Simple but important basics of calling predators.
By Steve Criner
H.S field staff member
Author with a AZ cat he called up with a remote Electronic caller
Setups:
Always keep in mind that the best part of a set up is population. You can not call coyotes or cats that are simply not there. In Missouri or any other Midwestern or eastern state you can not guarantee a coyote will here you from any given stand. The populations just won’t allow this to happen. With this being said scouting becomes very important in the formula for a successful stand. Scout your areas by asking folks that are in the area quite often such as farmers or mailmen and ask them where and when they have seen the coyotes or cats. Also you can drive the roads and look for evidence of coyotes or even by visually confirming a coyote presence. The population is the most important part of a successful stand and it is you job to find the population.
2: Approach:
While approaching a stand one should keep in mind the wind direction and be aware of the way its blowing. You can utilize the wind to trick coyotes for a down wind shot but while approaching a face wind or cross wind is a must. Don’t allow them to smell you before you get set up.
If you are targeting cats you can forget about the wind because a cat don’t really work the wind.
3: Sounds:
I like any kind of prey sound for coyotes and cats. I do like higher pitched sounds and busier sounds for cats. They get side tracked very easy so I like my cats to keep in line with my sounds.
Now for coyotes I use about any sound you can think of and change them several different times in a stand. Changing sounds simply seems to trigger a coyote to respond when maybe playing one sound wouldn’t.
Coyote vocals are something I use frequently no matter what time of year or area I’m hunting. I do keep my vocalizations very subtle and non aggressive. This assures me I don’t scare off any coyotes in the area, though I do believe using vocals can and will scare of some coyotes no matter what. I think coyote talk does more good than harm as far as averages but I’ll leave that for you to decide.
4: Calls, Hand calling and Electronic calling.
Hand calling is a very satisfying way to call in predators. The hand calls give you that extra feeling after you put fur on the ground that you might not feel from an E call. I use several different hand calls. I use open reed, closed reed, and bite style hand calls. If I was just starting I would get one of each and I would be set up. You can do several different types of distress on the calls and you can even howl with most open reed calls. Hand calls will get predators in your face quick so while using hand calls pay attention to your surroundings.
E calls offer something that hand calls cant. Remotes. Remote style E calls allow you to manipulate a predator into a set where hand calls cant. We all know the big percentage of the shots is down wind for coyotes. You can place the call upwind and set down from it and catch that down wind coyote slipping in.
Now for cats E calls for me are a savior. A cat tends to put structure in between them and there prey. Well with a E call with a remote or speaker on a wire you can trick that cat to giving himself up. Imagine just watching a cat sneak up on a bird. He leaves his sides wide open.
A lot of predator calling is determined by a style any given hunter will adopt or create to his liking. If you follow simple basics you can achieve a success rate and develop your own style which I guarantee you will. It’s hard to put it all in one article and there are so many factors in a successful coyote or cat hunt. I recommend you find your self a call and follow the simple basics and hit it hard. Experience is the best teacher.
Big male the author shot over 200 hundred yards down wind of caller
Steve Criner
H.S field staff
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