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Predator hunting.

moundhill

Senior Member
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5,327
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Hebbardsville..
Last year I messed around with coyote hunting a little bit. But this winter I want to get into it pretty hard. With no kills, and only one sighting last year, I'm hoping this year will produce better results. I have a ton of places to hunt, and an icotech caller. Between me and the people I hunt with, we have plenty of gun power. For those veterans of predator hunting, how can ya learn me?

My main thing I'm curious about I'd calling. What kind of calls work best, and when? What sequences? And what times of day are best? As far as set ups, all I know is set up down wind and with a good vantage point.

If anyone can help me out with some basics or in depth knowledge that would be great!
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
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48,879
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Appalachia
Wish I could help buddy. Still sorting a lot of things out myself. I'm not a fan of night hunting, so I usually go the first and last 90 minutes of the day. I've done a bit of reading on stuff, but nothing has worked for me thus far. Still waiting for that first one to come charging in!
 

Hedgelj

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7,144
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Mohicanish
I am with jesse, have tried some but no luck yet. I did get a hawk to dive bomb my decoy and caller though, that was interesting.
 

yotehunter

Member
1,527
36
spencerville oh
First daylight has been my best experience for coyotes. Fox is better at night IMO. Set up downwind or the correct sidewind that makes the coyote expose himself within shooting range before he can get down wind of you. As far as calls I haven't called for 7 or 8 years so I truly don't know what calls are available on the new e callers. My best call when I was calling was a grey fox pup distress. A cottontail will work but that seems to be what everybody is blaring now a days. I always like to start with a lone locate call before playing the distress calls. I always started with low volume and worked my way up. With 3 to 5 minute pauses in between sequences. My sets would last between 20 and 30 min. I always found the less wind to be better. I liked a constant 5mph or less when I was calling. If calling at night I found the darker the better when it came to calling fox. I've only ever had one coyote come to a light at night. Most circle so far down wind you can't see them with even the best red lenses covered light. I would say the biggest thing with calling is don't get discouraged. At my best season I called in one coyote to every 20 setups. But that probably depends on the densities. Snow can be your best friend. Tracks will tell you a lot. You can't kill them if they are not there to kill. Hope this helped a little and good luck.
 

moundhill

Senior Member
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5,327
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Hebbardsville..
Thanks for the help yote. I out of every 20 isn't too bad! As far as calling. In one set, do you bounce between different calls? I know with turkeys you can use one call and not get a response, then try a different call a second later and the turkeys explode. Is it the same for yotes?
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
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39,721
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Ohio
We are nearing their breeding time. I have had good results getting responses with other coyote calls. I have an e-caller as well. Try a locator first. If no response, and it is breeding time, try a female invitation howl. No response? Throw in a male bark or dominant male.

Keep in mind, every e-call probably has slightly different names for the calls.

Another method which has worked has been the mixing up of these calls. Throw any and every howl/bark combo you can find at them and then quiet it down and wait. They are territorial. They hear a bunch of commotion and they sometimes sound off and come to investigate.

We usually only got a response 1/10 sets. Response doesn't always mean shots fired. Just vocal response and sometimes a visual response. Other times, you start out with a distressed call and they are running you over in seconds. Those are the times it is pretty dang exciting!
 

yotehunter

Member
1,527
36
spencerville oh
Thanks for the help yote. I out of every 20 isn't too bad! As far as calling. In one set, do you bounce between different calls? I know with turkeys you can use one call and not get a response, then try a different call a second later and the turkeys explode. Is it the same for yotes?

It all depends if they are coming I tone it down and let them finish. But I have also mixed up my distress calls with howls and barks and whines. Sometimes as Phil states they come 100 mph and run you over other times they never show even when you know they are there. I have had a lot hang up on me just out of shotgun range and ended up with just kissing too them by sucking in with my lips imitating a mouse and they came the rest of the way in. Coyote distress and fox distress were always my go too calls before any other. Like I said before don't get discouraged. Coyotes are one of the smartest animals you will ever try to kill when it comes to calling critters.
 

Beentown

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15,740
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Sunbury, OH
In my area I start very quiet. Usually with animal distress calls. That way anything close doesn't get blown away.

I set the caller 75-100 yards upwind of me. It is nice to have one guy on a rifle and another shot gunning at a 45 to see behind you.

Sly fuggers.
 

moundhill

Senior Member
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5,327
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Hebbardsville..
That's a good idea with the shot gun beeny. And thanks alot for the tips yote. I can see this become a hobby of mine! Just will take some time. I never thought of starting out quiet eother..I'll definitely be doing that.

