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Coyote class

Old 12-07-2011, 04:20 PM
  #1  
j76
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Ok, The last couple winters ive become very interested in coyotes. Till this point its been calling, after 2 winters and many sits i've seen absolutley nothing!! Not that it has discouraged me cause i've had a great time doing it and when i started i already knew that it was not going to be easy especially in Mich.IMO any one that can go out, call in and get a yote is one bad ass hunter!!! A lot of respect for those that can do that!! I recently met a gentlemen that "claims" to be an awsome yote hunter, but without really braggin about it and after a while of talkin learned that he not only calls but is very successful with snare trapping. Something i've never really thought about but immediately sounded like something i wanted to get into. I've never trapped but always thought it would be cool to get into.
Any ways, he tells me he teaches a 2 day class on snaring and calling, after 2 days he claims i'll know all i need to to be successful. Which to me if the guy is legit, the 175 bucks he is chargin would be well worth it, since once again i'm laid off for yet another winter with nothing better to do, this would be a great past time to get me thru the winter.
175 bucks normally wouldn't be that big of a deal, but i am laid off and with the holidays coming is gonna be a little tight to squeak out so... Guess my question is, With all the info available on the net (which i have been lookin at) plus the money is this worth doin?? To me, if this guy is what he sounds like he is(which is a gamble in itself) and after a couple days with him i start pile'n up yotes, i wouldnt have a prob with the money but ya just never know about people now a days....i dont know am i thinkin like an idiot by considerin this? or could it be worth it? I'll appreciate anything you guys got to say about it!! Thanks!
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Old 12-08-2011, 09:28 AM
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Seems pretty odd to me. Then again, I live in the midwest where coyotes are everywhere, and I've been calling dogs for over 20yrs, so I take some of the things I know off the cuff for granted when thinking about new callers.

But for the sake of arguement, if I were in your shoes....

If I had the money laying around, then yeah, I'd probaby be interested, if even just for being curious. If I had the money laying around, and that guy had ONE trick that I didn't already know, then yeah, $175 isn't bad. If I had the money laying around, I'd probably enjoy a 2day class/discussion with ANYBODY about coyote hunting, so it'd be worth a lot just for entertainment value....

But that's again, IF I HAD THE MONEY LAYING AROUND...

If I were laid off, I probably wouldn't "waste" the money.

I honestly don't believe that this guy is going to be the coyote hunting guru so you'll walk in hopeless and walk out a predator-master.

Yes, there might be something simple that you're missing that is blowing your hunts that he would elucidate, but frankly, I don't believe there is any way a "class" could take you from zero to hero. It might improve the odds of a rookie, or it might teach an old dog that one new trick, but it won't take you from seeing NOTHING to having 3 dog nights on a regular basis.

There are plenty of resources to learn about coyote calling and hunting for free, so if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't necessarily believe that this class would offer anything that I couldn't find for free. You said you're laid off, so you should have plenty of time to ask questions online, like this one, and do some reading.

Coyote calling is about concealment more than anything else. It doesn't matter how accurate your rifle is, how well you call, or how lifelike your decoy is, if a coyote hears, sees, or smells you, you're done. Playing the wind is absolutely critical, you need a good line of sight down wind in case they circle around, but you generally hope (and pray) that they come in from upwind. E-callers and decoys help with this a lot. You can move yourself to the side (relative to the wind) from your call, so even if the dogs come in from downwind, you have a shot (as long as they don't pass downwind of YOU to get downwind of your call). Decoys help distract and entice a wary coyote. An audible cue is great, but an audible cue AND a visual cue is better.

Even crappy electronic callers or unnatural sounds (Verminator Syco Tweety anyone? Name that sound? But it dang sure brings them in!) can lure in songdogs, as long as it sounds like it's dying. In my area, howlers are only good for locating, especially at night, but won't do you much good for actually calling them in. They MIGHT come investigate another coyote, but they WILL come investigate a free meal.

Snaring coyotes, in my experience, is pretty easy. Just be logical about how you hang your snares. I don't bait my snares (usually), but I just find coyote paths (i.e. heavier/wider game trails that are clearly too short for deer), like paths under fences, or under brush. Then I hang the snare a few inches off the ground, that way shorter animals like skunks, oppossums, raccoons, etc will pass under the snare, but bobcats, fox, and coyotes will run their head through it. Hanging it a few inches off the ground also helps prevent the coyote (or especially bobcat) from putting one of their front feet through the snare as they walk through it. I use bobby pins to hang my snares, and I generally like to use spring-locked snares, not just friction locks (less apt to freeze "unlocked").

So personally, I'd keep doing what you're doing (reading and asking questions) and save your money. You can always take the class later, but you can't get your money back if you don't learn anything that helps you.
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Old 12-08-2011, 11:24 AM
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j76
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Thanks for the comments and advice Nomercy. Really appriciate it! I do want to clarify tho, i never had any hopes that this guy could "take me from zero to hero". Thats obviously not practicle thinking. However i've hunted in areas that i know had lots of dogs around and have still failed so that does tell me i am in fact missing something that i was hoping i may figure out thru a class such as this. I have done a lot of research and reading but i've always been the type that learns 10 times as fast by seeing and doing and not just reading. The snaring part of it is what really has me interested now tho and again Thanks for the tips on that!! Any other info or tips would be great to see!!!
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Old 12-08-2011, 06:14 PM
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As Nomercy mentioned....good Camo and concealment will help You be a better Hunter....and scent control.Are You wearing under arm spray,shaving and splashing cologne all over Yourself?


First of all You need to shower with scent-free soap...Your Hunting Clothes need to be washed with scent-free detergent and dried with the earth scented dryer sheets or hung to dry outside the sprayed down with scent-killer spray before You put them on...its just like going Deer Hunting...You don't want the game Your Hunting to be able to smell You,I also wear rubber Hunting Boots and leave then outside and use them for Hunting Only.


There's plent of things You need to do before You even go out to Hunt to keep the Coyote's from smelling You.Be sure to have good Camo and stay hidden in the shadows or have some cover to hide Your body or outline....limit Your movement and sneak in to where Your going to set up to hunt.

Not so sure about Your Trapping Laws but we have to buy a Trappers Tag/License and our name and phone number has to be on the traps...and all traps have to be checked every day within a 24 hour period or we can be fined.

Coyote Hunting should be for enjoyment and a learning process,if You ask around You should learn a lot for free just by asking questions and reading other post and hints about Hunting them...learn as You go and share Your experiences with others!

Once You do shoot a Coyote...what are Your plans on what to do with it...You going to have it mounted or the hide Tanned....goin to give it away to a Trapper so he can skin it and sell the hide/fur?

Last edited by GTOHunter; 12-08-2011 at 06:18 PM.
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