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AzWill's HUNTING THE HUNTERS

Coyotes. . . part II

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Okay. . . now let's say you've found an area that you know contains coyotes. The next step is to get out there and call them. . .so let's go.

There are some callers that claim you don't need to wear camo but I am not one of them. I figure any advantage I can give myself the better. . .so I wear camo from head to toe, that includes the use of gloves and face net too. Coyotes have the best eye sight that I've ever ran across and they can pick out something that doesn't belong in the picture in a heartbeat.

It's now dawn and we just arrived in the area we plan to call, what next? Well I always try to keep the rising sun to my back. Ever try to see anything with the sun hanging low in the sky and it shinning directly into your eyes? That's exactly what we want any responding coyote to see when he comes to our call. But what about the slight breeze from the West? That's good, the wind will be right in our face as we call. A squirt or two of natural earth cover scent and we're good to go.

I've never had much luck on windy days calling, but a slight to moderate breeze is a workable thing. But if the wind is really blowing, experience has taught me that it's best just to stay home and be ready to go when the wind stops.

Now we have to find a good place to call from.

Selecting a good location to call from can make or break your your hunt. The type of terrain you are hunting, the location of the sun, wind direction, all play a role to determine where you make your stand.

My first choice is to attempt to locate an elevated position that allows me to look slightly down on responding animals. This tactic allows you the opportunity to see incoming coyotes and to prepare for your shoot. I always make sure that I sit in front of some vegatation that will help break up my outline.

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Watch this antimation, for camo examples, notice that the hunter wearing the snow camo has his hands exposed. They (the hands) stick out like a sore thumb.

I like to pick areas that have broken cover, with clearings that will make an appraoching coyote expose itself when responding to the call. So now we're ready to begin calling. We have the sun right behind us, the wind is in our face, we are slightly elevated and we have good lanes of observation and fire. Let's start calling.

I use a JS512 electronic caller but if you plan to use a hand call. . . the same principles apply.

I always start off with the volume of the call at a low setting. This tactic is for those aniamls that maybe close by. . . I've seen planty of critters head for the hills when their eardrums have been assualted with high volume at close quarters. So, for the first three or four minutes of calling keep the volume down to the lower end of the scale.

At the five minute mark and nothing yet, I turn the volume up a notch or two. Wait! here comes one!!!

He's headed our way at a gallop. . . wait to put your sights on him when he's behind a brush or tree. That way he won't catch your movement and freeze or worse yet. . .head for the hills. Now, follow the coyote in and take it when you are sure of making a quick killing shot.

Now if you're calling and you hear a coyote, or coyotes, barking and howling in answer to your call, you might as well pack it up and go somewhere else to call. For whatever reason, the coyotes are on to you, they either saw you, or caught your scent, maybe both. Anyway, if this happens to you. . .the joke is on you this time. Don't worry it happens to all callers from time to time, give the area a break from calling for a week or two and try it again.

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I basically use the same tactics for selecting all my stands, regardless of what predator I'm attempting to call. If a caller can consistently call in coyotes, then he or she, has the ability to call in any predator. As you gain experience in calling coyotes, you'll most likely never see a coyote make the same mistake twice, a good caller learns the same way.

Take the time to think about how you approach your stand, the call or sound you are going to use. Make sure to kill your outline (and camo up the face and hands) and keep all movement to a minimum. Remember that you are hunting the hunters and as soon as you begin to call. . . the hunters are hunting you . . . good luck!