Your Opinions?

[Jordanskylery]

I was just hoping to get some thoughts from some predator hunters on here. 

Do any of you call on the westside or in areas where the woods are thicker?  Other than the open east side and the occasional clear cut most of the west side where I live is semi heavily forested.  Just wondering if it is a waste of time to call in these areas?  I know the animals are there just not sure its worth making a stand.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[rasbo]

yeah it works here at times

[wraithen]

Its not a waste of time... wait, my score is something like 16 stands and never saw anything bigger than a squirrel. I'll say it's a bit of a pain.

[Heredoggydoggy]

A good strategy is to set up just inside the edge of clearcuts and call them out of the brush.  Prey critters like clearcuts, and the predators know that it's a good place to find food.

[NW-GSP]

I have tried calling on the wet side with no luck. I usually just happen upon them. Almost got one at 5 feet once. Saw it running down a road and it whent into the brush so I walked to where I last saw it and it literally almost ran into me, I did not have a side arm on me but I did not feel like hip firing my 300 winmag haha

[rynokron]

It's alot harder, but not a waste of time. More bobcats in the thick stuff so I'm always hopeing I'll get lucky and call one up.

[saylean]

Not a waste of time, just a challenge. I live on the west side, so I am kind of forced to call over here, if I want to call with any regularity. Ya never know what you will get.

Keep at it.

[LastCat]

I was just hoping to get some thoughts from some predator hunters on here. 

Do any of you call on the westside or in areas where the woods are thicker?  Other than the open east side and the occasional clear cut most of the west side where I live is semi heavily forested.  Just wondering if it is a waste of time to call in these areas?  I know the animals are there just not sure its worth making a stand.

Thanks for your thoughts!

I live and hunt here on the Westside, near Mt St. Helens. Only been at it a few years, but have called in over 2 dozen, and knocked down about a dozen. It can be tough, there are many areas they can be in, and lots of food. I can share a few things that might help your success rate.

1) Being quiet. Going into an area, coyotes can hear your car stop. That gets them to hold up. So park at least a good 100 yards away if you can. Walking on gravel roads. I have been with people that sounded like a Freight Train. Quietly sneak in. I have been with other hunters too that carry chairs, bipods, binoculars, range finders, etc., never fails, they too make too much noise, things clanging and banging around. Coyotes have excellent hearing and know what sounds people make. Either they be hunters or just hikers. So try and not to sound like either going into your stand. Once a coyote knows you're in the area, it's game over.

2) Camo. Cover your face and hands. They can spot your hands moving and your face very easily. So camo up and get behind some kind of cover. Our usual range is 30 yards for calling them in. Stay still, don't be moving around. Also if with a buddy, no talking, use hand signals.

3) Locate. If you can (which I never do, lol) get out during the dark, and locate by howling, then by sun up, get into their area, and try calling. I know this part sounds funny, but it works and is great advice. But for me and my buddy, we like to just wing it. Give us some woods, and we'll just walk in and find a spot to setup. Works for us. We have had a few singles, doubles and a triple. What we have done is, just go out in the woods. Finding clearcuts. Then sneak in, setup on the outer edges, put the caller out front about 60 yards, and try. We might do this all day. Going from place to place. Sometimes we get action, sometimes not.

4) When you find a hot spot, where you finally call in a coyote, go back. Next day if you can. Some say wait a week, why? We have called coyotes in the same spot twice on the same day. Or, the next day go back, and call more in. Once you start calling them in, you will start gathering hot spots, or what some would say, "Honey Holes".

5) Weather. Never have luck with it's raining. We call them in around 8am mostly. Then again around noon, then about 3pm and again around 7pm. Doesn't matter to us as you can see, but the best time I would suggest is first light. They have been up all night hunting and about ready to bed down.

Hope this helps.
Lastcat

[Jordanskylery]

Thanks to everyone who gave feedback.  I am going out this weekend and will give heed all the advice.  I'll keep you posted with positive or negative results!!! 

Lets hope for a few downed dogs.

[KenPCPilot]

You are in luck I also love predator hunting.  I have not had great luck on the westside but know a couple areas.  Most of my predator hunting is in the off season in eastern washington.  It is a blast.  When he get together we can talk song dog hunting.   The Washington State Predator Hunting Association is a good group of guys and the association is growing all the time.  Some fun coyote hunting contests in the late winter.  On the west side a shotgun with Coyote Hevi-shot almost works the best.  too often over here you get coyotes talking to you but never get a chance to see them.  still well worth going predator hunting it has helped me be better at monitoring wind direction and concealment. 

[LastCat]

  too often over here you get coyotes talking to you but never get a chance to see them.  still well worth going predator hunting

Isn't that the truth.

Lastcat