Hunting Yotes

Hunting ‘Yotes

Make The Predator

The Prey Hunting Coyotes

By John Michaels

I have recently begun to explore predator calling as a hobby. I began about two years ago by reading everything I could find.

After sorting the information I find it comes down to two or three key points. I will touch on what are to me the major issues. I will focus on the information which helped me make my decisions.

About the actual calling there seems to be two schools of thought. Some like to use the electronic callers currently on the market, while others prefer to use mouth blown calls. Electronic calls can be very handy, especially the models with remotes and volume control.

You can place a CD or tape into the machine and set the speaker up to point in the direction you wish. Once you have settled yourself and are camouflaged, you can start the player. Cds have sounds that range from puppy distress noises to small mammals in distress, such as cottontail rabbits or jackrabbits or even songbirds or woodpeckers.

Once these sounds begin you can focus all your attention on watching the surrounding landscape for the approach of Mister Sneaky. Depending on what sounds you have chosen and the mood of the prey, the action can get very exciting. Most CDs have a few variations of the same sound on them. Some are compiled of selections of several different sounds. I have used several different electronic callers and enjoy the convenience and repeatability of them.

The average electronic caller ranges in price from $150 to $300. CDs cost about $8 to $10 each with tapes slightly cheaper. This can be a deterrent to a predator hunter on a budget. Occasionally you can find one of these callers for sale used on eBay, or in the local paper, or even on certain websites. I have found that even used the prices aren’t much cheaper.

Partly because of cost and mostly because of preference I have chosen to use mouth-blown calls. I find I can lend more emotion to the calling by using this method. With electronic calls you have a set amount of sounds and cannot change them to suit your hunt. Whichever tapes or CDs you have brought with you is what you have to call with.

With the mouth blown calls, I can vary the tone and intensity, as well as the tempo of the calls by changing the way I use the call to tailor the sound for each stand. I have five calls that were bought as predator calls, and several others that were bought to suit other hunting types but that I often use while predator calling.

My predator calls consist of locator howler and a cottontail in distress mode I also occasionally use the squeaker from a plush dog chew toy, a squirrel call built to make the distress whistle of an injured squirrel, a bellows-type squirrel call, and diaphragm turkey calls. The cost of all these calls was about $6 to $10 each. I have less than $70 tied up in calls and feel that I can adjust my calling to nearly any situation.

My main prey when calling predators is coyotes. Here in Ohio the coyote population has been steadily rising for the last 15- to 20 years. They are thick enough now that it is common to hear and see them while squirrel and deer hunting. I know farmers who lose poultry and even sheep to them on a fairly regular basis. I have had my coon dogs chased back to the truck on many nights at West Branch Public Hunting Areas by coyotes.

I like to use a daylight and dark approach to coyote hunting. Calling from just at daybreak for about 15 minutes per stand, and moving several hundred yards between stands until about 9:30 or 10 a.m. Then I will call from about two hours before sunset until the end of shooting light in the same fashion.

I usually hunt with a partner. I place myself overlooking a likely looking area (description of such area to be given) facing into the wind. Depending on the terrain and expected shooting distances I may be armed with a shotgun loaded with BBs or small buckshot such as #4 buck or a rifle.

My partner will be placed facing downwind, usually overlooking an open area or viewing a valley. I will call beginning with a softer tone and slower tempo for the first 30 second to one-minute call. If after a two- three minute wait we get no response I call loudly and with much emotion, usually giving a raspy wailing cry followed by several whining hitching noises much like a child will do when crying hard.

I let these sounds trail down to soft whimpering, then to nothing. If still no response after a two- to five minute wait, I will call again similarly, adding even more volume to the hitching cries and whimpering. If, after another two- five minute wait we still get no response we will probably move quietly to another location and repeat the process.

Most of the calling done so far will be with my variable pitch predator or the Regulator. This gives great use for the raspy and loud calling and also can be used for the more plaintive whining and hitching. The Regulator makes great puppy distress noises and would be my first choice for early fall or late summer stands. It can also be made to make the other noises such as whining, louder cries and soft whimpering also.

Both calls are very versatile and would be a good starting point for any beginner. I often use the locator howler when hunting a new area just to see if I can get a response. I also use it when first beginning a calling session on larger properties to kind of give notice and get the ears perked and listening.

Many times I will get more than one response from the resident coyotes so I will have an idea of where the locals are and where to watch for them.

I have been part of many predator hunts, and have seen many varied set-ups. My favorite types I mentioned above and will elaborate on now. I try to set up with the caller looking upwind and the other hunter facing downwind over some sort of clearing or opening.

If possible I will set the second hunter up watching a valley from the ridge top. This puts our scent usually above the valley and also gives a good vantage point. The caller is usually facing more brushy terrain and so usually carries a shotgun or lighter rifle for fast shooting.

I like to use a large load of BBs as for waterfowling when the range is probably going to be less than 40 yards. When I can see farther I may use my 30-30 or even my scoped 223, with the scope set on its lowest setting.

My second hunter usually carries a scoped rifle when overlooking a wider view, but in some areas may also be armed with a shotgun. I usually do not put my second hunter more than a few yards from myself. Some folks I know will place the caller 100 yards or more upwind of the second hunter. I frown on this because too many times I have seen the coyote get between the two hunters and this could lead to an unsafe condition.

I always hunt in full camouflage, including facemask and gloves. Coyotes have very keen eyesight and will bust you if they see a flash of skin. I occasionally use a blind material to break up my outline. This material is like burlap with a camouflage pattern printed on it and can disguise your outline very well. Avoid hanging it taut between trees as it draws attention with its straight lined edges. I usually just sort of drape it across some bushes or branches behind me to give me a background.

I have called coyotes in within the first few seconds of calling and have also had them stop at 300-plus yards and just look at me like I was a circus freak. In some cases they have run within feet of me, looking for their noisy dinner. It is an exciting and rewarding hunt. I know that predator calling will bring me years of satisfying hunts and learning experiences.