looking for info on using howls (both male challenge howls and female invitation howls during matting season. I'm in northern michigan where we have a decent population of coyotes but nowhere near the numbers in the west. I've done a little howling during matting season, but would like to know how effective others have been using these calls during matting season and any other info pertaining to using these howling techniques. thank you

Check out www.predatormasters.com Bunch of calling knowledge over there just for the reading. Coyotes are the sharpest game I have ever hunted by far. They put Deer and Turkeys to shame bad; at least here in the Mountains of NC.

I have called 'em other places and they are harder in the eastern woodlands to me.

God Bless, Louis

I have had better luck with a Jack Rabbit, half grown cotton tail ( I think they are the same as a matter of fact ) and meowing kittens, and bird calls, the mating thing has never worked too well for me on preditors but may be where I call. Im out west and also depends on how hard the area is called..Coyotes figure out calling if they are hunted hard, and simply wont come to a call...I like to call at night with a red spot light..

Are you trying to locate them or get them to come in? A police siren is an excellent way to locate them; every time one goes off here, I hear a billion yotes yipping.

I've had fair luck in the winter calling them in with howls at night, much less during the day. The prey in distress works much better in my experience. Using coyote vocalization works a lot better when the coyotes are already calling to each other or you can actually see the dog and judge his response to your howls.

Been hunting coyotes in Michigans thumb for several years now. We have started useing two callers with different sounds running on each.

the rabbit in distress sound/call isn't working so well there any longer. I think it is because about any sport shot that sells hunting supplies has a rack of rabbit in distress calls for sale so every nebees buys one and many just don't have the wither all to set for 20 minutes and calling softly at first and working rhe volume up over the 20 minutes.

They also jump up and leave when finished calling instead of setting and watching their back and down wind side for slinking coyotes.

This past winter we used a squealing piglet sound along with a pack of coyotes having a party. We also use Weasle ball decoys and hanging goose feathers off a bush.

Al

I use coyote vocals a lot, starting in early-mid January. About this time, they have partnered up for breeding and can get defensive about their territory.

I believe coyotes 'know' the voice of every coyote within hearing range. When I howl, it's 'who is this new guy?" and they come to investigate.

What I usually have happen is, as soon as the pair can see my calling position, the female hangs back about 150-200yds, while the male tries to get downwind of me. Hunting with a buddy, the guy who is tracking the moving coyote calls for the shot, as he has to stop the 'mover' when he gets a clear shot.

Hunting by myself, I let the 'mover' get as close as possible before he gets into my scent cone, then I shoot the long range first, figuring it's much easier to hit a running coyote at 30yds than at 200yds.

By howling early and late in the day, I believe coyotes are checking on who survived the day, and what territories may have become available.

I've had doubles and a triple come into howls, always at night, snow and a full moon as it's just easier for me to call solo at those times. Had a couple blow past me once and in fumbling with the remote trying to turn down the volume I switched it to pups in distress... both of those coyotes turned on a dime and raced on in ready to fight. Of course they hit my trail, and blew out of their with their tails on fire and I never touched a one with a lead pill.

Here's a note on calling, stay on your knees and not on your ass. Trying to swing on a running coyote is difficult without your lower body to help you swing through.

I've also called in more coyotes with the electronic call, but I've killed far more using hand calls. With hand calls you naturally stop calling and ready your gun when you see a coyote coming in. At night anyway, this will typically stop the coyote and he'll check the area, maybe even catch some of your movement bringing the rifle on him. I've never had a coyote recognize me for danger at night, they might scamper off a bit but typically stop and look back. I would get a good shot at them 9 out of 10 times. With an electronic caller, I usually ended up with running shots as they'd charge into the caller and charge on out. I'd be caught trying to dick with the volume or some such thing to turn it off instead of bringing the gun on them.

Just some experiences I've had.

I know its geographical on coyotes, they all respond differently geographically..The other thing is coyotes are so damn smart, do you guys realize we should be scribing here in Russian or in French an hope for the best, as most coyotes can speak several languages, and read as well as any AR subscriber.They been making a fool out of me trapping for years, so I out foxed them. I quit trapping.

Now they're eating your calves and colts knowing you won't be trying to catch them.

We've used howls to locate, then bunny calls or such to call 'em in.

I found most guys start with a sqeek and then work higher gradually. They do well that way. Me,I blast 'em hard as I can blow the call a full breath from the first and get more quicker it seems.

One thing I do is make it sound like they nailed the rabbit and hurt it bad, then change the tones to suffering sounds. I've had guys along that said they almost cried over how bad that rabbit was hurting and being tortured. That's what I try to make it sound like.

Sometimes if there's 2-3 of us we'll create a barking chase racket a bit, then they'll drop off and I start the attacked screams and torturing whimpers with a scream mixed in now and then like it's being played with. IF there's coyotes around they'll nearly always show up right away.

I haven't been out in 6 yrs due to health problems. Sure miss it.

Like most things, we all do it differently.

George

I have called coyotes for some years, and am very fond of those yodel dogs. I never shoot coyotes in the month of Feb and most of March. The coyotes that come to the call at that time are mostly males, and the females are denned up with nursing pups. The male feeds the female who is denned up and she will not leave the den till her pups are weaned. If the male is shot at this time of year you have just killed all the pups as well until they begin to feed on meat. Once you see sign of the pups coming out of the den to play, then the female is hunting as well.

Coyotes are one of the most efficient hunters in the wild, and the pups, once weaned, begin there hunt training by mom, and older siblings along with dad, then the coyote hunting in "ON" no holds barred!

................Others may do as it suits, but that is my method of guaranteeing lots of coyotes to hunt long term. All animals need a rest sometime, especially during puping season, to just be themselves.

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Mac, that may be the case in Texas. But here in the upper midwest February is breeding time. That puts birth at April to May for us.

quote:

Originally posted by Lapidary:
Mac, that may be the case in Texas. But here in the upper midwest February is breeding time. That puts birth at April to May for us.

Lap, you may well be right, because our coyotes live mostly in the desert which has everything from flat high desert to very high mountains in altitudes from about 4000 ft above sea level, to 12000 ft above. We have them all over Texas but it seldom stays cold more than a few days in winter. This makes most pups born in late Feb, but don't wean till late March.

The sheep ranchers have a habit of finding dens and poisoning the bitch and pups in the den. Luckily most of the sheep ranches are in the big bend area, so the rest of Texas the pups are fairly safe till they get big enough for calling.

I now live in the Dallas Fort worth area so I can't do much calling anymore Texas is 99% private land so it is not easy to find a place to hunt anything. Lived in the desert west for 40 or so years, where hunting varmints is easy with a lot of open desert, and The New Mexico line was with in 20 miles of my home in El Paso Tx so I kept a New Mexico hunting license because of the millions of acres of open hunting land..

I miss being able to go hunting every day if I wanted to.

..............................................................Good hunting! Mac