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Author
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Topic: Eastern Coyotes
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Tim Behle
Administrator MacNeal Sector
Member # 209
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posted February 14, 2005 03:56 AM
What worked best for me, when I lived back in Indiana, is pretty close to what seems to be working for Yellerdog and Skinner2.
I'd make four stands per weekend. Two on Saturday and two on Sunday. I'd be on stand and calling just as soon as it was daylight enough to clearly see out to 100 yards. I'd call for 30 minutes, then go to my second stand. Sunday morning I'd do it again.
I'd shoot one coyote per weekend. Which gave me a 25% success rate, something I don't always get here in Arizona. In fact there have been many times I quietly considered that coyote densities are higher in the East. The difference is in how much land we hunt.
Someone made a post earlier about having 300 acres to hunt. To me, that's about enough land to make one stand every two to four weeks. There in Indiana, I would have permission to hunt and trap on over 10,000 acres each winter. 5,000-7,000 of those acres, I would be the only one allowed to hunt and trap on.
I think Cal also hit the nail on the head. Most "Coyote hunters", aren't coyote hunters. They are hunters who try to call coyotes when their "game of choice" isn't available to be hunted.
I almost fall into that description myself. As much as I love to call coyotes, it isn't my first love. If I had my choice, I'd spend all day trapping them. Calling them is just something I do when trapping season is closed, or during the early parts of the morning, before it is time to run my traps.
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Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take
an ass kickin'.
Posts: 3160 | From: Five Miles East of Vic, AZ | Registered: Jun 2003
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Gerald Stewart
Knows what it's all about
Member # 162
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posted February 14, 2005 04:42 AM
Hey Rich, can you send me any contact info you may have for Tom. I want to call him and see if maybe he and I can spend some time together at my upcoming seminar. Thanks for anything you can do for me.
[ February 14, 2005, 04:43 AM: Message edited by: Gerald Stewart ]
Posts: 419 | From: Waco,Tx | Registered: Mar 2003
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Rich Higgins
unknown comic
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posted February 14, 2005 05:54 AM
Gerald, I sent the info to your E-mail.
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Rich Higgins
unknown comic
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posted February 14, 2005 06:01 AM
I understand you, Cal. I have not hunted big game in several years. The entire time I am on a deer stand I am thinking about coyotes and wishing I were calling, so there is no sense bothering. My wife says I am seriously obsessed with coyotes. I say I am happily obsessed. There is a difference.
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Randy Buker
Knows what it's all about
Member # 134
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posted February 14, 2005 07:16 AM
I live in an interesting place. Here in western Minnesota the terrain and coyote behavior is eastern in nature. If I drive 3 hours west of my home, I get into the wide open spaces of North Dakota and the coyotes come easier.
But, I remain successful here in Minnesota too.
I've found I have to do some things differently.
First off, there is a lot of pressure here in Minnesota. To offset that, I get a LOT of permission. I contact about 75 farmers each year to get permission. From those 75 farmers, I have access to about 150 to 175 places to call to. Too many people I talk to get permission for one or two farms and then wonder why they can't call in coyotes. Chances are good, those places don't hold any coyotes. The other thing about these farmers is that they tend to be very loyal. Most of them will not let others call on their property. So, I lock up a lot of choice land.
The second thing I do is to get away from the main roads but not so far back in that it spooks coyotes that might be bedded downin the deep cover. The coyotes around my place are definately road shy. I drive 25 miles to work one way. On the way to work at sun up and on the way home at sundown. I've seen ZERO foxes or coyotes in the past three months from the road.
Every stand is set up with as much care as possible. We don't wander in and plop down and start screaming. We evaluate the wind speed and direction, sun, cover to hide in or near and what sorts of cover are available for the coyote to approach the call.
We assess the surrounding cover and attempt to figure out where it's likely the coyote will be before we start calling. Then we try to see what cover the coyote will use to get to us so we know where to put the down-wind shooter.
We attempt to use "funnels" of cover knowing that the coyotes don't like to come out into the open in the daytime. The whole process works very well most of the time. Of course there's always the varmint that sneaks in behind us, winds us and leaves making us feel foolish....
