# New to Coyote Hunting (Iowa)



## Hawkeye 83 (Dec 31, 2007)

I have read many threads here and wanted to ask a few questions to help improve my success.

Got a .223 with scope, snow camo head to ankle, a cass electronic caller (I don't know about this one, it doesn't sound realistic).

Is there an affordable electronic caller that is wireless, and if not hard wire could be fine. Just not comfortable yet with the caller next to me.

I try to walk to a stand, but the snow is crunchy. Does this screw everything up to begin with?

When on stand I try to get a cross wind position, but I do not have a decoy (what would you suggest? I am looking at a fawn decoy). I always watch the down wind side.

My movement on stand is fine, I barely move even with a frozen butt. I had a fox squirrel almost on top of me until I looked him straight in the eyes.

I have been out for hours and hours and hours and only seen one coyote across a river, unfortunately it is illegal to shot across water.

Any help would be appreciated. My 7 year old daughter wants me to get a coyote so bad, I feel like a loser coming home with nothing.

Help, Please

Hawkeye 83

:idiot:


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

be patient, it will happen. I have been hunting for 30+ years and I'm not having any luck this year either. 
Prey Master is around $99, I just bought a Phantom Pro for around $169, I personally like hand calls better. 
I have a rabbit decoy, but I never use it. I really haven't had a problem with them hanging up, seems like they either come or not.


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

Hawkeye,
I wouldn't feel like a loser because you can't get a 'yote. They are hard to get. Nose, eyes, ears, that are sharp needles, they are, by somes view, the most intelligent animal in North America, if not the world.

I've been out three times and haven't even seen one yet. I know they are around, but it's a tough sport. It's like everything else. It takes time and experience. I think some guys get lucky from the start, but I don't think that it's the norm. I think most have to put in their time.

You'll get one. Just keep at it and keep up the good work on stands. It'll happen.

Good luck my friend,
Dan


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## bust'em (Oct 27, 2007)

Hawkeye what time of the day are you calling at? Try a mouth call they work alot better for me. Never called one in with an electonic caller. I increased my sucess with a mouth blown call 100%. I feel that they are the only way to go. Right now you might have problems calling because of all the wounded deer that where shot during shotgun season.Lots of easy meals.They should be getting pretty close to getting all those cleaned up by now.Your odds should start to increase. I have alot better luck in the evenings. They haven't been out hunting all night, so their ready to eat,and come to the call good.


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## 10 gauge (Dec 29, 2007)

When I call in a yote and get him, I feel no different than when I take a 6x6 bull elk, the only difference is I just throw the dog away.. but it still is an accomplishment, because I just out witted and fooled a cunning animal in his own back yard and yes it can be hard to do some days, these dogs are getting more educated and are on to us hunters. They are great survivalists. I hope you feel the same joy when you nail one.
10 gauge.


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## Bloodyblinddoors (Oct 25, 2006)

The absolute best advise I can give you is -DONT GIVE UP-.

In my opinion, the best predator callers around are the ones who can stand up after the 12 set of calling in zero animals and still make another set. And then another. And then another, and Another. As a new caller it will probly take you a while to call in your first animal and longer still for you to shake the wiggles and actually connect.

Predator hunting is not for the week minded. You MUST have a strong will to MAKE IT HAPPEN, and not expect it to happen for you.

I hear the same questions all the time. "What sounds should I make", "How long should I call", "How long should I sit", "What to look for when scouting",. These are all good questions but they vairy depending on the area you are hunting. Remember that the best teacher is experience. Get out there and start calling. Eventually you will call in an animal and you will learn sssoo much from that experience. And the next one and the one after that. The more animals you call in, the better you will eventually get at hunting them. But IT TAKES TIME. Alot of time as a matter of fact, to get as good as the guy's who have been calling them in for years.

You can buy the best guns, the most expensive calls, the best scopes and the best decoys, but you cant buy skills, and it take alot of time and EXPRIENCE to earn those skills.

