Coyote Newbie..... in other words help please

[PHOENIX PHIL]

So ever since moving into the west I've had innumerable encounters with coyotes. From having them mousing so oblivious to my presence I had to let them know I was there, to running in packs through my camp, to running in packs through my neighborhood to whatever you just about imagine.

This includes having them just trot on by a once favorite elk hunting spot here in AZ. I'd not been to that spot in a number of years as it was for a late rifle hunt and I'm back to bowhunting wapiti. But, a friend of mine's son drew that tag this year and we took him there. Getting ready to call it a morning, not being quiet, moving about we had 3 coyotes come trotting out at about 200 yards.

So......I finally made the decision I was going to dive in and take this up. So Santa brought me a new Foxpro electronic caller and a motion decoy. So up very early this morning the boys and I head up north to this elk spot. I was confident. These coyotes are so far from Phoenix and just about anywhere else so hunting pressure is light, they've proven to be pretty stupid....I'm gonna get at least one and it should have a nice furry coat in the cold weather that we actually have here in the Arizona high country.

Foxpro hidden under a juniper with the motion decoy just on the edge of the bush. Start the call and no more than 30 seconds later a coyote comes running right in. So fast I wasn't even on the rifle, my movement spooks it and I miss a running shot!

Brought in two more dogs during the day, they come in quick but leave even quicker. These two had no idea I was there. Clearly I'm doing something wrong with the caller and equally clear the #%@$*ng dogs know for some reason I'm after them and not elk.

So @Deleted member 15212 or anyone else, got any tips/advice for this novice predator hunter?

 

[K-man]

Just a couple for you Phil. Get set up before you start the call. Like all hunting, those sound dogs use the wind as well as their eyes. Try running the call in short segments, then wait for movement. You are hunting the hunter, try to sound like prey without being seen or smelled. You may be too close to your call. If you can be downwind 100 yds from your call and still use the remote, try that. Kill em all!!! Show me pics next week at Dallas!!!! I got 18 last year from my deck but don't usually call them. Working on a three pack running around my place now, soon to be a pair.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I setup the call at roughly 100-120 yards. Mostly in the juniper country. Buggers can sneak through there and suddenly appear out of and disappear into nowhere quickly.

When you say short segments, one minute or two or....?

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I'm also wondering about volume. The volume can be changed at the remote. The volume goes from 1-20. I can tell you, 20 is mighty loud. You can hear it from 100 yards plus away with the speaker pointed away from you. I'm thinking part of the problem with the quick exit was the volume was just too high when the yotes were just a mere feet away from the call.

 

[K-man]

Yes 1 or 2 minutes. Think dying rabbit.... how long can it squeal? Those coyotes may already know where you are before they come out, but are just bold enough to check it out anyway. The good thing is they are plentiful, so keep trying. The professional predator hunters scout them like turkeys, morning and evening to see where they den up and then move in on them. I've never been that motivated, but you already know they are there. If you can hear it from 150 yds, they can hear it from 400. start with a higher volume as a locator, then turn down like a dying animal might sound.

 

[K-man]

Don't think I know all about them , I just enjoy shooting them on sight. I am sure others on here can help out much more. This sure beats watching yet another Oklahoma football team choke in a bowl game.

 

[LivingTheDream]

I did a little predator calling. The first thing that comes to mind is they are winding you. The other thing would be to start low volume and slowly move up in volume. Definitely do the short segments.
Pretty good you are getting some action though!!! Keep us updated.

