# Illinois Coyotes Suck



## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

Drive down the road and I see coyotes almost everyday. Got off work early today so I went out hunting. I made 3 sets, used every call I could think of and nothing. 
I think all the coyotes in my area are deaf, dumb and mute. I can walk fence rows and see coyotes. I can drive to work and see coyotes. But I can't see coyotes while hunting, this winter has been bad.
I thought tonight would be good, no rain(finally), light breeze, and temp in the teens. Yesterday in the fog, while driving I saw 3. Been doing this for years, but this is frustrating. Guess I will wait until I have time to walk and try that.


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## fasenbuster (Jan 12, 2008)

Where you at in Illinois?


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## ay tee (Jun 11, 2007)

try sitting in your vehicle on a fence line on a foggy day.. hah seems like you are doing good with them three situations.. keep trying, dont give up.. your day will come, eventually


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

everything is so muddy here, I can't get my truck to the fence rows, and we can't shoot from a truck. The gun has to be unloaded and in a case. I know, it doesn't always work that way, but I can't afford to take the chance.

I live in Northeast/central Illinois, about an hour southwest of Chicago,(Kankakee Area). Part of my problem is I have limited amounts of land, and I over hunt it. But the weather has been bad, and the coyotes aren't responding, so I keep trying. I had my best season ever last year, but I know there is plenty out there.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

If you overhunt the land, than thats probably the problem. Their (the coyotes) are educated. As soon as you blow a call, the red flags go up.


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## Bloodyblinddoors (Oct 25, 2006)

Kelly. Not sure if you're hunting alone or not but if you are, you're only seeing half the coyotes you're calling in. You're seeing even less than that if you're not watching the down wind side on every set. Are you hunting alone?


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Can't remember where I heard this but it was from somewhere credible.

You only see half the coyotes you call in and you only harvest half the coyotes you see. That was said by a succesful predator hunter. You can do the math.


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## Bloodyblinddoors (Oct 25, 2006)

Fallguy said:


> You only see half the coyotes you call in and you only harvest half the coyotes you see.


I dont doubt that for a second. Last night we made 3 sets. Called one in on the first set that my budy saw. He was watching the down wind and hesitated too long. The coyote took off like a missle and he didn't even get to pull the trigger. I got a quick look at it before it made it to cover.

On the second set my budy said he heard one come through a very narrow woods between him and I and then run away. I had no visual cause I was on the bottom of a cliff on the other side of the woods. I'm deaf and even I think I may have heard it for a second. Not one of the three of us saw that coyote. Would have looked for tracks but there were tracks all over the damn place. I never hunt alone. Would actualy rather have three of us on every set.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

I know you are all correct, but you have to have them come to a call before you educate them. I may not be the only one out there also, but I am 99% sure they aren't responding. I totally agree on the over hunt part, but what's a guy to do. I will just change my methods.


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## Jrbhunter (May 24, 2006)

Kelly Hannan said:


> I live in Northeast/central Illinois, about an hour southwest of Chicago,(Kankakee Area).


I've killed a fair number of coyotes in that region. Plan on being there again in two weeks.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

I have too, up until this year. I still believe the weather is a big factor, it hasn't been cold enough and no snow, so they don't have to work for food.

I am not done yet, I have more tricks to try, been at this a long time, I will figure them out.


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## DOGKILLR (Oct 9, 2006)

I'm having the same problem here in NC. Called in a good many last year and ended up killing 12 while calling. Haven't got a single dog to come to the call this year. It is frustrating and some of the areas I'm calling this year are new areas that I believe haven't been called at all.


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## pfast (Feb 8, 2007)

Over the years I have had many many dry stands. One thing I have learned over time is almost every stand produces a dog or two. In years past I just assumed nothing was comming in and wanted to figure out why. I started looking at tracks on the way in and on the way out of my stands. I watched my back and listned alot closer than before. When hunting with 1 or more partners we started placing hunters at different locations than normal. And things of that nature. What i found was there is alot more activity than assumed. I think I am geting winded more than I think. Fallguy hit it on the head with you only see half of them. Granted the area I hunt is different than yours but thats what I have learned over the last few years. Hope it helps.

Good hunting to all.


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## Jrbhunter (May 24, 2006)

Sounds like a population crash, not necessarily a weather related issue. Very few of the coyotes I kill are hungry when they die... it doesn't take cold weather to kill coyotes.


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## coyote_buster (Mar 11, 2007)

Do you glass the area as you are moving in? they might bust you on your way in. Do you wait a little while before you start your calling?


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## Bloodyblinddoors (Oct 25, 2006)

coyote_buster said:


> Do you glass the area as you are moving in? they might bust you on your way in. Do you wait a little while before you start your calling?


That has very little to do with the success of a set.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

I do all of the above. My opinion is hunting pressure and weather. I know the population is good, we see and hear them all the time. There is always fresh tracks, poop and animal remains.

I almost always hunt alone, because I can't find anyone to hunt with. I always watch the wind, I try to set up in areas where I can see in almost every direction, and I am very careful walking in. I also try to enter from different directions, because I know they can get used to human traffic, just like deer.

My area is pretty flat, with a few fence rows and small woodlots. Not really alot of hiding places. If a coyote stands up or is walking, it is very visible. I know it doesn't take much to hide one, and they really like to run the creek just north of my house.

I will find them and figure out how to thin the pack. Maybe won't be able to call them,, but I will get some of them. Even if I don't, I still have a good time trying.


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## Jrbhunter (May 24, 2006)

I wouldn't worry about glassing and waiting, wouldn't even be careful while walking in, but if there are coyotes in the area.... they are callable despite weather conditions. Hunting pressure makes a big impact, especially if it's you or someone else CALLING them on a regular basis. They'll adapt to human pressure in ways a deer couldn't fathom.

Setting up in a location where you can see a good ways in all directions is not necessarily productive... in fact it rarely is during daylight hours. Give the incoming coyotes some fencerows, drainage ditches or woodlots to conceal themselves in. They'll feel more comfortable coming to the call- and your success will increase. You might even try calling them at night if your area is better suited for it.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

thanks for the advice, and I do exactly like you say, I always try to call in areas where they don't have to be in the open. I had very good success last year in these same places, small picked corn, bean,and hay, fields(100-200 acre), surrounded by small woodlots and brushy fence rows. Something has changed this year, and they don't like what I'm doing. I don't really stop and glass my areas, it's more like I still hunt my way to a set. I have jumped several coyotes over the years going into my sets, so I'm always ready


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