[Dr. Bubba]

What do you do in an over called region

I was wondering what some of you do when you are in a situation where you know there are plenty of varmints living but most of your calling area has been "over called".

A friend of mine has found that a fox in distress call on his FoxPro has helped him call in a few when he suspects the area has been pressured by calling.

Other than let the area rest and/or go to a less called area which both maybe out of your hands...what techniques do you use or calls sounds?

Thanks,
DB

p.s. Man I am getting blind. I mistook that "thumbdown" as a graphic question mark! I see you have to go to the advanced editing though.

 

[Varmint Al]

A guy just posted this on my guestbook today.

"love your site i used your calls on 3 stands and using the chicken distress i've gotten 4 coyotes. the yotes here are so used to rabbit calls they wouldn't even lift their heads to look anymore but thanks to you i'm back in buisines. they really like a chicken dinner but get to meet my .243 and a fur streacher instead. thanks again for a good site."

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Sometimes other sounds work better. He was talinkg about my MP3 file of a chicken in distress. Howerer, one sound they hear all the time is other coyotes. I have had success with howling in over called areas.

 

[stevensondrive]

hey Al. do you have any cat in distress sounds? my uncle now has like 20+ barn cats that roam around. the coyotes are thick and would probably come running if they thought they could eat a bit of kitty cat! I made your El Cheapo, just waiting for my rifle to come in so I can take it out and try it.

Steve

 

[DAA]

DB, my take on that situation is really the one you asked not to hear. Over the years, I've gotten to the point that I deal with educated coyotes by simply going somewhere else and hoping to find less educated coyotes. Living where I do, and having easy access to virtually unlimited public land, that is a feasible option for me.

For many years though, I tried to tough it out and call the tough coyotes. Mostly because I just couldn't afford gas money to get far enough away to find dumb ones! The things I found most helpful in dealing with call shy coyotes when those were the only coyotes I had, were walking farther, calling less, sitting on stand longer, using more coyote vocalizations and less prey distress. The gist of if being, that I tried to approach from new directions and use new sounds (sparingly), and tried to excersize far more patience, hoping for a shot at the more cautious, late arriving coyotes. There were other, far more elaborate things I tried, some of which worked, and others that did not. Most of these more involved strategies were specialized for certain circumstances and would not work everywhere, or all the time. Some of the more elaborate schemes I came up with and tried turned out to be just plain hair-brained. But over all, I was fairly successful on those "tough" coyotes - compared to many other callers in the same areas, at least. But, not nearly as successful as I am these days, by simply driving on for greener pastures!

- DAA

 

[Dr. Bubba]

Hey Dave...

Yep that is why I was asking...for me alot of times I only have time and
access to over called areas or over hunted. So when I do get a chance to go then I would like to have ideas on raising the odds a bit. I do not have much chance to get out due to work and family mostly. Alot of the public land I drive by has alot of pressure on it and educated yotes.

If I had more time and other places then I would just let it rest and put pressure somewhere else.

Thanks for your thoughts on it. I had not thought about using new sounds sparingly that is good idea. Sitting tight and being patient has been on my mind more. I usually have little time so I am impatient and have called nothing that I knew I came in. And I am afraid that is just causing me to education more yotes or at the least overeducating them.

I like Al's thought on using a chicken in distress.

DB

 

[geotg]

Tough Situation

Easy access areas (aka Public Land) in my immediate area have been called very heavily and are pretty barren of vunerable coyotes. I have seen them run FROM most any call. That said, a lot of land owners in my area are sick of road hunters after deer and pheasants but will allow varmint hunting if they are asked. I have had fair success hunting some of theses farms especially at night(after 12:00 midnight). Be unobtrusive and use a light rifle (a 25/20 would be ideal if you know of someone who owns one)
Good Luck!
george

 

[Dr. Bubba]

HeHe...you would not be suggesting ,,,

I happen to know anyone who owns a 25/20 or two would ya?

Spotlighting would be a great way to go but in NM it is illegal. But in when I visit Texas I am hoping to do some spotlighting in the smaller places that have been hunted alot.

DB

 

[Varmint Al]

hey Al. do you have any cat in distress sounds? my uncle now has like 20+ barn cats that roam around. the coyotes are thick and would probably come running if they thought they could eat a bit of kitty cat! I made your El Cheapo, just waiting for my rifle to come in so I can take it out and try it.

Steve

I havent tried to create a cat in distress call. But using a diaphragm call, I should be able to make cat sounds. I will have to give it a try.

 

[Dr. Bubba]

Thx Al.

The chicken in distress sounds like a good one to have in case of these
situations.

I had heard that yotes sounds would be good for educated regions.

I sometimes forget to visit you site to see what is new. I will go over and
visit a spell.

DB

 

[Sniper Chuck]

Sometimes I try different howls or a Ki-Yi or two. The cat in distress on the Foxpro has worked along with some of the bird distress sounds, too. Once in a while using an oddball call that isn't popular with the local callers will work. Then, one time while a friend and I discussed his jammed up rifle for about twenty minutes a pair came in. We weren't talking in low tones either, maybe it was the harsh language!! Just something different is my suggestion.

 

[John in CA.]

If night hunting is out......

That really is the ticket, spotlighting in an area where they are pressured by day. But if illegal, try like others mention, unusual sounds. Chickens, kittens, deer, etc., all may work.