 

[Deleted member 15212]

definitely sounds like they are winding you. hunt into the wind.

with a rifle, I always get elevated. sit up on a good sized hill or something.. that way youll be able to see a good ways out and can work in anything coming in. even then I don't put the call very far. maybe just to the bottom of the hill im sitting on. also, if you can, stay in shadows.. it will help conceal your movements more.

thick cover is a little more tricky cause there is a better chance of them circling around without you even seeing them. in thick cover, ill pick out a nice tall bush to stand in with my shotgun with a bit of a clearing... gives me a bigger shooting/seeing area. movements are key here!! if you catch something coming in, don't get too excited just yet.. watch it... a lot of times they will stop behind a bush and look through it to see whats going on. but if they are coming in nice, when they go behind a bush, that's when Ill bead up on then. then just let them keep coming.. just yesterday, this proved fatal to an old female coyote as she came off my right side and I got her shot at about 15 yards. ha. when hunting tight areas with shotgun, ill put the call maybe ten feet from me...

the main thing is watch the wind and just get out there and see what works best for you. and get a pair of shooting sticks if you don't have any. youll shoot a lot better and recover more animals with them!

the first ever coyote I called in myself I didn't kill. I forgot my sticks on the truck. coyote came out and sat at about 200 yards. I took a shot off my knee and missed a couple times.. hahaha.

if things aren't responding well, then either get elevated or change areas. ive kept to that for a long time and when I do, things usually start happening.

where in AZ are you hunting? i have an AZ license! im a little limited on time though. next weekend ill be in Colorado after swift fox!

here are some predators called this season so far...

this is my ten year old boy who is a great shot with his 17hmr! both animals i called in also.

 

[BRICKBURN]

................. The other thing would be to start low volume and slowly move up in volume. Definitely do the short segments.
...........

I'd do exactly this.
There is a wizard of Jackal hunting in RSA always starts low and short. Just in case one is right beside you, you have not seen.

Do not educate them. If you can't kill them, don't shoot.

We have Coyotes here that run at the sound of a call. They have been educated.

When I first decoyed Antelope I did exactly what you did. Set it up and went back to the bow. The Buck was on top of me before I'd gone ten yards. Moving so fast I was shocked. Seems you learned that lesson.

If there is any open ground try and use it to your advantage to see them first. If none is available you may have to get those binos out.

Good luck Phil.

 

[Wheels]

This sure beats watching yet another Oklahoma football team choke in a bowl game.

It's ben a rough two days K. Feel your pain.


Phil, hope you and the boys get it worked out and slay some yotes.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I don't think wind was the issue. The call was set upwind and the coyotes came straight to the call. The first coyote just came straight at the call, he didn't care about wind, but I was downwind for sure on that one. Second coyote I was more cross wind from him. I had a pretty good guess if I was a coyote where I would come from and set myself up laterally from the wind direction. Last one I was definitely downwind, setup across a two track path which that dog definitely did not cross.

After reading here, I'm calling too long it seems and too loud. And I need to be a bit more careful picking where I setup I think. There's dogs there for sure but I need to be more careful to optimize a shot opportunity.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

@Deleted member 15212, we were hunting about a 1/2 hour north of Heber. This is up on the Mogollon rim, cold, coyotes get thick coats and are a bit bigger than the average desert dog.

 

[BRICKBURN]

........... There's dogs there for sure but I need to be more careful to optimize a shot opportunity.

They are crafty!

 

[AB2506]

If you can find a copy of Operation Predator
http://www.amazon.com/Johnny-Stewarts-Operation-Predator-Wimberley/dp/B00124IS98

You will see Ed Wimberly hunting high sage in New Mexico or northern Arizona. I would love to find this in DVD format as it is one of my favorite predator DVDs.

Randy Anderson has a Mastering the Art Calling all Coyotes. This is a coyote calling tutorial.

I would say the volume was too loud, it only took 30 seconds for the coyote to come in. If he was that close, he likely saw you place the caller.

I would place the caller only about 40-50 yards away. I would be watching the downing side. You need a background behind you so you are not skylighted. You should be full camo including face and hands. You should be set up so that you do not have to move much to shoot where you expect to see the coyote. If they surprise you by where they come out, move slowly and try to do it when the coyote is moving or looking away.

I went hunting with a coyote guide who advised that many callers walk too much looking for the best spot. The coyotes see them and either covertly leave or are alerted and on edge. He advises to hide the truck, walk to a likely spot (closer the better) sit down in front of something and call.

 

[Deleted member 15212]

a buddy out of Kansas, who I basically learned the ways from many years ago shows up in operation predator and some of the FoxPro furtakers videos.