Hey everyone, new here to the forums and figured I would post about my experience coyote huntin today.
Now, I just recently moved from Pennsylvania to Oklahoma (talk about going back in time) and could be typically found dove hunting, bow hunting, fly fishing etc. But when I came down to OK, I noticed the streams don't run as fast, dear lord is it flat, and hoooooly crap is it hot down here.
I purchased a new home that was on a 40 acre plot of land about 10 miles outside the city limits. The closest neighbor is just a short drive away. The nice thing is I can shoot as much as I want and no one complains, regardless of the time of day.
Now, I tell you all this for a few reasons. The first night, and everynight since I have seen/heard coyote in the lower portion of my property (mostly fields with a few sparse trees/shrubs). Being as there isn't a whole lot going on in Oklahoma, and I desperatley needed to find something to do.
So I went on the Oklahoma fish and game website, reviewed the seasons and noticed that Coyotes are good to go all year round. So here I am with the land, the tools, and now the target.... I think I have an idea.
After shooting up to bass pro shops to pick up a predator call to imitate rabbits and a coyote howler, I noticed the Jimmy Stewart digital caller. I just ended up buying all three in case I was terrible and pretending to be a rodent in distress.
I read a bunch of stuff online such as how to's tricks of the trade, and ultimatley thats what lead me to this forum. I wasn't new to hunting, but I was new to coyote hunting and have never been one to think i know it all. (Wikipedia and Google are my friends).
So early this afternoon, I head out to the first little cluster of trees with the wind in my face. Being I could never get my distress calls to sound like the pro's I opted to use the Digital caller (I did bring the hand callers with me though).
30 minutes at this spot and nothing. Move to another spot (75 yards away about) rinsed and repeated, yet nothing. It was a little annoying at this point, since I see these things every afternoon down here, yet now they are nowhere to be found. (Happens a lot with deer in PA too. All year they will be eating your flowers in the front yard, but when deer season hits they are on vacation in the Bahamas or something)
I get to the last viable spot in the property, a little hill that is in the corner of the yard, couple of drees, and perfect waist high grass to get into and hide. This is where it gets interesting. Using that digital caller for about 30 minutes, I finally see a Coyote at about 100 yards come up out of a little wash in the pasture next to my property. At this point, he loots my direction and then does something I didn't want him to do... nothing. he literally just stayed there for another 30 minutes just milling about, messing with his paws, and at one point layed down to take a nap. Totally ignoring the caller the entire time. I used everything I could think of to get his attention; none of it worked.
I just watching him at almost exactly 100 yards up the fence along my property, about 30 yards into the adjacent field. (Some of you are wondering why I wouldn't shoot at that distance, but I have not met that particular property owner yet and I am not trying to give hunters a bad name and more importantly, I want him to say yes when I properly ask him to hunt over there) I stopped, rolled over on my back, had a smoke and thought about what I could do.
I decided move around to his side on my side of the fence. I grabbed my hand caller, just for shits and giggles since I wasn't going to drag the digi-caller over there. I moved around some bushes along the fence and he was no longer there. (go figure) I walk about 15 yards up the fence, no cover at all, fully upright, and now feel defeated. Scanning the neighbors field for about 5 minutes. I see him, walking (slowly) about 50 yards further then where he had been at the last sighting the only issue was when I looked through my scope he was facing sideways, so if i moved to the trees I was sure he was going to see a lot of movement from my direction. So I just decided to go prone, literally 4 yards from the fence. I pulled out the predator caller and made my best dying rabbit impression. To my suprise (something for which I was totally unprepared for) this little guy started BOOKING it in my direction. Now, I have no room to shoot if he breaks through the fence in front of me, so before he does I turn sideways parallel to the fence. I have a 50-50 shot as to which side of me he is gonna come through, and even then he can't "not" see me as I am laying in the middle of a moved field. (grass was about 6")
Then it happened, I saw his head pop through the taller grass about 15 yards in frot of me and stop, propably to listen for more squealing. I did that kissy mouth noise I heard so much on youtube at which point he bounded into the field, and stopped about 5 yards and looked left, dead at me. He had about enough time to think "oh fu.." and that was all she wrote.
I literally put almost 2 hours into this coyote, and apologize for the long write up for something many of you guys find commonplace. I am used to getting up at the ass crack of dawn to sit in a tree as quiet as humanly possible, or sitting on a bucket nailing dove in a cornfield. The digital caller (so far it seems, was a waste of $100 bucks since my personal call immediatley brought him in). But the satisfaction, and ability to bring the quarry literally in your face was a rush.
I know there are a ton more Coyote in the area, but with all the commotion i caused while after this one (He was taunting me i swear) They all probably headed for the hills.
If you actually read this whole thing, and have any Coyote tips of your own please share them. I plan on doing it often. Also, If your in Southern Oklahoma send me a PM, I need some hunting buddies.
I read the whole thing and it appears you've learned a great deal today. Just stay at it and hone your skills and you'll get better.
