CALF DISTRESS FOR COYOTES. WHAT YA THINK?

I HUNT A LOT OF CATTLE COUNTRY, BUT IVE NEVER USED CALF DISTRESS. I THOUGHT ABOUT TRYING SOME CALF BAWLS OR CALF DISTRESS AND WAS CURIOUS IF ANYONE EVER TRIED A CALF DISTRESS TO CALL COYOTES BEFORE? IF SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT CALL.

THANKS,
JOSH
 


The only way you are going to find out is to try it. What works in one place might not work in another. It just might be the thing those coyotes have been waiting for. But be prepared for some pissed cows to come in also. I've had pissed range cows come in looking for something to stomp with just rabbit distress calls. Just last month near Wickenburg AZ I thought I was going to have to put a couple rounds in the dirt to get away from two cows.
 
I have a sequence that I made with Goldwave that is very effective. You do want to be careful where you use it though, and be sure to let the farmer know what you are doing. I like to set up with at least one fenced field separating me and the cattle. The cattle tend to come down into the corner where the fences meet, and raise all kinds of ruckus. First time I ever used this sound, I called in 5 coyotes and we got 3 of them.
 
Originally Posted By: AWS

The only way you are going to find out is to try it. What works in one place might not work in another. It just might be the thing those coyotes have been waiting for. But be prepared for some pissed cows to come in also. I've had pissed range cows come in looking for something to stomp with just rabbit distress calls. Just last month near Wickenburg AZ I thought I was going to have to put a couple rounds in the dirt to get away from two cows.

HOLY COW! (NO PUN INTENDED) LOL.....Ive seen a few made cows, but nothing I thought was a great danger...I had 1 bull i thought was going to charge me...he thought about it for several mins while he pawed the ground and stared me down for a few mins....Well, Ill prob try the calf call, but was just curious if anyone else has ever tried it.
 
I won't use calf distress on my ranches!! Cows get angry enough when I howl and and do my "coyote fight" sequence. Coyote growls really gets my cows going! It's as if they know that's the sound of coyotes fight/killing calves.

Be safe and CAUTIOUS when playing calf sounds.
 
Good to see you here Carlos! I too never used calf distress hunting ranches in Ca. I had plenty of them wanting to find the caller with just rabbit and Coyote sounds. Here in Nv I may try it however. So much open land and not so many cows. Good luck.
 

Last year I added some sounds to my Fury. Went out calling that night and had a coyote come in to investigate, but he didn't like something and started to leave. I hit my preset expecting Pup in distress, but instead got calf in distress much to my surprise. My heart sank thinking I had just screwed up by not realizing that by adding new sounds I had changed the sound assigned to the number associated to that preset. I was astonished when that coyote did an about face and came straight to the call.
 
I had a dog growing up that would be chasing jackrabbits and not paying attention to the cows and next thing I'd know I'd have a panicked dog running full tilt right at me for protection with a hundred cows in hot pursuit.
 
I learned a long time ago to NOT play calf in distress if I was anywhere near cattle.

I call in enough cattle just using distress sounds and coyote vocals.
 
Calf distress will pull in cows from a long ways off. They will be pretty wired up when they get there too.
 
Yuh my cows get spooked enough by the howls, I feel like all you will be pulling in is a herd of cows. Stick with anything else
 
Ive used it and yes cows will come into the call pretty quickly. Coyotes also & may be mixed up.
Like fawn distress, deer come to it as well as coyote.
 
I would never use my sequence in open country that has cattle. Most of the farms we hunt are divided a lot by fenced areas. Even in perfect setups, you do want the farmer to know what you are doing. It does work though if your goal is to kill coyotes that are in the habit of pestering cattle. You always have to weigh out the circumstances before using any sound.
 
In open country you may hear fences straining for 2 miles.
You may here gates opening and a diesel engine coming your way with a rancher wanting you to stay awhile.
 
I've had a couple of experiences playing young animal distress sounds.

The calf in distress is a simple story, started playing it and within minutes I could see a cloud of dust above the knoll and seconds later about twenty head of cattle almost appeared like a old cowboy movie stampede coming directly at me. Now I gotta say I was never afraid for my Saftey but I was abit nervous so I turned off the calf sound, let the upset (maybe curious?) heard calm down and started with another sound.

Another more memorable time I was out in the wide open country calling. It had been awhile so I was abit bored. I spotted a lone antelope off in the distance. So the thought came to play the antelope fawn in distress sound. I started the serenade and the doe started on a dead run, directly towards the sound. she closed the distance in a hurry. I thought it was going to be very cool to witness ( whatever took place) it all as it happened. As she started to get closer I sarted to get out my iPhone to shoot some footage. ( the call was out in front of me about 30 yards) I hit the mute button just before she got to the call. She kept running right at me and almost jumped over me. She ran around for a couple of minutes, concerned looking for what was making the sound. That's what it's all about for me is having experiences and building memories. It was fun, when I got back to my truck I enjoyed the footage even though It didn't turn out like I had hoped.
 
i had a similar experience using a fawn distress in the spring a few years ago. thinking any hungry yote within hearing would come charging my caller for an easy meal.

what i ended up with was a VERY freaked out doe charging out of the pines trying to figure out what in the heck my mojo critter was, and why it was making baby deer sounds.

i shut the call down after about a minute or so because i was worried she was gonna go try to stomp my caller/mojo. since i couldn't turn the mojo off from the stand, she still hung out for a good 5 minutes acting REEEEELY edgy. she kept approaching it but never got within 4 or 5 feet.


its good to know that distress call is realistic enough to fool a deer
laugh.gif
 
To make it plain.

Upsetting Livestock while calling, or with dogs causes stress. Stress costs on livestock costs $$$. Always a little, sometimes a lot.

Good way to become real unwelcome on private ground in a hurry. On public lands it is certainly inconsiderate, unethical and perhaps illegal.

I try to avoid it.
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleCKTo make it plain.

Upsetting Livestock while calling, or with dogs causes stress. Stress costs on livestock costs $$$. Always a little, sometimes a lot.

Good way to become real unwelcome on private ground in a hurry. On public lands it is certainly inconsiderate, unethical and perhaps illegal.

I try to avoid it. I understand "you" try and avoid the "call"...can you please offer more to the inconsiderate, the unethical and certainly the il-legality of using a calf distress call.....I'm asking, because I've never heard of this???
 
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