West NC Coyote hunting/ HELP!

[groundhogzapper]

I live in WNC, up in the Mtns. and I have about 10 acres to hunt. Television makes this look so easy, and I'm getting frustrated, ARGH. I have about a 400yd valley, and 200+ft of hills on each side. One with pines, and the right side wide open. I've heard yotes almost every night, but my lil johnny stewart tape player, works wonders on crows, but not so much coyotes, but then again I dunno really what to play for them. Pup in distress, Locater, cottontail baby, grown cottontail, and several reed mouth callers, and a cpl squeakers. The one time I did it, I was shooting my 5R in .308 with a 175 SMK, up on the open side, " trying" to blend into the fence line, and shoot from prone. I started with the pup in distress, and changed to a baby cottontail distress, and within 2 mins, here came a good size yote just trotting up the valley road. It stopped, and I put one right in the shoulder, after he hit the ground, he yelped and yelped, but didn't move. I waited till he stopped yelping, and started making my way towards him. I got about 100yds from it and it started dragging its self to its feet, so I stopped and by then he had went 20yds back down the road, and I put one more in him... Same results, hit the ground, yelping, then motionless. I eased back to my house to get a pistol in case I needed to finish it, and came back to a full on foot race through the woods, and me firing every chance I had an opening. Obviously this time it worked to get one in, but no more luck anywhere near that spot. Any tips, on calls to start with, make a stand etc.? Thanks, and look forward to input.

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

The first thing I'd do is find a different bullet to shoot. Something that will expand. I've never had a good experience on game with SMK's. Some have, but my experience is exactly like what you had. Good thing it was just a worthless coyote and not the buck of a lifetime. Sounds to me like you had a good setup, and your calls worked. Coyotes are true opportunist, and very curious by nature. I learned that trapping. A lot of times one may come in just to see whats making the noise.

 

[groundhogzapper]

That's the problem. I've had over 100 set-ups, and only that one yote has came in. Then to rub salt in my wound, when I go to work, our rock layers are trappers, and have 5 yotes, and 3 bob cats every day,lol. I'm doing something wrong, and I have switched ammo, now shooting Barnes TSX in a 6.8 spc, that I took an old spike this past season at 502yds. And with whitetail the SMK has always worked well out to 600yds.

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

I fully understand your frustration. I have been trying to call in coyotes for years. I'm usually unsuccessful. Most of the stories you read about, where a guy kills 3 a day, are from out west. I've hunted out west and know first hand that the western coyote is very different the eastern. I've tried different calls, different setups, hunted different times, different weather. It's not an easy hunt. If it were easy everybody would do it. But it is very rewarding when successful. But it dose take a lot of time in the field. Keep in mind that the coyote is a very smart animal, and if you educate them they will not respond to your call. Some times an area needs to cool off for a while. I know for a fact that sometimes they respond to your call without you even knowing. I've found tracts in the snow that prove that. The absolute easiest way that I have personally found to hunt them is over a road killed deer. They love deer meat, and once they find it they seem to stay close to it. I've killed a lot of them this way. It really takes the guess work out of finding them. They will go to that deer like an alcoholic to a bottle.

 

[hunterbob]

I live in WNC, up in the Mtns. and I have about 10 acres to hunt. Television makes this look so easy, and I'm getting frustrated, ARGH. I have about a 400yd valley, and 200+ft of hills on each side. One with pines, and the right side wide open. I've heard yotes almost every night, but my lil johnny stewart tape player, works wonders on crows, but not so much coyotes, but then again I dunno really what to play for them. Pup in distress, Locater, cottontail baby, grown cottontail, and several reed mouth callers, and a cpl squeakers. The one time I did it, I was shooting my 5R in .308 with a 175 SMK, up on the open side, " trying" to blend into the fence line, and shoot from prone. I started with the pup in distress, and changed to a baby cottontail distress, and within 2 mins, here came a good size yote just trotting up the valley road. It stopped, and I put one right in the shoulder, after he hit the ground, he yelped and yelped, but didn't move. I waited till he stopped yelping, and started making my way towards him. I got about 100yds from it and it started dragging its self to its feet, so I stopped and by then he had went 20yds back down the road, and I put one more in him... Same results, hit the ground, yelping, then motionless. I eased back to my house to get a pistol in case I needed to finish it, and came back to a full on foot race through the woods, and me firing every chance I had an opening. Obviously this time it worked to get one in, but no more luck anywhere near that spot. Any tips, on calls to start with, make a stand etc.? Thanks, and look forward to input.

I only use 150 gr FMJ on them (308) I never had one run after a hit.... I use #6 shot (12 Ga) for close up shots.... Get with those guys that are killing all the yotes and learn from them. Never mind the electronic stuff get a hand call first ....

 

[groundhogzapper]

Will do guys, and thanks for all the info. I can kill em if I'm not hunting for em,lol.
BTW, what's the best time of year to hunt here in WNC, and is it better to put some meat out the day before the hunt, or even earlier?

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

If you're going to use bait you have to use something that they cant pick up and carry off, or just eat and move on. You have to give them a reason to stick around. Small pieces of meat just give them a snack to enjoy. They will return to a known food source until its gone. Road killed deer are a great natural food source for them. Now, this may sound odd, but the coyotes in my area do not like beef. I had cow die this winter. So I put it back in field. The coyotes came to investigate it but have not eaten it. Its been back there over a month. I found this to be the case when I was a kid. If a deer died, it was cleaned up really quick. But a cow would lay there until it rotted away.
I would talk to those trappers you know about coyotes. They obviously have pretty good knowledge of the coyote. They may be able to help you a little.

