Thread: Coyote hunting In The Willamette Valley

Need some tips on getting some action, My uncle has some coyote problems, I purchased a Small hand held electronic call with, Locator, Baby Jack, Jack, Fight, Calls, Also have a Fox Pro in the field, I called for 45 minutes tonight with out a Sound, I know there are animals around, Over the weekend 4 Coyotes took on the neighbors Dog, Any tips And Advice would be great, Thanks

Its almost spring,, any call that imitates coyote pups in distress can be deadly, they are very family/pack oriented, a recent study has shown that they mate for life, hmm. Also give it time, 45 mins should have been enough IF the dogs were in the immediate area, how loud were your calls? Start low at first then increase in volume. Don't expect them to call back to your calls. A dominate male will come in to check out a single coyote calling in his area, but if he is hearing multiple calling, he may just hang back on the edge and give it a discretionary 'look see'. Also, wind/scent is a factor one needs to be as aware of. If your scent is drifting into your calling zone, your done before you start. A word of warning here about predator calling, your calling predators and that doesn't mean just yotes! I had a cougar approach unnoticed to extremely close range a few years back, I didn't notice it until movement at 25 feet gave it away. Me all camouflaged, screaming like a wounded fawn and a hungry cat= one very edgy moment and a very valuable lesson learned,, always have a partner with you to cover 360 degrees of view, the scent should have told the cat I wasn't a fawn but then again you know what they say about curiosity and cats! Good luck and keep it up,, it will come together.

way to long, start with a short female howl, wait several min. make sure your wind is in your face and you have at least 100 yds vision, if your in the trees forget it you'll get busted before you ever see em. after howl give a short rodent distress, wait several min, then try a pup distress. remember check wind check wind then check the wind again. and as stated above watch your backside.

There are also cats (cougars) that enjoy a snack of pet dog. Also what Salmonriverjohn says. Calling is ringing the dinner bell, you never will know who comes to dinner. I have had birds too, hawks. We have had more problems with cats than with coyotes here.

moving decoys are good as well. If you set it up 20 yards or so away it will distract the dog and it will be less likely to zero in on you. Also, it may be obvious but is worth saying that you should make sure your sound source is also located away from you. Coyotes keen hearing will focus on the exact spot the sound is coming from.

Coyotes can have a large home range too, so hunting them is hit or miss. Some days you'll have 1 or 2 show up within minutes at multiple locations & other times you can go multiple days without calling 1 in. I don't recommend a constant 45 minute calling session though. Call for 30-40 seconds then sit for 5 minutes, then call for 30-45 seconds, repeat for up to 25-45 minutes. Once you see a coyote enroute to you, stop calling. Their eyes & ears are incredible and will likely bust you. Put your scope on them, as long as their still coming towards you let them come until about 25-50 yards. If they sit or look like they're losing interest...fire!

The call I have has Baby Jack, Jack and Locator, Should I use the locator or just use the Baby Jack Distress! I apprecite the Info! I will continue my efforts on getting some kills!

Thats what I enjoy about this forum, if you need info on a subject,, there's a wealth of experience to draw from. Try a pup distress this spring, it's easy to use and very effective.

Make sure you are well camoed up and don't move at all. The Willamette valley area can be tough to call in if your field of view is limited but it can be done. I have called coyotes where all I had was a two track of an opening and called them right down the "road".
This time of year when they are breeding howling works well but the wrong howl can send them in the other direction. If you don't know how to howl or what howl to use then stick to distress sounds and any distress sound will work. A coyote doesn't know the difference between a rabbit or a wild javelina pig distress both of which will call coyotes in Oregon. Don't think that you have to use sounds of prey that live where you hunt because you don't. I have even used distress sounds from African animals and called coyotes here in Oregon and Washington. You are thinking like a human if you think coyotes care what is making that distress sound or if they know the difference.

Also 45 min. is usually to long to wait for coyotes. I usually only wait about 20 min. before changing stands for coyotes. You are more likely to get a bobcat or cougar waiting 45 min. With that being said will you call a coyote in at 45 min.? Sure you might but most of the coyotes I have called are there in under 10 min.
Good luck and hope this helps.

Is it hard to call in a cougar? I called one in last deer season when I was rattling and using a doe call, but it was by peer accident. We ended up about 10 feet from each other and I don't know which one was more scared.

I want to get a tag for this year and go after one, it sounds like you guys recommend a e-caller. A yote would be bonus too lol.

Originally Posted by coyote

Make sure you are well camoed up and don't move at all. The Willamette valley area can be tough to call in if your field of view is limited but it can be done. I have called coyotes where all I had was a two track of an opening and called them right down the "road".
This time of year when they are breeding howling works well but the wrong howl can send them in the other direction. If you don't know how to howl or what howl to use then stick to distress sounds and any distress sound will work. A coyote doesn't know the difference between a rabbit or a wild javelina pig distress both of which will call coyotes in Oregon. Don't think that you have to use sounds of prey that live where you hunt because you don't. I have even used distress sounds from African animals and called coyotes here in Oregon and Washington. You are thinking like a human if you think coyotes care what is making that distress sound or if they know the difference.