Also, mix up your presentation from the norm. Either just a few squeaks, then 25 mins of nothing, OR go to the most difficult spot to walk into and call from there. Call from the spots the "herd" doesnt think will work, or will be too difficult and time consuming to get in and out of. Plan on maybe making less stands, and more thorough ones. Think about seeking out areas of refuge, and work them from upwind. This is risky, of course, but you will be more apt to braven them up, if they can use their nose to see if the noise is for real or not.

In areas of heavy pressure, you may have to gamble more than you would like. But the alternative is driving the miles.

 

[Coyote Duster]

You might try bringing a dog with.

I haven't tried it myself but I have been told that when they see the dog they are less likely to look for you.

Also you could bait them into comming to a spot with a road killed deer or dead calf for bait. Let them find it and get used to eating there before trying to shoot one.

I have used road killed deer as bait, set out about 100 yards from the house and have shot them from the dining room after opening the sliding glass door.
You do have to be quiet opening the door.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

You have to be willing to try some really strange, or different sounds. You also have to keep in mind that the "pace", as I call it, of your calling can make as big a difference as the sound. Since most callers do WAY more calling than they should, try just making one short series of sounds and then stop....just wait. Don't do even one more thing. believe it or not, it works. I was out the last 3 days trying to call lions. I had good response from coyotes using a very coarse-toned call that mimics a wounded deer. Just one series on that, and I had coyotes coming in, and on one stand, tearing in. You have to be unconventional in your methods. The worst thing a caller can do is get in a "rut" with their methods. It's the main reason I believe electronic calls will never replace mouth-blown. Good hunting Dr. B!!!

 

[keithcandler]

Dr. bubba.......

While in Az I ran into some of the same thing. I was able to be quite successful by getting into the area with no sound of a motor vehicle, I rode a horse. Coyotes do not see a man on a horse, only the horse. In other areas, I walked quite a ways.

I also found that the bird tapes, Johnny Stewart wood Pecker, squeeling bird, and grey and red fox fight particularly effective in areas where humans over-traveled the area.

Several things will kill you in areas where the coyotes are weary of hunters:
your scent-they will for sure come in down wind-
talking or making noise inbetween stands
playing the call too loud
hunting with an idiot, in general will kill you yote calling success
Always use sardines(if it's legal) in over called areas-sardines defrag a
Yotes brain...you'll have to see it to believe it!

I made longer stands in over called areas. Often, an adult will send in a juvenile to check out the situation and you get to blast him or the Juvenile will loose patience and come in anyway.

I found that the use of howlers were particularly effective in over called areas, especially if used in conjunction with a mouth call. Electronic calls are not worth a hoot in situations like this because you have to be judge your howl on how the coyote is howling back at you. A second partner that can howl can make hunting coyotes particularly effective.

There are a series of cassette tapes that are put out by a guy by the name of Bill Austin. This guy was the king of all kings on howling for coyotes. I think that Randy Anderson now sells Bill Austin's tapes, they are worth every penny that he asks for them. I use the female invitation howl a lot in over called areas.

In over called areas, it is good thinking to hunt them hard in the last part of July, all of August and Sept when the pups are so dumb because by the end of deer season, they are all vetrans.

While you are thinging of all this to do, you should also think of finding other areas to hunt that are not over called, like DAA mentioned. What DAA did not mention is how far the Weatern hunter travels to get to good hunting spots. The Eastern hunter is programed to hunt very close to his home or not to travel too far. The Western hunter will think nothing of driving 4 hours minimum to get to good calling spots while the Eastern hunter would be floored at the prospect of having to drive so far....it's a cultural thing.

Good luck!

 

[Dr. Bubba]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the ideas and

thoughts. Much needed since I find that this situation is usually what I have
for now if I want to hunt. One day..more time will change that.

DB

 

[Dr. Bubba]

Hey Keith

playing the call too loud
hunting with an idiot, in general will kill you yote calling success
Always use sardines(if it's legal) in over called areas-sardines defrag a
Yotes brain...you'll have to see it to believe it!

While you are thinging of all this to do, you should also think of finding other areas to hunt that are not over called, like DAA mentioned. What DAA did not mention is how far the Weatern hunter travels to get to good hunting spots.

The Eastern hunter is programed to hunt very close to his home or not to travel too far. The Western hunter will think nothing of driving 4 hours minimum to get to good calling spots while the Eastern hunter would be floored at the prospect of having to drive so far....it's a cultural thing.

I had wondered if calling quieter would be better.

I am the idiot but I am alone usually.

Sardines are the number one go to for trapping but I do not trap here. And yes I can imagine their reaction since it works so well for bait scent for set traps.

Yes finding spots here in NM that are not overcalled takes alot more time and distance. Off the beaten path. But I usually do not have time to travel that far or find those spots. That is why I was asking for what to do for overcalled which is usually what presents itself most.


Honestly, there would be some prime spots up in the mountains here in the forests where in the winter they are closed to motorized things and one can hike in...snowshoeing mostly.I have wanted to try that sometime. Not alot of folks out there in the snow in the winter here.

Thanks for the thoughts.
DB

 

[jrose]

Quiet is the ticket

Have had success with very short & quiet calling. Just enough for them to notice but not peg you. Wait and repeat about 3-4 mins later, hoping for curiosity to do the trick. Jim

 

[John in CA.]

One other thing you may try DB.......

Todays weather just reminded me of this. Try calling in the snow, or rain. I know its tough, but Ive had good luck in adverse weather. They are smart, and know that the sounds are more likely to be real in poor weather.

Even the educated ones let their guard down some times, and take chances, when they are pretty sure humans are not as likely to be out.

Actually they may not be that smart. It is just that they have probably not encountered humans in rain, and snow, and their mind logs that info.