Then on other days, I drive those 3 hours west and call to anything that looks like it might hold a coyote or two and have better luck.
Or, I get a wild bug and travel to Texas and generally kill a pile of coyotes.
There are differences. Typically it's simply pressure and coyote numbers that make such a difference for me.
Randy
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Hunting the Red Fox
www.geocities.com/foxhunter_56308
Posts: 158 | From: Parkers Prairie, MN | Registered: Feb 2003
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Skinner 2
Knows what it's all about
Member # 419
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posted February 14, 2005 07:56 AM
Randy, you described our hunts exactly. We follow the same proceedures for our set ups.
Skinner 2
Posts: 17 | From: Southeast Michigan | Registered: Oct 2004
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keekee
Knows what it's all about
Member # 465
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posted February 14, 2005 09:19 AM
After being gone all weekend, I set down and read this thread from the start.
I will haft to agree with just about all that has been said. Randy, skinner2 and Yellerdog hit the nail on the head.
Ohio or at least my area get alot I mean alot of calling and trapping pressure. I haft to tweak my tecks to allow for this. I call coyotes in the open in areas, but some areas they just wont show there self, I adjusted my techs to cover these coyotes.
One of the main things here in my area is finding the coyotes, you haft to find them to be able to call them, then you cant just run in and set down and call. You haft to plan everything and do your home work. Pick your stand sights well. Alot of the new callers just cold call here. Its tough! We are not run over by coyotes, I mean there is a good number of them here but, not all areas hold them and they have big home ranges. The populations of coyotes is growing, but they are still in pockets here.
Alot of the areas I hunt here are wooded, not many field. Lots of thickets and hardwoods. It takes a little diffrent set up to hunt them in the woods. And alot of scouting. I call alot of coyotes I dont even get a shot at.
In the farm lands and river bottoms, I call the edges, What I mean is I dont set up in the open, I work them down the edges to me. I try not to set up were they haft to cross the open, or the open will be my down wind side.
I take care in picking my stands. I make sure there are coyotes in the area im calling. That to me is the most important thing that an eastern caller can do. I dont worry about making 50 stands a day, I make tought out planed stands. When I leave the house to go calling I have my day planed from first stand to last stand and what time frame I want to make them.
Brent
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Kee's Custom Calls
http://www.keescalls.com
Posts: 295 | From: Southern Ohio | Registered: Dec 2004
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pup
Knows what it's all about
Member # 90
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posted February 14, 2005 11:13 AM
Thanks again Gerald for taking the time to respond.
I don't know if I am in the East or West?
Places here range from several thousand acres to small lots. Most of the stuff we get access to are around 160 acres and less, not all are good spots to call, but some adjoin places that you can handle a coyote in.
Some are thick woods that we normally just set up for cats in. When you can't see very far, advantage goes to the nose.
If I am hunting coyotes and there is a wind, I don't sit places that I can't maintain my downwind side. Most coyotes if pressured hard will go to the downwind side, so they can use their nose. If I can't see past 50 yds downwind, or prevent them from obtaining that advantage I probably won't sit the stand. Why would that coyote stick his head out at 50yds, when he can sit and smell safely under cover at 55yds. Feeling they will be out of view when they wind me , thus no coyote? or was it just a bad place to call for coyotes.
I try not to go and just practice blowing my call and holding class, however limited hunting access finds me sitting these hopeless spots for handling coyote, looking for cats or fox. Sometimes the "short bus" brings a yote, to which I am very thankful, and very suprised;otherwise, I wait for the cat, or sit a stand I can handle a coyote.
later pup
Posts: 213 | From: Oklahoma | Registered: Feb 2003
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Gerald Stewart
Knows what it's all about
Member # 162
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posted February 14, 2005 12:00 PM
Randy and KeeKee both pay greater attention to the fundamentals of calling. They make well thought out choices and it pays off.
I feel frustrated for Hodgens sake. I appreciate his pushing for the next level of tactics or philosophy of calling because that makes me think about what we do in a much more serious way.
