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Author
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Topic: Dueling Howls pays off. But tall grass problems.
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Varmint Al
Knows what it's all about
Member # 537
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posted July 15, 2005 03:32 PM
This happened last Tuesday: Pat is really good on calling. He does a wicked mallard hen and Canada Honker. He picked up howling within minutes. The coyotes had been killing the goats on the Goat Ranch just south of my house. So…..
Pat from the Hunt Club next door called last night and wanted to go coyote hunting this morning. We met at the club house at 5:30am and it was still a bit cool and dark enough that one couldn’t see a coyote 100 yards away. By the time we got to the first stand, it was light enough to start calling. The setup was at a 3-way intersection of the dirt roads on the ranch. The weeds out in the field are 6’ or more tall and it would be impossible to see an approaching coyote anywhere except on the roads.
We started with dueling howls. Pat can do a great coyote howl on the Johnny Stewart howler and I was using the old Thompson’s Red Desert Howler. I would howl, Pat would come back with a howl and before he finished I would start another howl. We did this back and forth for about 30 seconds and took about a 1 minute break. Then started up again.
Here comes a coyote out into the middle of the road to the east at about 250 yards. He starts running toward us. Pat saw it about the same time I did, but Pat was west of me and couldn’t take the shot. At about 150 yards, the coyote stopped. The coyote was down wind, so I moved the scope up to about 10x and took the shot before he got our scent and headed for cover. I could hear the hit and down went the coyote. It was a perfect hit. He was angling slightly to my right and I caught him right behind the right shoulder. We continued calling without moving, but no other coyotes came in. My old Sako in 243 Win caliber sure is a reliable rifle with the first shot out of a cold barrel. During this stand we had only done howling. After the shot, we continued howling and I switched to a hurt pup but no other dumb coyotes responded.
The next two stands didn’t pay off. We could have called in something, but visibility was so poor we couldn’t see much. Coyotes could have approached us that we wouldn’t be able to see because of all the 6’ tall weeds.
For the next trip: Here is the plan. Pat needs to mow the fields for pheasant season and for now he is going to mow the 3 best fields in a cross pattern. The center of the cross will be out in the middle of the field with a tiny bit if brush left right at the middle. Since coyotes like the easy approach we plan to call at the center of these crosses in a week or so. Has anyone tried mowing a field just for coyote hunting before? What did you do and how did it work? Pat is going to make the mowed lanes as straight as he can and about 600 yards long with 300 yards on each side of center.
Any other suggestions on how to hunt the 6’ tall weeds?
Later he will finish mowing most of the fields, but will leave cover strips for the pheasants to hide in. We saw quite a few young pheasants and 3 skunks. Need to work on the skunks too.
Bart and Tide will be happy about the pheasants.
Good Hunting... from Varmint Al
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Good Hunting... from Varmint Al[img]http://www.varmintal.com/coyotel.gif[/img]
Posts: 11 | From: Bethel Island, CA | Registered: Jan 2005
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted July 15, 2005 04:38 PM
Thanks, Al. Good post.
I like the idea of mowing shooting lanes, should work well. The only other thing I can think of is to get out in the weeds with a ladder and a shotgun. Remember; they never look up.
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31459 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Cdog911
"There are some ideas so absurd only an intellectual could believe them."--George Orwell.
Member # 7
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posted July 15, 2005 04:58 PM
Al,
We have guys around here do that in CRP and set aside for pheasant management all the time. If you're after good pheasant habitat, it's better to put some arc and curve (like a sine wave)in those mowed strips to both maximize the amout of edge achieved, and to make it harder for a coyote or 'cat to stand at one end and see all 600 yards of edge in one direction. Since I always operate under the plan that if I can see the coyote, the coyote can see me, I'd put a little curve in those alleys so that they get within the 100 yard red zone before you both have a visual on one another. In fact, a guy could mow the curves shallow enough that you would have a narrow slot all the way up the middle where you could position yourself. Chances are the coyote would move left or right out of line of sight during its approach, even follow the edge coming in, and when he's out of sight, you'd have time to get the rifle up and get into position.
I've got a couple places that are 8-10 feet tall with tallgrasses and sunflowers. The owner won't burn or mow the weeds, but he cuts/ bales the waterways and they're about the only place to get a shot. Lotsa bobcats in those patches.
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I am only one. But still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and, because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
Posts: 5438 | From: The gun-lovin', gun-friendly wild, wild west | Registered: Jan 2003
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Rich Higgins
unknown comic
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posted July 15, 2005 07:30 PM
Al, you might try setting up with your downwind open and visible as far as possible. Make sure your camo is adequate, they can see you, just can't make you as a human. Mist downwind very well. Then issue a short series of non aggressive high pitched howls. When you see an approach, bark with your voice.
That will usually set them off with a series of warning barks. You can follow along and bump the intensity a little by pressuring them. When they begin the threat-howls you can move in on them. A low duck walk with a net or material that obscures your silhouette works well if you off angle them.
Avoid a direct approach. Doesn't matter if they are in the high grass or in the cleared lanes if you off angle your approach you will be surprised at how closely they will let you approach them.
