Finally Scored on a coyote! (Picture included!)
 

Called in two coyotes yesterday and finally connected on one. I've called in several the last couple weeks with open reed calls. I have sure learned alot and owe much of this to this site, Coyoteseeker and Howler who took the time to come and hunt with me and show me the ins and outs of successful predator hunting. Thank you, thank you!
Now I need more skills in stand selection and <font size=4>camo</font id=size4>. As you can see from the pic, the plain coverall aren't cutting the mustard against the snow and Juniper trees. Going shopping again!:)

RE: Finally Scored on a coyote! (Picture included!)
 

Congrats on &quot;sealing the deal&quot; Catman! I knew you'd pull it off. Glad I could help, but not so sure that I helped much. I think you were on the right track before I came down. Again, Congrats!! Now, don't get'em all before I get back down there!:)

RE: Finally Scored on a coyote! (Picture included!)
 

Catman,

I'm looking at getting into Coyote hunting as well. What were the most important things you learned and what state are you hunting in? What advice would you give to a new predetor hunter?


I live in NH and have seen some tracks. because the snow is 8 inches deep, I can't tell if they're coyotes or fox.

RE: Finally Scored on a coyote! (Picture included!)
 

Congrats on the coyote .

RE: Finally Scored on a coyote! (Picture included!)
 

congrats on your first coyote.you do relize that now your addicted and there's no turning back,welcome to the club.glad i was some help in your succsess.

RE: Finally Scored on a coyote! (Picture included!)
 

Skyhigh -
First, I'm in southern Colorado, and I think the one most important thing learned here and from a couple hunters is the use of a &quot;open reed&quot; call. Closed reeds seem much harder to achieve the right sound and pitch that I'm looking for. I am also very new to calling coyotes, but have called many grey fox years ago. I used an electronic for grey fox with great success, but only one time did a coyote ever repond to this call out of all the times I was out. I knew for sure that calling coyotes would be a whole different ball game and tactics would have to change first starting with the call. I have called in so far in the last few weeks half a dozen coyotes using Verminator's &quot;Tweety&quot; but due to my lack of luck, killed one so far. I shot and lost one also 2 weeks ago due to shot placement.
Stand selection- as mentioned above is something I need to work on as I have made several mistakes just in the last couple days. All I can say is, if using a rifle like I do, call looking out over an open area and get up high enough to overlook this area. Couple times I've called them in close range and have been detected before I have seen them which would have been ok if I had the 12 ga. with a load of buckshot. This happened at least 3 times now, so if using a rifle, this I'd say was something to pay close attention to.....I'm working on that!
Something to I will be doing in some areas since we have nice bobcats is calling longer...at least 30 to 40 minutes as cats take longer. This surely may also up my chances for coyotes as well. Most of the coyotes have been in shooting range in less than 5 minutes, but the other day, I had a coyote come in will into the 20 minute range. Not uncommon as read on this forum.
Other things would be to watch weather, perfer non windy days, I like hunting on cold, overcast days, but as you can see from the pic, was about 50º that day and sunny all day, but no wind.
Oh, a big one is movement! Every coyote coming in so far has been looking right in my direction. If you have to move your gun, do it when the coyote is out of site or trotting. I was busted moving just slightly by 2 now and watched them run away. Was also winded by one the other day, came in 250 yrds way, stopped, and did an about face
and trotted off the same way he came in.

Ok, I have rattled on enough, would like to see the more experienced callers elaborate on some of my mistakes...coyoteseeker, howler feel free to through in .02¢
I have already email Howler some of my mishaps as stated above, but I think we can all benefit from sharing mistakes and am happy to post them here on the forum....God only knows, I have enough now from the last couple weeks!
Things are starting to come together, I have the call working now, just fine tuning stand selection, and if I ever post another pic here, it won't be wearing those coveralls.

Thanks and good luck!
CMDoo

RE: Finally Scored on a coyote! (Picture included!)
 

well cat man i think you have it made,you relize your mistakes and are trying to correct them,thats a major hurdle you have leaped.some habbits die hard so give it some time.its sometimes easy for any body to get careless in there set up,when it comes to the coyote we all make mistakes from time to time.its not uncommon to have a coyote make a large 250,300 or more yard circle and bust a hunter.this is one reason they can be diffacult to hunt at night.as far as camo you just proved it can be done without good camo but its a whole lot easyer to go undetected when you blend in well.the key word here is movement.a predator keys in on movement,he has to his survival depends on it. he can detect the slightest movment from great distances,if your gun is not up and in the ready position when he appears you more in likly won't raise it to shoot.after each sequence of calls get the gun up and be ready to shoot in the direction you figure he's going to show up from.then of caurse he throws a wrench in the spoaks and shows up way to your right or left,its just the way it is.for bobcats your right stay at least 30 to 40 min,if the snow is deep stay longer.the one advantage to staying longer is you will get stragler fox and coyote showing up 25 to 30 min into a stand set.and again if the snow is deep this is a very probable posibility.to answer skyhighs question,sometimes in deep snow it is hard to tell tracks apart.the best way to tell the difference between gray fox red fox and coyote is by the size of the paw print and the stride length.a gray fox is easy to tell, his paw prints are small around 1 1/2 inch long and his stride is short when walking,around 8 to 12 inches.a reds paw prints are 2 1/2 inches long and his stride is longer around 9 to 16 inches.both type fox tracks will apear to have one foot in front of the other,kinda like this * * * * a coyotes paw print is about the same as a red fox believe it or not, about 2 1/2 inches.his stride will be much longer though,around 18 to 22 inches.his tracks in the snow and mud will look something like this ** ** ** ** one rear foot right behind a front foot.these stats are bsaed on adult animals, walking at a normal gate.when troting or running every thing changes,its sometime hard to tell.sometimes it apears that a pup coyote track look like an adult red fox track becouse the pup coyotes stride is short.and of course all three animals have an oval shaped paw prints,a domestic dogs print will be round.

RE: Finally Scored on a coyote! (Picture included!)
 

Good stuff gentlemen - thank you!

What is the best time of day?

RE: Finally Scored on a coyote! (Picture included!)
 

Skyhigh, If you are narrowing down the best times, I'd say from daylight till 10:00am and last 2 hours before dark, but I did call that coyote in at 11:30 on a warm day. I think you can call anytime and get results but I think others would agree most importantly is a weather factor. Don't look for the best calling in the early morning if the winds are blowing your hat off.
I drove into city tonight and bought up some nice camo, head to toe. What the heck, it's my birthday in a couple days anyways...err thats what I told the wife anyhow (trying to justify the bill) <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
This is starting to get expensive.

New .223 Rifle w/scope....$400.00
Phantom electronic call...$200.00 (and it's going in the trash)
Honda 450 Four-trax ATV..$6,400.00
Camo Outfit................$150.00
Picture of me with a coyote..PRICELESS!!!
For anyone else...might be a divorce LOL!

Going to post another pic tomorrow just to see the contrast and I think this will be fun if I can get her to take pictures.
Stay tuned......

RE: Finally Scored on a coyote! (Picture included!)
 

Congrats, thats a nice looking quad, I mean coyote<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Without passion.....Why bother?