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Coyote calling techniques

Titanfreak9

Junior Member
13
0
St. Marys
Hello everyone, just bought a new echo hd coyote caller with 100 pre programmed calls. I was hoping some of the more experienced coyote callers could give me some advice for what works best for you? I'm pretty new to calling coyotes so just wanna get the most information I can before going out jan 12-13. How important is camouflage and scent control? Is there a certain order that works best for when calling, like starting with a mouse in distress for anything that might be close, then pileated woodpecker and moving on to a rabbit in distress? How long do you let each call play for before muting the device and starting a call back up? How long do you generally hunt an area before moving on to the next? I know I'm a rookie at this but thought someone could help answer these questions first hand rather then searching the web for a lot of random information. Thanks for your time.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Good luck and welcome to a fun sport. I am far from an expert but have fun. In regards to specific sounds, duration, volume, etc., I think it varies in different geographic locations. Some areas of the country you could use about any call and it might work. Other places seems hit or miss. Locally, we either have coyotes in the area or we don't. We have them, but not as thick as other parts of the state. When we call it seems either they respond quickly or they are not there.

Camouflage and scent control? Um, yeah. Critically important. Try to setup where it will be difficult for them to get downwind from you when calling. I went out last night. Took a scent free shower before just like if I were deer hunting. Extreme? Probably. Then again, I needed a shower so the scent free soap was used. I am not sure the camo is as critical as not getting picked up moving or getting winded. Truthfully, I think the camo is overrated for deer hunting as well but you won't see me out hunting without camouflage. lol

Tell us what terrain you are hunting. This might help a bit. If open country where you can see a good distance, don't expect it to work out like it does on TV. They rarely come running where you can study their body language, posture, and such for a mile and a half. Many times they pop up where you least expect them much like deer hunting.
 

Titanfreak9

Junior Member
13
0
St. Marys
Ill be hunting in northwest ohio, its mostly flat land with open corn fields and woods. Im going to try my farm first, I trapped one on it a couple years ago and every year i see their tracks all over the place. My father jumped two of them last year during deer gun season that had a nice buck in between them. Sadly, of the three, he couldn't decide which to shoot at first and ended up missing them all together. Ive also got a fifty acre plot along the river that i know is full of them. Like you said, it probably will be trial and error. I usually jump a couple in different places I rabbit hunt during the season, which is why i asked about scent control. Either their so used to human scent that they don't take fright to it, or are just plain brave. Ive got all the scent killers and a Belgium snow camo poncho i plan to use. I guess ill find out how it goes when i get out there and start the caller.
 

Beentown

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,740
154
Sunbury, OH
I start quiet with a rabbit call if some type for about fivr minutes. Switch to a yote/rabbit combo for five then the kitchen sink for five. Move on after that.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
I used to live in NW Ohio and had some decent luck this time of year with calling yotes. I would go out at night, usually between midnight and 2 a.m... and when there was snow on the ground I rarely used a flashlight. Locator howls and challenge howls were usually my go-to calls. Sometimes after getting a response, I'd switch over to rabbit-in-distress with barks and challenge howls mixed in together. When it's as cold as it is right now, coyotes get pretty damn hungry. If you can imitate a few coyotes fighting over dinner, there's a good chance you'll bring in some others looking for a fight. Also, if you have any female breeding-related vocalizations those can be decent this time of year as well.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
I used to live in NW Ohio and had some decent luck this time of year with calling yotes. I would go out at night, usually between midnight and 2 a.m... and when there was snow on the ground I rarely used a flashlight. Locator howls and challenge howls were usually my go-to calls. Sometimes after getting a response, I'd switch over to rabbit-in-distress with barks and challenge howls mixed in together. When it's as cold as it is right now, coyotes get pretty damn hungry. If you can imitate a few coyotes fighting over dinner, there's a good chance you'll bring in some others looking for a fight. Also, if you have any female breeding-related vocalizations those can be decent this time of year as well.

Bingo. I am just outside of Cridersville. I am in between methods Beentown uses and JBrown uses. We hunt Wapakoneta sometimes. St Marys would not be much farther if you want to try to tag team them. I think the biggest thing around here is their range. You just about need several areas to hunt. You skip from location to location with a locator call. If you hear responses, then you put some time in. If you get out of the truck and have nothing after 5min or so, you move to the next location. If they are not in the area, they won't be killed. They run a pretty big loop. The cold we have been experiencing and sustained snow on the ground is a big plus right now.
 

Titanfreak9

Junior Member
13
0
St. Marys
I think I will start out using those methods and see if I get any responses. Have any of you guys ever tried calling off the railroad tracks. I rabbit hunt them fairly often and usually see their tracks and occasionally jump them, even with a dog working the brush. I think it could be a fairly easy way to cover a large amount of ground by carrying the caller and trying for 15-20 minutes and moving on a quarter mile or so.

Hickslawns, I'd have no problem working together, you'd be able to teach me a lot as I'm fairly new to this. I want a good type of hunting I can do year round and I think coyote calling is the best thing next to groundhog hunting.
 
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joshobrien77

Junior Member
25
24
Hicks,
I'm in the Columbus area. If your looking for a hunting partner for totes I'm in. I have my ecaller and my gear just no private land to hunt. Tired of waiting till march to take my center fire to public land. Plus public land at night can get dicey. Let me know if your interested.