Adrian J Hare
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- NewLowell On. Can.
I dont think I will stop yet but the calling will slow big time now. March left the door open for hunting as the shows had either past or I have one coming up in Ottawa. Also I have instores all this month until the end of the month so my time in the yote woods will slow a lot.
What a season I've had and after counting 22 coyotes I have killed and that is not counting the yotes others shot with me nor the hits and never got or the misses either. I have easy had over 30 coyotes into the calls this season and some of the memories I have of hunts is something. Shooting 5 in one morning on two sets was just stunning and I will not say I knew it would happen at all.
I learned so much this season and everytime in the woods I learned a little more about calling one of the hardest animals there is to hunt on a one on one.
I found that this was the windest winters in the last few only having a very few days of just a slight wind and maybe 1 or 2 silent wind days that I tend to love. What I can say is that the wind is the MOST important part of success in calling the coyote. The season leaves me thinking of just how many yotes circled down wind in woooded areas and winded me without me seeing them. How many times I walked way back in and to get setup and have the wind swirl and blow in the direction I thought the coyotes would be bedded and end the hunt before it started. Yes I would just setup and start calling to find 25 minutes later that my cold hands got cold for nothing.
Noise is another one large problem for the coyote hunter. Slamming doors while you head for a set, walking,Talking to partners while moving, breaking branches, hitting fences even walking through crusty snow can cause the yotes to turn south bound in seconds.
Movement while on stand, Just how many times does a yote come to the edge of thick cover to only catch you shifting or moving your head looking for action, but thats something that at times can not be helped. What I learned is to move more your eyes and only slowly move your head to extend your seeing range. If you have to move your gun while a yote is coming, watch him and learn when he looks somewhere else then make your move. If he's looking at you and you try the gig is going to be up.
Always have hand calls if you run a electronic call. There will be times that you will not have time to get a electronic call out and will have to hand call one in, or when the batteries die in the unit you have the back up to finish the set. Sometimes you may want to try hand calls first and then back yourself up with the e caller. Open reed calls are far better in cold weather as they dont freeze and having a howler is a great idea to change it up every now and then. Dont be scared to change it up or try different calls.
I always carry an old turkey vest and have everything from extra gloves to callers to bullets, snips and wind check and a good seat to keep the old cold snow off the back side.
Bipod or shooting stix are very important and you can set your firearm to stay on your shoulder in a ready for that fast yote that busts out and movement could be an issue.
One of the largest things that I have learned about hunting the Eastern Coyote is that they do not want to run thousands of yards in the open to a caller. You need to get in and as close as 150-200 yards from where you expect the yotes to be. Start off soft for the first 2-3 minutes and then after that bring that volume up. My sets only run 25 minutes and I will then move 300-400 yards and do another set. I have shot coyotes 300 yards from the last set I did only 15 minutes ago. If you dont have action in that area dont give up, go back in a few days maybe a week and do another set. On a higher level the coyotes will not be in the calling area that very day your calling so you have not taught them anything they have not heard.
Ive had a great time this winter and I know that some readers were getting sick of seeing the threads, but on the most part I can now talk this type of hunting with confidence with others and once again maybe help others. Maybe even do some seminars on hunting the Eastern Coyote...
Good luck to all
What a season I've had and after counting 22 coyotes I have killed and that is not counting the yotes others shot with me nor the hits and never got or the misses either. I have easy had over 30 coyotes into the calls this season and some of the memories I have of hunts is something. Shooting 5 in one morning on two sets was just stunning and I will not say I knew it would happen at all.
I learned so much this season and everytime in the woods I learned a little more about calling one of the hardest animals there is to hunt on a one on one.
I found that this was the windest winters in the last few only having a very few days of just a slight wind and maybe 1 or 2 silent wind days that I tend to love. What I can say is that the wind is the MOST important part of success in calling the coyote. The season leaves me thinking of just how many yotes circled down wind in woooded areas and winded me without me seeing them. How many times I walked way back in and to get setup and have the wind swirl and blow in the direction I thought the coyotes would be bedded and end the hunt before it started. Yes I would just setup and start calling to find 25 minutes later that my cold hands got cold for nothing.
Noise is another one large problem for the coyote hunter. Slamming doors while you head for a set, walking,Talking to partners while moving, breaking branches, hitting fences even walking through crusty snow can cause the yotes to turn south bound in seconds.
Movement while on stand, Just how many times does a yote come to the edge of thick cover to only catch you shifting or moving your head looking for action, but thats something that at times can not be helped. What I learned is to move more your eyes and only slowly move your head to extend your seeing range. If you have to move your gun while a yote is coming, watch him and learn when he looks somewhere else then make your move. If he's looking at you and you try the gig is going to be up.
Always have hand calls if you run a electronic call. There will be times that you will not have time to get a electronic call out and will have to hand call one in, or when the batteries die in the unit you have the back up to finish the set. Sometimes you may want to try hand calls first and then back yourself up with the e caller. Open reed calls are far better in cold weather as they dont freeze and having a howler is a great idea to change it up every now and then. Dont be scared to change it up or try different calls.
I always carry an old turkey vest and have everything from extra gloves to callers to bullets, snips and wind check and a good seat to keep the old cold snow off the back side.
Bipod or shooting stix are very important and you can set your firearm to stay on your shoulder in a ready for that fast yote that busts out and movement could be an issue.
One of the largest things that I have learned about hunting the Eastern Coyote is that they do not want to run thousands of yards in the open to a caller. You need to get in and as close as 150-200 yards from where you expect the yotes to be. Start off soft for the first 2-3 minutes and then after that bring that volume up. My sets only run 25 minutes and I will then move 300-400 yards and do another set. I have shot coyotes 300 yards from the last set I did only 15 minutes ago. If you dont have action in that area dont give up, go back in a few days maybe a week and do another set. On a higher level the coyotes will not be in the calling area that very day your calling so you have not taught them anything they have not heard.
Ive had a great time this winter and I know that some readers were getting sick of seeing the threads, but on the most part I can now talk this type of hunting with confidence with others and once again maybe help others. Maybe even do some seminars on hunting the Eastern Coyote...
Good luck to all
