# HELP WANTED AND GUIDANCE NEEDED!!!



## RaBiD (Sep 17, 2009)

I've been unable to call in a coyote since 2010 started. Since the coyotes are into breeding season now, I've focused mostly on howling. My current calling sequence since the end of January has been: Interrogation Howl, wait 2 minutes, interrogation howl, wait 2 minutes, female invitation, wait 2 minutes, female invitation, wait 2 minutes, challenge howl, wait 2 minutes, challenge howl, wait 2 minutes, challenge howl, wait 5 minutes, then I'll switch to a distress sound for another fifteen minutes. I know I'm in an area with lots of coyote and fox activity, cause I've found at least 6 different sets of tracks after the recent snowfall. I'm not sure what I'm doing right, but I must be doing something wrong. Please help so I can get out of my slump. Any suggestions, ideas, or techniques to try will be appreciated.


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## Bloodyblinddoors (Oct 25, 2006)

This is a GREAT topic and one I look forward to responding to when I get some time.


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## Kelly Hannan (Jan 9, 2007)

don't throw away the distress idea right from the start. I have never been successful howling, but alot of people are. Maybe it's the wind, time of day/night, maybe they are seeing you enter your stand location.


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## farmerj (Jun 19, 2004)

Here's some ideas on Varmint Al's website.


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## JDD (Feb 7, 2010)

I have been useing a distress call and i called a single in this morning and a pack of 4 two days ago. it could be anything why they arnt coming in have you tried hunting any other places.


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## RaBiD (Sep 17, 2009)

I'm currently hunting in eastern North Dakota where it is made up of flat farm land and shelter belts. I've tried many spots covering an area of twenty miles roughly. I've tried calling shelter belts, cattails, and standing corn fields. I always set up where the wind isn't blowing in to the area where I suspect the coyotes to be. I usually look for tracks or some kind of evidence that coyotes are in the area. They might be seeing me walk to my stand since it is really open here, that could be a possibility. I'll have to try going to a distress call right away and see what happens. We're getting enough snow here right now, I won't get a chance to try calling again until some of the roads get plowed.


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## JDD (Feb 7, 2010)

okay well let me know how things turn up im hunting in indiana and we are going to get some more snow tonight and all day tomorrow so they say so once the snow stops i will be going back out.


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Vocalizations are tricky. I have used some with good results but I am sure there is A LOT that I do not know about it. I rarely use a challenge howl except as a last resort. I have probably only used it a few times in the last 5 years but I did manage to bring in a coyote one time with it. It was my last trick in the bag as he sat 500 yards away and wouldn't come in.

With all of my howls, I try to keep them pretty high pitched to sound like a non-dominant coyote. My belief is this will attract both the dominant and non-domianant coyotes. Get too big and bad sounding and I think you may be scaring off some younger dogs.


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## Bloodyblinddoors (Oct 25, 2006)

You're probly not doing anything wrong. I'm assuming you've killed a good number of yotes in your lifetime doing the same thing you're doing now. Coyotes will make even seasoned callers question their own abilities at times. Ya just gotta be patient. As I'm sure you already know, They dont always come runnin. Sometimes the yotes shut down for days or even weeks.

There is'nt a caller out there who has'nt had to survive the slow times. Believe it or not, Most callers dont and will give up, Wich I'm thankfull for 

So wich are you? The type with sticktoitiveness? Or are you a quiter? 

Keep at it and show us the pictures of your next kill :sniper:


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Bloodyblinddoors said:


> Believe it or not, Most callers dont and will give up, Wich I'm thankfull for


Truth!


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## RaBiD (Sep 17, 2009)

I actually got addicted to coyote hunting last year. The very first time I tried it, a coyote howled back in the evening, but it never came in. The next morning I repositioned a little closer to the sound and I called in an antelope after my first howl. It came running to the crest of the hill and stopped. I watched it for a minute, then decided to switch to a male challenge howl. The next thing I know here comes a coyote running parallel to the antelope literally 10 feet away from it. The big male that came over the hill had his back hairs standing on end and he was postured when he came over the hill ready for the fight. I couldn't believe it! I now have an antelope and a coyote running at me!!! The coyote is now leading the way and the antelope is following. Talk about an adrenaline rush! I let the coyote get to 28 yards (Rangefinder) and then it was history.

I've read a lot of articles on coyote hunting from lots of different magazines. Bought a couple of the Calling All Coyotes videos, series 1 thru 6. I've practiced all my calls so they sound pretty good too. I'M JUST HAVING A HORRIBLE TIME HAVING ANY SUCCESS RIGHT NOW. Howling with a higher pitch all the time sounds like a really good idea. It would sound less threatening like you say.

This time of year, how long will you guys stay on a stand?


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## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Stand length is hard to gauge but I usually give it 30 minutes. Unless I get that sense that something just is out of place. Magpies chirping, deer acting weird, that sort of thing then I will stay longer.

A rule of thumb I use if it's calmer I stay longer and if it's windy I stay shorter.


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## papapete (Jan 2, 2005)

Every spot is different.I think that later in the year the longer you need to stay on a stand. This time of year they have been called a few times already and are getting call shy. They can hang up out of sight and you don't even know it.


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## RaBiD (Sep 17, 2009)

I'll have to try calling for an hour just to see what happens a couple times to see if it will produce. New problem is battling the snow to get into position. Thanks for all the good advice.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

a couple items here. have you had any dogs howl back? howling is a aggravating affair at times. it usually takes longer for the coyotes to come in in my experience. thanks to Randy Anderson's dvd's more people are trying it too. dogs get smart to the howls too. especially if they are hearing the same sequences repeated. 
this time of year, i sit longer on stand. 20-25 minutes is not uncommon for a response time. the snow slows them down. i got winded by a dog the other day at about the 25 minute mark. he was plenty far too. i let him go. maybe some other day. if it's windy i don't stay past 20 minutes usually though. my sound is not reaching as far.
don't take too much stock in fresh tracks. i have watched coyotes at a distance countless times. if those tracks are an hour old, he is probably many miles away.


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## duckp (Mar 13, 2008)

Amen to K Canadas comment on 'fresh tracks'.Helpful but often not determinative.I know,I often follow them.For miles.The heavier populated,more trafficked your area,the closer they might be but if the tracks were made the night before,don't count on it.Sure most have 'areas' or 'territories' but that doesn't mean they aren't 4-5 miles away and miles beyond your 'sounds'.Now add deep snow=tough calling unless you're 'on em'.
If seeing fresh tracks in the same areas,try different times-particularly real early or real late.Maybe you'll catch them closer-or get permission to move down their trail a ways on other land.Mating will change the following a bit,but many in these deep snow conditions have very predictable routes(easy travel routes-lakes etc)and travel times.For instance,I can guarantee you my dogs will start barking every night between 9 and 10-as the same 2 to 4 yotes cross our lake going the same way.(hopefully it will change soon though  )


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