What decoys work

[Humanoid Typhoon]

I am new to preditor calling. I started out using hand calls and I wasn't having much luck. So I switched to an electronic call, but I am still having limited success. I hunt in southern Missouri (Ozark Mountains) so I have a lot of cover to contend with. So I want to try a decoy to help entice them out and was just wondering what has worked for others.

 

[theflyonthewall]

I can't give ya any great decoy advice, but I wanted to say Hi since I'm also in the Ozarks. I live on the eastern side of them.

 

[SBruce]

The best decoys are real live dogs.

Especially if they're trained right. The ones that are trained correctly will go out and make themselves visible to the coyotes, and then come back in to the shooter.......bringing coyotes in behind them. Big aggressive dogs are not the ticket, we dont' want them running the coyotes off, we want them bringing the coyotes in.

As far as regular decoys go, something that moves is much better than something stationary.

 

[ShooterMedic]

I have used the edge rabbit, the foxpro jack, and a feather on a stick.

So far the best one I have used was the feather on a stick. Hang it from the tree or bruch and let the wind play with it. it will also let you know what way your dogs are going to come in. Most of the time they will come in from the down wind side.

the Fox pro Jack works great also but have not had one jsut make a b-line for it yet. I have had them watch it and circle but that is it.

 

[Greyfox]

I have had good success with the Mojo Critter. about$25. I also hunt in tight terrain.

 

[Humanoid Typhoon]

Thanks for the input everyone. I will have to give some of your suggestions a try.

When you setup to call do you go to your location looking for a specific type of preditor or has everyone found it better to keep the setup more generic?

The reason I ask is this. I was hunting under a full moon and I kept hearing movement in the brush. Despite all of my attempts to get the critter out it just wouldn't budge.

So the next night I go out but this time I brought my full size coyote decoy. Thinking I will give the animal something to look at maybe it will step out so I can see it. Well I start calling and about 30 minutes later I hear something moving through the brush toward the decoy. 30 more minutes still waiting for it to get in the open, no luck. Then I hear it turn around and start going behind the stand. I turn around and put the light on it and kill my first bobcat. That is great, but I almost lost the animal because I was setting up for a coyote and not keeping my setup more generic.

Let me know your thoughts.

 

[dogbuster0006]

If you're looking to not spend much the feather on a string is just the ticket, i used one with some fishing line tied to a wooden dowel rod for several yrs. Just about anything that'll get the focus off you will work. I've never used a coyote decoy in my set-ups but if there's a chance for cats in the area I'd avoid using it. This yr I'm trying out a mojo quiver critter, it's new to me but makes all kinds of movement and drives my german short hair and the girls house cat nuts, hopefully the same will be true of the yotes.

 

[labatts1999]

I'm new to this as well. I've been out a few times this winter and haven't had any success. Might try that feather on a stick idea. I like simple and drawing attention away from my position sounds like great advice.

I'm new and patient. And honestly, just enjoy being out in the woods.

 

[Humanoid Typhoon]

The feather on a stick does sound like a neat trick. I also found this Predator Enticer at deer decoy hunting with moving tail and motion predator decoy by Come-Aliove Decoy Products manufacturing and selling from Wisconsin. I don't know if anyone here has tried one, but I ordered one so I will let everyone know how it works for me. I also emailed them asking if the tail wagger would work in a coyote decoy. They seemed eager to work with me to get a working model. Might be a fun little project.

Spending time in the woods is fun and I do enjoy it a lot, but... nothing is better then calling in a coyote or bobcat or a fox. Makes all the hard work worth while. Besides it is no fun getting skunked everytime you go out.

I have a question for all you callers, who like myself, who are in close quarters. I have heard everyone questioning the volume not being loud enough on the electronic callers, but I find myself with the volume very low. I have had better luck with it like this, but I am new to calling. Is any one else doing this or am I missing oppertunities because of the lack of volume?

 

[theflyonthewall]

Why not do both, Typhoon?

Start out quiet and slowly increase volume in each call sequence until your screaming at em. I do this as a spin-off to calling other critters----like turkeys. I never blast away on a turkey call unless I already know that calling quietly isn't reaching them---like high wind with birds visible.

Maybe the same thing could work with yotes? What do you more experienced guys think?

 

[dogbuster0006]

When i run my electric i start with the volume low and increase as time on that stand gets longer. I don't want to blast them out of the area if they're in close. As to the moving tail on your decoy you are making/modifying please keep us posted sounds like and awesome idea... Even when using hand calls i start of quiet and then progressively get louder, if they are going to respond in my area it's usually with the first set of soft calls i make. This wk i got a couple mornings out of work and got to observe some yotes at about 500yds, as soon as they hit the tree line i slipped out to some roll bails and started calling they responded almost immediately and they were totally focused on my quiver critter decoy. They came with in about 4yds of it before the shooting started i got two out of the 3 and just felt amazing!!! I really think switching to an ar15 was the only reason i got more than one, and i can deff say that decoys work.