed field. Coyotes like edges and really don't like coming across a flat open plowed field.
One of my favorite two hunter set-ups is caller up wind and a shooter down wind but to the right or left, to catch coyotes circling down wind of caller.


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## OUTSIDE-FUN (Jan 7, 2019)

Way koooool my friend, I've been going out up here Northern Grand Traverse County state land all woods hard to find open set up, but I still go out not seen dog yet but doing some learning as dogs are also I'm sure, had some howl laughing @ me other night LOL, we got about 1/8th in. of ice on top of snow up here so its real hard to try & get in quite, when we get a snow storm I will not be able to access set ups sites, normally we got 2' of snow by now, hey good luck, (always helps a little) thanks for your hunt details


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## cotote wacker (Jun 12, 2012)

Don't hunt the woods look for swamps. This time of the year deer are yarded up. Coyotes follow the deer to the yards.
Also now is breeding time good chance calling in pairs.


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## OUTSIDE-FUN (Jan 7, 2019)

Thanks Coyote W
Been just finding different locations this year got late start, be set up next year a lot better with little bit more knowledge, tried this about 20yrs ago got one dog it was great, my work takes me outa state for months so wasn't able to follow up back then, I do try to set up on wet areas but without the ability to watch my down wind side it tough, I just like being out there, getting a dog just a big bonus !!


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## 101thwacK (Sep 7, 2017)

Capt.STU said:


> You’d be surprised what a $5 hand mouse squeaker will do when they hang up on you like that. What county you hunting in?
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


North East Kent County


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## 101thwacK (Sep 7, 2017)

cotote wacker said:


> Some times it not best to see large expanses while predator calling, but cover a smaller area that you will have a higher percentage of calling in one for a closer shot. I would rather be close to a swamp, wood lot or grassy field, then look across a plowed field. Coyotes like edges and really don't like coming across a flat open plowed field.
> One of my favorite two hunter set-ups is caller up wind and a shooter down wind but to the right or left, to catch coyotes circling down wind of caller.


We were setup primarily for them wanting to come up one of the field edges on our left or right we were just also able to reach the south field edge. I usually try to setup so I can shoot the tree line or field edge I think they will be coming from or circling to.
How would you do this setup? The problem I have had the couple times I tried this is the coyote would be able to see or get downwind of me and get out before I ever got a chance for a shot.


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## cotote wacker (Jun 12, 2012)

101thwacK said:


> We were setup primarily for them wanting to come up one of the field edges on our left or right we were just also able to reach the south field edge. I usually try to setup so I can shoot the tree line or field edge I think they will be coming from or circling to.
> How would you do this setup? The problem I have had the couple times I tried this is the coyote would be able to see or get downwind of me and get out before I ever got a chance for a shot.


Hunter sitting down wind could be a couple hundred yards depending on terrain or a fence row behind caller...
Shot coyotes that circled down wind to a fence row 200 yards behind caller right in the guys lap waiting...coyote concentrating on caller never knew what hit them....

Keeping a road, barns or house down wind will prevent most coyotes from circling down wind....

You need to think like a coyote....were would I go to sneak up and steal that dying rabbit or chase that other coyote out of my territory....

Remember all those videos and shows on TV most of them are hunting the big wide open spaces in the Mid-West,West or Texas its nothing like the big woods or wood lots of Michigan....


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## Sparky23 (Aug 15, 2007)

First sit I ever had we were calling an ice covered lake. Had 7 come in. I was on the call 2 buddies on guns. All 7 came within 25yards of buddy sitting downwind 75ish from us. One pissed 10 feet from him. He never shot thinking we would be mad because they were to far for us to shoot. Followed that sit up with 2 coming in at another spot only to have opposition happen and buddy open fire at 150 yards with a 22 mag.....???? Then finished the night with a miss on a grey fox never came remotely close on a night like that again


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## OUTSIDE-FUN (Jan 7, 2019)

I had nice set up 8am, I've been watching waiting for wind to be right, finally perfect got set up e-caller out, set for about 10mins let everything settle down, got set up real quite anyways, so start to call, about 30sec. in I could here vehicle, so outa nowhere Toyota comes down logging trail, with dog boxes, so I got up walked out grabbed my caller headed back to truck, headed to different set up 10 miles away was getting parked about to get outa truck looked behind me here comes truck sure as sh-- dog boxes in back different group, state land everybody got a right to be there, but if your already there set up ? they just drive around with there walkie talkies ruin anybody hunting in large area's , I understand about running hounds, had couple **** hounds but run @ night didn't affect anyone & asked permission, these groups don't care about anyone they feel there hounds got right away, on public or private land, Gotta love it ! !


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## Quig7557 (Dec 31, 2008)

I hunt both ways. There is no way to know anyone is out and what it is they are doing. Get off the thru roads and call after they leave.


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## OUTSIDE-FUN (Jan 7, 2019)

Ya like I mentioned I had hounds love'em, but on the other hand vehicle was parked, @ the start of trail, wasn't driving around on all logging trails in the area for miles disturbing any hunters, legally hunting, hunting from a vehicle in the pursuit or locating wild game is illegal last I read in MI hunting rules, I think hunting on private property when coyote runs onto private property is trespass with no permission, what happens when hounds finally catch coyote after snow balls up on his fur he cant run no more and you got to go on private land get hounds & dead coyote, I know few hounds men that run coyotes, they say dogs most of time kill coyotes there running, when coyote cross's road they put fresh hounds on the trail load up tired hounds, don't get me wrong dead coyote is a good coyote they kill anything they can even pups & there is no shortage of coyotes, but there are rules please let me know if any of the rules that I have mention are actually legal, trespass, pursuit or locating wild game from vehicle
Good Luck To All


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## OUTSIDE-FUN (Jan 7, 2019)

Call after they leave, right after or wait a week LOL
Good Luck To Ya it helps sometimes


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