I have stated many times that many of the users of what we have sold over the years are far more productive callers than I am due to the differences in how we approach the activity.
I personally am not willing to go to the lengths that some are willing to do to get a coyote. I want to enjoy my time in the field and that drives my decision making. I may choose to not go out in 25 mph wind and 10 below like Randy because for me that is an exercise in survival rather than a hunt.
My take on much of what I have read in this thread is that the successful people are going to much greater length to conquer the basic variables that are present at every coyote stand. Those who are not willing to do what it takes to be successful in the east or west are simply not going to be successful.
How is this for a sumation of the challenge facing most Easterners. To be consistently successful you must have access to enough land, scout it extremely well, make good choices and do it a bunch. If any of those factors are taken out of the equation then you will probably always be wanting.
The average Easterner simply can not have all of those factors working for him sometimes due to factors beyond his control. There is not enough land to go around for the high number of hunters, and the coyote (for the most part) are not just call shy, they are paranoid at all of the bullets wizzing by and squeaks and sqwuaks coming from behind every bush.
Do too many Easterners have unrealistic expectations? It seems to me that the ones that do not and are willing to go to the extreme are the ones who are successful. The rest are simply frustrated. Hey wait a minute....isn't that what I have always maintained...... ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Kidding aside, does that make sense or just make for more frustration?
[ February 14, 2005, 12:10 PM: Message edited by: Gerald Stewart ]
Posts: 419 | From: Waco,Tx | Registered: Mar 2003
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Jay Nistetter
Legalize Weed, Free the Dixie Chicks
Member # 140
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posted February 14, 2005 12:16 PM
If you guys think calling and shooting coyotes is hard, you ought to try to film them getting whacked!!!!!
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Understanding the coyote is not as important as knowing where they are.
I usually let the fur prime up before I leave 'em lay.
Posts: 1006 | From: Arizona | Registered: Feb 2003
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pup
Knows what it's all about
Member # 90
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posted February 14, 2005 12:34 PM
You know Jay, I was gonna bring that out. Point being if you think it is tough shooting them try getting it all on film, it will really change the learning curve. We always haul the camera, so we don't sit many stands where there is not a possibility of getting good footage.
Posts: 213 | From: Oklahoma | Registered: Feb 2003
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Hodgen
Knows what it's all about
Member # 180
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posted February 14, 2005 12:43 PM
Gerald,
I appreciate all your imput. Rest assured I will re-look and take the basics to the extreme as some have suggested. I am fairly cirtain myself and some others here in PA are already at that point, but it doesn't hurt to step back and re-look at things.
As I said before. Maybe my expectations are just too damn high, and an average of 5 or 6 called in a winter is all my area has to give. But the "sign" tells me there is more. And the ground has never lied to me before.
But same as you, it has become work and not relaxation to chase them here. Traveling west has sure spoiled me. I met some interesting people in my travels, and made some good hunting buddies along the way. And seeing multiple coyotes comming to a call doesn't hurt either. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
But somehow I'll still manage to keep plugging along here in PA too. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Posts: 59 | From: Pennsylvania | Registered: Apr 2003
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Randy Buker
Knows what it's all about
Member # 134
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posted February 14, 2005 01:17 PM
I don't see it as work or something that isn't relaxing. I get a kick out of every part of it from talking to the farmers to figuring out how to stay warm when it's -25 degrees.
But, I HATE getting skunked so my partner and I have worked very hard to get this figured out. We analyze every successful and unsuccessful stand. We always try to put all the pieces together to figure out why something worked or why it didn't.
Sometimes we just shake our heads and agree that we suck at this predator calling thing. ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
Other times we just know we have all the answers.
But, it stays fun no matter what mode we are in.
Randy
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Hunting the Red Fox
www.geocities.com/foxhunter_56308
Posts: 158 | From: Parkers Prairie, MN | Registered: Feb 2003
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Gerald Stewart
Knows what it's all about
Member # 162
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posted February 14, 2005 02:16 PM
I make the comment all the time that one of the things that makes predator calling so enjoyable is that no two stands are ever exactly the same. There is a dynamic nature to this way of hunting that makes it such a great way to enjoy the outdoors.
