How far have you been winded?

[dstark]

How far has a coyote picked up your scent? I know it has to be pretty far but I am wondering how much that really matters since my typical calling setup is wide open hilly country with constant wind.
I generally take wind into account when setting up but the only time I believe I have been busted by scent was calling at night when they came in real close. Has anyone ever been busted by scent at long distances? (150+yds) If so how were the conditions? (wind, temp, etc)
The reason I ask is that most of my shots are 200+ and my guess is that scent is not a factor out that far.

 

[SBruce]

Scent can make a difference in wide open country, no doubt about it!

I've personally seen/watched them smell me from distances beyond 300 yds more than a few times. One time it was near 600 yds. No kidding.

They trust the wind and their nose above and beyond all other senses combined.

Now I am not saying that they can smell us at 400 yds on just any given day, but when conditions are right and wind is light, they sure can.

Humid, cool and cloudy with light consistant breeze is when I've noticed they seem to smell the best downwind of us. Late evening down drafts can be bad too. Seems that sunny days the scent drifts above ground level more and more the further out it goes, so they gotta be closer on sunny or days that are getting warmer. High wind days seem to break up or disperse the scent quicker, so they need to get closer on those days too. The days that campfire smoke settles close to the ground and stays that way are not good days for hunting downwind coyotes........I might be mistaken, but I believe that happens on low barometer days.

Most people dont know that a coyote can smell that far, but then again; most people dont set up where they can watch downwind for 300-500 yds either. If we always sit with the wind in our face, I gaurantee there are coyotes coming in and smelling us, and leaving without us ever even knowing they were in the country. I quite often try to set up where I can watch my downwind side or at least take a look that direction every now and then. In open country with educated coyotes, you'll see more coyotes that way. The smart ones circle down wind first, and then come toward the call, especially when "downwind" isn't really that far out of their way.

 

[bigngreen]

If you've ever watched hounds winding bobcats you'll know that you better keep your wind 100% right, it's my #1 concern at a coyote stand. I've been winded so many times it's stupid and at ranges that I can't find them but they sit there barking down wind from me. I always set up to see a long ways down wind because the coyotes here will come in then circle down wind, call goes as far up wind from me as possible so they swing around nearer to me.

 

[SBruce]

The dog in your picture appears to have pretty long legs.....what part of the country are you in?

 

[royinidaho]

The dog in your picture appears to have pretty long legs.....what part of the country are you in?

SBruce,

I think its the camera angle that stretched the legs.

 

[SBruce]

SBruce,

I think its the camera angle that stretched the legs.

That could be.

Did you decide on a scope for the mid range calling rifle yet?

 

[dstark]

I'm in S.E. Idaho, he's just a little guy but he was long legged! Thanks for the info