Some of my turkey hunting friends have said that It's a lot harder to call a turkey uphill. Anyone see this in calling coyotes? I know here in Kentucky it's hard to call them out in the open, say strip mine land, fields. I have been calling lately without any luck but mainly I have been concentrating on calling from the high ground as it a little easier to deal with the wind. Thinking about reversing my strategy and calling the mouths of the hollows.
I dont buy it.
I seen this one on Myth Busters once and they busted it. :eyebrownod:
Actually type the word "uphill" in the search engine and you'll see what I'm talking about. It's been done too many times to be labeled plausible.
Granted winds and thermals will play a huge role, but that's all the coyote has to go by in conjunction with his vision which is a gimme. They dont have any text book approaches.
Keep on em, you'll get em :wink:
I've called coyotes uphill at least 500 vertical feet in one case. Had a trio on a flat valley floor pasture that I saw from a mountainside above them and they came right up to me. I was deer hunting toward the ridge top, only so so interested in coyotes or would have gone down closer to them to call.
I can think of a couple of other times that I had coyotes come up 150-200 vertical feet, pretty steep in one case, but usually I don't try to call them very far uphill. I've called quite a few downhill. We hunt and call in big mountains, though a lot of the best coyote calling is big plateaus, valleys and rolling country. I like to set up above where I plan to shoot them if I can, but usually that is just a few feet to get my eyes slightly higher for a better view. Have had coyotes contour around a big mountainside to me quite a few times, and have shot a fair number steep above me, but I'd usually set up expecting such an uphill shot.
Interesting question and I'll be curious to see what others say. My guess is that they will come downhill better, especially if it is steep and a long distance uphill, and until I know otherwise, I'd do my set-ups by that theory.
Added: Just noticed Jim's post. Will go with his greater research, and my experience supports that they come uphill.
Quote from: Kydogduster on December 06, 2009, 08:44:33 PM
Some of my turkey hunting friends have said that It's a lot harder to call a turkey uphill.
It is actually easier to call a turkey uphill. :eyebrownod: If a turkey runs in to trouble coming uphill he'll reverse direction and it is easier for him to get airborne running down hill. I've called them up hill plenty of times. But if you try to call them down hill, the turkey has to run uphill to get away from danger and can't get airborne as easy. It makes them leary of heading down hill in to the unseen caller. That's been my experience anyways.
Ideally, you want to be on the same level with the turkey when calling though.
I never had a problem calling them uphill, downhill or across the face of a hill. Like most others I prefer to sit a bit above where I think they'll be coming from.
I find it easier to call a turkey uphill and I would rather call a yote uphill as well .....or as has been said on the same level.
You can call them from anywhere........but most of the turkeys I have killed were called uphill as this has always been the way I like to set up on them.
Our preference here is to be slightly elevated above where we think they will come from. Mainly to get a better view of the area. It doesn't always work out that way. I agree also with what has already been said ... we have had them come up hill, down hill, and across hills. :wink:
just about all of the coyotes I have called are uphill but I always try to get above were I am calling. mostly because I want to take away there advantage of sight best I can and help mine. I feel like if they are uphill they can see down on me and if they see anything out of place at all they head the other way. but we all have our different ideas that we think make all the difference.
Thanks all. I don't hunt turkeys so I didn't know about calling them uphill. Did have about 30 fly over my setup Sunday afternoon. Here in KY they are everywhere. I have called a few yotes uphill, but nothing this season. They are out there and I'll stay after them. I need to initiate this new AR. Thanks again and don't forget to send a Christmas card to our friends at the ACLU.......