Many times I get more enjoyment on a stand seeing something I have never seen before than killing the coyote. It is the vehicle to more input than most other ways of hunting can bring to the table.
If a person will go back and read all of the posts with substance on this thread, I honestly think there is a lot to learn here from what a number of very experienced callers have had to say. This has been one of the most enjoyable board participations I have ever had. I learned a some things and I hope others have also benefitted. Thanks gentlemen.....and thanks Leonard, for a great place to talk.
Posts: 419 | From: Waco,Tx | Registered: Mar 2003
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222
Knows what it's all about
Member # 567
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posted February 14, 2005 02:35 PM
quote:
Someone made a post earlier about having 300 acres to hunt. To me, that's about enough land to make one stand every two to four weeks.
Actually, the 300 acres, in my back yard enables me to scout the area on a regular basis to determine some pattern. I may have called this area 6 times since last october when the furtaker season opened.
I have prob. 100k + acres of public land, available, not counting the numerous private farms, available to me for calling. All within a 1 hr ride of my residence.
quote:
How is this for a sumation of the challenge facing most Easterners. To be consistently successful you must have access to enough land, scout it extremely well, make good choices and do it a bunch. If any of those factors are taken out of the equation then you will probably always be wanting.
That would prob. be quite accurate.
Again as stated, this is prob. one of the better discussions, I have come across, on the east vrs. west dilemma. ( not sure if dilemma is proper but..) Great Info!!!
[ February 14, 2005, 02:39 PM: Message edited by: 222 ]
Posts: 10 | From: Pa | Registered: Feb 2005
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Q-Wagoner
FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP
Member # 33
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posted February 14, 2005 03:14 PM
What does Tom claim for numbers? I heard once that he clamed to kill 300 coyotes and fox a season. All called. Rich, how many dead coyotes did you see in his scrap book?
Good hunting.
Q,
Posts: 617 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Greenside
seems to know what he is talking about
Member # 10
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posted February 14, 2005 03:24 PM
If I recall correct, on Bob Davis' board the claim was almost 300 predators in a little over 31/2 years. There was mention that he had over 600 stand locations marked on maps in 4 or more eastern states?
Posts: 719 | From: IA | Registered: Jan 2003
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keekee
Knows what it's all about
Member # 465
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posted February 14, 2005 03:33 PM
I dont let the hard work and all the Hrs I put into it take anything away from the sport. I enjoy calling predators, I like to shoot them but I love to call them! I find it very enjoyable to be out there and put in all the time. I always have fun! I spend alot of time out there by myself and that time in the field is just as great as the time I spend with a hunting partner. You haft to keep it fun and enjoyable!
Jay is right, When I started packing a camera and an extra person on every stand, then things changed. And I will be the first to say that my kills have been down because of it. And alot of the time the shot isnt even taken because there was a problem with the footage or the camera man cant see the predator or lots of diffrent things, and as pup said there are alot of stands that I know are great stands but we cant set the stand because of the camera. Some footage isnt any good because it just isnt long enough or something wasnt right with the camera. It adds a hole diffrent twist to things. And I will also be the first to say it has had me at my ropes end a couple times already. But I realy enjoy it. I hope someday when I finaly get this thing done to step back and take a look at it and be happy with the way it turned out. And be able to set back and enjoy it.
I get to hunt with alot of new callers every year, some of them are good callers from the start and some are not. Some seem to run elc callers all the time some run hand calls. One of the big mistakes I see every year in new callers is they do no scouting! Someone told me there were coyotes here or I seen them in deer season or I heard them in the spring turkey season. But not many of them have said I scouted this area and this is what I found and this is what I think they are going or staying.......
And some just jump right in head first and go nuts, and then when they dont call anything they quit. Not good!
