Coyote callin

For the uninitiated, it probably sounded more like New Year's Eve than an early Saturday at Wholesale Sports.

But all those horns and whistles were not a celebration, they were more of a death knell for some unloved creatures of the wild. A seminar on coyote and predator calling presented by Brian Wise of Bugling Bull Game Call of Kamiah offered a variety of ways to lure the varmints in to face their execution.

"There are three basic things about hunting predators," Wise told the 30 who turned up for the two-hour presentation. "One, hide yourself; two, blow them a call. Depending on their mood they will respond.

"Three, shoot them when they show up."

There are also three reasons the coyotes will show up, he said - curiosity, hunger and territorial instincts.

"Exploit those," Wise said.

But there are plenty of nuances to luring and shooting the wily, adaptable canines. Some are just basic common hunting sense. Wind is a big part of the plan.

"Try to outsmart their nose," Wise said, because it is one of the most sensitive in nature. "It is always better to have the wind blowing at you, but not always possible. There is no perfect way to hunt predators."

To hunt effectively, know the lay of the land and the resources and how to use them to your advantage, Wise said, and learn from experience.

"For example, don't come up over a hill showing your silhouette," he said. "When you make the call he'll know you're there."

Coyotes respond to different sounds, so hunters need to adjust their calls according to what works. Their response is also different at times of the year. In the spring, there will be mating, and distress cries from rodents.

"The coyote's priority in spring is to feed their pups," Wise said.

"In winter they're pairing. Their howls may be female invitation, others a warning bark."

Get an idea of what they're eating, kick a pile of scat if necessary, he said.

The right equipment for the circumstances makes the hunt more likely to succeed.

Two large tables displayed his equipment, including a half dozen rifles, camouflage gear, calls and a variety of bugles. Wise prefers the AR, his primary weapon. A shotgun is also good to 100 yards, but 80 is more comfortable.

In trees pack a shotgun, and always a rifle, he said.

"In winter, leave the shotgun at home," he said. "They don't come to full frontal view."

With a rifle, a 500-yard hit is a cakewalk, he said.

The correct gear is also important, Wise said. It is best to dress in layers.

"Temperatures in summer and late spring can change 60 degrees between night and day," he said. "It is easier to take items off than to put them on. Be ready for drastic changes."

Questions on successful coyote hunting included the length of time a hunter should remain in one spot.

"Go with your feeling," Wise said. "If it's an unknown area, stay longer, maybe. If you've been there before maybe 10 to 15 minutes is all I need in that area."

He said he always moves at least a quarter mile when moving on to a different calling site.

Chad Schwartz, who lives near Spirit Lake, said he is planning on hunting some coyotes near his home, but was not sure what the best time or technique would be.

"It depends on where you live," Wise said. "More care is needed if there are neighbors nearby. If they're howling at night, they're looking for mates or other packs. That will give you a good indication of where they are."

Schwartz said he is a regular deer and elk hunter.

"Coyotes are more of a challenge," he said.

Asked how far a hunter should go looking for prey, Wise said coyotes can cover a broad area in one day, and their range can be 12 miles or more.

From a bag full of bugles and calls, Wise demonstrated a variety of calls, with sounds ranging from quick squeals to longer howls.

How long should the hunter wait between calls, one man asked.

The answer, Wise said, is two to three minutes, then break for 30 seconds to a minute.

"You don't want to go too long, it will interrupt their attention," he said.

He uses his lips to change the type of call he thinks might work.

"Puff, puff, then taper the air off," he said.

Calls range from the sound of another coyote to that of an injured rodent. One effective technique is to make a sound like a hurt animal, a whimper.

Ki-yiing, a sound like when you step on a dog's tail, if used after taking a shot, will raise their curiosity.

"They will turn and look back at you," Wise said. "Be ready to shoot them."

Coyote calls can also identify their location to others of their species, so making a sound similar to a female can work.

"It's 'Hey I'm here, I want to be bred, I'm looking for a mate,'" he said.

Calls with multiple reeds can mimic small rodents, and can be six calls in one by using hands to modulate.

"It's all in how you work the call," Wise said,

Electronic calls can also be good, along with mouth calls, he said. In some places e-call works well, such as when the predators have been over-called.

"If a mouth call is not working, it may be an opportunity to use a sound they've never heard before, such as an antelope," he said. "There are none around here, but it can still work."

With electronic calls, there are some 500 sounds to choose from, he said. Bellows calls can add to the range a hunter can reach out to.

"I've talked to dogs two miles away with one of these," Wise said.

But volume is not necessarily essential to success.

"If they can hear a mouse in the snow, they're going to hear the call," he said.

Rockie Jacobsen, owner of Bugling Bull, joined Wise in a duet of calls.

"Some calls you can play like a flute," he said.

Diaphragm calls are more realistic, but harder to learn to use, Jacobsen said.

"You can get those coyotes really singing back to you," he said. "If you can use one, you're going to have a lot more luck."

Jim Hoffman and son Jared, 8, came from Kellogg for the seminar.

"He just got his first .22 for Christmas," Jim said. "We're looking for something to do. There are a lot of them in our deer hunting area. It's another good reason to get outside."