How To: Calling/Hunting Predators

[shthr12]

any rifle will work for coyotes within its effective range. effective range means that with any rimfire, you have to be able to shoot them in the head. please, anyone who is new, dont try coyote hunting with a 22. they are probably the toughest animals in the world pound for pound, and take alot of killing.

i could type for hours on this post, and still be thinking of suggestions, tips, and advice. the biggest thing ive learned is that if you think you know everything about coyote calling, you actualy dont know jack. everytime i call, i learn something new.

[cnelk]

OK!
By now you are hooked on heading out and blowing on a call, and watching the song dogs come scampering in.

You bought a hand call and watched the instructional video over & over too, right?

But where to go?!

Many years ago I learned this tip:
Stop a rural mailman for a few minutes and ask them if they have been seeing coyotes and where. These people drive the county roads EVERYDAY!

With the info you get, now its your turn to either find some public land in the vicinity of the coyote sightings or start knocking on some doors.
(This step of Public Relations is not only helpful in predator hunting, but in life's lessons too)
Do not be discouraged when the answer for permission is "no".
When the answer is "yes", tread very lightly.

• Ask "when" you can hunt.
• Are there times when you shouldn't hunt?
• Be sure to mention if you are hunting alone or bringing a buddy.
• Let them know your description of the vehicle you will be driving.
• Always, always notify them when you will be using/accessing their land.

The next step will be exciting...! We are going to set-up and try to call in a coyote!

MTF (More To Follow)

[cnelk]

Originally Posted by tmrschessie

Got any more on sewing up holes? did you happen to take any pictures? Tom

Tom,
I havent taken any pics of sewing holes in pelts, but I sure will!

To sew up a bullet hole, (or any hole dime-size or larger), the following works well for me.

Trim around the ragged hole with a sharp pair of scissors to the shape of a football, lengthwise with the pelt. Just take enough that is needed. (Dont worry, it will look fine!)

You will need twice the length of floss as the hole. This will give you enough to tie off each end.

Start the 1st stitch at one end of the "football", tie off, and stitch overhand with spacing ~1/8in until you reach the other end of the football. Give this end a couple of extra loops and tie off.

Work the new "scar" a bit to let everything settle in. Be sure no stitches tore.

When the hide is turned and brushed you will hardly see the hole you fixed!

I once stitched up a coyote with over 50 stitches - 2 bullet holes

I recently "home tanned" a fox I shot. Upon working the leather, it tore. Since this was more of an experiment, I decided to sew it up. (I did not have to cut it into the football shape)
Sewing1.jpg


Below is the opposite side. The tear is between the white and red.

sewing2.jpg

[cnelk]

I got my hand call, some camo, my rifle, and the desire to hunt coyotes.

I found a landowner that will give access to hunt coyotes! He has cattle and will be calving soon. He has seen lots of coyotes in the area. GREAT!

Where to set-up?
I like to be up high so I can spot them coming in from a distance. I also like to have some sort of cover to break-up my outline. I like to be sure I can move side to side, since I don’t know which direction the coyotes will come.

Here is a good calling spot that has cover to break my outline up (fence/sagebrush); I am overlooking willows and a big area that could hold a coyote or two.

MtnScenery_ Fence.jpg

[Scott G.]

Sorry, have to hijack the thread for a second. That picture has some awesome scenery!

[tmrschessie]

Hey Scott, your the boss, you can do what ever you want...with in reason of course... lol . Tom

[tmrschessie]

Great looking coyote country and probably a few bobcat and fox?? Tom

[cnelk]

There are no bobcat and very few fox in the area of the pic.
Probably too many coyotes!

[tmrschessie]

Well if they are as nice as the two you showed us skinned out, I could live with that.

[cnelk]

Back to the action of calling in a coyote!

We are set up along the fence, overlooking willows and wide open country.
I am settled in, the wind is right to left - perfect. Just got to remember to keep watch downwind.

I was careful to sneak into the area and I wait for a few minutes to let things settle down.

I get ready and start the calling session with real loud distress screams. I go until I'm about out of breath. I wait just a minute to catch my wind and hammer on the call again for about 15 seconds.
I wait about 2 minutes and call again. I see a magpie flying toward my direction. That is a good thing! Because sometimes magpies will follow coyotes on the move 'cause they want a free meal too.

I wait....

I call again...

The magpie flew away...

I call again 2 minutes later...

After 15-20 minutes, Nothing!

Time to go to the next spot...

Remember...Perseverance!

[wolfer 1]

If I am on the stand this time of year I prefer to stay a little longer than 20 min.this time of year its very rare to find coyotes that haven't had a screaming bunny throw some lead at them. I have killed quit a few coyotes the last couple weeks 30 min. plus into the stand. I am not saying there wont be coyotes show up sooner but if your hunting a spot where you are pretty sure that coyotes are hearing your call give it an extra 10 or 15 min. it wont work every time but especially this time of year it will work enough to try

[tmrschessie]

Where you from wolfer 1?? Thanks, Tom

[huntman025]

I have found over the years the main thing that will screw up a coyote hunt is movement. I always get the sun as much to my back as I can and wind in face as much as possible, cross winds work most the time. Last year I called in 3 coyotes in one day during rifle season wearing blaze orange hat and vest and my dad was right beside me wearing orange also. Camo is not nearly as important as sneaking into your setup and sitting still while on stand. I do however wear full camo most the time but I don't wear a mask very often. If you have the sun right your face won't glare. I never get real loud or hammer the call till I've been on stand 5-10 min and see nothing coming. I will usually call twice fairly soft and then pull out an open reed call I can get some volume with, I used to get right on it hard from the start but found much better success with starting soft and getting louder as the sequence goes. I usually stay on stand around 20 min depending on the spot. Some times your calling a small area that a coyote is going to be close and you will see them fairly quick if there going to come in. In some of my other places there might be 5 miles infront of me that a coyote could come from so I will stay on that stand longer. Persistance is very important! I will not call something in everytime I go out but have pretty good success. When randy anderson's video's first came out everyone and there dog thought they could call coyotes like on the video, everyone was out calling and they educated alot of coyotes. I would say 90% of the people have now quit because it was not as easy as it looks on the videos. Any seasoned coyote hunter knows there is a ton of time that goes into getting 40 kill shots on video calling coyotes.
Just my thoughts and experience's not saying what I do will work for everyone.

[cnelk]

Huntman is right on!

The 15-20 minutes on stand has proven plenty for me. The more areas I can cover in 1 day the better.

The reason I call loud to start with is because I am betting on the closer coyotes to pop up and come in quick, and the ones way out there will show themselves before the 15 minutes. But that's just me. I have seen no effect in calling loud right away, as I have done both.

Calling in coyotes is NOT as easy as the videos show.
Many missed oppportunities, missed shots, no coyotes all play a factor in "the game".

Here is a pic I took that has 2 coyotes in it. They came in from behind me, on my right.

As you can see, 1 is running, 1 is sitting there watching me. I never got a shot.

Two_Coyotes.jpg

Lesson - I got busted! And they ran.

But it was still a success! I called in 2 coyotes!