# what am I doing wrong?



## Nathanwild (Sep 30, 2012)

I have gone and done over 20 coyote stands and so far the only thing I have called in is one fox. I have had them answer to locator calls but that is it. I don't know what I am doing wrong. Any tips for a new coyote hunter? well so far a wilderness sitter.


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

Get the mindset that sitting in the woods or desert can be a form of meditation. Just sit and feel the warmth of the sun on your face and jacket. Listen to the quietness. When your mind accepts that nothing has to happen at all--just the sitting and thinking and listening, then you will realize that there is nothing frustrating about not having an animal come in, nothing frustrating about not getting to pull a trigger, nothing frustrating about not killing, nothing frustrating about just being part of nature. Think of yourself as man as part of nature. Think of all the stress that you are missing out on by just sitting and being quiet. Think of all the troubles in the world that you are not producing or being part of. Transcend. Find success in just being there in a wild place. Enjoy the drive to and from your spots. Slow down. 

It also helps to learn the coyotes language. What types of barks are you hearing? What does the howling and yipping mean? Are you familiar with their warning barks? Is it always wise to use a locator call? Does it sometimes warn them of danger?

I'm serious--there is more to it than always being successful. Part of the experience is to learn to enjoy just being out there.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

HighNDry is a wise man. Much to be said about the hunting part of hunting. Nothing is EVER as easy as in the videos. Be patient. Enjoy the quiet. The success of hunting will come with practice, patience, and learning along the way. But patience is the best thing ever. Reminds me of when I took up fly fishing. I could always catch fish with bait or hardware- no problem. Switching to fly fishing, I went two years without catching a fish. Then something changed in my presentation, fly selection, something, and I started catching fish. It just took LOTS of practice for me. So it goes with most hunting/fishing endeavors. Which is what makes them so grand. Grand in deed.


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## drsx (Sep 8, 2010)

The hardest part is a good location--at least for me. It is actually fairly easy to call them if they are there. Make sure you're not wasting your time, try some where new. Then again it sounds like you're getting some barks... Be cautious of scent and sight.


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## Nathanwild (Sep 30, 2012)

Thank you for the advice. It really is good to be out in the wild country. I really enjoy photography and I think that I might be able to make that a part of all of this. It really is a good stress reliever for me. college life can get tough and a break to the wild is always a time to enjoy thanks everyone. 

I guess getting them to come in is one of those things I will learn over time and the locations were they are at.


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

A a side note: you probably have called a few in and not realized it. Sometimes they hang-up just out where you can't recognize them. Sometimes they come in from a spot you're not watching and sneak back out without you spotting them.

I remember one time out in Wyoming I was calling alone and kept seeing a spot out about 1000 yards, maybe further, that looked different. I never put my scope on it and would periodically go back to it. It never moved. After about 20 minutes of calling, I finally stood up and scoped it. Just sitting there looking back was a coyote. It got up and walked away. On another hunt (in snow) we walked into an area that looked promising. My partner and I faced the same valley and began to call. Nothing. As we walked back out we noticed a set of fresh track that were not there when we started. The coyote had come in from behind us, got within about 50 yards and then turned and trotted off. We could tell all of this by the tracks.

It takes some experience to see them sometimes. Not all of them come running in at 60 miles per hour. It sure is fun when they all of a sudden appear and you wonder how you never saw it coming in. Or as was the case in Nevada where 3 of them came in from behind and were within six feet of us. My bro-in-law heard them panting behind us. He shot the first one within six feet of us by jumping up on his knees and looking down his barrel. He got the second one running away at about 25 yards. He then claimed his gun jammed and I took out the third one at about 75 yards.

We've got to the point where we just love being out. There is a certain sound (quiet) out in some of those lonely places that bring a certain chill to the soul, but also a warmth of knowing that somehow you belong. Anyway, getting way to philosophical for some of the hard-hearted killers on this site I'm sure.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

