Last week, I think I confirmed something which I've suspected for a while now. That is, that coyotes in SD County don't like howler calls. I've watched video after video of coyotes (and even bobcats) come running in to howls, barks, and yelps/squeals, etc. So I bought one and started doing those same things. It's awesome when they answer back, but what I found was that when they answered back, they never came in!
Late last week, I went out to do some calling in an area adjacent to (I mean, right next to) a popular shooting area to try some calling. On advice from some varmint pros, I decided to stay in one place for 40 minutes or longer, as opposed to my typical 15-20 minute (max) stand. After 40 minutes of calling with squeaks, cottontail distress, and jackrabbit distress (all mouth calls), I decided to try the howler. I had avoided it up to that point due to my suspicions about it driving animals away instead of drawing them in. I removed the horn from it, so that I would get the highest-pitched tone possible, with the intent that I wouldn't sound like a grizzled old fighter looking for a scuffle. I made the most pup-like locator howl I could muster (it's been a while, and I was rusty, so it was pretty pathetic). I heard some house dogs answer in the distance. I followed up with some more pup barks and locator howls. I looked to my left, and a coyote was standing there at about 200 yards, shaking itself as if it just stood up from a long nap. I challenged with a pup challenge, and he just trotted off, seemingly wanting nothing to do with the young whippersnapper who was goading him.
At this point, I guess this is all still anecdotal, but I'm leaning more and more away from using the howler, except in desperation, or as a pre-dawn locator to find them, with the intent to return after sunrise for the actual hunt.
So what about you guys? Do you use howl calls? How has it worked for you?
On another note, I went out Saturday afternoon and was able to coax a single in (cottontail/jackrabbit distress), but he ran out of sight at the shot, so I don't know if I hit him or not. No howler was used.
Late last week, I went out to do some calling in an area adjacent to (I mean, right next to) a popular shooting area to try some calling. On advice from some varmint pros, I decided to stay in one place for 40 minutes or longer, as opposed to my typical 15-20 minute (max) stand. After 40 minutes of calling with squeaks, cottontail distress, and jackrabbit distress (all mouth calls), I decided to try the howler. I had avoided it up to that point due to my suspicions about it driving animals away instead of drawing them in. I removed the horn from it, so that I would get the highest-pitched tone possible, with the intent that I wouldn't sound like a grizzled old fighter looking for a scuffle. I made the most pup-like locator howl I could muster (it's been a while, and I was rusty, so it was pretty pathetic). I heard some house dogs answer in the distance. I followed up with some more pup barks and locator howls. I looked to my left, and a coyote was standing there at about 200 yards, shaking itself as if it just stood up from a long nap. I challenged with a pup challenge, and he just trotted off, seemingly wanting nothing to do with the young whippersnapper who was goading him.
At this point, I guess this is all still anecdotal, but I'm leaning more and more away from using the howler, except in desperation, or as a pre-dawn locator to find them, with the intent to return after sunrise for the actual hunt.
So what about you guys? Do you use howl calls? How has it worked for you?
On another note, I went out Saturday afternoon and was able to coax a single in (cottontail/jackrabbit distress), but he ran out of sight at the shot, so I don't know if I hit him or not. No howler was used.