And how long do you usually wait on a set charles? I find myself getting impatient after about 30 min.
 

hickslawns

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Ohio
I read a lot on it when I first started. Seemed like a general consensus was if they weren't responding in 20-30min, they weren't in the area. I am starting to question this. Too many times I have set up and called. Nothing happening so i left. Later, I check a trail camera card and see they came in a couple hours after I left the set. I am starting to think I am leaving my sets too early. I am far from an expert. Just some of what I have seen.
 

moundhill

Senior Member
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Hebbardsville..
I always feel as if I leave sets too early too Phil. I just can't bring myself to sit and wait for hours and hours on a yote. Just not how I wanna do it I guess. I'm only patient when it comes to deer hunting lol
 

Bigslam51

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Stark County
I always feel as if I leave sets too early too Phil. I just can't bring myself to sit and wait for hours and hours on a yote. Just not how I wanna do it I guess. I'm only patient when it comes to deer hunting lol

Snares will wait for hours and hours:D
 

hickslawns

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Ohio
I always feel as if I leave sets too early too Phil. I just can't bring myself to sit and wait for hours and hours on a yote. Just not how I wanna do it I guess. I'm only patient when it comes to deer hunting lol

Totally feel you Jake. If night hunting it helps to have multiple properties. Drive around. Stop at different properties. Get out of vehicle and hit the locator call whether it is a siren or pack of coyotes sound used as a locator. When they light up, make a game plan and setup on them. That is the most fun way we have hunted them.

Otherwise, it is a matter of making many many sets and hoping you picked a spot they are close to. I will be real honest with you. It can be pretty frustrating and you get dejected easily. Then it happens. You have a set where a coyote or two respond. You are hooked then! Adrenaline rush like no other. I think it is because so many sets are no-shows. When you get some response, it magnifies the rush.
 

moundhill

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Hebbardsville..
That night hunting sounds pretty awsome. I don't think I have the right lights for that though.
You ain't kidding big slam! I've thought about looking into trapping a little bit.

How much luck have you had with night hunting Phil?
 

hickslawns

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Ohio
Responses verbally maybe one in ten sets. Responses where they come in maybe one in twenty sets. Could be lower, but I would rather tell you 1/10 or 1/20 and see you with better averages than tell you 1/7 and 1/15 and have you frustrated. Sometimes, they just aren't in the area. Seems like you guys might have higher coyote densities than us. Might do better. I dunno.

Shots fired is lower. Truth be told, there have been few coyotes brought home. Getting responses is exciting as heck. Getting them on the ground is tough. We have hit many and never found them. Blood trail to property lines and have to stop. Knowing they were hit was satisfying enough for me. lol

I have not done a ton of daylight hunts for them. When I have done so, I think the hardest thing is learning how to read them. Are they going to commit? Are they going to hang up? Can I coax them closer? I think the biggest problem I have myself is not being patient enough to allow them to continue on into a set up. I need to get better at working them once I have a visual in the daylight. Generally my daylight hunts are solo. We don't hunt them at night unless there is snow on the ground and good moonlight. I am usually limited here as I am out working if it is snowing. I need to work on daylight set ups more. I think the odds would increase.

In regards to lights, there are a lot of good options out there now for a reasonable price. Check out predatormastorsforums.com for some good info. Not that the guys on TOO aren't helpful. Just saying these guys are pretty dedicated to predator hunting. Interesting to see how responses from east coast to west coast are different. Seems we have tougher hunting in our areas. Lots of great info on lights and such on there. You can get into a killer light for $100 or so anymore. Sportsmans Guide has some decent ones. Ebay is alright. Lots of options out there. Just know once you buy one, you will end up owning several.
 

yotehunter

Member
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spencerville oh
Something else too add. After buying a quiver critter my responses became a lot better then without the decoy. They were more committed and I always set it down wind of me and it cut a lot of distance off my shots.
 

GoetsTalon

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Walbridge oh
A guy with a shotgun down wind is great advice as is start calling low volume and work up. I have the johnny stewert digital caller but the call i like the best is a little open reed Crit'R Call. You can do howls and rabbit in distress with it. If they hang up a little mouse squeeker works. Mornings are good because if a yotes been out hunting all night with no luck hes going to be extra hungry in the morning also the colder the better. Just a warning to you after you call one in and get it your going to be hooked big time on it lol. Another thing is if you call one in and he busts ya you or anybody else will ever call him in again. I learned the hard way and seen a few going balls out in the other direction after they winded me. Your in for a lot of fun!!! Good luck!!!
 

hickslawns

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Ohio
Good point Jake. Sometimes the visual decoy helps. They hear something but it doesn't seem right. Visual along with the calls helps them commit at times.

Also a good point GT. It is like golf. You can suck for 17holes. That one perfect drive and putt on the last hole has you chomping at the bit to get back out. Call one in. That is all it takes.