HighNDry is right, coyotes are curious animals and most of the time if they havent been called before or reconize the sound will try to get a look at what is making the noise. The are also cautious, they use there nose and ears the most but they also have excellent sight and can pick out movement from a great distance. 
So you might have had one come in and never seen it. 
We had set up on a stand, there were three of us and I being the caller set in the middle. It was a big open river bottom with a small rolling sage brush hill on the side. There was 6-8" of snow on the ground and it was very cold. I called with male and female howls and a few challenge howls, after about 10 min nothing had come in, so I thought! I switched to a jack rabbit distress and called for another 5 to 8 minutes. Still nothing. I got out the binos and glassed the area and saw nothing. I was just standing up when I hear a sick sounding howl, like it sounded like someone had just picked up a call for the first time and just blew on it. It came from the direction of the guy on my right so I figured it was just him playing around. We all stood up and when I asked him why he did that he said it wasn't him and figured it was me or the other friend. Long story short a coyote had come in and got between us without us knowing. While we were talking and looking at the track we look out into the bottom and see the coyote with 3 others running at 1000 yards. I hurried and howled and the one stopped and howled back but then did there warning bark and took off. 
They can be very sneeky, but also they can just come running in and nothing you do will stop it. Thats what I love about hunting coyotes is they are unpretictible. 
I might suggest to everyone. Carry your binos with you on stands. Glass before, about 10 minutes in, and after your stands. I have increased my killing double by doing this. Don't use your scope as moving your gun is alot of movement.


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## drsx (Sep 8, 2010)

Hey I came across this. Good little beginners guide for Coyote hunting in a easy PDF form. I uploaded it so that you can download it, here's the link:

https://www.box.com/s/bfyjhd6f1pfx4a8pobhe


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## Nathanwild (Sep 30, 2012)

thanks again everyone for all of the help. I think I am going to watch some more videos on howling and focus a little more on distress call right now and see what will happen. I am really excited to get my first one I hope it happens soon.


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

I'll share one more experience. My partner and I hid the vehicle in a low dip on the dirt road and then sneaked down a dry river bed. We set-up on a small ridge looking out over a flat sagebrush valley. (Make sure to stay low on a ridge so the skyline behind you doesn't expose your silhouette.) We started with a distress call. After about 15 minutes of no response, I made one lone howl. A coyote out in the valley made a lone call back and then about 4 coyotes behind us and off to the right started to howl and yip. Out in the valley we saw a coyote on a dead run toward the place where the coyotes were yipping. We looked to the right and 3 coyotes were starting to run toward the lone coyote coming up from the valley. We were only able to take one of them but got several shots off.

As we thought about what happened, we decided that the lone coyote was a female out hunting, and the other three coyotes were year old pups. When the mother heard the howl, she howled back to see if it was one of her pups or if it was an intruder. The pups yipping and howling had her running in to see what was happening, and the pups decided to run to her. We could have very easily made some distress calls, saw nothing, and left the area. The howl got things moving. That doesn't happen all the time, but you have to try some tricks before leaving an area.


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## Nathanwild (Sep 30, 2012)

so is there a better time of day to be out hunting or scouting for coyotes? I have heard that early mornings and late afternoon is good. is it a wast of time to be out in the middle of the day? as a college student I go when ever I find the time


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## drsx (Sep 8, 2010)

Middle of the day is a waste imo.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

You have done the hard part already and that's locating them!

Now throw away the rabbit calls and come back another day or later in the day and sneak into position without them seeing, hearing, or smelling you.

I use dry washes, juniper patches, ect. Then hit them with one short ki yi yi! Thats it! Then sit back and wait! They will come in and investagate whos in their territory. Just depends on how long your willing to wait or if you batched your stalk.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Nathanwild said:


> so is there a better time of day to be out hunting or scouting for coyotes? I have heard that early mornings and late afternoon is good. is it a wast of time to be out in the middle of the day? as a college student I go when ever I find the time


You can call them in all times of the day. Mornings and Evenings are the best times. But don't think your wasting your time by calling in the middle of the day. 
Coyotes do alot of there hunting in low light and dark. But will eat or hunt a distressed animal if the oppirutnity is there anytime. 
I watched an episode of FoxPros Furtakers and they have a biologist that gives info on predators every episode. He said that even though a coyote may have had just eaten if it hears a distress sound it doesn't think hey I'm full I'm not going to go over there. He likened it to eating a big dinner then seeing a piece of pie on the table, more than likely your going to eat that pie because its easy to get. 
So if all you have is midday to go calling then go. Hell 10% chance of calling one in is better than 0% chance if you stay at home! :mrgreen:


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## Nalgi (Apr 16, 2010)

Hey look at it this way, I've called coyotes, bobcats, owls, hawks, and even a cow, but never a fox. Count your blessings


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## gunnie3035 (Nov 22, 2012)

20 dry stands in a row is nothing!! Especially in late Feb. It really is hard. Thus the reason most people never get any good at it.


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