Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    
    I never have called, but Fur-Fish-Game magazine has a regular column 
    on calling.  This months (Ruf. Grouse on cover)article has many tips that 
    you might find helpful
    
                   

    
    Thanks!! I'll pick up a copy.
    
    Any other tips out there?
    
    Rick
    

    Calling the Eastern Coyote?
    
    Dial 1-800-IM-WILEY.
    
    Mark.

    
    
    I seen a program once where they were using a screaming rabbit call.
    Did you ever hear a rabbit getting attacked by a cat?? Well thats
    the sound! The coyotes came a running in. Isn't the season late in
    the year?? We went out a few times last year where I have seen
    coyote's but wasn't able to bag one.
    
    Wildman

    I saw an article in last years Petersen's anuall hunting magazine. In
    there they had an article about hunting coyotes and they were using a
    fawn decoy out in the middle of a field and a fawn in distress call. It
    seemed to work for them. 
    							bret	

    
    
      Well,  a couple years ago I decided to give coyote hunting a try.  I
    knew that there were some in the area and thought that it might be fun
    to try calling one in.  So one day on my way out to my fathers place I
    stopped off at a small sporting goods store and bought a 2 reed rabbit
    in distress call.
    
       When I got to my dad's I decided to try out the call and in order to
    keep his dogs from howling and barking I decided to hike down back a
    ways.  Oh ya, I borrowed a .22 single shot rifle with a scope and a
    hand full of shells in case I saw a rabbit.
    
       I hiked down the old power line trail, the poles were removed years
    ago, until I got to a spot that overlooked a pretty little brook and an
    old grown-up cow pasture beyond.  Then I kicked the snow, (we had about
    2.5 feet at the time), away from the base of a nice pine tree and sat
    down to open the call box.  In the box I found a small set of
    instructions describing the procedure required for calling coyotes. 
    I read the first part then put it down and blew the first series as the
    instructions described, waited a few seconds then blew a second series. 
    Then I read the final part and after a few minutes I blew the the next
    set.  This set being much softer than the first
    
       When I finished blowing the last series I started looking around
    and, not seeing anything, was about to pick up the instructions again. 
    That's when I heard a very small "crack".  I looked up to see a large
    coyote trot out of the woods across the trail, coming right at me and
    looking me right in the face.  
    
       Well the little .22 rifle was propped against the tree and I was
    wearing a black sweater, not the best camoflage against a snow
    background.  I knew if I moved at all the coyote would see me and be
    gone before I could reach the rifle so I sat motionless still clutching
    the call in both hands.
      
       The coyote approached to about 20 yards then stopped when it got to
    a fence that runs about a half mile square from the dairy farm beside
    my fathers place.  Only about half of the pasture is field the rest is
    heavily wooded and a place I hunt often for grouse and deer.
    
       The coyote stood motionless and I swear it was looking right into my
    eyes.  Then it turned to it's right and started trotting along the
    barbed wire fence that is almost completely overgrown with the
    low-growing juniper bushes.  "This is my chance" I thought as the
    beautiful grey white and black animal drifted in and out of sight
    behind the brush.  I dropped the call in the snow and grabbed the
    rifle.  I knew I had to hurry because about 25 yards down the fence is
    a ledge that drops 5 feet straight down then slopes down hard for 100
    yards and I knew if it got over the edge I'd loose it.
    
       I pulled the little bolt rifle up, swung with the grey fur ghosting
    through the the bushes and when I got a clear view of some fur in the
    scope beyond the cross hairs I squeezed the trigger.
    
      At the report there was a tremendous explosion of snow and branches
    as the coyote went from it's trot to full speed absoutely instantly.  
    Then every thing was quiet.  I gathered up the call, the instructions
    and the little .22, which I reloaded with 1 more cartridge.  Then I
    went out to the trail and followed it down toward the ledge  because I
    knew that it was the easiest place to cross the fence since the
    junipers couldn't grow on the bare rock of the ledge.
    
      When I got to the ledge I found 2 sets of coyote tracks that crossed
    under the fence on the ledge.  Thats when every thing fell into place. 
    A pair of coyotes had come through here just minutes before I arrived,
    crossed the fence at the easiest place, and were following the ridge
    when I called.  Thats when 1 of them turned around and came straight to
    the call until it hit the fence, then, (I believe) turned to cross the
    fence at the same place it had a few minutes before.  I probably could
    have waited until it crossed the fence and would have had a clearer
    shot.  I followed the tracks later, thats how I know that only 1 came
    to the call and that it came straight to me.
    
