Unsuccessful at predator hunting? A Poll

[KySongDog]

No doubt that a lack of success is frustrating to the new guy, and seasoned veteran as well, when hunting predators.  Probably more so to the newbie who doesn't have his confidence built yet.

I saw this poll on a well known hunting manufacturer's site so I thought I'd see what the FnF'ers have to say.  This poll is for eastern hunting conditions. 

Vote for your number 1 reason.   The poll will run 3 days.   

After the poll closes, maybe we can get some experienced guys to give some tips on how to over come the most voted reason for lack of success.

[Bills Custom Calls]

Semp

I almost feel like I could cast a vote here,but I don't see my most popular reason for being busted on stand

Shifting winds have been a big problem for me while hunting coyotes,so I guess scented by the predator would be as close as any

[bigben]

I didn't really see the reason that I think many are unsuccessful in my area but most are fox hunters.  I marked wrong location which is similar to why I believe many are unsuccessful.  Many callers do not scout at all and if they do it is very limited.  they look at a field and say to themselves it looks foxy.  it may look like a great location.  but without scouting and finding fresh good sign your chance of success is very low.  I scout all through the season for fox.  I have had farms that have had fox on early season disappear and visa versa with farms that had no sign on early season get fox on it all of a sudden.  I have called many places in this state.  Sometimes I have called areas blind believing that there were predators in a area.  when in  reality the population is low or non existent at that location.  With my situation I have never called in a predator in an unscouted area.  Maybe I am not lucky enough.  but when I scout an area doesn't matter if it is 200ft down the road or 100 miles away.  I have a good chance at calling something in.  scouting lets you know what is in the area and also gives you an idea of where to setup at depending on travel routes and topography.  this is JMO and take it for what it is worth. 

[vayotehowler]

for me personally location and lack of scouting . I told someone the other day if you dont scout it is like fly fishing in a mud puddle . I can give u the rod and the flies and say fish there .  common sense tell ya u aint gonna catch nothin. Just going into the woods and calling is the same thing and that is what i have done in the past. Until i know thye are there not going again . just wasting time , nothing wrong with being outdoors but frustrating and makes me wanna give up on yote hunting never having killed one but putin the time

[KySongDog]

There is probably another ten reasons that could be put up but I used the ones in the manufacturer's site poll.   

Wrong location is a definite cause of lack of success.  But even if you got the right area, what sound to use, what volume,  will the critters smell me, see me.... all could be a factor.  But which is number 1?

Its going to be interesting to see how the poll shakes out. 

[5 SHOTS]

I sure hope I voted right......My recliner would come under "Wrong location" wouldn't it? 

[slagmaker]

^^^^^^^ 









problem is that would be my other choice

[Bopeye]

I didn't see "predator saw movement while double fisting a bag of Doritos", so I went with the getting winded thing. Getting winded and movement are the two biggest killers for me. 
Movement can include a 300 pound fatman trying to catch his breath after walking several hundred inches, then blowing a caller, and double fisting the chips. Chet has to yell, "BREATH BOY, BREATH". 

[KySongDog]

I can see how crunching a bag of doritos on stand might be a bit of a problem.   

That recliner comment is definitely true.      Its far easier to type stuff on the internet than to get out and hunt.   

[HaMeR]

I went with the wrong location because of the lack of scouting. That can also be interpreted as the wrong location to call from on a property that does have coyotes. Just saying.

Hey Bop. Try the Twinkies on stand next time. Open them at home & put a couple in a ziplock freezer baggie. Just open it up & get down to bizness man!! 

Art-- Get that darned recliner out on the deck man!! Didn't you learn anything from Frogman's post??   

[bigben]

the next selection I would choose would be wrong stand selection or movement while on stand.  camo doesn't have much to do with it.  the movement does.  wrong stand selection kinda could be taken as wrong location and being scented as well. 

semp where bouts is this website with this poll? 