I will say this, my trip out West this year was great! I seen alot of coyotes and made alot of stands. I learned alot about calling in the West and seen alot of diffrent techs on things, calling, stand set up, camo, even they way they aproched the stands were diffrent than what I was use to. It was alot diffrent than what the Eastern caller deals with everyday. Its something every eastern caller should do someday if they can!
Brent
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Kee's Custom Calls
http://www.keescalls.com
Posts: 295 | From: Southern Ohio | Registered: Dec 2004
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Skinner 2
Knows what it's all about
Member # 419
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posted February 14, 2005 03:49 PM
Hogden,
That is where you went wrong. Never travel to a place to hunt something you can hunt close to home. For one you will always go to a better place, example how many western callers go for a week long coyote hunt to PA. NONE they are not stupid ! Hunting will always lack at home and you will always long to go back. You should have traveled west for ELK,or prarrie dogs, something you cannot hunt at home. This way you do not get spoiled from seeing the other side.
I have said this for years about area people going out west or Canada for whitetail. They do not compete with our local 1 1/2 you old trophy 4 points(total points counted both sides). OK I live at the Walleye Capital, Why would I fly into Canada to catch walleyes? Laketrout perhaps, better yet trophy brook trout.
Skinner 2
[ February 14, 2005, 04:46 PM: Message edited by: Skinner 2 ]
Posts: 17 | From: Southeast Michigan | Registered: Oct 2004
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RJF3
PAKMAN
Member # 572
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posted February 14, 2005 04:52 PM
Lots of good stuff here, thanks for sharing....
Russ
Posts: 1 | From: PA | Registered: Feb 2005
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Hodgen
Knows what it's all about
Member # 180
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posted February 14, 2005 04:52 PM
Ya know skinner,
The beginning of this whole damn coyote thing was bizarre. I was an avid deer hunter hunting 4 states each year. I tore my rotator cuff one year and that finished my archery hunting with conventional bows. I got the permit for a crossbow and it was the day after X-mas in 1991 I think, I went to a farm next to the Allentown airport to hunt. The temps plummeted that day to below zero. I had no clue as to what would happen if I did shoot that x-bow in those temps. 150# pull ya know.
So I backed my truck into a barn, and got the rifle out and propped it against the wall and just sat in the truck to watch the world go by. The farm always had a ton of fox on it, so I was hoping to catch one crossing the open fields. Next thing I know I see this BIG ass fox crossing the field. It was going at a pretty good trot up the hill. I scoped it and sure as heck it was a coyote. I never saw one before in PA.
I let a shot fly and the thing did a spin but I caught it pretty far back. It got back up and was going about 50yds and would stop and lick at the wound then go again. I didn't want to fire again cuz the thing was cresting a hill and this is somewhat an urban area. I trailed it up and figured I would crack going across the top field in the flat. I got to the top of the hill, and there was a guy evidently goose hunting, and he had this coyote hanging off his back walking off. Well I was only about 200yds away and this guy never fired a shot. The coyote must have flopped over right in front of the guy. I hollered and the more I hollered the faster he ran.
I went back to my pops house and told him this story. My pop said "Damn it Larry, ya shot the farmers dog. We been hunting that area for 30 years and there ain't no coyotes around here". There are sometimes ya just don't argue with an old man...LOL.
Anyways, I went back to the same spot that evening. Just before dusk, here comes another coyote and he lays down in the furrows of stubble corn field. Well there was going to be no mistakes this time, I head shot him. You know where my first stop was then...POPS!!!
He looked in the back of the truck and his jaw dropped. "Well it ain't a dog, and it sure as hell ain't no fox" he said. "But ya better make sure it's a coyote before ya take it anywhere". Just then a neighbor walks over who was originally from Arizona. Looks in the back of the truck and says "where ya get the coyote?".
Pops looked at me as I looked at him, and neither of us had to say a word. I will NEVER forget that look as long as I live.
Since that time I pretty much gave up all hunting and started pursuing coyotes. I didn't know dick about coyote hunting so between articles and magazines I stumbled along with extremely limited success. Years later I got on the computer and found websites and message boards such as this. Got to talking with a few guys, got some invites to hunt, and since I travel for work alot and landed in the general area anyway I took up a few on their offers.
