In the end it's what the coyotes like that matters, like us not any two of them sounds the same as the others do, they have generalities like males have a deeper tone than a female and a younger coyote of either sex has a slightly pitch then either a male or a female, no two rabbits or deer, antelope, elk sounds like another of the same species does.
Ramblings and Such From Hunting Coyote
- Thread starter DSheetz
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windypants
Well-Known Member
Thanks, Dave. All good stuff and fun to learn. I should have tried some kind of voice bark. He was at 650 yards and I had a 20mph wind in my face, so I didn't think he'd hear me. But I had nothing to lose by trying. I've just yelled 'HEY' to stop them before when I was all ready to shoot and didn't need much time. The female howl has been working good to get them to stand long enough for me to range, dial and settle in for the shot, just didn't have it with me.
I think that I met a deaf coyote once but at 650 yards it would have heard you voice bark, they can hear a mouse walking in the grass tunnels under a foot of snow, it is amazing what they can hear, I have had them react to lip squeaks or the little squeakers from your dog's toy at over 200 yards. And yes, it is fun to learn and try new things. Keep playing with your calls as long as you are enjoying yourself and learning that is the most important part of it all!
Jon Bischof
Well-Known Member
My Australian Shepherd is almost completely deaf at 10 yrs old. I'm betting that when a coyote goes deaf, he goes dead shortly afterwards.
The one I think was did, I was howling had stopped and was just waiting before I left the stand. It came down out of some timber walked with- in a couple of hundred yards of me didn't seem to notice any of my sounds turned a few circles in some tall grass out in the sun and curled up and went to sleep. I slipped to where I could see it and shot it. I did and do watch coyotes when they don't seem to be on alert just to see what they have to show me. They are my favorite teachers of what the coyote is up to and doing what they are doing as well as why.
I got a call from the helicopter pilot one evening asking me if I would be able to see coyote dens from the air. Being late May I figured that the pups would have a large area of grass mashed down around the den, so I told him I thought so. He said good that he had been called to hunt a ranch where the coyotes were laying down on him and they had been hunting them nearly every day for a week. I met him the next morning the gunner, the pilot and I headed out at first light stopped and picked up the rancher then headed to the pastures where the lamb killing was taking place. As we neared the first pasture, I saw a coyote laying on a slight hill. told the pilot and got him on it, as we were lining up on it, I spotted a mashed down patch of grass on the upper edge of a cut bank we got the coyote landed and it was a female that was still nursing pups I showed the rancher and gunner how to open her and count the lumps to know how many pups she had then we went back to where I thought the den was landed and dropped me there with my tools for taking the pups at a den. It was in fact a den and I got 8 pups out of it. As I was finishing with that one the helicopter came back with another female set down and I counted the number of pups she had given birth to. I looked up as we were heading to the helicopter and setting in some sage brush was a coyote staring at us the gunner and pilot ran got in the air and got the old male from that den. They came back picked the rancher and me up we then went to where they had gotten the other female coyote, we circled the area and found what looked like a den. I turned out not to be, but I dropped down into a draw and found tracks running up and down the draw. About a hundred yards up near the top of the draw was the den. We took 6 pups from that den. A couple of days later the pilot called me to say how well it had worked out we all get lucky sometimes it was one of my lucky days and it worked out. A week later the pilot called me and told me the rancher didn't want to pay him for taking the pups saying that it was me not him that had found the dens. So, I told him to tell the rancher he had to pay his denner for coming out to den for him and that I was charging him what his price per den was, and that it was a bargain with the number of lambs saved as well as cheaper than waiting for fall and paying full adult coyote prices to come out and hunt them. I was asked by the pilot and gunner how it was that I could see a coyote that was standing or laying down when they couldn't. I told them it's simple that's what I'm used to looking for when I'm calling you guys are used to looking for moving coyotes running from you. So then when I would see one standing, I would tell them and then have them find it, they then started learning what they were looking for and got better at it.
Coyote denning season is just around the corner here, I usually didn't start to actively hunt coyote dens till after April 25th. I have taken red fox kits as early as March 3rd and coyote pups as early as April 8th here in my area. As has been said before a lot depends on the health of the females as to how early they will have their young as well as the weather. The healthier and more available the food, the milder the winter is the sooner they will breed. Age of the female seems to have an effect on that as well, from my notes it looks like older females tend to cycle earlier than younger females. It is getting to the time of the year when the animal control guys will be covered up with calls for help to stop coyotes from killing livestock's young of the year. For those people who want to work in the field of animal control there should be more opportunities offered at this time of the year a quick check of some web sites such as USDA APHIS and other similar sites should tell of such opportunities. My efforts at controlling coyote numbers increased from late December till mid-May as for me taking the females heavy with pups or the dens of pups was my most effective method of controlling them. With a slowdown from mid-June till mid to late August when the pups started to get trained in the art of killing then going out on their own. There was a period of 25 to 30 years that I had equipment in the field every day of the year, especially snares. To be effective at controlling the number of coyotes you really can't just do it during the fur season but those that do mostly hunt them during that period of the year everyone taken is helpful. For those that are actively engaged in predator control work there are times of the year that are nearly overwhelming with work and some slower times when they can kind of relax and take some time for themselves and their families. They work with others at these times to cover their calls for each other and check the equipment in the field. You help me I help you type of thing. Another good reason for having all of your equipment marked on a satellite map as well as GPS we just never know when or if something unexpected might happen. Early on we were told that we had to have one other person with knowledge of our equipment's location, before satellite maps and GPS, but I still have found a lot of equipment that was lost in the field when another person was fired or died. The weather report says that La-Nina is coming to a close and will be changing to El-Nino so we should have fewer high winds I am really ready for it. We have had higher winds for the last three years and this winter has been snowier and colder than it was for at least 25 years here and I for one enjoyed being spoiled by milder winter weather.
