Coyotes 101, does and don't
Well, couldn't resist trying out the FoxPro again this weekend. I had planned to give it a go this morning but yesterday evening was just about perfect so I loaded up.
Wind was light out of the east and cool. I headed to the perfect spot. Sitting on a small vantage point with cover to my back, wind in my face and the sun at my back. I get the caller set up about 75yds in front of me, get settled in and..........Did I ever say how much I dislike dirt bikes!? Not one, not two or three, but 4 juvies on what sounded like gas powered weed eaters, kept running the road about 100yds behind me. Just when I thought they were gone....THERE BACK!!!
#1 Don't: don't set up in high dirt bike traffic area.
I gave up on stand #1 and had just enough time to make it to another spot I had found the previous weekend. I get set up with the sun setting to my right, wind calm and overlooking a draw that stretches out 500yds in front of me running right to left. I decide to try the "female invite call". Get a response in seconds. I start scanning for him at what sounds like 400yds. He is giving me a challenge call in return. I spot him at a little over 400yds and mute the call. It was funny to watch him howl ....then hear him howl. That 16.5x Nikon really brings them in close.
I give him one more "invite" and mute again. He is barking the whole time moving left to right and very interested. I am thinking he would like a jackrabbit for supper. Load it, send it to the FX3.....Did I ever tell yall how much bad luck I have with anything electronic or BATTERY OPERATED?! I get half a squeal and NOTHING. Hmmmmm, this thing is battery operated...they couldn't be dead?! Oh yes they could. #*#&$^#^!
#2 Dont: Don't forget to charge the batteries on your FoxPro frequently!!
I watch as he moves off and joins up with 4 more of his buddies...they skip and play and play and skip....skip....play...bark in my direction! I would normally have a back up mouth call.....but not this time. I'm a dum@$$. I let the sun set and slip out of there knowing where I will be at 8am this morning.
#1 Do: always carry a back up mouth call!!!
I set up this morning ready to try again. Perfect morning, 45 degrees, wind light and variable, sumpin's gonna DIE!!!
(I charged the Foxpro last night) See #2 don't above. I give them the old female invite and get a response immediately. Sounds like two, maybe three....but they are behind me, over a bank across a road with my truck in between us. This isn't starting out well. I decide to go to the jackrabbit intermittently. It works, here coming running dead #1 at 200yds left to right. He passes the call(half way between me and him) trying to get down wind of it. He didn't make it, dropped him like a bad habit!!! Stem to sterned him with a 50gr Hornady.
#3 Don't: don't assume you know where they are coming from. Keep your head on swivel(but slowly, no quick movement). They can come from anywhere.
This is when the fun of cat and mouse began. His buddy was still behind me and giving me a challenge call almost nonstop and close! I decide to stay put and see if he follows his buddy's path....not happening. He continues to taunt me from behind. I have a 6 ft. berm behind me for cover so I pull my long bipod off my rifle and ease up the side to take a look. He can't be over 100yds but I can't see him. What do I hear? Not dirt bikes,but a low boy with back hoe rolls by on the dirt road (and its not county maintained for those wondering, its private). I think that its over and he is gone....nope, still challenging me but he has moved. He is circling me. I had him dead in his tracks but had a facility directly behind him and passed on the shot, no brainer. He continued to circle me behind the berm that ran for half a mile to the north. He didn't show himself again and continued to challenge me while I recovered his buddy. I called it a draw...for now.
#4 Don't: don't give up on one if he is answering you. If he is spooked, he will be gone and not heard from again. If you can hear them, it ain't over yet.
This is what I typically look for to call from. I am on a rock out crop sitting 20ft. about the draw looking across it here. Fun to watch them come barreling across looking for dinner or a fight.
And the one that didn't make it.
Coyote hunting is second only to bowhunting for my thrills. They are smart and a good challenge. If you haven't tried it, you don't know what you are missing. I will be out again this evening. Got a couple of new spots to try out!!
Wind was light out of the east and cool. I headed to the perfect spot. Sitting on a small vantage point with cover to my back, wind in my face and the sun at my back. I get the caller set up about 75yds in front of me, get settled in and..........Did I ever say how much I dislike dirt bikes!? Not one, not two or three, but 4 juvies on what sounded like gas powered weed eaters, kept running the road about 100yds behind me. Just when I thought they were gone....THERE BACK!!!
#1 Don't: don't set up in high dirt bike traffic area.
I gave up on stand #1 and had just enough time to make it to another spot I had found the previous weekend. I get set up with the sun setting to my right, wind calm and overlooking a draw that stretches out 500yds in front of me running right to left. I decide to try the "female invite call". Get a response in seconds. I start scanning for him at what sounds like 400yds. He is giving me a challenge call in return. I spot him at a little over 400yds and mute the call. It was funny to watch him howl ....then hear him howl. That 16.5x Nikon really brings them in close.
I give him one more "invite" and mute again. He is barking the whole time moving left to right and very interested. I am thinking he would like a jackrabbit for supper. Load it, send it to the FX3.....Did I ever tell yall how much bad luck I have with anything electronic or BATTERY OPERATED?! I get half a squeal and NOTHING. Hmmmmm, this thing is battery operated...they couldn't be dead?! Oh yes they could. #*#&$^#^!
#2 Dont: Don't forget to charge the batteries on your FoxPro frequently!!
I watch as he moves off and joins up with 4 more of his buddies...they skip and play and play and skip....skip....play...bark in my direction! I would normally have a back up mouth call.....but not this time. I'm a dum@$$. I let the sun set and slip out of there knowing where I will be at 8am this morning.
#1 Do: always carry a back up mouth call!!!
I set up this morning ready to try again. Perfect morning, 45 degrees, wind light and variable, sumpin's gonna DIE!!!
(I charged the Foxpro last night) See #2 don't above. I give them the old female invite and get a response immediately. Sounds like two, maybe three....but they are behind me, over a bank across a road with my truck in between us. This isn't starting out well. I decide to go to the jackrabbit intermittently. It works, here coming running dead #1 at 200yds left to right. He passes the call(half way between me and him) trying to get down wind of it. He didn't make it, dropped him like a bad habit!!! Stem to sterned him with a 50gr Hornady. #3 Don't: don't assume you know where they are coming from. Keep your head on swivel(but slowly, no quick movement). They can come from anywhere.
This is when the fun of cat and mouse began. His buddy was still behind me and giving me a challenge call almost nonstop and close! I decide to stay put and see if he follows his buddy's path....not happening. He continues to taunt me from behind. I have a 6 ft. berm behind me for cover so I pull my long bipod off my rifle and ease up the side to take a look. He can't be over 100yds but I can't see him. What do I hear? Not dirt bikes,but a low boy with back hoe rolls by on the dirt road (and its not county maintained for those wondering, its private). I think that its over and he is gone....nope, still challenging me but he has moved. He is circling me. I had him dead in his tracks but had a facility directly behind him and passed on the shot, no brainer. He continued to circle me behind the berm that ran for half a mile to the north. He didn't show himself again and continued to challenge me while I recovered his buddy. I called it a draw...for now.
#4 Don't: don't give up on one if he is answering you. If he is spooked, he will be gone and not heard from again. If you can hear them, it ain't over yet.
This is what I typically look for to call from. I am on a rock out crop sitting 20ft. about the draw looking across it here. Fun to watch them come barreling across looking for dinner or a fight.
And the one that didn't make it.
Coyote hunting is second only to bowhunting for my thrills. They are smart and a good challenge. If you haven't tried it, you don't know what you are missing. I will be out again this evening. Got a couple of new spots to try out!!
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