Coyotes not wanting to come

[CraigR]

Looking for some thoughts on why coyotes are not responding. I have made 2 trips calling to the Missouri River Breaks (Montana) and for some reason the coyotes will not come. I call this country every year and seldom have problems like this year. So far called 54 stands and have had coyotes respond 3 times. Usually get a coyote in about every 4 or 5 calls. Tons of coyotes around and also tons of rabbits this year. I am guessing it's easy living for the coyotes and not being hungry they just don't want to come. I have seen lots of rabbits around before and the coyotes still seem to come okay. Mainly using rabbit vocals. Any thoughts welcome.

[trappincoyotes39]

Crag how much area are you covering on 54 stands? How many people hunt the same spots you are? Using the wind and light to your advantage? How far apart are your stands? Any calling contest yet in this area?

Coyotes don't get too full, they are gluttons and will come if offered the right choices and in the right locations. Try any female howls? Big game sounds are great this time of year and off the wall distress sounds. more coyote vocals mixed in with your distress and also female coyote sounds as well.

many questions I know but could lead to clues as to what is going on?

Coyotes are coyotes but the set up, time of day and where they are at and time of year all plays into what selections I make to call coyotes in. never had them shy back because of full bellies. many coyotes I have called have 3/4 full stomachs or more. Higher archy and greedy buggers for sure.

[CraigR]

I usually travel a mile or so between each stand. On the first trip we were in a boat running the lake with a 25hp 4 stroke Honda motor, real quiet, just slip in and sneak up over a ridge and call a great big canyon without a road within 5 miles. Coyote tracks everywhere, perfect situations and we always do good as long as the wind lets us call. That trip we called 28 times and called in coyotes twice. I'm sure there are guys that call it from 4 wheelers after the lake freezes but there isn't many if any calling yet this year. Never saw another human track. I didn't use many coyote vocals on that trip. Next trip we call from the truck in a totally different area. Coyote tracks everywhere along with lots of rabbit tracks. Called 26 times and called in 1 coyote. He actually came to a fawn antelope distress call. I tried more coyote vocals, mainly female, and also fawn antelope and deer calls...nothing. This was during the last full moon which was up most of the night. We normally don't do as good if there is a big moon up most of the night. There may be someone calling it but we never see anyone or even a track. Last year in this area we called in coyotes 11 calls in a row. As far as time of day, wind, and light... We start calling at daylight and end at dark or later. We Call for 15 minutes and if nothing we are gone unless we think there might be a cat in the area and we call another 5-10. We always set up so either me or my partner can see downwind. Pretty standard stuff. As far as the light (sun position) I don't give it much thought since I usually can't control much about it or at least I don't feel I can. We always try to sit in the shade if that is possible. I have been calling for 30+ years and never seen anything quite like this. I could post this on Predator Masters and probably get a ton of reply's from a bunch of guys that kill a few coyotes a year but was hoping you or LB or a few others on here might have seen something like this over the years.

[trappincoyotes39]

I will agree at times calling can be tougher than others, but getting in and out without being seen, keeping glare down, are big keys in stand success I have found that far more important than sound selection. I would Pre locate and see what response you get at sundown or a hair later from the local coyote population.

Mating season is fast approaching as you know. Things can get " different " then. I want to promote I am hear and taking the local resources and no one is going to stop this pissed off female coyote.

if you have 30 years of calling experience then I am sure your well adept at what your doing, the toughest places I have called with little to no success are in higher winds and areas that get pounded by other hunters. Lots of butt sitters and yappers in these cases. I will then call from a different secondary location than the place most would go and use sounds off the beaten path and extend my stand time by double. I have many times called coyotes in after calling semi agressive for 15 minutes by just setting silent for another 20 or so minutes catching them sneaking in with zero fan fare. Would be tougher at times to do in a contest situation but if your out for a challenge and to bag what the area offers this will,pay off for you. Far from a run and gun approach for sure. I also always have a quaility pair of binocs and the things they have done for me are so great I would not call without them, they are as important as my range finder in larger areas. I have caught coyotes laying up,in the shade of cedar draws by just seeing their ears sticking up, to butt sitting in a dark shady area that on days my human eyes just can pin point that at some distance.

Pre locating can tell a guy a lot as well, this technique is one that I have used a lot to up my stand percentage for sure!

[CraigR]

Maybe the next time they will respond and I'll scratch my head and wonder. Just never quite seen anything like this year, at least so far. Thanks TC.

[7oaks]

I'd switch to bird distress calls.