Experience Moving In After a Response

[hynes57]

Want to know what everyone's experience has been with moving closer after getting a far off response.

Yesterday we tried something that I've wanted to do previously but either been talked out of by others or I've talked myself out of. We set up in a great spot and hit the distress without anything showing up so we let out a couple howls. Several minutes later we got responses but they were barely audible. We called and waited for another 15 minutes or so with nothing showing up and realized it was time to move. Now typically I'd find some other spot to go but this time I had a buddy with me who's a proficient elk and turkey hunter. When we discussed what to do next he thought we should try and head straight for the response and set up again. We walked another 300-400 yards in the direction of the response and called out again. This time two coyotes popped over the hill and presented an opportunity.

Just about every time I go out i get a far off response and have thought about trying to move in closer when nothing shows up. Other friends have convinced me it would be pointless to try and move closer because we'd get spotted and just scare off the coyotes. In the open sage which is where I'm hunting you can see forever so I've convinced myself that trying to get closer might be a losing battle. However, I know with turkey and elk there is only a specific "zone" where they will come into the call. It's commonplace to try and cut the distance and call again if nothing comes in. Yesterday makes me think I should be trying to move closer every time I get a response with no shows.

What's your experience been?

 

[royinidaho]

My thinking is that with a far off response a territorial boundary may be between you and the responder. If so, they don't like to cross the boundary, which we can't see.

The experience you describe pretty much proves that moving closer, when feasible, is a great choice.

Great question, great post.

Gofer it!

 

[dbs1]

That was some GREAT info. I've had the same issue and always thought that why not do the same as Elk calling and head that way (if sufficient cover). Glad it worked. I'm going to give it a shot next time. Thx!

 

[mikebob]

That is exactly what i do, only i move towards them downwind a little, yotes almost always come to my call downwind then move in. So i always setup about 50 -100 yards downwind of call and they run right into me. if you head towards them in a downwind fashion they wont get wind of you and if they do, well this is long range forum.

 

[FearNoWind]

Well, hynes57, you've raised an excellent point. Moving in closer is often misunderstood as just picking up your "stuff" and trekking off into the brush. It's not moving in closer that screws up the hunt, it's the manner of the move. If you're a cautious, stalking movement hunter it can be done effectively. If you're a bull in a China shop it ain't gonna work; ever.
You must be an experienced hunter who understands and practices good hunting skills.
Thanks for the excellent post.

 

[dstark]

My experience has been that most times that I have moved closer to a far off response it has payed off. Especially when there is a natural boundary between you and the coyotes as mentioned above.
Sometimes these natural boundaries seem to be territorial boundaries that they hesitate to cross and if you can set up overlooking these boundaries it seems to work well for me.

I also have to mention that I have had times when I started calling and got a far off response but after staying put and giving it some time they have come in from a long ways off, even more than a mile.

So short answer is that there isn't a blanket answer to this question for every situation but I'd say in general you're better off to move in closer if the terrain and wind allow a discreet sneak.

 

[hynes57]

Should have clarified that the response came from up wind and we worked our way upwind towards the response. I'm guessing we walked another 300-500 yards before sitting back down and calling again.

9 times out of 10 when I go out calling I get a response but more frequently nothing comes in, at least that I've seen anyway. I usually get a response which is part of why I like coyote hunting so much. The excitement of hearing something and knowing it's possibly headed your way is much more fun than hoping there is something out there somewhere.

From now on I'm going to give more thought to trying to get closer after a response and no show given that the conditions are in my favor and see what the results are.

From purely a logic standpoint, if coyotes are as territorial as everyone says, hearing an unknown coyote from afar and then having that unknown move in closer, I would think would elicit a pretty strong territorial response.

I'll let you all know what happens. If any of you find luck knowingly doing the same please let me know what you experience.

 

[FearNoWind]

... if coyotes are as territorial as everyone says, hearing an unknown coyote from afar and then
having that unknown move in closer, I would think would elicit a pretty strong territorial response.

http://askanaturalist.com/are-coyotes-always-in-packs/

 

[hynes57]

Well now that bird season is over I finally found the time to get out and test out the theory of closing the distance.

Started out on our first stand and got a response right away. Called and called without anything showing up so we attempted to close the distance and call again as wind was in our favor.

Called and called again with no takers. No response this time so I'm guessing they either spotted us or moved out. We did see a pair about a mile away but I'm not so sure it was the same ones.

Changed locations and within a few minutes of calling I got a male challenge scream for a response which was a first for me. Knew we had a taker and sure enough he popped out of the draw and I wacked him at about 190yds.

After taking pictures and packing up we got a call from over the hill so we headed towards the calls till we could get into a good position. We were trying a spot I wasn't familiar with and unbeknownst to me we basically were calling in full view of the truck. Ha!!! Needless to say no takers.

Moved on down the road and set up in a little draw. Bad positioning on my part left us in a depression. Called and got a quick distant response. After a few we decided to get up and move towards the response only to find out that our quarry had snuck in behind us. I'm sure because of my mistake on positioning it probably snuck around us. Took off when it finally figured out we weren't dinner.

Decided to head down the draw from where the earlier response came and once again set up in a bad position. Called and called and this time when we packed up I looked up to see a dog staring down at us from about 150yards. This time I got the 204 up and was able to touch off a round. 2nd dog of the day down and a good one to finish on.

So....... Jury is still out on whether trying to sneak in closer is the right thing to do. I can say though that it adds the excitement. If nothing else it feels like I've got a better chance.

 

[dust]

I think it requires years more investigation.

 

[sscoyote]

Pretty good. I always move in to a howl. At least i know there are/were dogs there. Just this past month i worked an area that had a few coyotes in it, and both times even after calling and seeing/hearing the coyotes at long distance with binocs i was able to make a stalk and took 3 of them.