Crown Land Coyotes?

[GillieSuit]

Howdy folks. I've been pokin around on cutlines, pipelines, clear cuts and old burns west of Caroline area doin some yote callin. I have good camo and good calls which have produced well for me in the agriculture lands before.

Anyway I've been out for 4 days this season and haven't seen a single dog or had any responses to howls. Any ideas on what might be going wrong.

I am still new to this area so I haven't secured permission on any deeded agriculural lands where yote densities are usually higher.

I've been seing lots of tracks and sign in the forestry zones, but no doggies while calling on stand.

Anyway some suggestions or ideas would be appreciated.

[demolition101]

I'm having the same problem. A lot of fresh sign but most of where I hunt is forest. It's hard to get them out of that cover. I suggest sitting in a relatively open patch with a shotgun or others have suggested to wait till its really cold to coax them out. I feel your frustration :budo:

[Mickey]

In talking to a co worker today, he told me something about hunting coyotes that shocked me. They can spot his stainless barrel on his gun from a long way away even when he is camoed up.

Had to wrap the barrel to hide the glare.

Found that very eye opening.

[Kale_M]

if it is heavy bush then probably most of the coyotes you are calling in are circling downwind of you and you never know it. they stay in the cover and you never even know they are there.

[GillieSuit]

I don't have a shiney barrelled gun so that's not the issue. Its possible they are circling me, but doubtfull. I've been calling on large pipelines, powerlines and burns as well as really wide cutlines and leases. I call so I can see straight down wind and along my off wind sides. I try to call accross a ravine or along open areas that have limited roll so I can see a long ways off. However, I am still not having luck. It could be just the fact that because there is lots of bush everywhere around the area, that the coyotes are reluctant to leave the cover to investigate.


Not really sure what to think though.

Oh well. I'll keep at it and in the mean time I'll try to secure some permission down on the flats where the agriculural land is abundant.

[Grizzly Adams]

Try finding a hill side that over looks a swamp or meadow. I've caught em sneaking through the bush a couple of times. I don't buy into the rifle barrel BS. If he's close enough to see that dull grey, you're not doing your job. :D

Grizz

[frenchwhitey]

In my experience they take quite a bit longer to come in to the call when you're in big bush. Just keep calling and giving them something to home in on. Stay still and you'll get em. Cheers. Whitey

[GillieSuit]

In past experience its been a fine line for me between calling too much and calling too little. I've been using the call for a full minute to minute and a half and then stay totally quiet for 15 minutes and then call again for a minute and so on and so on. When you say keep calling to give them something to zone in on how much calling do you mean. Rough estimate of time?

[FrostyinHell]

Try finding a hill side that over looks a swamp or meadow. I've caught em sneaking through the bush a couple of times. I don't buy into the rifle barrel BS. If he's close enough to see that dull grey, you're not doing your job. :D

Grizz

X2. I've hunted with a stainless barrel and there are 30+ yotes to that ones credit. A big thing is setting yourself up for success. Have your back to an area (hedgerow, fenceline etc) where they can't come around from behind easily. Have multiple stands scouted so that you can choose your spot according to wind direction and gut feeling. I don't know about you, but when I come into a stand I get a feeling that tells me that this is either going to be productive or I should move on and try elsewhere.
Coyotes don't like to be boxed in, they like room to run. Hit the larger clearings and cut lines. Before you start calling, set yourself up and sit quietly for about 10-15 minutes. If a coyote watched or heard you coming in, it will probably hold tight until they are sure thata all is clear. Also don't forget that scent eliminator is good for more than just deer season. Yotes will do everyhting that they can to get the scent of the area before they commit.
As far as how long to call, hit it for about 5 minutes hard, then back off with something a little quieter for a couple of minutes. Don't forget you are trying to give them a mental picture of the situation. If you use snowshoe distress for reaching out, go with a waning snowshoe when you back off a bit. After a while hit it again with the long range. If you have ever seen a rabbit dying, they cry furiously for a while then back off for a bit and hit it again. They will do this until the end. Make everything seem as natural as possible.