I got to ask you something and it is...Did you check to see if you got chiggers, red bugs, seed ticks and ticks on you. Laying around in the grass ?
If you didn't LMAO !!!! Your gonna be sorry !!! LOL
lol, yeah I did. I learned that shortly after I got here. I set up a 5 station sporting clays course around my pond and everytime I went down I was collecting ticks and the like.
As hot as it was I was in full camo, boots bloused and all that(been to Iraq a few times I have learned to put up with heat). After getting here though, you are most deffinatley correct I gotta check myself, even after mowing the damn lawn around these parts.
Hang that dead dog up in the fence and hunt over that carcus for the next week . Yoties will eat each other with out a second thought dead is dead to a yotie . Also hunting over deer intestines is a good shoot . Sorry if thats to graphic for some but thats how its done .
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Given half a chance people will do half of what you expect from them .
lol, yeah I did. I learned that shortly after I got here. I set up a 5 station sporting clays course around my pond and everytime I went down I was collecting ticks and the like.
As hot as it was I was in full camo, boots bloused and all that(been to Iraq a few times I have learned to put up with heat). After getting here though, you are most deffinatley correct I gotta check myself, even after mowing the damn lawn around these parts.
You sir need to buy some guinee(SP?) fowl they are tick eating machines each adult bird will eat 3 lbs of ticks a day . I live in the middle of a clover feild in kansas and since I bought my birds we don't get ticks anymore we go out side in bare feet (no sand burrs up here ) and rarely even get chiggers . They are the best pestacide god ever invented .
Not to mention they are great watch dogs mine sleep in the trees but you can built them a perch or they will sleep in old barns or the roof if you don't mind the poop . You can order them from any chicken hatchery sent right to your house live . Just have an old wash tube ready with some hay and keep them in it 6 to 8 weeks . They eat the same chick starter that every bird eats its real easy and the rewards of no bugs is awesome. You will know when they are ready they will tell you .
Now with the yoties in the mix You will want to keep them locked up at night untell they can fly . You are going to loose a few to the coyotes thats just nature but putting one in a live trap or cage brings about more nature when you want to hunt Set that bird in some tall grass and get a seat to some of the best hunting you will ever do. We use calls in the fall when the air is moving easy on early morning hunts . But thats about it birds are the best bait ever IMHO. Ill stop now I could talk about yotie huntin for the bandwidth limit I think .
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Given half a chance people will do half of what you expect from them .
I have 2 german shephards and an english fox hound. It will be fun teaching them not to eat the birds. The fox hound will be alright, he was originally my fathers and he broke him of chasing any game other then fox, he will literally sit there as deer walk by.
Just sitting a bird in a cage in the middle of a field? Do the birds make noise? how will the yote know it is there? I had heard of people tying chickens to a string but chickens are noisy little bastards.
Congrats & welcome to the world of coyote hunting!
You dont need them expensive electric calls, return that thing and invest it into more camo, cover scents, ammo and some squeaker & mouth calls!
Great first yote hunting story always like to hear about folks hunting experiences!
Sounds like you are on the right track! If ya' got any questions just ask there is a bunch of us dirty dog hunters around this place!
Oh and welcome to gun and game!
__________________ Most of my life I've spent hunting,... the rest of it I've just wasted
You can use your neighbors little dog or cat for bait.A chicken works if you know where to steal one.Be careful about the chicken,birdshot/rock salt hurts.Be sure it is legal to use live baits.A live trap works good to hold them.If you do a good job of shooting,you can use live bait several times,unless you get hungry.It makes little difference what live bait you use,yotes think everything squeals and cries.This is strictly illegal in Mich.where I use it.So is the .22Hornet I use after dark. ,,,sam.
And you might want to consider waiting a little longer than 30 minutes. I've set up on a field and wasted an hour or so calling, then had a bunch come in one after the other.
__________________ Marlin & Calico Specialist
I'm not just Trigger Happy, I'm Trigger Ecstatic!!
I agree yard birds will get the ticks LOL And if you get game chikens the dogs will learn real quick to leave them alone...I know....A.H
Ain't nothin like a mature cock pheasant going postal on a young pups face to teach him who gets the respect . Makes a dam good huntin dog though . I think it makes them more ruthless killers . Works good for cur dog pups also .
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Given half a chance people will do half of what you expect from them .
You can also get roadkill permits from a sherif, and use road kill deer. Works good for me or if there are any loacal farmers ask them to save any still born calfs. they work real well
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I'm a farm boy who definitely isn't afraid of hard work!
If its worth doing, its worth doing right!
Fantas....Great Story you posted! Thanks for making me late for church.
PS....Welcome to gunandgame.com. There's a lot of members here from your state. I would be interested in reading how you were lucky enough to end up with the acreage in the country you've described. Unfortunately, my wife thinks she must have all the city perks closeby...so I'm most likely staying where I live now, in a suburban city near Kansas City, MO. But...to own and be able to use forty to hunt and fish on would be a dream come true.
