Ever have one of those stands where....

[centerfire_223]

as soon as you start calling you can tell it's going to be all wrong?

I had me one yesterday. Let me set this up for ya. On Wednesday at work I ran into one of the farmers I hunt for and he told me he'd seen 5 coyotes in the pasture the day before. So I head out to see if I can call me one up.

This particular farm I have called up a lot of coyotes on but never on this stand. I always call but just have never called anything up. This pasture I am sitting in, is about 100 acres in size. It has a cross fence sort of right across the middle. The gate is on top of the hill. From where I was sitting to the wood line was about 200 or so yards. I sit down with my back against the fence post and start out with a long howl. When I did this the woods came alive in front of me with howling coyotes. They couldn't have been 50 yards inside the wood line.

After about 30 seconds I gave a little hurt pup, then just waited. But I didn't have to wait long. The first one came out into the field at about 200 plus yards and just stood there looking for the intruding coyote. While I was watching her through the scope I seen another coyote slip out of the woods and start his circle.

Well this is where I screwed up. I was sitting on top of the hill looking down towards the woods. There was what I call a swag (place like a small hollow) to my right. I could just see the edge of it from where I sat. I saw the big coyote headed up the swag to make his down wind circle. There was no way I could turn on  him, so I just waited for him to wind me and head back the way he came.

I should have went ahead and shot the female standing in front of me then, cause I new it was over with the male coyote. But I didn't, I seen the male running back towards the woods after he got a sniff of me. I stopped him at about 200-250 yards. Here is the second mistake I had made, I left my shooting sticks at home. But leaning back against the post I was pretty solid, so I took the shot. Undubitably not solid enough, cause I missed him and before I could get reloaded the female took off. So I was out of luck for the first day calling of the season.  But it's just starting!!!

Coyotes 2 - Ronnie 0

Here is a little tid bit of info for anyone just starting.

If your hunting by yourself, look over your setup really careful, before you make the first sound. Look for those small places that a coyote will use to get into position to wind you. On this stand I had the wind blowing into my face and I was sitting in a open pasture. This coyote had to come out in the open and circle 180 degrees to get my wind.

For those thinking that a coyote won't come out into an open field, they will what ever they have to do, to get the advantage in their favor. They may not like it but they will do it.

Here is a picture of what I am talking about.




Let's see what everyone's opinion of where the best setup would be on this stand. Now remember where I am sitting is on top of a hill. This may help some of our newer coyote hunters on learning how to set up a stand.

[pitw]

Okay I'll try.  What can be seen from just to the right of where the arrow starts?  I'd think about setting up right at the brush line and if the hill is big enough the coyotes could come from either side out in th open to find the smell they want.  I use that strategy quite a bit here.   I haven't seen that many houses in a group other than around a city so I'd be plumb scared of shooting anything other than a shotgun.

[centerfire_223]

Here is a little additional information on how I hunt this farm. I have 3 stands shown on the picture with purple lines drawn to where i face. At stand number 1, I have called in one and killed it. The woods around the pasture are very thick, with a visibility of about 30 yards if that.

[CCP]

Let's see what everyone's opinion of where the best setup would be on this stand.

I give it a whirl. Going by your post and the pic I would more than likely setup on one of these two spots below.





I like hunting in the woods or the edges the coyotes seem to feel a little more secure in my area close to cover.


I was editing this morning when I seen this post and decided to practice a little using your pic and scenario. It is a little long and was early when I did the voice so bear with me. It does explain where and why I would setup better than I could ever type.

[FinsnFur]

I think you may have had a good chance at the first coyote if like you said, you would have went ahead and shot the one back by the wood line first.
The shyest coyote is always going to be the toughest one to get, and since they clearly defined there personalities for you, the bold one may have hung around to see heck just happen.

[Bopeye]

They will no doubt come into the fields, but as you noticed he did use a swag. In my area, they will follow the tree lines, fencerows or whatever else they can use for cover as much as they possible. We have seen them come into the fields, but they also seem to get doubly spooky when in the open. Take a naturally wary animal by nature and pull him into an area that makes him even more uncomfortable and you have just made things harder on yourself in my opinion.
We use the fields normally as a place to put our back to and watch for the coyotes to come down the treelines, fencerows, etc.
Your stand that says "Me" is more along the lines on how we sometimes do it. Putting your back against a wooden fencerow is good as it breaks up your outline. We have done that and even used saplings growing in the fencerow as stands.
Obviously it works for you pulling them into the fields, but around here we just have better luck going after them in the trees or "natural breaks", very similar to deer hunting.
Deer will come into fields as well, but notice they aren't in them much during the day, but at night. They are naturally wary as well.
I wish you the best of luck this season Ronnie. 

[Bopeye]

Dang CCP. I just watched your video response. That was a fine piece of work there buddy. I hope you do more of that kind of stuff in your next video. That would really help novice coyote hunters out. 

