Frogman gets in some stands

Frogman · August 16, 2009, 11:10:03 AM

Hey guys,

I have been getting out of the recliner a little this past week. Got out of bed early three days in a row Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (8/13,14,15/09) to try to call in some coyotes. Just hunted in the mornings because it gets too hot by about noon. The Thursday and Friday hunts were pretty much uneventful. We heard some coyotes, but couldn't get them in.

On Saturday we went to a really nice area and did three stands and lots of scouting. Here are some pictures and commentary. . .

We did a stand on a high point where the farmer left two round bales that are perfect to set up behind. Four fields radiate out from this high point.

Here are some photos looking out toward the four fields. The farmer calls this area the "fingers". This first shot is looking straight ahead.

This shot is looking to our right.

And this one to the left.

We parked the car back down the road just to the left in the last photo. We set up here for our second stand of the morning about 8:00 AM. Here John is doing some howling to locate any coyotes in the area.

We got a response from way off to the right. But the coyotes were way off so we eventually gave up and moved on. We scouted for a while and eventually ended up on another high point nearly a mile away from the one with the bales. We howled again here to locate some dogs. Not long after the series of howls we heard a pack light up and respond in the holler to our right. We slipped down the hill to get closer to these coyotes and set up overlooking another hugh field that is nearly a mile long. If you look closely in the upper left corner of this photo you can see the two bales at the previous location!

It was almost 10:00 AM when we got set up for this stand. The coyotes we heard were down in the holler you can see to the right in thie above photo. Sounded like they were about 500 yards down in the holler. We howled a little more then tried some distress sounds. All with mouth calls. My friend John is an excellent caller and he did most of the calling. About five minutes after one of his series of calls the coyotes lit up again, much closer this time. They were coming! We had been on this stand for about 45 minutes. We heard the coyotes one more time and it sounded like they were almost to the edge of the woods, near the meadow.

It sounded like the coyotes were going to come out of the woods near the clump of trees that stick out into the meadow to the right in the above photo just above the barrel of my gun. This was about 200 yards from where we were sitting. Several minutes went by . After about 15 minutes with no sign of the coyotes John suggested that I slip around to the left and sneak into position near those woods that stick out into the field on the left in the above photo and do some high pitched distress sounds from there. Here is a photo from where I set up and did the distress sounds on my Sears Predator call.

We were hoping to lure the dogs out of the woods across the field from where I was set up into the meadow where one of us might have a shot. Didn't work. It was so hot by then that I don't think those coyotes wanted to come out into the meadow in the bright sun.

In this photo you can see where we were set up at the beginning of this stand. John is still there sitting in the shade up on the hillside.

We had a great morning and had the excitement of having the coyotes respond and come toward us. We just couldn't get them to come that last little bit out into the field where we could have seen them.

I like the way John uses the howler to locate the coyotes then moves in closer to them and tries to call them into range. Didn't work this time, but this method has potential.

What do you guys think? How would you have done it differently? Are the coyotes hard wired to respond to howls?? Do they always respond?? If you don't get a response to your howling does that mean there are no coyotes in the area?? I'm still trying to learn here!! Any suggestions and comments are appreciated!!

Hope you guys enjoyed the story and the photos!!

Jim

slagmaker · August 16, 2009, 11:31:35 AM

Thanks for the pics and the storys. Its still a couple months away before I can legelly go out hunting for them and this just make me want it even more.

KySongDog · August 16, 2009, 11:33:57 AM

IIRC, that you hunt in W.VA. right? And that you have to hunt open fields? I know you put in a lot of stands but it seems the open fields don't produce. Maybe you need to get in to the woods/thick stuff where you hear the coyotes.

Or is that not allowed according to the regs at this time?

By the way, great pics. Thanks!

onecoyote · August 16, 2009, 11:37:18 AM

It has to rain here for months to see the sagebrush that green, pretty country.

Frogman · August 16, 2009, 11:41:30 AM

Semp,

We are currently restricted to open fields????

Jim

Randy Roede · August 16, 2009, 11:52:40 AM

Frogman, what is this restricted to open field deal, if ya could could you explain it?? Curious about other states regs. Thanks Randy

Frogman · August 16, 2009, 12:04:00 PM

Randy,

In WV we are not allowed to have a loaded firearm in the woods unless other hunting seasons are in. This means we are restricted to hunting coyotes in the fields til small game seasons open. I think it is an old law that was put on the books to protect the deer population?? DNR was so concerned about poaching?? The regulation reads as follows:

"During closed small game season, coyotes may only be hunted in open fields."

It is very difficult to get these kind of things changed!

Jim

SCcoyotehunter · August 16, 2009, 07:22:25 PM

I am no expert at all, I promise. But There are a few things you may could try differently. Wait until late evening about an hour before dark and try again. Or wait it out quietly without calling for a while, sometimes they will get curious and come looking.
Good Luck.

Tikaani · August 16, 2009, 07:31:32 PM

Good to see you get out. Looks like it was a great day. Nice country, thanks for sharing Jim.

John

FinsnFur · August 16, 2009, 10:04:11 PM

Yeah awesome pics.
Too bad ya couldnt have made a connection, but you got out there and gave it a whirl

Full blown hunting season is just around the corner

Hey by the way...not to stir anything up...just curious...but isn't John the fella that was slamming you around a while back for posting pictures of all your set ups with no dead coyotes?
You ...or someone else, I dont recall, had made a comment about a coyote that he posted, and he came unglued at the seems for you posting all kinds of pics but no coyotes. Got pretty heated up.

I was surprised to see you two hunting together.

Bopeye · August 16, 2009, 11:23:01 PM

I have looked at this post several times. I can't help but think there are ways around that "hunting in the fields" stuff.
Park your hiney on the edge of the field with the wind blowing your scent out over the field. Look back into the woods. You would still be in the field, just firing into the woods. I'd give it a try.

That looks almost identical to a couple spots we hunt. Pretty ground.

Those fingers of woods coming into the fields would be natural funnels too. At least they are around here.

LBLDOG · August 17, 2009, 04:02:48 PM

Frogman you are giving me the fever to go ,man thats some pretty country there in W.VA. Frogman went to LBL with my oldest Sunday and got u a pic of the ice storm. I wanted to go back and go yote hunting this morning but its SO HOt , just afraid I would be sweating SO much before my scent would be a dead give away, BUT it wont be long!!!

iahntr · August 17, 2009, 08:13:05 PM

Good lookin country there!
I like your spots. Your regs
do kinda limit ya a little right
now though don't they.
Scott

golfertrout · August 20, 2009, 10:55:35 AM

yes they do

JohnP · August 20, 2009, 12:17:32 PM

WOW! I haven't seen that much green in 50 years. Sure looks "purdy". Have you taken many coyotes out of there in the fall and winter months?