I want to start coyote shooting this year. What do you recomend for calling tactics and calls?

I'd recommend a rifle! ;-)

Just kidding, actually I'm curious to the answer. I've fiddled with rabbit squeals for foxes a bit but never got any result to speak of.

Frans

You'll get advice from folks with a lot more experience than me, but since I was at where you were at a little over a year ago I'll tell my thoughts.

Find a mentor who will show you the ropes in your area. I found an enthusiastic partner who became a calling partner in large part because we both had the flexibility to go out during the week at odd hours when the weather dictated.

Secondly, find a good video, hopefully showing tactics in your area. Randy Anderson here in Nebraska produced a series of videos that are invaluable, and since the terrain is right here in Nebraska, it really helps. Unfortunately Randy's taught too many guys how to do it!

Lastly, do not spend the money on an electronic caller. Master the mouth calls and start learning to howl. The videos are a great help here too. Electronic calls are too inflexible in my opinion and you won't be able to control volume and vary techniques to figure out what will work.

Around here, one in five "sets" is productive. So you need to build your confidence with a partner so you don't keep second guessing your technique. I've learned that calling softly to start with, and making the sound of "some critter" that is in its god awful last moments of life while being eaten alive is the key, even if there is no exact critter you're mimicking. Around here, yotes get educated to the standard rabbitt calls so it pays to learn distressed fawn bleats, howls, etc....

Good luck. There's nothing that's more of a rush than outsmarting a predator!

Roginneb ,has it right , find a mentor. I also find great success in mouth calls as they are possative , you can start stop loud quite hard soft , its up to you . Shooting becomes an even more advanced skill , work at it . Coyote hunting,is at the least , very exciting . Good Luck !

I you have the money start with an electronic caller. The new digital callers with remote are the way to go.
Tape callers are the next option also good.

Concentrate on setting up where you can see coyote if you do call one in and making sure the wind is blowing your scent away from where you are trying to call the coyotes from.

Woodpecker, deer in distress, jackrabbit, cottontail calls all work.

Start out with 20 minutes per stand.
Find an area that does not get called a lot or you are just wasting your time.
Make sure you are calling in an area where there are some coyotes to call.
If the wind is blowing over 10 to 15 miles an hour stay home.
Use camo including face and hands and do not move while at your stand, coyotes will spot movement incredibly well, this is one of the advantages of using a caller for someone who is just getting started out.

Stay at it, it may take a while before you start to have success. When you do finally call one in take good notes on how you did it and try to copy for the next time.
Good luck, it is not as easy as it looks in the calling tapes, so don't get discouraged if you do not have immediate success.
Good luck.

You can get some great calls from Cronk Custom Calls.I think Rich makes the best calls and howlers you can buy.He will also send an instructional tape with the calls at no extra cost.He has a website if you want to see what he has.

www.comingtothecall.com is a good palce to start. Byron has produced one of the best predator videos I've seen. It is very educational. I am sitting here editing a piece about him for the February issue of Texas Fish & Game, and I spent some time hunting with him a few weeks ago to do the background for the article. Check out his site and order the video before you spend a lot of money on stuff. Just FYI, I have had great success with the FoxPro call.

I would start with and electronic call and if you can call at night on a cold snap that is the best time to call. I like snow on the ground and light wind set up so the varmint has to come out in the open down wind of you so you can see it. It is easy to call them in but hard some times to see them.

Try www.predatormasters.com

I'll second www.predatormasters.com

It is a great place for this kind of info, I went over to Canada last Febuary just for calling coyotes bobcat and wolves.

I would like to go again soon, it is that good.

Guys,
I am probably going to get flamed for this. But as opioionated as he his, John Henry, the Coyote God himself is the best I know of. His video is the most instructional I have seen. I know he is opinionated and not afraid to say it, but it is because it is test proven. Check it out.

I am not nearlys good as him, but have put several, coyotes, foxes and bobcats down with a caller. I have best success with a rabbit in distress sound. I have used mouth calls and a Lohman cassett for years. Just got a Western Rivers Predation MP3 caller this week. I think it will be good once I figure it out and work out some bugs I dont like. I really like the remote feature to get away from the call source a little, never had that luxuary before.

Pick your sets carefully. Watch the wind. If its blowing lightly, I try to call with the wind at my side, set so any coyote trying to circle down wind is going to get it before he gets to my scent. On windier days, I call down wind. Seems your call will cover more distance and your scent will be dispersed quicker. Especially if your caller has a remote where you can get off to the side quite a ways. Dont call too often with my facein the wind as most think. Sound dont carry good into the wind. I use a little home made decoy too. Not much, but seems to take the attention away from me. Got a Jack Russell Terrier pup that when he gets bigger is going ot handle that job for me.

I hide hunt. I have been using a 223AI. It does good with a 52gr AMax bullet. Goes in and usually doesnt exit, but once in a while, tears the hell out of one. Im getting a 17Rem in Januaruy. I have finally been convinced they are the cats meow. Hit em in the bread basket and they go down like hit with a sledge hammer. No hide damage either. If you are calling right, your shots are less than 100 yards usually alot less.

Camo up good. Even your gun. Whatever your surroundings are, try to match them of course. Shiny rifles are pretty, but a camoed rifle or at least a dull matte fisish is going to do you better.

Im not expert so take it for what its worth. Just thought I would throw in my .02

Yote

BTW, if you can get an experienced caller to take you, it will help alot. A few called animals will save you years of trial and error. I did the trial and error thing. If I didnt love this shit so much, I would have given up before I killed my first coyote. Foxes are alot easier.

Bob,

I was a bit strong on the e caller comment....I am pretty darn impressed with the latest greatest callers. I get more satisfaction using mouth calls....not sure why I don't like relying on the electronics....plus, it's a big investment!

R