Anyways, I was wondering if you guys have any ideas on some inexpensive calls I could get my hands on that would work? --------->
Since you said inexpensive, I will assume hand calls... The things I look for in a hand call are 1) loud! 2) unique, as in not what everyone else is using. Ultimately an open reed distress call will be more Versatile and useful, but I recommend starting out with a good closed reed call until you can build up your confidence and skills with an open reed call. For closed reed calls I've had good luck with both the PC-1 and the PC-2 by Dan Thompson. For open reed calls I'd suggest the TT Extreme and/or the TT overdose from Tony Tebbe (Google Predator University) and the Rubber Rabbit from Carver Calls (really impressed with this one right now). I'd suggest getting an open reed, as well as a closed reed, right away and to begin practicing with the open reed. Just remember that in open country you need to call loud (blow hard into the call!!), maybe not initailly but around 2 - 4 minute into the stand.
Another tip; my calling sucess with prey distress sounds goes down hill in a big way from mid December through the end of January and this is where I go to almost straight coyote vocalizations (howling and KiYi's). For a dedicated howler, I recommend the Tony Tebbe Cedar River Howler or the Song Dog from Critr' Call, but you could probably get by with the TT Overdose or the Carver Rubber Rabit. There's a lot of online (youtube) and hunting video tutorials on howling, so I'll just keep it simple here. 1) KiYi's work well year round, especially after an initial howl or prey sound. A KiYi sounds just like a dog getting its tail stepped on and is pretty easy to do. 2) Know the difference between a greeting howl and a challenge/warning howl and only do the greeting howl until you become more experienced 3) Alway sound like a wimpy coyote (high pitched and wavery if you can pull it off)
And how do I identify the best places to sit? -------->
A few basic rules I try to follow (and there are always exceptions):
(1) Choose visibility over cover if you can't have both. I'de rather be sitting on a bare hillside with no cover but be able to see all possible approach paths, especially down wind (2) Sit in front of the cover, not behind it (3) Holding still is more important than camo and cover combined (4) The more windy it is, the further down wind a coyote will circle and the more likely he will stay behind cover all the way to your down wind... Account for this in your set up (send second guy straight down wind of the guy calling) (5) Try not to sit where you are skylined, highlined, silouetted (6) Set up in a way that doesn't give the coyote a path to get from his likely/expected location to your down wind WITHOUT you seeing him. In other words, don't give him a cover path to your downwind. 7) Calling into the wind, with a crosswind, and even down wind will all work with the right setup. Be flexible. Calling into the wind usually works best on calm days, down wind and cross wind on windy days, just remember # 6. 7) Consider any terrain that you could see on your way into the stand, especially if you crossed a skyline, to be 'poisoned', as in the least likely place a coyote will come from. Account for this in your set up.
There are lots of coyotes around although I don't see them very often. -------->
Try going into your stand as if you were stalking a deer (sneaky and quiet). Be patient, determined, and don't give up. Expect at least 15 - 30 dry stands before calling in your first coyote. You should be able to knock that out in two good solid days of calling.