Calling Coyotes

[mason3379]

I have personally never hunted coyotes on my own but I am figuring on getting out and doing some this year. The question I have is how long (when using an electric call) should you let it run? A couple of buddies I have gone along with in the past both have different ideas on calling. One says a couple minutes is all you want to call and the other says to let it run for up to 20 minutes.
So, from you that may be more familiar I would appreciate your info and input on the subject.

Thank you!

 

[wklman]

I usually call at least 20 minutes at every set up. Sometimes a bobcat, fox, or coyote will take its time coming in. I've more then once got up from a short set and watched an animal running off that I hadn't seen.

 

[dstark]

The majority of coyotes I've called came in after 20 min.My fastest ever was about 6 min.

 

[mason3379]

So I should leave the call running for around the 20 minute mark and then move to the next stand? Correct?
The call time was what I really was interested in. About a month ago I spent some time with one of said friends and he would run it for about 2 minutes and turn it off for five or so and then back on for 2. Other said friend tried to tell him it was all wrong but they agreed to disagree....

 

[threejones]

I've had the best luck letting it run 5 minutes (ish), turn it off for 30seconds-1minute, then let it run another 5 min, and so on. This is mainly when I'm running rabbit distress. The idea is that a hurt critter isn't going to scream non stop for 20min. As it struggles to move/escape/etc it would randomly stop once in a while. This may all just be in my head, but It seems like I've had better luck randomly stopping the call for a bit.

 

[blksno]

I've had the best luck letting it run 5 minutes (ish), turn it off for 30seconds-1minute, then let it run another 5 min, and so on. This is mainly when I'm running rabbit distress. The idea is that a hurt critter isn't going to scream non stop for 20min. As it struggles to move/escape/etc it would randomly stop once in a while. This may all just be in my head, but It seems like I've had better luck randomly stopping the call for a bit.

That's the opposite we go...and over 150 this season seems to have it working.
For distress calls it's usually in the area of 15-45 second calling sequences, starting and stopping randomly and anywhere from 1-5 minutes between calling sequences, again randomly.
And the set lasts for anywhere from 15-25 min.
30 or more is pretty rare unless we're calling for bobcats which we'll stay for 45 to an hour.

 

[Korhil78]

What has usually worked best for me is to call for about 15 secs, then sit and wait for about 5 mins. Then call 15 secs more and wait. I sit on the stand doing this for 20 mins. If nothing comes, I move on.

I only use mouth calls, so 15 secs seems like a long time blowing all that hot air into a reed call! If I wanted to call for longer than 15 secs, I would have to get my wife to come do it. She is good at letting out hot air for extended periods of time