Well, I quizzed you guys the other day about some tips on setups and calling for coyotes, and it looks like it paid off. An old high school buddy invited me to go coyote hunting with him today. When I got there, he asked me if I knew what a rabbit sounded like. I told him I did, and he handed me his circe call. I tooted on his call a little bit, and I have to say.... it has a much better sound than either of my calls. On our third setup, a coyote ran right up on top of a pond dam about 125 yards away, and started trying to find what was making the ruckus. I put the crosshairs on him and missed him clean (nervous I guess) he turned and burned, and I smoked him about 160 yards out. I'm shooting a 7 Mag with ballistic tips, and it makes a pretty loud whack when you hit something with it. I knew I'd hit him, and my buddy said he saw him stumble, so we went to check it out. We couldn't find the coyote (there was some really thick brush/high grass just west of where I shot him) but we still were high-fivin' and were excited to have experienced such a great hunt. The last thing he told me this evening was that he wanted to do it again soon, and we could hear coyotes howling from several directions on the walk back to his house.

This is gonna be fun. I appreciate everybody's help and answers to my questions. I have another hunt planned tomorrow!!

Jerrod

ConGrats!!! Sounds like you definately have the fever! BigNate

Jerrod: Thanks for the great recap of your Coyote Hunt! As soon as my family gets back to work and school next Monday I am headed out for some serious Coyote calling myself. I am sorry if I did not get to participate in your request for calling tips but you have hit upon one of my secrets from decades of calling in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and a little in Oregon. That secret is calling around remote water sources! I think it has to do with the higher populations of prey species near the waterholes! Creatures like Muskrats, Rabbits, wounded waterfowl and many others hang around remote watering holes and the Coyotes therefore spend a lot of time near the ponds!
Good for you on your first succesful Hunt!
I always recommend the Primos Raspy Coaxer Model 323 for my friends who ask and are just getting into Varmint calling! This fine call works really well for me and it has an additional squeaker or coaxer mode that can be used when the Coyote (Fox and Bobcat also) gets in close and you want to slow them or make them show when they are in close or in cover.
I really like this call and give them as presents sometimes. They are priced around $10.00. A great bargain and a great call with lots of volume (range) and easily varied tone!
Good luck and keep after them!
Oh and I wanted to add this. I have done what you did many times when Big Game Hunting. I see a Coyote and shoot it with a Big Game bullet and the Coyote runs off. The simple fact is the Coyotes are narrow and the Big Game bullets often pass through them without expending much of their energy on the Coyote. The heavy constructed Big Game bullets often just make a pencil hole through the Coyote. They do not die at the scene. Try a more explosive or lighter weight, lighter skinned bullet and you will collect your prize on scene more often. That or shoot them in the chest lengthwise that usually puts them down or break both front shoulders with your shot if broadside.
Keep after'em!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thanks for advice, Varmintguy! Southwest Oklahoma is a really dry place, so naturally most of the hunting that we do is based around some water. I know of one guy who just sits and watches a pond, and whacks coyotes that come to water in the evening. I only deer hunt on places with water, and I figured coyote hunting shouldn't be a whole lot different, when it comes to water.

Anyway, today I got a new Primos cottontail call and a howler. It was really windy today, but I went hunting anyway. I never saw a single coyote. Oh well, it was better than sitting at home. I just got home. I had a damn flat on the way out of the field. I guess that's hunting.

Jerrod