How do I start Coyote Hunting?

[Timnterra]

I am tired of the "no more hunting blues" after deer season. I have seen these guys having gun all winter killing coyotes and I am itching to get in on this sport.
I really have no idea where to start. I bought an electronic call and a handful of mouth calls that I've been messing with but I don't have a clue of what I'm supposed to do to call a coyote?
1. Where do you look to find coyotes? What kind of terrain or other features should I look for to find a good place to make a set?
2. Is it better to start making rabbit calls or other call sounds?
3. How long should you call for? How long in between calling sessions?
4. How long do you sit there without seeing anything before leaving?

I don't even know what other questions I should ask. I live in western South Dakota and a fur buyer stops at the gas station by my house every couple weeks during the winter to buy pelts. There are coyote contests all the time around here that I would love to participate in but I need some pointers on how to get started.

Thanks for any advice you can give

 

[DSheetz]

Well it's a good idea to start off by asking just as you have here before you go out and spend a lot of money on calls and things of that sort . You can start by studying the coyote reading and watching all of the material you can find on them so that you will know where they hang out at what times and why they do . There is a site or two on here that talk about starting to call , one is tips on calling coyote . Take the time to read that site from the start . Another one is ramblings and such from hunting coyote that has a lot of information in it but it isn't always blunt sometimes it is subtle information . Volume is another thing that you will need to kind of understand sounds carry differently in different situations . Location is important , concealment , slow movements mean a lot also , calling when done is a complicated art and not something most people will learn in a short amount of time in a couple of outings . Studying your intended prey is key to your sucess and if you will find it to your liking . Study predators and then study them some more good luck in your endeavor's .

 

[Zen Archery]

1. Don't look but listen. If possible keep the wind in your face. Or across you. 9:10 they will keep the wind in their face scenting prey or danger.
2. Start low, if wind is light. If wind is gusty crank it up a bit.
3. Million potential scenarios depending on season, wind, temperatures, etc...
4. Time frames depends on your trust in the area, your scent in the area. Also depends on your attention span. 15-30 minutes. I did wait out one coyote for 45 minutes that hung up. Kept talking finally got her to commit.

I called this coyote 400 yards out. A lot of details in location, wind direction, call direction, expected travel route etc.
First session was only 15 minutes.
Second session happened in 5-7 minutes.

 

[338 dude]

I am tired of the "no more hunting blues" after deer season. I have seen these guys having gun all winter killing coyotes and I am itching to get in on this sport.
I really have no idea where to start. I bought an electronic call and a handful of mouth calls that I've been messing with but I don't have a clue of what I'm supposed to do to call a coyote?
1. Where do you look to find coyotes? What kind of terrain or other features should I look for to find a good place to make a set?
2. Is it better to start making rabbit calls or other call sounds?
3. How long should you call for? How long in between calling sessions?
4. How long do you sit there without seeing anything before leaving?

I don't even know what other questions I should ask. I live in western South Dakota and a fur buyer stops at the gas station by my house every couple weeks during the winter to buy pelts. There are coyote contests all the time around here that I would love to participate in but I need some pointers on how to get started.

Thanks for any advice you can give

start hanging around that store when the fur buyer comes and get a mentor that will put you on the fast track

 

[Plinker147]

Go out find open country which should be easy there. Blow the calls and wait about 15 minutes a stand. Very the calling until you find a pattern that works best. It's not hard and it takes experience to get good at it, so go get experience

 

[DoneNOut]

I can call coyotes in with lip squeeks in W TX. Once I had one try climbing into my truck. Those dogs gotta be starving!
I can't call Illinois coyotes to save my life. I resorted to drive & spot method. Spot them sleeping in an open field, lay down a stalk, and shoot them within 100yds. All white camo, approach upwind. The stalk would go from a standing walk, to a hunched over walk, to a crawl. They looked right through me dressed in clad white.

 

[FEENIX]

I have yet to hunt specifically for coyotes, but I have plenty of deer and antelope hunts that have turned into a coyote hunt.

 

[DoneNOut]

I have yet to hunt specifically for coyotes, but I have plenty of deer and antelope hunts that have turned into a coyote hunt.

Now my deer hunts are also coyote hunts. 300gr XTP muzzleloader hits! LOL

 

[FEENIX]

I can call coyotes in with lip squeeks in W TX. Once I had one try climbing into my truck.

I am glad you posted some pictures; I thought you were referring to Coyote Ugly.

 

[DoneNOut]

I am glad you posted some pictures; I thought you were referring to Coyote Ugly.

ED!!!! YOU BEHAVE!

 

[FEENIX]

ED!!!! YOU BEHAVE!

I apologize; my bad!

 

[Timnterra]

I have two basic options on location. The first would be the black hills which is basically a pine forest with short mountains. There are open spots to be found but there is a lot of cover. The second option is prairie, lots of wide open grass land and rolling hills with brushy draws dispersed about. Not much farm land in the area but there are places where ranchers bale the prairie grass. I assume the dogs are eating mostly rodents and rabbits? Would it be a good assumption to say if you have heard them howling in an area that they will be there or close by at different dates and times?

 

[Plinker147]

Timber country is usually harder to call than open, simply because of what you can see and sound travel. I would start in the flats. Make a stand about every mile and get elevation for your stand location is you can. Place the call 30 yds away from you if you use electric. Coyotes will see you smallest movement when they are coming to a call so it best to have their attention on something away from you.

 

[dogz]

A couple thoughts on this nice Turkey day.

More than likely every direction you go from Rapid will have yotes in the area.

That said in my experience you need to call in a area that has yotes, then you need to get into your calling stand undetected by wind and sight. For me the best stand of the day has historically been the first one of the day right at sunrise. I go in during the dark and try to use the wind the best I can.

I like to start my first calling sequence with a volume that I am barely able to hear. If the yotes are in shooting range, they'll easily be able to hear it. Back in the 70's when I first started calling I thought I had to be loud and aggressive from the get go, and blew out a lot a yotes.

If I can stand it, I like to remain on my stand for a time 30 minutes, I time it as I'm a bit impatient and if I actually run a clock I can stay in place as long as I haven't turned into a popsicle....

I'm for betting the yotes in your area are fairly call educated. So I'd encourage you to get as far away from town as you can. I'd bet that the further out you get (starting at a hour out) the better your calling will be.

As far as calls go, go to the stores and see what calls they carry and which one's they're out of. That'll tell you which ones people around your area are using, as will asking around. Then...........don't buy those calls, find one's that aren't carried locally. IMO this is very important.

You can use E calls, the best thing about them is having a remote so you sit a ways away. The yotes will key in on it and not where you're sitting

A predator control fella told me once that once a yote gets within 1 half mile of you that he can pin point within 15' where the sound is coming from. Once the dog cuts that range in half (1/4 mile) he will have where the sound is coming from down to 3'.........!

Personally, I am a hand call kind of guy as they're a lot lighter and easier to tote around. Plus then it's me doing the fooling of a yote and not a E box but that's just me. Closed reeds are my preferred as they're tougher and not as easy to mess up. But, they will freeze up more than open reeds so there's trade off's.

Look up a company called Crit'R call, grab their magnum and the peewee. These are incredibly fine calls and far and away my favorite. The Primos Cow Girl Elk call is awesome as well and you should absolutely whale away on one of these a bit.

Enough from me, sorry for being so long winded but I do love to call critters, be they yotes, fox, bear, wolf and or other big game. For me the juice in calling is to make the game come to me via a call sound I have made.

Keep in touch on how it's going