[pitw]

  I'm afraid I don't have any, "eastern hunting conditions", so this would have to answer it like the last poll I answered .

[Okanagan]

My thought when I looked at the poll was that an unsuccessful hunter does not know why he isn't succeeding.  If he knew, he would change that behaviour and become successful.

But then I realized that we are asking human beings rather than purely rational beings.

One of the all time puzzling and wistful posts from PMS was the new hunter who wrote that he had never killed a coyote.  He had kept records for all 68 stands that he had called, always carefully keeping the wind in his face, doing everything right, etc.  A number of coyotes had come to his calling, and they had always come in behind him.  He was in despair and asked what he should do.

I clicked reply and wrote, "Turn around."

Then I sat on it, thinking about it for awhile, and deleted it without posting. 

[pitw]

One of the all time puzzling and wistful posts from PMS was the new hunter who wrote that he had never killed a coyote. 

Was he a crimson member .

[Okanagan]

Nah, just a newbie getting a lot of bad advice from authoritative advisers.  Most of them should have been blushing about their display of ignorance but like their red faced guru, they have no shame gene.  A few years back now.  Don't remember the poster's handle.

[KySongDog]

My thought when I looked at the poll was that an unsuccessful hunter does not know why he isn't succeeding.  If he knew, he would change that behaviour and become successful.

Exactly my thought when I first saw that poll.  I guess I was trying to get some discussion going on predator hunting and thought this would be a start. 

the next selection I would choose would be wrong stand selection or movement while on stand.  camo doesn't have much to do with it.  the movement does.  wrong stand selection kinda could be taken as wrong location and being scented as well. 

semp where bouts is this website with this poll? 

Movement on stand is a biggie.  The camouflage choice in the poll kinda covers movement.  The object is to be unnoticed by the predator.  The best camo clothes in the world won't do much good if you move.  I think it is much harder to control movement while coyote hunting.  When turkey hunting you usually have a good idea where the bird is and how far away due to the gobbling so you know when to move or not move.  In the woods, if a coyote comes in on the sneak, you don't know when he might be looking at you while you move your hand to work the call, push the remote button, adjust your seat, fiddle with the gun, etc.   All those motions have be kept at an absolute minimum. 

Message sent on the poll, ben. 

[weedwalker]

I voted for being scented by the predator, but after thinking about it, that actually comes under wrong location. If you were in the right spot, you would get the shot before he got to your scent.

[vayotehowler]

 at firdt i thought did u mean picking the creek bottom as opposed to the loggin road but decided the to go the other way. Either way it is poor scouting if you dont coyotes there , and if you arent seeing tracks and signs where you decide to set up poor scouting. Now probably being the most amateur person on here I would say are all good factors . I have been maybe 6 times . closest have come is seeing tracks in the snow except for seeing two chasing a doe one time by luck. I have never seen any but those two in the wild. but I know where to change and make sure area is scouted , and look for tracks in bothe directions showing travel , even thouhgt about taking my dog with so he would mark areas where the yotes have scent marked boundaries, as far as picking an area that jsut looks good off a map i have my ideas from here but not enuff experience to say if i am right , JIM or anybody a map with a quiz of what looks good might be a good idea us newbies post the map and say where would u set up and then a post explaining why

[riverboss]

I voted wrong location ive called in several this year that were just to close to get the gun up on and if i had just moved my stand alittle i could of had great shooting ive been scouting alot this year and have learned to pattern them better ive ben hunting them for over 20yrs and still learn something everytime i go out.

[canine]

Good poll...I always stress to new guy's I take......sit like a statue....lead with your eyes, follow with your head!

Always have a good backdrop behind you....break up your "blob" as well as you can...even WITHOUT movement a coyote can and will bust you by being a "blob" . Trust me a camera and cameraman are hard to hide..but to not be busted it must take precise placement of your position. I have read for years, sit with your back to the sun, keep it in an animals eyes, well here in the east, hunting private land with certain wind directions that dont always work out, so I dig in deep and hide well..

JD