I got exposed to different areas and saw awesome scenery. Learned different calling techniques, tactics, and saw different types of equipment first hand. Killed a few coyotes along the way too. And best of all I forged some good freindships I hope will last a lifetime. And I hope to continue hunting with them on a regular basis.
If that is where I went wrong....well I am not sure I want to be right. I don't regret one minute of where my coyote hunting endeavor has taken me.
I usually carry a signature line that reads "You meet a better class of people in the dark". And I have been lucky enough to meet a bunch of them.
Posts: 59 | From: Pennsylvania | Registered: Apr 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted February 14, 2005 05:42 PM
That's a great post, Hodgen! Really gives the reader a glimpse of where you're at, so to speak.
Welcome to the New Huntmasters, RJF3. Glad to have you on board.
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31462 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Skinner 2
Knows what it's all about
Member # 419
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posted February 14, 2005 06:17 PM
Hodgen,
Well wrong OK jerking your chain there! Well comparing them just should not be done. It will never add up. The people met along the way is a plus and these boards are great. Going out west and calling in a years supply in a day will make you spoiled.
But I'm puzzled here on another topic, Tom Bechdal. Here is a man I never met. I spoke with people who have. Many people on this board met him and have nice things to say. Some state they have heard rumors.
It sounds like he has a good rep. where he lives. People stop him and beg him to kill trouble coyotes. This happens because of word of mouth from the land owners.
What land owner would recommend anybody to a friend or neighbor who cannot stand up to what they claim. I have heard of a year kill from 150 to 300 coyotes from him. Now was that his best year or every year I don't know.
Here is what I got from this thread.
Spokemen for at least two companies.
Disabled, has 365 days a year to hunt.
Hunts minimun of three states.
Puts on seminars.
Has many land options.
Must have a giant list of honey holes. that nobody else has access too(guess).
Nobody stated they ever caught him lying or cheating. Some have doubts thought, nothing concrete!
Again only from this thread, my guessing
365 day to hunt.
does nothing but rest and family things 60 days.
305 left.
50 seminars in say 50 days with travel. many have two per day.
255 days left.
50 bad weather days (When Higgins is visiting ).
205 days left to hunt,14 prime stands averaged per day
80% percent of those days he kills one coyote.
tally 164 dead.
To me that does not seem that outragious with that kind of time put in. Perhaps he does have a secret he does not let out if so would you? This is not that uncommon. I'm thinking of a locked thread about a secret that California wants to keep .
Perhaps that/he is the smoking gun people are looking for. With his name, access and time.. I will give him the benifit of doubt.
I read a post on PM one time where a western shooter posted his yearly tally for shots fired. Coyotes, crows, PDs, deer , elk, hogs,...That man fired more rounds in a year then I had fired my entire life. Why doubt him.
Not trying to get you wound up or anything, more like thinking outloud?