Also 45 min. is usually to long to wait for coyotes. I usually only wait about 20 min. before changing stands for coyotes. You are more likely to get a bobcat or cougar waiting 45 min. With that being said will you call a coyote in at 45 min.? Sure you might but most of the coyotes I have called are there in under 10 min.
Good luck and hope this helps.

FYI, This guy knows his stuff and does guided coyote hunts, and has done coyote seminars at the big Sportsmans shows around the Pacific NW. If you get a chance to catch him at his booth or in a seminar it is very well worth it!

Originally Posted by STNOSU

Is it hard to call in a cougar? I called one in last deer season when I was rattling and using a doe call, but it was by peer accident. We ended up about 10 feet from each other and I don't know which one was more scared.

I want to get a tag for this year and go after one, it sounds like you guys recommend a e-caller. A yote would be bonus too lol.

No it is not that hard to call in a cougar. Actually I believe cats are dumb. Coyotes are tougher to call than a cougar. If you are within earshot of a cougar it will come to a call, the problem is seeing them or waiting for them. They come in very slow and most of the time you will never see them as they will wait you out and when you move they will be gone. Cats do not use their nose like coyotes do, they are more of a sight hunter so you have an advantage in not having to worry about the wind direction so much. An electronic caller gives you a huge advantage in calling cougar in that it can play for a long time and it allows you to not move while calling, movement will give you away everytime. Also with a remote you can get the sound away from you which keeps the cats attention off you so if you do move you have a better chance of not getting busted. If you ever happen to find a cougar kill that is fresh, try and stay away from it and pick a place to sit down and call and that cat will be there in no time flat. A cougar will stick around a fresh kill for days eating on it and it is almost a guarantee that cat is within 500 yards of that kill and will hear your calls and come to check it out. Again get a shaggie and camo up good and stay still and cats will come to distress calls well.

I saw a Coyote today at I-5 and the Battle Ground on ramp. It was about 10 feet from the on ramp and maybe 40 feet from I-5. Mangy looking thing standing there staring at me in the middle of the day. If I-5 wasn't the backdrop it would have been quite the attractive target. I'm wondering if he was rabid being that close to traffic and no fear of the cars.

Originally Posted by Swedish K

I saw a Coyote today at I-5 and the Battle Ground on ramp. It was about 10 feet from the on ramp and maybe 40 feet from I-5. Mangy looking thing standing there staring at me in the middle of the day. If I-5 wasn't the backdrop it would have been quite the attractive target. I'm wondering if he was rabid being that close to traffic and no fear of the cars.

Coyotes adapt to the urban environment pretty well. I once read (long time ago) that there are more than 1 coyote per square mile living in the city of Portland. I see them pretty often out where I live about 20 miles outside of town and often seen tehm around Portland International Airport etc...
That is not to say that the one you saw might be rabid, I just think its more likely it is just used to it.

Originally Posted by Swedish K

I saw a Coyote today at I-5 and the Battle Ground on ramp. It was about 10 feet from the on ramp and maybe 40 feet from I-5. Mangy looking thing standing there staring at me in the middle of the day. If I-5 wasn't the backdrop it would have been quite the attractive target. I'm wondering if he was rabid being that close to traffic and no fear of the cars.

My first assumption wouldn't be rabid, coyotes are all over the metro area;

Coyote on Max in 2002


Coyote in Hillsboro City Park

Coyote pups in distress. That's the key this time of year.

Originally Posted by Gelfreak91

My first assumption wouldn't be rabid, coyotes are all over the metro area;

Coyote on Max in 2002


Coyote in Hillsboro City Park

"Why walk when you can ride', Coyotes are smart critters. Lots of respect for them.

You wont see that coyote on a max anymore... Sam Adams has asked him to ride a bike from now on.... But seriously i would love to call in a cat, i called in a 400 lb plus black bear a couple years back while bow hunting during elk season. I was surprised at how readily the bear came running in to a calf elk setting on a hoochie mama.

Seen several coyotes over the past three months just north of Lloyd Center in the residential area.

Wonder what the impact of people having chicken in their backyards is upon coyotes snooping around

I had a similar situation several years ago. Now I always buy a couger tag when I buy my hunting lic.

Originally Posted by STNOSU

Is it hard to call in a cougar? I called one in last deer season when I was rattling and using a doe call, but it was by peer accident. We ended up about 10 feet from each other and I don't know which one was more scared.

I want to get a tag for this year and go after one, it sounds like you guys recommend a e-caller. A yote would be bonus too lol.