My first evening of predator calling...

[Sneaky]

I had no idea how exciting it was!

I bought a $40 Johnny Stewart caller as a first foray into predator calling, and picked up TBH brotha TXUSNAVYCHIEF to join me. I mostly used Woodpecker and Cottontail sounds, and called from 4pm-7pm.

I didn't get any yotes/cats/fox/coons in, but I did get a Northern Harrier to come in! It came soaring over a tree line, swooped down toward the caller, and then swooped back up once it realized it wasn't an animal. I wonder what would have happened if I had a Mojo Critter out there! It was freakin' awesome watching a majestic raptor come in so close like that.

So, that said, what do y'all think I should do differently? I was tucked up in some bushes and well-hidden, and had a very favorable wind.

[Cropduster]

Continue to call. Get down wind and well hidden. A person doesn't call in predators on each stand. I don't know the ratio of stand to animals coming in, but it can be really good or really bad. I wish I knew what turns them on as sometimes they will come on a run and other times they simply will not come. Just keep trying and you will be successfull. A mojo decoy will help when they have something to keep their attention so that it is of off you. When they come in and if I have the time I will stop calling as they get close and probably don't know exactly where the sound is coming from. This uaually allows me time to get set for the final approach. Then you may turn the caller back on in short spirts to lure them in for the final coup-de-grace. Each situation is different, so you just have to be flexable and try to be prepaired for any direction and speed of the aproaching animal. This is sometimes very difficult and you will not be successful each set, but it sure is fun to try. Good like and keep hunting.

[Sneaky]

Continue to call. Get down wind and well hidden. A person doesn't call in predators on each stand. I don't know the ratio of stand to animals coming in, but it can be really good or really bad. I wish I knew what turns them on as sometimes they will come on a run and other times they simply will not come. Just keep trying and you will be successfull. A mojo decoy will help when they have something to keep their attention so that it is of off you. When they come in and if I have the time I will stop calling as they get close and probably don't know exactly where the sound is coming from. This uaually allows me time to get set for the final approach. Then you may turn the caller back on in short spirts to lure them in for the final coup-de-grace. Each situation is different, so you just have to be flexable and try to be prepaired for any direction and speed of the aproaching animal. This is sometimes very difficult and you will not be successful each set, but it sure is fun to try. Good like and keep hunting.

Thanks for the info! I am definitely going to keep at it, and look forward to some action!

[westtexducks]

How long did yall sit on each stand? If yall only stayed 10 to 15 per stand next time bump it up to 25 to 30 per stand. Have killed a lot of coyotes at the 20+ minute mark.

[Sneaky]

How long did yall sit on each stand? If yall only stayed 10 to 15 per stand next time bump it up to 25 to 30 per stand. Have killed a lot of coyotes at the 20+ minute mark.

We each stayed in our spots for the full three hours.

[wilded]

I lost my decoy to an owl the first day I used it. ET

[Coach W]

We each stayed in our spots for the full three hours.

WOW. Thats dedication.

I call for 20-22 minutes. IF by 22 minutes I havent seen anything Im up and out. I then move to a new spot and call again. Ive set at one spot and called in a yote, then moved 400 yards and called in a different yote.

Try to set up with the wind at your back. They will come in downwind if they are weary. If they are hungry or dumb they may come in any direction. Be prepared, I call with my rifle on my shoulder, bipod ready, bullet in the chamber and safety on.

I call quitely for 2-3 minutes with a softer call like a baby cottontail... then if nothing shows I step up the volume to 3/4's and hit the adult version of the same animal for 2-3 more minutes.

Most of the time if something is going to come in I have them at the 7-11 minute range.

But if that doesnt work I change up, Loud as the call will blast (birds or rabbit sounds) for 5 minutes. If nothing shows by this point its usually not going to.

But I again will try for a new rabbit sound for 5 more minutes.

Then as a last ditch effort I play some coaxers, and finally a coyote in distress.

If they show and even if you shoot, keep calling, the drive to eat is strong and often others will come in.

Sometimes I set and see yotes 9 out of 10. Other times I see yotes 1 out of 10.

If you are hunting during the day your 3 worst enemies are:
Wind... If its too windy go home, they cant hear the call and wont come in.
Full Moon... If they have been up all night they arent coming out during the day.
Traffic... Oilfield traffic, cows, to close to a road, If coyotes see more movement than they like they are gone before you ever see em.

OH and the bird you mentioned is my bad omen. If I ever call in a bird of prey I am 100% guaranteed not to call in a coyote. When I call one in I get ******. LOL

[westtexducks]

We each stayed in our spots for the full three hours.

Wow 3 hours in one spot? Can't say I have sat that long before. Might try cutting it off every hour and swapping to a new area just to get the sound out to different animals on different parts of the property.

[alec73065]

I usually sit for 30 minutes also , calling very lightly at first. Every time one comes in it is different. I have had them run in first 30 seconds and some as long as 30 minutes. In the Dakotas in the winter we would get several trying to beat each other running into the call or they would sit off on a distant hill and howl. Breeding season coming up soon , a dominant howl will bring in the male usually.