 

[hunterbob]

If you're going to use bait you have to use something that they cant pick up and carry off, or just eat and move on. You have to give them a reason to stick around. Small pieces of meat just give them a snack to enjoy. They will return to a known food source until its gone. Road killed deer are a great natural food source for them. Now, this may sound odd, but the coyotes in my area do not like beef. I had cow die this winter. So I put it back in field. The coyotes came to investigate it but have not eaten it. Its been back there over a month. I found this to be the case when I was a kid. If a deer died, it was cleaned up really quick. But a cow would lay there until it rotted away.
I would talk to those trappers you know about coyotes. They obviously have pretty good knowledge of the coyote. They may be able to help you a little.

Well I beg to differ with you on that. It's not often you get a shot on a yote over a kill, if you do, its at night, [keen sense of smell] and the coyote can see better at night than we can in the day time. So your chances of getting busted are high. Eventually you will find that the hunters problems are , wind direction, set-up spot, and your own movement. Stay in cover approaching areas that you plan to setup in. Don't walk across open areas if you can help it. They are watching you. Blend in to the scenery, wear camo and cover your face and hands, no quick movements either , I use the howler call, and ask where are you? I do this a couple of times, and if no answer , I don't use it again. Then I get on my rabbit call, for about 1 minute , then wait and watch.... repeat, and if nothing, shows up I move on to a different spot, after 20 minutes. The set up spot and covering your own scent are the most important, is what I have found.... A decoy works excellent too, and you'll see more yotes using one.... The set-up spot is everything though.

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

I cant count how many coyotes I've killed over the years over a dead deer. Some just after dark when I could barely see through my scope, and several during the middle of the day. In fact the first double coyote kill I made was over a dead deer with the sun high in the sky. They were concerned about that deer meat and had no idea I was there. I shot one this year at 1:30 in the afternoon. Their pretty easy to see in the scope that time of day. When I was single I kept a carcass pile going all winter about 150yds from the house. In view of corse. Shooting out of my warm kitchen window was a lot easier than freezing my butt off for nothing. Shot 5 that way one winter, besides what I called in. Most of which were late morning or early afternoon shots. When its cold out, they love the easy meal. And when their hungry, they will come straight to the dinner plate.
As far as camo, shot two this year wearing a torn flannel and carhart bibs that smell like cow crap, diesel, axel grease, and chainsaw gas. I really went the extra mile on my gear this year. I'm going to save my money and try this again next winter. Maybe I'll find some other petroleum based product to add to my cover scents.
To me, not hunting coyotes over bait is like not hunting whitetail over a bean field. It's one thing if you cant do it. But if you can, why wouldn't you?

 

[hunterbob]

I cant count how many coyotes I've killed over the years over a dead deer. Some just after dark when I could barely see through my scope, and several during the middle of the day. In fact the first double coyote kill I made was over a dead deer with the sun high in the sky. They were concerned about that deer meat and had no idea I was there. I shot one this year at 1:30 in the afternoon. Their pretty easy to see in the scope that time of day. When I was single I kept a carcass pile going all winter about 150yds from the house. In view of corse. Shooting out of my warm kitchen window was a lot easier than freezing my butt off for nothing. Shot 5 that way one winter, besides what I called in. Most of which were late morning or early afternoon shots. When its cold out, they love the easy meal. And when their hungry, they will come straight to the dinner plate.
As far as camo, shot two this year wearing a torn flannel and carhart bibs that smell like cow crap, diesel, axel grease, and chainsaw gas. I really went the extra mile on my gear this year. I'm going to save my money and try this again next winter. Maybe I'll find some other petroleum based product to add to my cover scents.
To me, not hunting coyotes over bait is like not hunting whitetail over a bean field. It's one thing if you cant do it. But if you can, why wouldn't you?

Well some of us don't have the luxury of shooting yotes from our kitchen window, what do you do just stand there and do the dishes and have your rifle on the counter.. ready to go...??? My wife wouldn't let me do that....

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

At my old place, before being married, I had a little more freedom. I kept a carcass pile going just about all winter. I drove a snow plow and I was a seasonal worker so it made it easier to do things like that. I would go hunting at least 4 days a week in the winter if it wasn't snowing. The carcass pile is were I disposed of the animal left overs. And yes my house looked like a redneck bachelors paradise. The fridge was full of meat and beer, and hunting gear was spread out everywhere. I heated with wood, and fried or grilled everything. I did shoot several coyotes out of the window, or through a cracked door, or of the porch. Sometimes I would pull up the driveway and see one running to the woods. Marriage and a family has tamed that a little (very little). Now I drive a tractor trailer and work a lot more. But I still manage to shoot coyotes, and over a dead deer is my favorite way.
But keep in mind, I have NEVER lived in town. Its always been a long walk to my neighbors. And I also own equipment, so getting a frozen dead deer out in field is not that big of a deal. This is actually a pretty popular coyote hunting method in our area. It really dose work.

 

[tt35]

I call this The Venetian Blind. lightbulb





Yes, I will cling to my guns and bible!

 

[hunterbob]

lolm hech this is a good set up... I like the venetian blind....