The use of varmint decoys like this quivering rabbit and full-bodied coyote can pull in those suspicious coyotes that stop 100 yards out, refusing to come closer. The power of decoys, properly placed, cannot be overstated. Place yours out in the open while you hide in nearby cover.
the man on top has little chance of be- ing winded by those radar-like noses coyotes always rely on. A third is being on stand early in the morning as soon as you get enough light and clarity through your rifle scope to make an accurate shot. This early schedule is, to me, the
most productive time of the day because coyotes are night hunters still out on the move at first light. Now you have fit perfectly into their timetable, and that ups the odds for success on a very smart predator, especially if he’s had a night on an empty stomach without having a meal.
CALLS
The best positioned stand has little hunting value if your calls are not heard over the greatest possible area. This could not be more apropos than in mountain hunting coyotes. Because of the nature of the land, its endless angles, side canyons and thick timber, you want a call with the biggest voice possible. To me that means using howler-type calls that do not mimic any predator in distress, but instead the high, howling notes of coyotes themselves calling to each other. These big barreled calls are invaluable instruments used as open- ers for the first four or five minutes of calling. The loud, high pitched howls they deliver can be heard farther away than standard predator distress calls, and after opening deliveries you can even use the same call as a distress call by reducing the volume of air you push through it. In other words, you have the
option of two calls in one. It’s a great matchup and a most powerful one to take advantage of.
When you do get a coyote to
answer your howler, immediately answer back, encouraging it to come closer. Coyotes are great talkers. They love to converse with one of their own tribe. It gives them the confidence that everything is OK. They’re joining others on a free meal. And keep answering as long as you get a response. Once I see a coyote, even at long range, I generally stop howling and switch to a smaller
call because hand movements working the bigger call might give me away. That’s to be avoided. Like all big game in mountain country, coyotes are not found in every canyon and creek bottom no matter how good they look. They are spread out over large areas and gener- ally on the move. You also will have to move to find them. Another bit of advice well worth
considering is to make your stands long ones, at 30 minutes if conditions warrant it. In the steep up and down of high country, a coyote can travel a long ways
The author looks over high country to choose a location where making the right stand can pay off. The first tinge of fall snow says the finest varmint hunting of the year is coming fast.
I like top country stands where I have a big view of all that lies below, often the confluence of two or more canyons. This way my calls reach out farther, cover more ground, and pull in more varmints.
www.varminthunter.org Page 105
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