Most callers will quit and move on when coyotes begin to bark at them. You can move in on them this way if you're willing to devote the time and energy. Besides it's just plain fun.
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Kokopelli
SENIOR DISCOUNT & Dispenser of Sage Advice
Member # 633
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posted July 15, 2005 08:10 PM
Great photos & a chance to learn something!!
Question; Do you continue to howl while moving in on the coyotes?
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And lo, the Light of the Trump shown upon the Darkness and the Darkness could not comprehend it.
Posts: 7579 | From: Under a wandering star | Registered: Apr 2005
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Rich Higgins
unknown comic
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posted July 15, 2005 08:33 PM
No, apparently the large object that's in view is entirely too intimidating if it barks or howls at them as it approaches. I get much closer if I approach silently and just concentrate on keeping the coyotes in sight and keeping the duck walk low. It's hard work. When they drop out of sight I will issue a high pithed yip-howl and that usually brings them back in view and I can begin the approach again. The coyote in the lower photo let me get within 10-15 yards of him. In my video a gutsy male let me crawl within 10 feet or so of him. In fairly open cover.
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Krustyklimber
prefers the bunny hugger pronunciation: ky o tee
Member # 72
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posted July 15, 2005 10:18 PM
quote:
Has anyone tried mowing a field just for coyote hunting before?
Nope, but I have considered burning the whole damn forest down.
quote:
Any other suggestions on how to hunt the 6’ tall weeds?
I wait with baited breath.
What's that old video with Larry Cronk? In it they suggested a plan similar to Rich's.
Thanks again to Vic for letting me borrow that tape.
Pretty dang cool to see it in action, or stills as the case may be.
Krusty 
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Think about how stupid the average person is, then realize that half of them are stupider than that!
Posts: 1912 | From: Deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia | Registered: Jan 2003
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Kokopelli
SENIOR DISCOUNT & Dispenser of Sage Advice
Member # 633
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posted July 16, 2005 03:24 AM
What an awesome concept, stalking in plain sight!!!
Question; Is this technique time of year specific, as in denning season, or does it work year around??
Question; Would a gillie suit be an asset or more trouble than it's worth for this application??
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And lo, the Light of the Trump shown upon the Darkness and the Darkness could not comprehend it.
Posts: 7579 | From: Under a wandering star | Registered: Apr 2005
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Rich Higgins
unknown comic
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posted July 16, 2005 01:43 PM
Year round. Ghillie, camo net, cardboard cutout, anything to disguise your human form. I don't expect a coyote to stand his ground unless I can elicit barks or threathowls from it. Territorial coyotes are vocal in their defense of territory. Transients and nomads are not vocal. Get them to bark at you, bump it up to a threathowl and you can move on them if they don't make you as human. I have squatted, laid a rifle across the top of my head like horizontal antlers and duck walked up on coyotes while they stand there and nervously fret at me, unable to identify what the hell I am and unable to determine the threat level that I pose.
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Kokopelli
SENIOR DISCOUNT & Dispenser of Sage Advice
Member # 633
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posted July 16, 2005 02:37 PM
Rich; Sorry to keep bugging you with all of these dumb questions, but this just seems too cool to let go of. I used to love stalking deer while bowhunting, but stalking coyotes has pretty much been a non-event for me.
Question; Would it do any good to leave the Fox Pro howling from the original location while moving in??
Thanx!!
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And lo, the Light of the Trump shown upon the Darkness and the Darkness could not comprehend it.
Posts: 7579 | From: Under a wandering star | Registered: Apr 2005
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted July 16, 2005 03:08 PM
I think so.
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31459 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Rich Higgins
unknown comic
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posted July 16, 2005 05:09 PM
Kokopelli, I honestly don't know how to go about this with an electronic caller. The "trick" is to make the coyote increase the intensity of the encounter by remaining just behind the "curve" that they establish. It is way too easy to intimidate the coyote into breaking off if I become to aggressive too quickly. The only way I can see to do that is with a hand howler. I control the volume, the emotion, the type of vocalization immediately. A coyote in front of you full of adrenaline and anger will likely remain there for a long time. I've taped them within spitting distance for as long as 90 minutes. A coyote full of adrenaline and fear is looking for any excuse to disappear.
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted July 16, 2005 05:24 PM
I have done far more walking up on cats, but occasionally, have done so with coyotes. Usually, I leave a sound, (usually, not a howl) at the original location, to distract the animal, while I approach at an angle.
Where it is different is I try to do it without being seen, and Rich does his "ugly cow" in full view of the coyote.
But, I have found that an animal that is reluctant to approach a stand, for (who knows) any reason, will throw caution to the wind and come to a slightly different location, if I can make the move unobserved.
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31459 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Kokopelli
SENIOR DISCOUNT & Dispenser of Sage Advice
Member # 633
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posted July 16, 2005 05:49 PM
I can see that it's going to get interesting in Oct. Nothing like having some new ideas to try!!!
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And lo, the Light of the Trump shown upon the Darkness and the Darkness could not comprehend it.
Posts: 7579 | From: Under a wandering star | Registered: Apr 2005
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