Hide upwind or downwind

Coyotes are smarter than most hunters. And yes, they almost always use the wind to their advantage unless visibility is so god that they don't need to.
 
Rick65Cat said:
Are yotes smart enough to approach a distress call from downwind so that they'd pick up any scent from a threat?
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Coyotes will circle downwind 99.9% of the time when coming to a call. The other 0.1% will likely be hard chargers and come directly to the call. But if you are setting up, keep your downwind side as clear and open as possible so they have to show themselves. find preferably a high spot with good visibility and some back cover and sit still.
 
Last 2 I got (2 separate times) I was set up with bush behind me down wind. Open field in front of me up wind. Ran 30 seconds of jack rabbit fairly load. 2 mins nothing. Started running slightly quieter cotton tail and 15 seconds in both times the coyote came over the hill full run straight at me, straight down wind. Once he got to 100 yards or so, the one started to angle off to get around me. He didnt make it. The other one just kept coming. I had to shoot in self defence.
 
Play the wind whenever possible... it will up the odds... particularly if there is a lot of cover downwind.
 
Longwalker said:
Coyotes are smarter than most hunters. And yes, they almost always use the wind to their advantage unless visibility is so god that they don't need to.
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And they learn about calls in a hurry. Where they're hunted hard, calling can be an exercise in futility.

Grizz
 
Purple shoulder said:
Last 2 I got (2 separate times) I was set up with bush behind me down wind. Open field in front of me up wind. Ran 30 seconds of jack rabbit fairly load. 2 mins nothing. Started running slightly quieter cotton tail and 15 seconds in both times the coyote came over the hill full run straight at me, straight down wind. Once he got to 100 yards or so, the one started to angle off to get around me. He didnt make it. The other one just kept coming. I had to shoot in self defence.
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there is no excuse needed for shooting a coyote ...
 
For most of my setups, coyotes will have no choice but to come or at least start off with the wind in their backs or crosswind. In my area (where I hunt) it is mostly open (good view especially in the winter) crop farmland with a few acres (5-50) acres of bush here and there.... I setup in the field (fence row) about 120-150yds from the main bush. Setup so the wind is not going toward the bush...... either it is in my face or across my face away from the bush, always out into the open field away from the bush. Coyote is probably in the bush because I don't see him in the fields :)
I Place the decoy/caller about 30-40 yds away from me in the open field (never closer to the bush)... Once setup (nice and comfortable) I start calling and see what happens (usually nothing) but sometimes a coyote does show up and usually he comes from the bush and heads to the caller/decoy. If he is a learned coyote (scared, heard the caller before or senses something is up) he may try and get around the call to smell it................. but before that happens, he is shot...
That is a typical setup and chain of events (how it usually plays out) but with coyote's.... you never know, so always, I mean always, look over your shoulder because even in the most open areas they can show up right in front of you with no notice at all.... smart little buggers.
 
Setup in crosswind or wind facing you. If you use an e-call, set it up upwind and away from you. I usually set it up about 35 yards up wind and about 50 yards away from me. Decoy like a mojo works wonders to get view off you. If no e-call, but a partner is calling, set-up the same way but try to at least be able to see each other so you can tell when a dog is coming in. If calling by yourself, setup crosswind but facing the downwind side cause they'll circle to smell you. Or if you're 100% sure where they'll come from, setup facing wind. Set-up in good cover to break up your silhouette. Our man Les Johnson likes to sit in the open, and he has great success!

If no wind, try to setup where you think they MAY come out. This is tough, cause those buggers just might cover your 6 anyways. Try to setup with some sort of opening in front of you, at least 50-60 yards of clearing, any tighter set-up and you risk them seeing you before you see them.
I've also noticed that if you're strictly howling, they have a tendency to come straight towards the sound. And when you start on a distress call, they start to circle.

It's never the same twice!
Good luck!
 
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