Calling coyotes

[bdbrown66]

So, over the last year or so I've been getting more interested in coyote hunting. I know for a fact that there are quite a few of them on the property I hunt, and I'd like to help the deer and turkey populations by thinning the coyotes a bit. About a year ago, I bought one of the more entry-level e-callers, and have called in several with it (in fact, I called a triple the first time I tried). However, that unit had a limited number of built-in calls, and they could not be changed or upgraded. So, I recently decided to buy a little better unit which allows me to add my own sounds, in addition to the ones provided.

My question is, for those of you who do this on a regular basis, which e-caller sounds (specifically) do you find to be most effective? I know they are available for purchase from a variety of sources, but they tend to be a little pricey. I don't mind paying for them, but I'd like to know what works well and what doesn't, rather than just paying for things that aren't all that great.

If you have recommendations on specific call sounds that you use, I'd appreciate it. If you know where to get them, even better. If they're free calls, better still.

Cheers,
Brian

Pic from my trail camera:

 

[Songdog]

I enjoy killing coyotes with an electronic call.... but I LOVE calling coyotes with a hand call.

Hand calls are simple, they never run out of batteries, and they add a level of realism that can’t be achieved with even the best e-call sounds.

What part of the country are you in?

 

[bdbrown66]

I enjoy killing coyotes with an electronic call.... but I LOVE calling coyotes with a hand call.

Hand calls are simple, they never run out of batteries, and they add a level of realism that can’t be achieved with even the best e-call sounds.

What part of the country are you in?

Kentucky.

 

[mjcmichigan]

Sorry.. love the hand call, it’s not that hard, and tremendous fun.


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[mcseal2]

I also started with hand calls and still use them a fair amount. In my area though calling has got extremely popular and much more difficult. I've been using an e caller the last couple years with better results than I was getting with just hand calls. The main reason is that I have been setting the e caller, decoy, and a little scent in a place where a coyote can approach it from straight downwind without smelling me. I purposefully leave the coyote an approach route with a little cover to help it feel safe, but not enough cover that I can't get a shot. The coyote can verify with ears, smell, and sight that it should come in and more often does. I'm hunting thicker areas too with this strategy where a coyote feels safer.

For sounds I have a FoxPro and got a bunch of their sounds. I've added ones from Tony Tebbe and a few others. Everyone in my county seems to have a FoxPro now so I use the other sounds quite a bit. I like having some different howls and other vocalizations to use. Its hard to get a coyote with a prey distress in my area anymore. I usually start out with one still for 6-10 minutes or so, but end up killing almost all my coyotes late after I've switched to coyote sounds for 10 minutes or more. I think I shot 36 coyotes total last year and called 2 with prey distress. Some of those were shot ranching not calling though. My first double, triple, and quad kills have all come in the last 2 years with the e caller. I like to switch to a kiyi after the first shot, my call has a Foxbang feature that does that for me. It has helped me get multiple coyotes more than I ever did before.

 

[mjcmichigan]

Great plan!

Have you tried an ozone generator on your gear in a tote?

Works well!


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[Elkman]

The electronic call that I have, repeats the same message over and over again. My hand calls don"t. I call in more by hand but I also probably call more by hand also.

 

[Anonymous]

The most effective sounds we've used are:
1) baby snowshoe hare in distress
2) coyote challenge call
3) fawn bleat
4) magpies squabbling

If we're looking for fox or lynx, we don't use the coyote challenge...if the area has a lot of coyote sign we'll start there.

 

[bdbrown66]

Some great info, thank you.

As far as the hand calling is concerned, I don't see myself getting to be a "hard-core" coyote hunter, so I'm not sure I want to invest the time in getting proficient enough at it to make a difference. For me, this is more about thinning out the fawn-killers on my property and having something to hunt between the other seasons...hence the e-call.

 

[mcseal2]

Great plan!

Have you tried an ozone generator on your gear in a tote?

Works well!


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I have not but have looked at them. An Ozonics employee was at the lodge we flew out from on our moose hunt the same time we were. We had a day to visit before our flights home. He said that those work when I asked him but only on the clothing that is exposed to the ozone gets treated. The clothing needs to be rotated so it all gets treated he was saying. I think it's a cool idea. Coyotes noses are just so dang good I don't know if they can be beat like a deer can. I just try to have the wind in my favor. I have some conifer bushes in our yard and do cut limbs off them and put them in my clothing tote. It makes for a pretty strong scent to mask mine a little I hope.