king' s outdoor world - Index

king' s outdoor world - Hunting Illustrated - October/November 2007 - Index

and raven sounds. After two more
sequences I spotted a coyote coming
our way from yet another direction. I
whispered to Steve and told him to get
ready. Now, 45 minutes into calling, a
fourth coyote crested the ridge below
us at 70 yards only showing us his
head and chest. That was all Steve
needed as his bullet ripped through
the air connecting with a solid chest
punch! The third coyote was down.
This is the kind of hunting
that we all live for. The feelings and
experiences we gain are worth the
wait. You have to stay put and keep
calling in areas that might produce
multiple dogs. I have found that
gunshots, vehicle traffic and other
noises coyotes might hear do not
always affect coyotes in a negative
way. Because coyotes trust their
sense of smell more than anything
else, they will often continue to
investigate after a shot is fired.
Remember; don't be in such a hurry
to get to the next stand that you
miss a second opportunity. Unless
a coyote sees you or smells you, you
are still in the ballgame after the first,
second or even third shot. I realize
this is not always the case, but when
it feels good, keep on calling. There
are some good arguments to continue
the call. When coyotes are hunting
they are always on the move. A new
coyote might move into your calling
radius and decide to respond. The
wind might slow or change direction
(above) Steve with his awesome triple. (below)
Scott and Ron Talbot after a successful stand
and your call might be able to reach areas
that you didn't previously hit. Calling
large flats and basins that cover a larger
area are good places to keep on calling.
On many occasions we have picked up
additional coyotes by continuing to call
after the first kill, so don't always be in a
hurry to move on to your next stand.
Living in the West and hunting
coyotes on the desert brings up one
common problem - wind! I have often
heard people say to stay home when the
wind is blowing. I say, "Not so.? You
can call coyotes in the wind, but you may
need to adjust your tactics. Coyotes don't
like to stand out in a twenty mile an hour
gale any more than you do. They will
head for cover where the conditions are
more favorable. When the wind blows
at home, I've noticed that my German
shorthaired pointers head for their
5PREDATORS5
doghouse. Coyotes will also head for
cover, but can easily be coaxed out,
just as my dogs would if I threw a Tbone
steak over the fence. They are
opportunistic animals! Coyotes don't
care if the wind is blowing if they can
get an easy meal. In most situations,
you had better be alert when you
start calling in the wind because
the coyote will likely be close if it
responds. Wind can be inconvenient,
but don't let it ruin a day in the field
calling predators. Some of us have
limited opportunities to hunt, so if
you happen to have a free day, take
the chance. Change up your tactics
and call small draws and hilly terrain
that give protection from the wind.
Move only a short distance and call
again. Make your stands shorter and
cover smaller areas. This can save
the day if you have to deal with the
wind. Don't worry, the coyotes can
hear you. Remember that dogs have
excellent hearing, over twice the
range of frequency that humans have.
Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz),
or the number of sound wave cycles
per second. Coyotes have erect ears
that are run by eighteen or more
muscles. A coyote can tilt, raise, and
move its ears to improve its hearing.
A coyote can hear even better than
our floppy-eared hunting dogs.
In summary, as you prepare
to go hunting this fall and pursue the
Wiley Song Dog, consider the tactics
discussed in this article. Don't be
afraid to keep calling after the first,
second or even third shot. Learn to
read the situation and experience
"Living the Dream? for yourself.
You can see Steve's amazing triple
unfold along with many other
exciting hunts on
Ron's new DVD,
Varmint Control
Officer, Coyotes
Vol. 1. The DVD
contains over
75 kills with 2½
hours of intense
coyote calling
without all the
filler pg.88
October/November 33