Call sequence/tempo

[tuffcrk14]

I went out coyote hunting at last light on some thick brushy/wooded river bottom private property that has bobcat, fox, and coyote. A very mixed batch of critters. I started out with low volume rodent distress and mouse squeaks, then went to baybee cottontail, then to pheasant distress in 3-5 ish minute increments kind of running the gamut of sounds. I didn’t want to commit to adding coyote sounds yet due to the fact that I could have a fox or bobcat coming in to my sounds and didn’t want to ruin that potential opportunity. The next round of sounds I went with a really raspy high pitch jack rabbit, baby bobcat distress, and red fox distress. Nothing. I’d been there calling for 30-40ish minutes when it got dark and then a whole pack erupts in the river bottom several hundred yards off. Well within earshot of my sounds. I howl, I go into coyote distress sounds and nothing shows up. These critters make you question your existence! I thought I had a decent game plan, but it didn’t work for me yesterday. Curious to hear how you guys might call densely wooded areas vs wide open areas, or if you just keep the same strategy regardless. I generally hunt open country, but tried to add a few extra sounds to the mix. Curious how guys that hunt heavily wooded areas successfully do things. I feel like I’m missing that one thing that could have brought them in…. Or maybe not. I was able to sit on a cut bank that looked down into the river bottom that also had a 1/2-3/4 acre clear cut below me and could see my down wind and had clear shots out to 100 yards. The wind was light, but hitting me in the face and taking my scent away from the river bottom into the crop field behind me, which I could also cover.


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[WCB]

You did 6 different sounds in 30-40minutes? I have done this in wide open areas where I can see for hundreds of yards or miles but I cut way back in wooded areas. I have found in wooded areas that stuff either shows up like instantly or you really have to slow play it. Try not to switch sounds so many times. Again this is just my opinion.

 

[Skerhunter]

Sometimes they don't like to play, even when you do everything right! Now I don't know about playing all those different distress sounds, I never played more than a couple distress sounds on one stand.

 

[tuffcrk14]

I normally stick to a rabbit distress or two of varying pitches and end the stand with a coyote distress, but I had heard of people bouncing around to different sounds and having success, so I figured why not try it out. I think I’m going to go back to my bare bones strategy and stick with what I know to have been successful in the past. It may be best to save those sounds for when I see a coyote and can see his reactions to the sounds I make as the best learning tool. I appreciate the input!


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[dirtytough]

I usually only play a couple distress sounds max for coyotes. If I was trying to call cats I would play a lot more and for way longer.

Coyotes have great hearing and can cover ground extremely fast. If after 3-4 minutes I don’t see one it’s on to the next sound. And somewhere in there I play the sounds at max volume.

 

[HuntInWild88]

For thick woods like that. I like to keep it quite. Play a rabbit or bird on any off for 5-10min. Remember these a animals don't have huge lungs. Don't play it just constantly for 5 minutes strait. I also change volume while calling. I have also used like a crow or magpie gathering. It helps paint the picture. How many times have you seen a crow or magpies come into your distress sounds? If nothing has shown up in 10-15 min I move to next spot. Which In thick stuff could be only 500 yards away. Now for cats. I like fast and high pitched. Constant for 30+min. Cats like the slow game. There's a really good chance they are there in a few minutes you just don't see them until they are right on top of you.
This time of year sometime I only use coyote vocals. It's breading season and they are territorial/looking to mate.

 

[Mountainman11b]

How about pauses? Do you throw them in the mix? How do you add them?

 

[tuffcrk14]

How about pauses? Do you throw them in the mix? How do you add them?

I always wait five minutes or so once I’m set up to start my call sequences. Sometimes I’ll play my sequence and pause for one minute, all the way up to five. I always try and change it up until I find what works that day. A lot of times, three minutes of silence between calling is my go to. Recently, going from sound to sound was something new I was experimenting with because I’ve heard of some very successful coyote hunters (Tony Tebbe) that never shut their call off and go from one sound to the next with great success. I haven’t had that success yet and it seems like silence is just as important as the sound itself.


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[huntincoues]

Only time I switch sounds that much is if I am targeting bobcats. But for coyotes I usually only run 2-3 sounds

 

[36Fan]

Sometimes they just dont wanna play. Add calling in a high pressured area and during denning season and you get stubborn coyotes.