You will get discouraged along the way. No doubt, But thats why this site is so great because every one on here, experienced or not, can relate to being made a fool by these animals.

The next best advise I can give you is to buy as many predator hunting videos as you can get your paws on, and study, study, study. The next best thing to calling in an animal is to watch some one else call them in. Pay very close attention to how they call, what sounds they use and when they use them. These videos will also inform you on how to stop the animal for the shot, how to decide when to shoot by reading the animals body language and an endless list of important things that you may only learn by seeing them played out in an actuall hunting situation.

I can tell you I owe so much of my hunting success to these videos. They WILL better your learning curve.

Another thing That will help you is to go to a state where there are lots of predators and line up a hunt, weather it be through a guide or a freelance hunt. Get out there where there are lots of animals, Call some in and get your bones rattled a few times. Then take every thing you learned back home with you and it will make you a more successfull hunter.

And if you stick with it long enough, before you know it, you will be the one who answers the questions, and the one who tries to keep the new guy motivated as he struggles.

Just remember, everyone on this site is rooting for you and is hear to support you. But we all started where you did, and NEVER GAVE UP.


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## Hawkeye 83 (Dec 31, 2007)

Thanks to all for the support!!! I will take all of your advice and keep trying. I have the passion to do it, just not the skills yet and your correct, experience is the best teacher.

I am going out tomorrow morning to see how it goes.

What is a good mouth caller for a beginner?

Thanks again and happy new year.

Hawkeye 83

P.S. If anyone in Iowa wants a tag along, I am more then willing to drive to get some of this experience. :beer:


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## Bloodyblinddoors (Oct 25, 2006)

Any of the closed reed dying rabbit calls are good. If you can blow out a candle, you can make one of these calls sound good.


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## pwking (Nov 14, 2005)

First of all the best advice is to keep trying. I was very lucky on my first stand to call one in (although I never got a shot). After that stand I bet it was 50 or so stands until I called in my second coyote. Now my numbers are fairly good for Iowa.

I had the same questions and feelings as you do. Am I making the right sound? Am I using the wind correctly? Are they seeing me or hearing me? The main thing to remember is you don't have to be perfect.
I've heard people make the most ridiculous sounds with an open reed call and it worked. I've also heard what I thought to be perfect sounds with no luck. I've walked in to my stand with the crunchiest snow on the quietest day and still called in coyotes.

I realize I'm making it sound easy and we all know it isn't but my point is to just keep trying. Watch some videos to make sure you are in the ballpark with your setup, calls, and technique but don't sweat the details too badly.

Also, living in Iowa is your biggest disadvantage. We simply don't have the numbers of coyotes the western states do. Always call sections that get little traffic from the pick-up guys and always hunt areas where coyotes live. We have a lot of nomadic coyotes in Iowa which lead to a lot of empty sections. In the west you are calling to multiple coyotes. In Iowa you are lucky to be calling at one. That is huge in our success rate.

For example, in the west you may have 5 coyotes within hearing distance of your stand. You just need one to be hungry, curious, territorial, or whatever other reasons a coyote comes in. In Iowa you are probably only calling at 1 or 2 coyotes within hearing distance. So your odds, even in good sections, are decreased a ton. We just do not have the numbers. Basically, out west the callers for the most part have a 5 times greater chance of calling in a coyote.

Once you get more experience you will be able to call in a coyote every 8-10 stands if you only call in times where they are hungry and not pressured by other hunting seasons.


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

I wonder, when you're first starting to hunt this challanging animal, how many you call in and never know are there?

Good calling,
Dan


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## kdog (Mar 13, 2007)

Hawkeye,

Possibly of utmost importance for you is to make sure that there are coyotes in the area when you are calling. Sounds simple, but is often the cause for no "luck". A famous caller always said "If they don't hear you, their not comin' in"

Make sure there is something within earshot, then make a call.

Good luck! :beer:


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## coyotenewbie (Dec 26, 2007)

Where in Iowa do you live? I also hunt in iowa, i live in the southeast corner.

coyotenewbie


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