frusteration starting to set in.

[Cody Gruchow]

im starting to get a little frusterated now  i been coyote hunting on a different trek of land now,(the hunting club were i work) and i cant get the  things to commit, they come in and they make sure they stay just out of shooting distance, i can take the shots but i dont want to, its to risky, they tend to stay at about 175 yards and ALWAYS behind some brush. now i know they might be coming in just to check it out because there isnt a shortage of food,lots and lots of pheasants and turkeys. i found a deer carcass that looked like it was taken down by i think a yote(smaller deer) or it could of died from natural causes(i dout). but anyway sense im not a coyote hunting veteran at all(only do in the off season) what can i do to maybe lure them in another 50 yards or so. its really brushy hilly country. im shooting my 30-06 with 55 grain bullets with a johnny stewart preymaster call. i only use a quiver rabbit decoy but have a flambue yote decoy and a expidite fox decoy that i dont ever use. so should i try using the other decoys because i read that yotes are very territorial and will defend against other yotes very quickly. and they dont like fox either and will pursue if given the chance(so i read) any help would be appreciated. thanks

[Cody Gruchow]

 

[The General]

I'd give those decoys a try.  I have never personally used those, but if they get to 175 yards where I hunt it's a dead yote.  Do you ever get an opportunity at a shot?  I would think with the combination you are using 175yards should not be a problem.  One of the best calls I have ever used is one of those little kid squeaker toys.

[Cody Gruchow]

no theres very few open areas, more so just thickets, 175 yards isnt the problem, they always seem to be behind some brush

[The General]

You are right they are very territorial.  I would think with mating season happening right now or right around the corner your luck may improve.

[Cody Gruchow]

there mating season is in march right?

[HD]

Maybe it's your set-up....

Do you have the call by you, or by the rabbit?
The trails that they travel, are you in direct line with them?
What do you use to camoflage yourself?
Are you set-up in a hilly area?

I use a caller that has a remote, with the speaker placed by the decoy. That way the yote is looking at it, and not you.

If you are in direct line of the trail that they are using, odds are they will see you, before you see them. Especially in brushy areas, keeping them out of range.

Using the natural brush around you seems to work better than sitting in a blind. Take a step back and look at your spot...if you can easily pick it out yourself, imagine what a dog with better eyes than you can see.

If you are in a brushy hilly area, put your decoy down in a lower flat area. That way they have a better vantage point of the decoy. And if you set-up on a hill side, you have a better vantage point of them.


Course, I don't know what your hunting in...or where...
I could give you a better idea of what to do, if I knew what it looked like.

[Cody Gruchow]

i have the decoy away from me with the speaker right next to it., they just come which everyway they want, never had one come down the same trail. im ontop of a hill im in snow camo, break up. i dont know if they see me or not, but with my set-up my partner didnt see me right off so i must be doing something right about that, i also cover up with some brush on me. im always very queit coming in and leaving and never stay in one spot more than 20 minutes. i watch the wind and control my scent(like deer hunting).

maybe i should try sitting in my box stand it call out of that seen them enough when deer hunting

as for a picture im going out this weekend to mess around at the rifle range so ill take a few pictures from my vantage points that i like.

[HD]

How agressive are you with your calling?

Sometimes if ya over-do it, they will stay out of range too.
It works if there is nothing in site, but once they come a runn'in, you need to pull'er back some.
Especially later in the season.....

That's another point...
When they come in, are they running or trotting? Or, sneeking in?

If they are moving pretty good, it ussually means they haven't been pressured much and are comfortable getting an easy meal.
If they are just sneeking in, they may have been shot at once or twice already. This will hold them back as well.

Or....if there is plenty of grub around for them to eat, they may be just not interested and only coming in, just out of curiosity.

I can give ya a crap load of ideas why....
But like I said, I ain't there, and can only speculate on what they are doing.
Once you do it enough times (just like deer hunting) you can read the body language of the animal you are trying to harvest.

Does this help? Prolly not......   

[Cody Gruchow]

well i know the neighboring land a guys hunts them out there. they do just kind of sneak in. there also a little bigger than most coyotes ive seen so they are eatting really well. im starting to think its out of curiousity and im going to have to start taking the longer shots. im real aggressive about the calling until i see them then ill stop it for a minute and then start another 5 second session to bring attention to my decoy.

[HD]

Does your call have a mouse squeeker mode? (I can switch mine to like 8 different calls)

If they are coming in just out of curiosity....I would call hard till ya see them, then switch to the mouse squeeker. Also, having the fox decoy out at this point would prolly help, but I would place that, 20 to 30 yards away from your rabbit (facing it), and not in line with you, odds are, they will circle around and try to come from the back side of the fox decoy. (Trying to ambush it)
The problem with fox decoys (from my experience with them) is that if there is alot of brush, the yote will come in hard and attack and run away once it finds out it's fake. Making it hard to get a shot. In an open field, the yote will come in hard, hit the decoy, run 40-50 yards, stop, and look back wondering what the heck it was....then, you pop um....

Make sense?

[The General]

Cody,  I also noticed in one of your posts you said you are "on top of the hill".  They may be picking you out of the horizon. 

[Cody Gruchow]

theres brush ontop the hill, ill post a picture this weekend. then i lay in the snow and cover myself in brush for the most part

[GRIZ]

hunterdown Pretty much covered this. I agree useing the fox decoy but they would come in hard, which in brush may not work. Is there any kind of opening in the brush at all?

[Cody Gruchow]

yes its a valley thats about 80 yards if not a little wider. if i can get them to come out of the brush into the valley or on the edge atleast i can and will take the shot. otherwise no its very selective were i have a shooting lane in the brush.