I'm thinking of getting started with coyotes..

[Tyler_and_Henry]

So I've never hunted coyotes or raccoons. I'd like to get started but I'm not sure which calls to use. I'm thinking that would be the way to go here. There's plenty of both here. I had the biggest raccoon in my trash the other day. I would have never saw except my GSP smelled him and started going nuts. We went out to see what he was so excited about. He pinned him in a corner, but we're in town so no shooting. That thing was as big as my dog.
Anyway favorite calls anyone?

[HuntingFanatic]

My favorites are the ones that dont scare the yotes away! Sorry....not much help here!

[raekmike]

I'm right there with ya!
Great thread to start.
I've only hunted deer but really want to learn coyotes, ducks, bears, elk, and basically anything else that gets me out in the woods.
no one in my family hunted when i was a kid, so i had to self teach with trial and error. One deer in 4 years of hunting. Can't complain cause i love getting out with success or not. When i'm bored i often find myself just driving around and scouting in the woods at all times of the year.
So i'm gonna lurk on yer thread and take advice from these guys as well.
These guys know their stuff.....

[Big10gauge]

You're in a great area for hunting coyotes, If you've never called before I would start with a closed reed call, They will come in using the rabbit distress this time of year. Just remember it's not just the calling but the set-up that brings success.

[demontang]

Biggest thing is taking time to learn how to set up I've called coyotes in when I thought I was screwing up.

[ivarhusa]

Big10, a novice coyote hunter is not going to 'remember' about the setup. I suggest he look through some of the other threads that are aimed at novices (some that helped me!) for help with what makes for a good setup.  He'd do well to look up Jerry Malbeck's posts, for starters.  

Critical in the set up (my opinion) are details surrounding getting into a useful shooting position (a place with a view) in such a way as to make your presence known to as few coyotes within earshot as possible.  Many possible tips could be offered. When I complained about crunchy snow, recently, Jerry suggested driving a road the day before the hunt, to crush down the snow, enabling a stealthier approach.  Such techniques take time and planning, of course.  Feel free to suggest others!

[Heredoggydoggy]

You, or I should say your dog, lucked out.  A racoon can tear up a dog real good, especially when cornered.  If you have a .22 rifle, get some sub-sonic CB shorts.  They don't make even as much noise as my pellet gun, and the heavier bullet is more lethal thn a .177 pellet.  Raccoons usually travel in groups an can be much more agressive.  Also can carry rabies and distemper.  Best to get rid of them.

[Kain]

Lots of articles, webcasts, videos, and forums to look through.  Here is a thread where there is a large collection of info.  Watch, listen, read as much as you can and then find what works for you.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,59067.0.html

[Big10gauge]

Big10, a novice coyote hunter is not going to 'remember' about the setup.

Ivar, Figure of speech, When he is out there ready to call to remember that where he sets up is just as critical if not more so than the call used.

[CAMPMEAT]

Get away from your vehicle. Park it around the corner or over the hill from where you'd start to call. Coyotes are very smart and if they see something that doesn't look right, well, you might not see them or get a chance to blast one. I've got a question for you. Who owns the land west of Grand Coulee up near hwy 17 ? That looks like prime coyote country. PM me if you want.

Campmeat

[GWP]

Do NOT slam your door when you get out if you are doing Yotes. Try and set up where they can't get behind you, as they will try and circle to smell what is making the noise, but not always. If you can take some of the cooners you get and drop them off in a good baiting spot so much the better, but try and sneak into your shooting spot BEFORE daylight. We did that in Montana for years and we would always get two shots off before they bolted. First shot they did not know where it came from and were looking. Second gave us away. As far as calling, I loaned a screaming rabbit cassette tape to my father in law who used a crappy old tape player on his back porch to play it. They came right in. .223 with Nosler BT took one out. Loaning him my Hornet TC to get another this weekend. Love that Hornet!

[Bofire]

 :)Coyotes are impossible to hunt and there are almost none anywhere and they are all girls and endangered and they will kill you and eat you and all coyote callers are crazy and I suggest you call yer mother or something. If you choose to pursue this get on the pre paid Psycho-atrist plan or you'll end up like Malbeck. or worse.
I started out innocent as could be, then killed some yotes, now I am an addict, run, run, run while you can.
or get a second job.
at least 4 weeks of dedicated vacation time to coyotes every year. aaaaaarrrrgghhh! I am gonna retire next year full time yote hunting? I wonder where my wife will live?
stop now while you can
Carl

[Jerry malbeck]

  :chuckle:OH MY GOD , thanks Carl have not laughed that hard in a long time . BUT Its the trute   

[btlsoom]

Yes, it is true.  It is addicting.  I do not know where you are but if you can make it to Cabela's in Lacey on January 8th, the WWPHA is having a meeting with a speaker which will be covering a lot of info for the new hunter.  Make it if you can, it will be worth it.