Skinner 2
[ February 14, 2005, 07:04 PM: Message edited by: Skinner 2 ]
Posts: 17 | From: Southeast Michigan | Registered: Oct 2004
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Byron South
Knows what it's all about
Member # 213
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posted February 15, 2005 07:20 AM
I just returned from an extended 3 week hunting/filming/killing excursion and was trying to go over all my backed up work and emails when I came across this thread. Man, there is tons of good reading. I don't really know where to start as most of it has already been covered in great detail by the most experieced guys possible. What I can say is I get tons of emails from people all over the country East and West that have problems calling coyotes. I know of some guys that even hunt Texas for a couple of years with no success ![[Confused]](confused.gif) . I have a unique situation in that I live in far East Texas, but hunt all over the state. People ask me all the time why I travel so much out to West Texas to do a lot of my hunting. Simple aswer is that it makes better use of my time, the filming is better, and there are lots more coyotes. Here where I live in East Texas it is much like any where else in the Southeast or East for that matter and not very conducive for calling and filming. The coyotes here are very paranoid/spooky/wired tight to say the least. The human population is very thick with houses generally spaced no further than a 1/4 mile apart and many times lots closer. The landscape is criss-crossed with county roads, "farmed to market" roads, and state hyways. Most of the towns are only 5 to 15 miles apart and in some areas you it's hard to tell when you leave one town and enter another except by road signs. When MOST people see that I'm from Texas they automatically assume that I have coyotes behind every bush just waiting to run out and dye when I toot on a call. It ain't so, believe me. Texas like I have said many time before is a huge and very diverse state. There are place in Texas where the most experieced callers would doi good to kill 3-5 coyotes a year hunting every weekend through out a year. There are other place like a place I was on Saturday morning many miles from here we called in 10 coyotes in the first two stands (Had two PA boys with me. They had a hoot but both short shucked their bolt guns after ther first shot(both miss's ![[Mad]](mad.gif) ), jammed them and were out of buisiness untill the coyote safeley retreated a little wiser.) My point is. If you want to call coyotes you have to work what you got with realistic expectations. I know peple back East don't like hearing it but they are just coyotes and coyotes respond to calls period. All the time? No, not even in Texas. We hunted all day Sunday and called in only two and they were both after dark and we were in primo, prime habitat. When hunting anywhere and especially back East where your oppotrtunities are limited you have to get very serious, pay close attention to the details, be ready to shoot quickly and accuartely, are you simply won't kill to many coyotes. I have hunted extensively here in East Texas and have occationally hunted back East in a few states (Going that way quite a bit in the very near future as well). People tell me all the time "Yeah but YOU don't understand our coyoyes". I'm sure thats not the problem. Please don't take this as arrogance and those of you that know me can vouch that I'm not that way. Coyotes are coyotes, there are brand new ones born every year. Are they any smarter than the one born out west? Maybe, maybe not? I fimly belive it is the conditions they are raised in that makes them different. Some believe that their parent instill the shyness in them as well. I believe this also to a certain extent. The one thing I know for certain is that most of them will repond to a call. Problem is their conditioning after the deer hunters have had their way in the woods puts them on high alert and the terrain is such that they are able to detect your presense long before you get a visual. So, here lies the problem with most peoples frustration. It is human nature to want an easy answer, special call, new calling sequences, or magic fix. There or no easy aswers or magic fix so we just have to understand what weve got and work with it. When you are dealing with tough terrain, and fewer coyotes that have learned to avoid people you just have to learn to wrk with what you got. Pay strict attention to the details, avoid calling on stands where you don't have the conditions in your favor, and be prepared when the opportunity presents itself. This along with realistic expectaions are the only secrets to succces I have found. To many new callers underestimate the abilities of a coyote and assume all you have to do is read the directions on the package around the call hanging in the local spoting goods store and go to work stacking up coyotes. I wish coyotes were this naive .
Byron
[ February 17, 2005, 12:39 PM: Message edited by: Byron South ]
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"Coming to the Call" predator hunting videos. Volumes I, II, III and IV. Order two or more and pay no S&H www.comingtothecall.com
Posts: 313 | From: Texas | Registered: Jun 2003
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Byron South
Knows what it's all about
Member # 213
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posted February 15, 2005 07:38 AM
I wanted to add one more thing.
a guy calling out in more open terain with less human presence can get by calling in and killing a considerable amount of coyotes without adhearing closely to the basics. Their calls canvas a larger piece of realestate and generally hunt larger tracts. Coyotes can often be called and killed with somewhat laxidasical effort. That wont happen in the East very often. I think avid callers from the West and East would both benifit from swapping hunts with each other so you would both have a point of reference when these discusiions come up.
This has been a great thread. Thanks to all that have contributed. Some of you know I'm working on a calling in the East video and this thread covers lots of the topics in the video. I also have some great footage that demonstrates much of what was discussed in theis thread.
Byron
[ February 17, 2005, 12:33 PM: Message edited by: Byron South ]
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"Coming to the Call" predator hunting videos. Volumes I, II, III and IV. Order two or more and pay no S&H www.comingtothecall.com
Posts: 313 | From: Texas | Registered: Jun 2003
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