I was just settling into my first stand of the evening when I began to wipe the sweat from my face. The unseasonably warm October temperatures made the hike across the Oklahoma cattle ranch nearly a chore, and now I was hot. A breezy crosswind would help cool things fairly quickly, as well as provide the perfect breeze for an afternoon of Fall coyote hunting.
We were only minutes into our first set when the first coyote of the season bounded onto the scene. It seems no matter how amped up and prepared for the moment you are, a charging coyote always seems to catch you off guard. The perfect setup, and just the right sounds, brought this coyote to within shotgun range.
Coyote calling in the fall may be one of the most overlooked options of the year. Ironically, it can be one of the best times of the year for some incredible predator hunting action. This month, we’ll take a look at some coyote calling tips for hunting the Fall season.
Call the Young and the Restless
As we push toward the final months of the year, younger coyotes are getting booted out on their own. The mating season will come in the months ahead, making fall dispersal the normal routine. These coyotes are young; they are eager; they are uneducated – and they are hungry. It pretty much creates the perfect storm for coyote calling.
Young coyotes make mistakes. That will tip the odds in your favor. The predator population is also at its highest point at this time of year. This also works in your favor. Take advantage of these young, restless, uneducated coyotes. Your calls will likely be the first they’ve heard from a predator hunter. Coyote calling for the young dogs helps make up for all those tough days hunting wise old coyotes that have gotten under your skin.
fall Vocalizations
One sound that works - and works well - is the sound of canine distress. I particularly like the sound of pups in distress or young coyote distress. This is honestly a great call for much of the year, but it continually proves to be poison for those Fall coyotes.
Young coyotes will come to it out of curiosity or seek companionship. Adult coyotes will come to this sound as it works on their paternal and maternal instincts. Coyotes are also very territorial. The sound of canine distress is music to their ears when it comes to an intruder in their area. They will come to finish off the wounded canine.
The beauty of calling coyotes in the fall is that they have had a break from the pressure of other hunters. Deer hunters haven’t been in the woods with their guns yet, and the bulk of the coyote hunters won’t begin calling until after the first of the year. Coyotes simply haven’t been pressured much when it comes to calling in the fall. It’s a great time to call them in close.
Canine distress and pup distress sounds on the electronic caller are hard to beat when it comes to coyote calling in the fall.
Keep Calling
When a coyote responds and you make the kill, keep calling. Don’t jump up, high-fiving your buddy, and take selfies for Facebook. Stay still. Stay ready. And keep calling. As I mentioned, coyotes are being bumped from the family as dispersal takes place, but there’s a good chance that hasn’t happened yet.
Family groups are often still bunched up, meaning you have as good a chance as any to call up coyotes from several directions. The action is fast and furious when you have coyotes coming in from different directions. The adrenaline rush will leave you with a pounding heart and shortness of breath. It’s just that good.
If you haven’t taken advantage of calling coyotes in the fall, you are truly missing out. It is without a doubt one of the best times of the year to find success in calling one of the toughest critters to roam the woods.
About the Author
