TTG,.........welcome.
I use them both E-Caller & mouth blown, and yes, squirrel, rabbit, woodpecker, bluejay...even mouse and rat.
Perri and AJP,
I don't know if it's snow so much, as it is the cold that makes them more active. The snow just show's where they've been I guess.
Being cold makes them use up energy at a far faster rate, and they naturally have to eat more. You see a big difference between a healthy coyote, and one with mange, regarding this theory. The first coyote I nailed about 30 miles north of my place was manged badly and was out very early trying to find dinner.
Being sick, he didn't seem to care who knew it either.
Like hunting deer, mating season allows us hunters prime opportunity to nail these guys during daytime, as they get a little stupid looking for mates. Mating season is just starting up, and you'll see coyotes out during mid day walking straight across open fields.
I did last week, and my father in law watched one yesterday (calling me very excited).
One reason why distress calls seem useless during this time of year. I still start with them, as fox could respond (and are on the "to do" list), but I switch to coyote calls (mainly female, or higher pitched) shortly afterwards.
After switching to coyote calls, I'd think that the chances of fox coming in are nil (one reason why I start this way).
Although redundant sounding, the only logical thing, I believe, is to "think like a coyote" and you're chances of setting them up with the correct calls are better. Early on in the season, say Sept. thru October/November, using a distress call should work better for the most part, than the average bark & howl. Not saying that latter wouldn't work, but you've got young pups out of the den that are hungry (always) and stupid. More or less, easier pickin's.
Alot of the younger pups will react more like fox, than the adult coyotes. They're more apt to come shooting in to a meal, than to skirt the edges and watch, like an adult.
The only common ground that calls both fox & coyote are the distress calls...that's pretty much it. After that, using different calls for each seems pretty much the dividing point. Being a little different, I've used fox pup distress calls to call both, but it's still a distress call, and both have responded to it.
Where certain distress calls will work out west, they won't work well around here in the NE, even if the same prey animal lives in both areas. Case in point is one of those generic "wah-wah" rabbit calls. I spent my first few years messing with them made by various companies. I would get the occasional red fox to respond, but only when I actually heard a red tailed hawk nail a rabbit in the wild did I get the message. It sounded nothing like the calls I had. I then went for the predator calls that mimic'd that sound and red fox would then come blasting in.....night & day difference. I got a few coyotes to come to it as well. Not on a regular basis always, but more often.
Hunting the two (red's & coyotes) are similar on some calling points, but different on most, especially the way they respond. Coyotes out west respond more like our fox do around here....our coyotes (although not as well populated as out west) are very weary and slink in skirting the edges of woodlines and brush. I'm referring to the educated one's and not the young & dumb ones. They learn sneaky from experience, or mom & dad a little I guess.
I've watched coyotes come out on the edge of brush, and woodlines, and then just sit to some of my best call sequences, usually just out of comfortable range. It fry's me.....If I quit, they get bored and start to head back in, and then will sit back down in a new spot if I start up again.
Like I mentioned to Perri.....I start with the distress calls "moderately".....although at this time of year, it'll still work somewhat, in my opinion, it kind of pollutes the area a little if a mating call might've worked better, but who knows for sure ?.
No one's psychic, and we all try what "we think" will work, and I still try the distress call's first, just in case. I'll run them at low volume, but loud enough to cover the area I'm hunting. If you can hear "slapback" echoing off the trees 300-400yds away, it's covering just fine. It really doesn't take much.
When I switch to the calls that I really believe will work, I give it a period of time between the distress and the coyote calls to "purge", or allow the coyotes time to turn their attention to something else. Maybe 20-30 mins. or so.
AJP......coyotes will bust you more times than not, and thinking like them will give you an "edge up" over them. They see very well, and smell even better. Getting in an area that has an open downwind side will keep them from getting your scent as they usually won't cut out into the open very readily to wind you. I do this purposely everytime I hunt them. If they are afraid to show themselves in open fields, and the wind is in that direction, you're using their fear of open area's against them. I try to make it impossible for them to at least wind me.....I have more control over concealment for the most part.
Hey, good luck.....nuff' said.
Bob
