A buddy of mine and I started hunting coyote last year (or attmepting to), we pretty much strictly use mouth calls although we have tried the E-callers. I am hunting in far western north dakota on all of my own private land the coyotes have never been really hunted. Heres the problem i have read many times that you need to get away from the roads and that just isnt possible where im at, there seems to be a road (or trail) within 1 1/2 -2 miles anywhere your at. Im pretty sure we are calling properly but cant besure, most of the time we can get the coyotes to howl back (and quite a few of them i might add), but we can never get them to come into Seeing distance. I am a whitetail hunter so we are wary to the wind conditions and where snow camo (when the snow is there). On distress calls we can never get anything to come in any suggestions? i know the area is bountiful with yotes.

Try

http://www.predatormastersforums.com/

Coyotes can be in your back yard so it's not a distance thing

The above mentioned site is a great one for this type of hunting. I can tell you from experience that it can take alot of time and practice to get your first one. I love to hunt the hunters. It makes it a little more challenging than other species.

JM2CW

In a case like that I would usually say that the coyotes have been called a bunch. If you're sure they haven't been called to death then, do you hide your truck, are you getting in with out being seen or heard? Wind is important but usually even with the wind wrong you can get them in close enough to see them. I doubt the roads are the problem, if the coyotes are used to living around the roads then it shouldn't bother them too much. Of course being away from roads is usually good but I've called them across dirt roads and shot them standing on dirt roads. Have you tried howling at them? They usually come in a little slower to the howl, if you're in a good area I'd wait 30 minutes or so.

Rebel......there are several things you could be doing wrong, it is hard to say really. I would (get rid of the mouth calls)leave in the truck. Set yourself up a calling system out away from your set up spot. In front about 30 to 40 yards but at a 45 degree angle to where you are hid behind cover. Your partner should keep a close eye on your rear as well, they have slipped up on me within 20 yards in the woods.

Coyotes are smart and just sounding like a distressed animal will often not bring them out in the open. They will work around you in a semi circle (your call sound) I use a mojo hawk to set up near the caller and moving rabbit on a wond.

The coyote sees and hears the call, comes in some but stays out of sight, never gets anxious about seeing the rabbit on the wond moving or crying out. He will take his time to get close and check out the air for scent but when he sees the hawk wings on the mojo moving.......He will go into another mode and come in fast, so he doesn't get cheated out of an easy meal.

The wearing of camo is important and your set up, not giving you away. NO talking, drinking coffee or chewing gum etc. Yotes have a very good nose for smell and ears for sound. Try to stay out of sight (don't walk upright either, stay bent over) going to your setup site. Break up your shape, so you don't look like a stump or human shape etc. I use 2 calibers for yotes, a 243 and 25-06, both get 100 grain bullets in magazine.
TONK

Hey Rebel, Don't get too discouraged. These suckers notice the small things. They are as wary as any whitetail! They have eyes as good as any antelope, and they hunt to survive. They are not going to be grazing while you sneak up on them. It is a challenge and that's why it's so much fun!

I think people have different things they do and that work for them. The recommendations they will make reflect that.

The previous post made me chuckle out loud! My recommendation is the exact opposite! I have not had much luck with the E-callers at all!
I won't purchase new ones just to try them out, but I have tried a couple different ones and they don't sound very good I don't think. But, that's just my opinion and my experiences in the area I hunt. I rarely find guys here using hand calls, most are using a rabbit distress, and are sloppy with thier set-up. This makes it like coyote college around here!

I've killed a called in coyote within a couple hundred yards of my vehicle many times. I've even been as close as 60 yards. I do try to hide it in low spots, or behind a rise or something. I've even set up to use the road to route the 'yotes to me, they use roads to travel on all the time. Cow trails are great to use to funnel them. When you're first starting out it's harder because you have to learn everything as you go. I've not spent any time on Predator Masters, but have been on one called Texas Predator Posse, which is run by Bob who's also a member here.(Bob in Tx I think?) These are great sources for free info.

I think a little more effort in the approach and set up may help you out. One thing about this is that you have to think about what they'll see. The reflection of the sun off your face, gun barrel, ect., movement, scent, and just location are key. I also think that many people use way to much dark color. Black guns, dark glasses, black sole boots, dark face viels, and such can start to make you as obvious as anything else in snow or light colored vegitation.

Park out of sight, walk a little way upwind and look for a location that will give you at least 30 yards of relatively open ground. If you are calling with a partner one should look each direction. I agree with the comments about them circling, but it is not a rule by any means. You should look down wind but don't focus there. I actually try to set up with someone watching the direction I think is the most likely for them to come from. Wait several minutes after your done moving around before you start calling. Think about your approach to the area as if you were stalking your set. Then once your there, think about where they'll approach you from. Coyotes will travel a smooth path to make good time. Set up to give them a route to travel. Fencelines, cow trails, old roads, ect. and back away from them so they'll use it to come toward your set. They often will travel the edge of an open area or just inside the brush or treeline.

Sound carries a long way and they have great hearing. Coughing, velcro, chambering a round, ect. can be heard for a long way. Start out with some reasonable volume but keep in mind that the louder it is the more the speakers seem to distort the sound. If you are trying to howl you need to be sure of what your saying to them. The howls are different and mean very different things. This is probably the most important thing you need to practice if calling with hand calls. If they are barking at you, you've been had. Most of the time you'll not change their mind.

This post is REALLY long for me. And books have been written, movies made, magazine articles written / sold on these subjects and I don't type well enough to get as much said as is prudent. Do a little homework, it'll pay.

If I lived anywhere near there I'd consider a trip to go calling with you. I've been at it a long time and have called many different areas. Not every set is productive, some get away, I still make mistakes sometimes. Hang in there, have fun with it. Nate

If you are getting multiple coyotes to howl back, they aren't going to come to your call. Part of it is just knowing their vocalizations. Some sounds they just respond to by howling without any intention of coming closer. Sometimes I think they do it just to hear their heads rattle.

If one coyote howls, it may be an interrogation howl or a challenge. If that is the case, it may come in for a closer look. He thinks you are a coyote and he's coming to check you out. And if you are in his territory, he's gonna get you, sucka! Once he starts coming in, he's probably not going to howl again. And it may take him as long as 45 minutes or so to build up the courage to respond.

U definitely need to learn to howl. That's always the ace-in-the-hole, and many, if not most of the howlers/yippers will eventually come in, if just to find out who the new dog is.

If worse comes to worse, spot and stalk them. That's my main system these days.

Hey Rebel,

Here is a link to some very good information to help you get started:
Coyote Calling Link

Both hand and electronic calls work great. Learn to use your hand calls first. Start with a closed reed. You don't need to worry about howling at this stage. Until you know what you are doing, you will run more off than you will call in. Also, I wonder if they are howling at you or barking at you. If they are barking at you, they have busted you on the way in and won't come to the call. You need to make sure your truck is hidden and that you slip in unseen and unheard. For now, set up calling into the wind and make sure you have good clear shooting lanes. Read that article and then ask more questions.

Good Hunting,

Bob