[mad mountain mike]

Are you doing rabbit calls or howling? With the rabbit calls I do a sequence then wait only about 5 minutes then fire up again. I had a mature yotie take almost 35 minutes to come in yesterday.

[Turney]

Just on a side note for the people hunting coyotes on crown land in the green area that it is illegal to do so. I'm not sure if your area GillieSuit is or not but I thought I would mention it for other hunters that may do it by mistake.
While on the trapline last week I caught a few hunter's that didn't know the rules, just a friendly reminder.
He is the Quote out of the regs:

Coyote – A Resident may, without a licence and on land to which he or she
has the right of access, hunt (but not trap) coyote at all times of the year
throughout the province, except as follows:
1) on public lands in the Green Area, only from October 1, 2011 to
February 29, 2012, and
2) in Camp Wainwright (WMUs 728 and 730), only from January 2,
2012 to February 29, 2012.
See page 32 for information on coyote hunting for control of livestock predation.
Subject to the exception (*) below, a Non-resident or Non-resident Alien who
holds a valid Non-resident/Non-resident Alien Wolf/Coyote Licence may hunt
coyote on lands to which he or she has the right of access at all times of the
year throughout the province – except on public lands in the Green Area
where the season is from October 1, 2011 to February 29, 2012.
*Exception: if a big game season (other than a cougar season) is open in the
area he or she is hunting, then a Non-resident or Non-resident Alien who holds
a big game licence may hunt coyote only in the WMU or area where their big
game licence is valid.

[muzzy]

Turney isnt that saying you can hunt coyotes 365 days a year except in green zone and thats Oct1 to Feb 29/12 So right now you can hunt them in green zone as its within that period Am I not reading this correct


Muzzy

[Jordan Smith]

I've never worried much about Green area rules, because they haven't really applied to me much, but where does a guy find a map showing the boundaries of the Green area?

[GillieSuit]

It is not illegal in the green area from October 1st 2011 to feb 28th, 2012.


So where do you come up with it being illegal to hunt the greenzone right now. I am sure you have a case if they were sitting on your registered trap line. But otherwise your post has me confused. I have a green / white zone map, a land owners map and another map showing every registered trapline in alberta. So no I am not doing anything illegal. After Feb 28th I will be on private land exclusively. But for now I'll be anywhere and everywhere. Thanks for the heads up, but make sure your facts are straight before posting confusing information.

[GillieSuit]

Mad Mountain Mike,

I've been doing both, but not on the same stand. If I am trying a howling sequence I usually start with a locator sequence for a couple minutes. Then 15 quiet. The second sequence I do a sort of a chorus howl series for a couple minutes then 15 quiet. Finally I might try some challenge howls between a male, female and some young pups. Lastly I might try another challenge sequence and throw in a few pup in distress calls.


For the Rabbit sequences I have a couple of different acrylic mouth peices that I can use for close in and far out and I always imitate the real dying sequence starting off loud and really bawling followed by a more strangled muffled sequence.

One thing I am hearing that is common about calling bushier areas is the length of time spent on stand. I need to sit longer me thinks. In the past calling around bale yards and calving pastures and creek bottoms the action has been fast and furious. In some cases having dogs running up my arse before I even had the call out of my lips.

Anyway I'll try a bunch of the tips suggested especially the longer stand time and see what happens.

[H380]

How close to your calling area do you drive ? I always try to walk at least a quarter mile , sometimes more to my chosen spot.. I know dogs get used to vehicles , but that is only if the don't stop .. Thats just too much out of the ordinary .

[Turney]

Coyote – A Resident may, without a licence and on land to which he or she
has the right of access, hunt (but not trap) coyote at all times of the year
throughout the province, except as follows:
1) on public lands in the Green Area, only from October 1, 2011 to
February 29, 2012, and

Not saying you are, but alot of people don't know this rule.

[threeforthree]

Coyote – A Resident may, without a licence and on land to which he or she
has the right of access, hunt (but not trap) coyote at all times of the year
throughout the province, except as follows:
1) on public lands in the Green Area, only from October 1, 2011 to
February 29, 2012, and

Not saying you are, but alot of people don't know this rule.
1) on public lands in the Green Area, only from October 1, 2011 to
February 29, 2012, and
2) in Camp Wainwright (WMUs 728 and 730), only from January 2,
2012 to February 29, 2012.