[Horitexan]

3 hours on the same spot is WAY too long! You're wasting your time.

WOW. Thats dedication.

I call for 20-22 minutes. IF by 22 minutes I havent seen anything Im up and out. I then move to a new spot and call again. Ive set at one spot and called in a yote, then moved 400 yards and called in a different yote.

Try to set up with the wind at your back. They will come in downwind if they are weary. If they are hungry or dumb they may come in any direction. Be prepared, I call with my rifle on my shoulder, bipod ready, bullet in the chamber and safety on.

I call quitely for 2-3 minutes with a softer call like a baby cottontail... then if nothing shows I step up the volume to 3/4's and hit the adult version of the same animal for 2-3 more minutes.

Most of the time if something is going to come in I have them at the 7-11 minute range.

But if that doesnt work I change up, Loud as the call will blast (birds or rabbit sounds) for 5 minutes. If nothing shows by this point its usually not going to.

But I again will try for a new rabbit sound for 5 more minutes.

Then as a last ditch effort I play some coaxers, and finally a coyote in distress.

If they show and even if you shoot, keep calling, the drive to eat is strong and often others will come in.

Sometimes I set and see yotes 9 out of 10. Other times I see yotes 1 out of 10.

If you are hunting during the day your 3 worst enemies are:
Wind... If its too windy go home, they cant hear the call and wont come in.
Full Moon... If they have been up all night they arent coming out during the day.
Traffic... Oilfield traffic, cows, to close to a road, If coyotes see more movement than they like they are gone before you ever see em.

OH and the bird you mentioned is my bad omen. If I ever call in a bird of prey I am 100% guaranteed not to call in a coyote. When I call one in I get ******. LOL

Do THIS^^

Only caveat I would add is that I've had a lot of success on windy days when I got into creek bottoms with a shotgun. Bottoms offer animals a sanctuary from the wind and your call will reach further out than up in the windy areas. Since the animals seem to want to escape the wind, those bottoms are often loaded with coyotes. It's very fast action and close quarters; so a shotgun works much better than a rifle. And a decoy is super important to keep their eyes off you. If you don't have a decoy, use a feather. Take a white feather (or really any color but I like white) and hot glue a piece of monofilament fishing line to it. I use an alligator clip to fasten it to a tree limb above the call.

Good hunting!

[Sneaky]

Taking notes! I've got a really nice creek bottom that would be perfect for trying this out in.

[JacobTyler]

Not trying to jack the thread but would y'all sit at a stand longer in east texas woods?

[Buckwheat]

Number one thing is to keep at it. Don't over hunt your spots. Don't go out to same spot every week. When we start calling we hit a spot once a
Month. We have several spots so we can at least hunt every week if time/weather allows. Use coyote vocals. Yote vocalize year around. Learn Em and use them with you distress calls. Watch wind. A cross wind is better than in the face. Especially if set up in the middle if open fields/ agricultural fields. But keep at it try different sounds different volumes start low angry a few minutes turn up slitty then back down. But like I said stuck with it.

[D C]

WOW. Thats dedication.

I call for 20-22 minutes. IF by 22 minutes I havent seen anything Im up and out. I then move to a new spot and call again. Ive set at one spot and called in a yote, then moved 400 yards and called in a different yote.

Try to set up with the wind at your back. They will come in downwind if they are weary. If they are hungry or dumb they may come in any direction. Be prepared, I call with my rifle on my shoulder, bipod ready, bullet in the chamber and safety on.

I call quitely for 2-3 minutes with a softer call like a baby cottontail... then if nothing shows I step up the volume to 3/4's and hit the adult version of the same animal for 2-3 more minutes.

Most of the time if something is going to come in I have them at the 7-11 minute range.

But if that doesnt work I change up, Loud as the call will blast (birds or rabbit sounds) for 5 minutes. If nothing shows by this point its usually not going to.

But I again will try for a new rabbit sound for 5 more minutes.

Then as a last ditch effort I play some coaxers, and finally a coyote in distress.

If they show and even if you shoot, keep calling, the drive to eat is strong and often others will come in.

Sometimes I set and see yotes 9 out of 10. Other times I see yotes 1 out of 10.

If you are hunting during the day your 3 worst enemies are:
Wind... If its too windy go home, they cant hear the call and wont come in.
Full Moon... If they have been up all night they arent coming out during the day.
Traffic... Oilfield traffic, cows, to close to a road, If coyotes see more movement than they like they are gone before you ever see em.

OH and the bird you mentioned is my bad omen. If I ever call in a bird of prey I am 100% guaranteed not to call in a coyote. When I call one in I get ******. LOL

I agree with this.

The only things that I find different are- I have a lot of luck calling the morning of full moon. After a yotes been hunting all night theyre dumb and hungry. Evenign calling with a full moon is a waste of time IMO.
Also if I call in a bird of prey a yote usually isnt far behind it. Not sure why you (coach W) dont have the same luck. Maybe its central TX vs west TX?

Keep at it and it will start to click. good luck!

[XBowHunter]

Good info, following...