# Dry Spell



## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

Hey guys anyone else having a dry spell like me? I can't seem to call hardly anything in. Yesterday I made 12 stands with not even a sighting of a predator. 3 stands I snuck into 400 yards or less of some vocal coyotes, but when I began to call they moved further away. I did happen upon herds of deer, elk, and javalina which was nice to see....

2016 is turning out a lot tougher for my predator numbers than last year was!










Mark

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## kiyote (Jun 15, 2014)

last couple years has been a dry spell. mostly because I have only been out a few times. lately it just seems that something always comes up requiring my attention and keeping me from going.work, sick family members,deaths of friends,.. always something. used to be out calling every weekend of the winter. now it seems I only go a couple times a year.

I did get a couple last winter but not a single coyote kill this winter. only made two calls all winter,gotta start going more...


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## JTKillough (May 4, 2010)

They're holed up and denning. She's prego and he's staying ultra close to her to insure the health of her and his. I have seen it get really tough this time of year, on most years. Give it a month, then they will be feeding the brats and hunting more. Put more thought into when is your best time to be out. Super early mornings, sun up to 9 am work well when it gets hot. But if the moon is right, or weather has them hunting, go at them in the evening. I can't give you a good sound to try right now, it seems like whatever you throw at them, they've heard it, or it turns them off. I just leave them alone for now, bide my time and scout where my next hit is going to be. This is always a good time to fix gear and give the shooter a good cleaning. You definitely have to hunt smart, in order to get any gunning in right now.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

I haven't been out hunting in over a month... Glenway is coming down here Sunday, and wants to go calling, we'll see what happens.


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## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

JTKillough said:


> They're holed up and denning. She's prego and he's staying ultra close to her to insure the health of her and his. I have seen it get really tough this time of year, on most years. Give it a month, then they will be feeding the brats and hunting more. Put more thought into when is your best time to be out. Super early mornings, sun up to 9 am work well when it gets hot. But if the moon is right, or weather has them hunting, go at them in the evening. I can't give you a good sound to try right now, it seems like whatever you throw at them, they've heard it, or it turns them off. I just leave them alone for now, bide my time and scout where my next hit is going to be. This is always a good time to fix gear and give the shooter a good cleaning. You definitely have to hunt smart, in order to get any gunning in right now.


Yeah after the fact I'm thinking I should've just tried to stalk in on the vocal coyotes. When I tried to howl at them they just shut down. Guess I'll chalk it up to denning & hit them up again later on...

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## JTKillough (May 4, 2010)

I would try some pup distress. Coyotes don't know if the pups are on the ground or not. Getting so close to that time of year anyway, that would be my first choice to use.


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## Tuffdaddy (Oct 26, 2012)

JT, when you use pup in distress, is that the only sound you'd use on the stand, or do you tend to mix it in with other sounds?

We had one bust us yesterday that snuck in behind us. I'm not sure if it was with the one that hung up in the cover across the field we were hunting or if it was a different dog that came from another area.

The one across the field was barking at us when I was doing challenge howls. I tried to get it to commit with pup in distress, but it hung up.


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## JTKillough (May 4, 2010)

I wouldn't challenge howl. I've been known to start the set with an invitation howl, then go with just a few minutes or even less of a prey animal distress, then go to the pup distress. So you get the coyotes attention with the coyote invitation, then that interloper caught and is killing a prey animal, then one of our pups is getting beaten up. It may even work better with a bit of pup distress or pup howls before the prey distress. Yeah, I could see that working out really well. Oops, did I just let out another secret sequence? Damn, I got a big mouth!


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## Tuffdaddy (Oct 26, 2012)

Haha. Very nice. That makes sense. I've been trying to use more "scenario " based calling this year, and it's definitely working. But I obviously have a lot to learn.

Thanks for opening that big yap of yours.


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

Well I've run into a bit of a wrinkle, seems turkey season starts tomorrow. So the turkey hunters are concerned of me moving around hunting coyotes and disturbing the hunting. So tomorrow I'm going to go and meet with them and discuss what side of the property they want to hunt. With 2200 acres, there should be enough for them to find some areas and leave me some areas as well, without stepping on toes. And since you guys made mention of hard times as they are having pups etc..., I'm thinking no calling whatsoever, and watching where they like to cross. Possibly even putting my decoy (jack attack) to trigger it to freeze them in the roadway/clearing. I'm patient as Methusala. After all they do still have to eat and drink.


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## Agney5 (Sep 28, 2013)

The last two years have really slowed down here. Our numbers are down, guys running dogs ten years ago would kill 60-80 a winter now maybe 10, I went from 20+ to a couple a winter. Partially do to limited time to hunt partially do to numbers being down. We did have a bad drought three summers ago that killed off a lot of prey animals which didn't help our population any. But that is nature, it has a way of balancing itself out in do time.


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

I'm fortunate in that literally no one hunts them---as in specifically targets them down here. There are a few mind you, but nothing like in the western states. And we also definitely have a more abundant food supply, along with swamps with plenty of fresh water streams and creeks. So I'm thinking our population down here is healthy as it ever was/is and until more southern boys pick up coyote hunting, I don't see any appreciable numbers being taken much less hunted. The hunting here IMO, is ten times harder, they have tons of woods to hide and move through---right up to you without being seen or heard. Yet at such close proximities to hunters, you swat a mosquito, scratch an itch, or move your head to gain a better view around viewing obstacles--and you're busted. So give me just a few more days---still haven't met with the landlord yet for the hunting property/club.


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## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

JTKillough said:


> I would try some pup distress. Coyotes don't know if the pups are on the ground or not. Getting so close to that time of year anyway, that would be my first choice to use.


Exactly what I tried today. Called in a triple & put two down. For some reason I have never tried starting a stand with pup distress until you mentioned it. Thanks for the tip!

Mark

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