Coyote Calling Secrets

These advanced coyote calling secrets were submitted for publication in a past issue (Spring 2017) of AVID Hunting and Outdoors Magazine. The Author does a great job explaining, in a very descriptive way, every aspect of of a successful coyote calling setup.

By Garrett Johnson

With sugar laced donuts and caffeine loaded coffee in our hands, my calling partner Colten Gillum and I pulled away from the gas pump listening to the crunch of fresh snow compacted by BFG’s. Having spent several hours the night before on Google Earth mapping out a plan of attack, our eager minds continually drifted to the possibilities of our newfound spot.

The terrain we chose to call coyotes, simply made us feel the most “comfortable”. It would allow us to establish a stealthy approach and hidden calling set-up while still giving us the opportunity to see our targets bouncing in from a comfortable range. We advanced carefully down a road that presented pristine open country located between timber patches as we looked for a good spot to hide the truck. We made sure the wind was blowing in the right direction, parked in an undetectable location, and readied our gear to make a move.

Sneaking through a timber patch we eventually found a likely spot to place our Revolution E-call about 40 yards upwind from the two monstrous ponderosa’s that would now be our concealment. Our King’s Camo quickly ensured were totally consumed by the country around us as we disappeared from the sight of the forest as chameleons in their natural environment. I broke the morning silence with a long, lonely howl that relieved branches of heavy, wet snow. Watching the snow fall, I paused and admired the white dream land but was quickly snapped back to reality by a faint answer that at first was quickly dismissed as an echo!

With multiple packs answering our call, the sinister sounds of their howls through the timber gave me chills…Game on!! I looked down at the remote device and pondered which sound would be the demise of these lurking troublemakers. Knowing all too well there is no “secret” sound, I would let a scenario unfold for my “audience” and let their curiosity lead them into fate. The soft sound of a cottontail’s cries careened through the meadow confirming a thief had invaded their territory, and was an immediate threat to their domain.

With each calling set-up, tons of possible scenarios go through my mind, hundreds of them..Did I choose the right call for this particular situation? It seemed right so I proceeded to let the situation unfold. My partner and I slowly scanned the terrain with hawklike precision as we anticipated the arrival of our quarry. After five intense minutes with knots in my gut, two streaking blurs emerged from the depths of the forest, charging in to take what they believed to be theirs. To a guy that usually hunts the sagebrush, they looked like timber wolves busting through the forest in hot pursuit.

Because we had chosen a proper place to set-up, we were able to re-position without giving away our location. We lost sight of the approaching dogs in a large draw for what seemed like an eternity, although it was probably more like five seconds, time had slowed considerably in our deep focus. They were out of sight just long enough for me to shoulder my rifle and get situated on the Swagger Bi-pod.

The two coyotes were now stacked about seventy yards out. As I slowly squeezed the trigger I wished for a magic bullet that would pass through both of them. At the shot I watched as the front coyote fell while there was still very much life left in the other as he bolted. I knew from his body language that he would not present a stopped shot so I gave him a round on the run as he spun into Colten’s crosshairs. BOOM… cartwheels! I snapped out of kill mode for a second to look over at the coyote sniper sitting 20 yards to my right; a quiet pump of the fist was all we needed to signal success. We now had confirmation that all of our preparation and decisions in the field that day were performed flawlessly. When it happens like that, all the times I have been “skunked” in the past become a forgotten memory. 

Savvy readers will have taken the story of this successful coyote hunt as somewhat of a tutorial. You see, there is no such thing as the perfect sound, a foolproof set-up, or any other type of “black magic” that will make you a consistently successful coyote slayer! In order to be successful, hunters need to intimately understand the tricky ways of this very clever critter, time is your teacher! The secret is to utilize endless preparation, learn from countless experiences in the field, and to start your last stand of the day with as much excitement and ambition as you did on your first.

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