windypants
Well-Known Member
I seem to be getting much better at finding and getting pairs lately, by talking to the ranchers, and then just walking ridges and glassing. By doing a lot of watching and listening, I can spot them long before they see me. They don't seem to to see me, or at least pay any attention to me beyond 600 yards. Then it's fairly easy to approach to a good shooting position. It's easy to miss a coyote at any range, but with my rig any shot under 600 is usually a dead dog since they are unaware of my presence and I have lots of time to get set up. I much prefer this method rather than calling them in. I've only been using the caller to stop them with a howl, then after the first shot hitting the coyote fight button to bring the other one back. I've taken five pairs in the last couple of weeks this way. Interestingly, the coyote fight call readily brings the female back if I shoot the male first. I've noticed that when I see a coyote at mid-morning or mid-afternoon, they must be near their denning area, as I can go back another day and find them in the same area a lot of times.
Having fun learning 'coyote'.
Having fun learning 'coyote'.
We are coming out of the winter season and when so many people are slowing down their efforts at calling, hunting, trapping and snaring the predators so now for me is the perfect time to get my gear ready for the denning season, or for those that are taking a break to get ready for whenever they will get back to doing it. My plastic open reed calls will get taken apart and given a bath in hot soapy water, my wooden calls with any type of reed will get disassembled and cleaned as well. The closed reed calls will probably get a new reed and cleaned inside well. They need the spit and dust cleaned off and out of them to work properly and denning season will be a time of heavy use especially for my open reed calls. My truck will get resupplied and cleaned really deeply. The TP and other things will be checked and restocked. My ammo will be reloaded, my rifle deep cleaned and lubed as needed, my pistol and pistol belt will be cleaned and lubed, ammo replaced if needed and extra rounds put in my truck ammo can. My lanyard for my calls hand washed and dried any of my slings and binocular straps will get a hand washing as well. The scopes, binoculars and spotting equipment will be gone over new batteries installed, batteries will be replaced even if they seem to be in good condition. Now is the time for the control guys to get all of their equipment ready for the next 3 months of hard work, snares made or prepared to be put out simmering them in baking soda to knock the shine off and get rid of any unwanted odors, then coiled one at a time and put in bundles of twelve hung in fresh air ready to be grabbed and hung in place, traps to be cleaned dyed, adjusted and made ready for use, trap pan covers made and cleaned, sifters repaired and cleaned, shovel handles checked and replaced if need be, my handyman jack cleaned and lubed, tire plugs checked and replaced, my little emergency air compressor checked, first aid kit checked and replenished, spare knife checked and sharpened if need be, ax checked and ready for use as needed. My main flashlight checked, and batteries replaced as well as my small denning flashlight having the same done to it. I want all things ready so in the morning I can dress get my breakfast grab some lunch stuff and fresh water be out the door and ready for a long day. Yup I told a couple of my friends that I would come out and den for them this spring. Even after 40 years the adrenalin still flows just thinking about being out and seeing, hearing, smelling the world and what it has to say to me.
Windypants; yes, they should be in their pupping areas by now within the next few weeks you should be able to see where they are cleaning out possible den locations. The ranchers as you know are there when you aren't, and they know where the coyotes talk from you have found what is working for you. before long you may need to change a few things but till then it's doing you well, just continue to be observant and let them teach you when and what you need to do differently they are your best teacher of the way they like to be at what time of the year. At this time, they don't see you as a threat at longer ranges.
Next year the coyotes will tend to fill in the same areas that the ones you are killing did they are there for a reason this year and the replacement coyotes will find that same reason to stay in that area keep track of where they are and check those areas, food, cover, shelter, water are all leading factors in them being where they are.
windypants
Well-Known Member
I've already seen new coyotes move in. There was a pair on the hillside across from our house that apparently didn't know it wasn't a safe place to be because of you-know-who. I got the female, and the male ignored the call and didn't look back until he was out of range. I guess he new my reputation
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windypants
Well-Known Member
I've got a question, Dave. A week ago I went to a new ranch to hunt coyotes. I found a pair and had a good shot, but pulled a stupid and missed. I didn't zero my windage turret after the last yote I was on. It really bummed me out because it would have been another 2 for 1 as they were lined up. Anyway I went back this week and found one in the same place and shot it (it was the male). The female ran out of the draw and sat up on a big hill at 1060 yards. I tried a shot and missed by a whisker. Will she stay there now, and maybe find a new mate? I'm wanting to go back and try to find her before she has pups.