I noticed during the video the water surrounding that peninsula. A man could even use that to his advantage. Sure would cause a natural funnel in some of those spots. 

[alscalls]

Richard that is a good explanation of how we try and do things here as well......I would like to hear your thoughts though on your approach to the stand and where and how you would park your truck.....
Interesting how similar some of this is to how we do it here in WV......
Good post....

[timbertoes]

With the woods/cover basically circling half the area, I think a moving Decoy in the open, and a setup near the woods might be good.

[centerfire_223]

That is a awesome response Rich and I like the way you think.

I updated the picture with some added features. After listening to Rich and thinking it over. I did change the stands some. Not exactly like CCP but somewhat close.

I choose to move stand #1 into the edge of the woods a little bit. What my thinking is, I want to be able to cover the head of the holler that runs up from the lake and also the edge of the pasture line. A big plus for this stand is normally I get the wind coming off of the lake, so the coyotes have to get all the way by me to wind me.

Stand #2 I am moving down into the corner of the pasture, with the same thing in mind. This area is pretty narrow, a funnel, so to speak. It's only about 50 yards from the pasture line to the waters edge. I think putting my ecaller in the woods about 15 yards. That would make the coyotes in killing range with a shotgun for the thicket and the rifle in one wants to come out in the open pasture.

Stand #3 I plan on keeping where it is, just setting it up a little different. I want the caller on the far left of the small pasture. I am planning on staying higher up the hill. There is a creek that runs through this stand with a clearcut on the other side of it. It is an awesome looking stand, I know there is success waiting on me there.

For whoever asked about the truck and where to park. I put a reference to that on the picture. Near stand #1 it is astarts out uphill so you can't see the truck after about 75 yards.

After looking over the picture again I want to mover the new stand in the pasture further down into the funnel.

[coyotehunter_1]

Ronnie,
I was in the process of typing a reply when Rich’s video finally finished down loading (only took 25 minutes on dial up). It seems a lot of us think a lot alike when it comes to coyotes. I agree 99% with what Rich described in the video, stand selection due to changing wind direction determining the other 1 %. Bop has pretty well explained how we set up. Good video, Richard !!!

Lots of luck with those critters  

[Jimmie in Ky]

One thing every one has forgotten is that pond levy and its relationship to the field under those wind conditions. Easiest place to pull them right up that edge if they are in that section.

Now I willl go and take a look at what Rich did  Jimmie

[Jimmie in Ky]

One thing I want to add to what Rich said about his last choice. The timber along that shoreline may be a top choice for animals trying to get within sight or down wind of you. The posibility exist of them continuing around that check up point and aproach along the slope to your setup.

That few minutes of extra time setting up Ronnie mentioned can mean hte diference in a kill or a flop. And lets face it. We are all going to do a lot of flopping from time to time .  Jimmie

[Frogman]

Richard,
Great response.  That was very helpful to us less experienced hunters!!

Ronnie,

I kind of understand your origional setup.  I too like to have a good view of the area that might hold coyotes.  Just not much cover there.

On your new stand, how would you approach that spot.  I kind of hate to walk through an area where I might see coyotes.  Can you get to it without exposing yourself too much??  It's kind of hard to tell what the lay of the land is from the photo??

What do you think about setting up the e-caller and a decoy at the point where you were sitting near the fence, then you can sneak around the hill to the right or left and set up at one of the locations Richard suggested??

Excellent post and educational responses.  Please keep them coming!!

Jim

[centerfire_223]

When I hunt a place I like to call my way in. That way I don't bump out any coyotes that may be close to the road. So stand 1 would get called first. Then I would along the edge of the wood line till I got to stand 2.

Stand 2 would be called right at the funnel. That is the closest place distance wise between the field and the water. Any coyote that comes to the call would be within range of a shotgun. Any coyote that decided to circle in the open field would get a dose of .223.

If I hunted the stand near the pond where Rich marked, I would walk down the hill from the house. Only problem with that is this stand is about 100 yards or less from the house. But the coyotes see cars there all the time.

Stand 3 is a small clearing of about 100 yards by 40 yards, with thickets all the way around. Great looking spot for a cat and coyotes too.


I will pull up the picture of the rest of the farm across the street, and we can disect if too if anyone is interested. So far off of this farm i have killed 1 bobcat and 7 coyotes.

[FryerJim]

What a coincidence! That is near Koewee Key! I was there for a weekend this summer and I just applied for a contractor spot as a procedure writer at the nuke plant near there!

Anyway, I was putting in coordinates into www.bing.com/maps. You can use the bird's eye view to get a better view. Put in 34 43 28, -82 59 09 for the coordinates.

I will allow you to do 360 degree looks at the land from an angled overhead view. Kind of like you are looking out of an airplane.

-Jim

[centerfire_223]

Small world isn't it. I work over there myself, so if you get down here get me a shout. We can go  try to call up something.