It says the exact thing for camp wainwright and I know for sure you cannot shoot a dog there when deer season is on, so I read it that I can hunt the green area from Oct1 to Feb 29

[frenchwhitey]

X2. I've hunted with a stainless barrel and there are 30+ yotes to that ones credit. A big thing is setting yourself up for success. Have your back to an area (hedgerow, fenceline etc) where they can't come around from behind easily. Have multiple stands scouted so that you can choose your spot according to wind direction and gut feeling. I don't know about you, but when I come into a stand I get a feeling that tells me that this is either going to be productive or I should move on and try elsewhere.
Coyotes don't like to be boxed in, they like room to run. Hit the larger clearings and cut lines. Before you start calling, set yourself up and sit quietly for about 10-15 minutes. If a coyote watched or heard you coming in, it will probably hold tight until they are sure thata all is clear. Also don't forget that scent eliminator is good for more than just deer season. Yotes will do everyhting that they can to get the scent of the area before they commit.
As far as how long to call, hit it for about 5 minutes hard, then back off with something a little quieter for a couple of minutes. Don't forget you are trying to give them a mental picture of the situation. If you use snowshoe distress for reaching out, go with a waning snowshoe when you back off a bit. After a while hit it again with the long range. If you have ever seen a rabbit dying, they cry furiously for a while then back off for a bit and hit it again. They will do this until the end. Make everything seem as natural as possible.

Can't get a better rundown of a set IMO.

[GillieSuit]

H380,

I always hide my truck and walk a good distance if I can at least a quarter mile before settling down quietly for 15 minutes or so. However, there are a few spots I've tried recently where my vehicle may have been a little on the close side. Still hidden, but close.

I'll keep this tip in mind when picking spots as well.

Thanks,

[KBF]

Just on a side note for the people hunting coyotes on crown land in the green area that it is illegal to do so. I'm not sure if your area GillieSuit is or not but I thought I would mention it for other hunters that may do it by mistake.
While on the trapline last week I caught a few hunter's that didn't know the rules, just a friendly reminder.
He is the Quote out of the regs:

Coyote – A Resident may, without a licence and on land to which he or she
has the right of access, hunt (but not trap) coyote at all times of the year
throughout the province, except as follows:
1) on public lands in the Green Area, only from October 1, 2011 to
February 29, 2012, and
2) in Camp Wainwright (WMUs 728 and 730), only from January 2,
2012 to February 29, 2012.
See page 32 for information on coyote hunting for control of livestock predation.
Subject to the exception (*) below, a Non-resident or Non-resident Alien who
holds a valid Non-resident/Non-resident Alien Wolf/Coyote Licence may hunt
coyote on lands to which he or she has the right of access at all times of the
year throughout the province – except on public lands in the Green Area
where the season is from October 1, 2011 to February 29, 2012.
*Exception: if a big game season (other than a cougar season) is open in the
area he or she is hunting, then a Non-resident or Non-resident Alien who holds
a big game licence may hunt coyote only in the WMU or area where their big
game licence is valid.

So this brings another question to mind (sorry to poster for a new thought)
Where it says "*Exception", is it legal to hunt wolf in a WMU where the only season on is currently cougar, say WMU 400.

[KBF]

Sorry, finally found the regs,question answered.

[H380]

H380,

I always hide my truck and walk a good distance if I can at least a quarter mile before settling down quietly for 15 minutes or so. However, there are a few spots I've tried recently where my vehicle may have been a little on the close side. Still hidden, but close.

I'll keep this tip in mind when picking spots as well.

Thanks,

Don't give up, they'll come in when ready .. We called yesterday in a hi wind that you'd have thought that nothing could hear it .. About 3 mins. in my son shot 1 at 5 yds and I doubled up with another at 237yds .. Freaky !!

[GillieSuit]

congrats on some success. I am on call through christmas, but will have a few free days in the new year so I will definitely be out on the prowl.

Cheers.