      After crossing the rickety old fence and reaching carefully back
    through the rusty old barbs to retrieve the rifle I went to the spot
    where the coyote disappeared.  The trackes were just large craters in
    the deep powdery snow for the first 50 yards then they became
    individual footsteps again.  After 150 yds. the coyote was joined by
    the second one.  Something I would have preferred not to have happened.
    
      The 2 continued together through the thickest brush, across the small
    brook, on into the large overgrown pasture beyond.  About 100 yds. into
    the pasture I found a spot where the coyotes stopped and the wounded
    one put it's front feet up on a stump to look back along it's tracks. 
    Looking for me no doubt.  It saw me to I'll bet because when the 2 left
    this spot they were moving fast and even dropped off a ledge 10 feet
    straight down.  From here they went into a spot about 40 yards square
    that was so thick that I could only see about 10'.
    
       Not wanting to charge into such a place after a wounded coyote I
    decided to circle the area to see if they came out.  About 3/4 around
    the thicket 1 set of tracks did.  I continued around until I got to the
    spot where they dropped off the cliff and looked along the tracks into
    the thicket.  There lying motionless was the wounded coyote.  I
    finished it off and started the long hike home.
    
    
    Sorry this was so long but I felt that the story had some good info in
    it.  Like calling where there ARE coyotes works, it's probably better
    to use something bigger than a .22, (I actually hit it in an OK spot a
    little far back but angleing forward into the off side lung.), and read
    the little paper that comes in the call box. 8-)
    
    Chuck

 What do you do with a coyote when you get one? You don't eat 'em, do ya?
Do you just skin 'em or what?

    
    
      I forgot to mention that The long story previously entered was in
    Maine.
    
    RE: -1  Nope don't eat um.  But I had the pelt tanned.  It was a
            Beautiful large female..  
      One of the main reasons for my hunting them is that they have been eating
    new born calves belonging to the neighbors dairy farm.  The year I took 
    this coyote the dairy farm had lost 9 calves.  It is believed by some that 
    the sounds made by cows giving birth work well to call in coyotes.
    
      Chuck

    
    	Does anyone know who in the C.Mass. area has a good selection
    	of predator calls?  I don't hunt them, but have some fox behind
    	the house, and saw a pair of big coyot-is looking animals about 6
    	mo. ago.  Would like to try and call them some day.
    
    
    	Thanks
    	Chuck
    

     My father (a biochemist for FWS) through research, found
    out that fermented egg was one of the best coyote attractants.
    He concocted a synthetic fermented egg scent. It was extremely
    potent stuff. I would dip the tip of a blade of grass in the vile
    , place it in a bush, and my dogs would go nuts trying to find
    out what smelled so good (to them only). Seems you could still
    smell it through a glass vile sealed in several plastic bags.
    My dad cleared out the building he worked in one day as he was
    making a batch. Seems the exhaust fan took the smell away from
    his area and the wind carried it to the intakes of the building's
    air handling. 
      Anyway try letting a few eggs ferment and break open on selected
    areas. Some reports from the feild tests also said that those 
    electronic christmas tree ornament 'balls' that chirp like a bird
    (popular a decade ago, don't know if you can still buy them), worked
    great to bring them from afar to be in range of the scent. Hope this
    helps. I had a coyote hunting friend try some of the synthetic egg
    scent and had very excellent results.
    
    chuck

     Rich,
    
      I think you'll have a hard time getting a nuisance permit for
    cats.  I believe it has to be for livestock.  Also they will want
    _proof_ that the coyotes are doing the damage.
    
    Jeff
    
     (Personnally I'd give them a medal, only kidding)

>    It seem the local coyote population has taken to eating the 
>    neighborhood cats (5 are missing in the last 3 months).

So what's the problem?  ;^)

Scott

     I,ve been hunting coyotes in this state (Ma.)and trapping them as long
    as it has been legal,and longer in other states.I am licensed and do
    nuisance wildlife control.Coyote,deer bear problems are handled by the
    state.Occasionally I get called for an assist.I hunt both with hounds 
    and calling/howling my favorite sport.Howling I generally use as an
    early morning Prelight locator and return later using any number of
    calls,I have quite a few.I prefer the open reed type to the tube,but
    have good luck with both.When using the tube I use it backwards
    sucking air in rather than blowing,less ice-ups better effect.
     House cats are a favorite meal for coyotes.I work on a friends farm
    and we loose 30 or so every year.Last fall the mail man was bringing
    in the mail through the attached woodshed and a coyote was making his
    exit with a kitten at the same time,kind of shook the mail man a might.
    That coyote was taken last fall with a mouse squeeker.Call lots of
    fox and coon too.Also it's fun to call crows and hawks during the
    off season,and a pair of bald eagles last year and take photos.