Randy

[Jerry malbeck]

The approach to your calling site and the setup ARE the most important issues when calling predators , learn to do it right and you will have success, there is really no way to describe how to do it , you have to learn it from a experienced caller . throughout the year it is very important to know what sounds to use as by now most coyotes have heard the dying bunny blues a million times . This late in the season its not uncommon to set down ,blow on a call and see a coyote hauling ars in the opposite direction . its important to have a arsenal of sounds At your disposal ,and to use your sounds sparingly thought the year or you will see a drop in animals called in later in the season . The best tip i can give you @ this point is when on stand sit like a statue , do not move any part of your body , if you have to move your head do it like a second hand on a watch , very slowly , try to use just your eyes if possible.elevation is important , you need a full view of your killing field . wind in your face or right to left or left to right
( cross wind), never at your back when your beginning. If using a mouth blown call make a short series of soft and quiet distress for about 30 to 45 seconds then shut up and be still , if nothing shows in 5 minutes do IT again only a Lil louder. Stay on your stand for 30 minutes and dont move . always look around before leaving a set . DONT GIVE UP , it will happen . your starting at a difficult of year .  

[ivarhusa]

I don't know that it helps, but when you don't see a coyote come in to your call it doesn't mean they weren't there. You might be inclined to give up on an area because you aren't seeing coyotes coming in, but take heart. On my very first trip out for coyotes, we'd heard them in the distance, and I never saw one come in, but as we went back to our rig, we saw fresh tracks where they had come in down wind of us. When they got our wind, they boogied.  That is going to happen.

If you are seeing scat in an area, you aren't totally wasting your time (in my view).

It also takes time to develop an eye for seing the critters. I recently glassed a hillside before leaving a stand, and saw a coyote walking away from me at 500 yds.  How much closer was he earlier?  I don't know, but I sure didn't see him.  It takes seeing a few before you will see "more".

I must confess to have sat on a lot of 'dry stands'.  Be patient.  As Jerry signature line sez "its the hunt not the kill". Enjoy the battle.

[GWP]

Boy! That 'ain't no lie about not seeing them when they are there.  These guys are the MASTERS of stealth. I always wonder what has seen me without me seeing it when I go into the woods. LOTS! 

[btlsoom]

Being from Southern Cal where we hunted yotes in the upper deserts among small junipers and sage.  The view from the slightly elevated stands was usually quite large.  As a general rule, we were able to see "most" of the critters that come in and see them from a long way away.  When I came to the great northwest, I have had to learn all new methods of calling and stands, which I am still learning.  I can vouch for not seeing them even if they are real close here.  I do not see them more than see them it seems like.  Since I am on the wet side, it is like hunting by the Amazon river.  I have found it better to hunt the edges of the clear cuts where you can optimize your viewing area and the scrap wood piles act as a good backdrop for the stand as you can usually get into them a ways to gain height.  Although I have founds that yotes living in close proximity to us humans are not quite as cautious of scent, if at all possible, watch the wind... keep it in your face.  Also, I try to keep the majority of the clear cut to the down wind side as it seems that they will always try to circle down wind to smell what is making all the racket.   Stay camo'ed up, sit still and let the call do its magic... 

[jgregg]

I'm in the same ballpark. We do lots of bird hunting but I started big game this year and got a deer. I'm 19 years old and basically just learning as I go. This last month I'v been researching predator hunting. I went to public pheasant land and checked out some areas around small lakes and along the Colombia. Found lots of tracks. Just to my luck it snowed the other day  so I decided to go out and try to follow these tracks to see where the 'yotes are at. I tracked 4 seperate trails and found 4 dens. I then tracked one into a thicket of sagebrush. Flushed a pheasant and shot it, then walked around the thicket to retrieve it and a coyote runs out 15 yards away from me! I had #5's for my first shell in my Remington 1100 12 guage, followed by BB shot in case a coyote came along. I led him, pulled the trigger, and he cartwheeled 5 feet before coming to a rest  First coyote! I was a little bummed I didn't call him in or anything but nevertheless it was cool to get my first predator kill. Been watching lots of calling videos/tutorials and am going to try to work on my calling this next week. Picture updates will hopefully follow     If there are any coyote callers in the Tri Cities area, i'd love to learn from someone who's done it before though! 

[tlbradford]

Good job on the coyote.  You can learn a ton by backtracking or following tracks.  Coyotes won't dig dens until early spring.  Hopefully, you found where they are staying during the day though.