Georgia coyote hunting

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iridektm
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Georgia coyote hunting

Post by iridektm »

Hey guys new to the forum and newer to the predator hunting scene. I am addicted now. Mainly a whitetail and bird hunter but just started calling for yotes last year. I have been reading around this site for quite sometime and just joined hoping to get some advice from more seasoned predator hunters.

We gained access to 200 acres of old (shut down last year) chicken farms that is right off of an active 2 lane highway in rural Athens, GA (go Dawgs!). There is a landfill one mile to the north and an airport one mile to the south. The highway is mostly a stretch of cattle, goat and chicken farms. The landowners claim to have been overrun with coyotes the last few years and I was eager to hop on the opportunity to help eradicate the problem. We did a walk around some of the property with them while listening to their crazy stories of how "unafraid" these coyotes are, claiming to have surrounded an employee in a chicken coup mid day, approaching there dog kennels, porch and so on.

I have hunted the area hard 5 or 6 times since late October using mostly cottontail distress up until tonight and last week was lone howls and pup distress MFK diaphragms. There are tracks and scat everywhere, heavy whitetail traffic, two swamps, two creeks and 3 large pastures with a cattle farm boarding the east tree line and other private land on the south and west ends.

I have been hunting from 3 until I can't see anymore and work the property in a circle based on the wind. There is a swamp at one end and a forest pond next to the cattle farm on the other. I make about 5 stands that are 20-30 minutes depending on how it feels in a hunt. Never being further than 100 yards from a bordering field into good "whitetail woods". These fields are torn up in traffic of all kinds with some biggg coyote tracks. I have had zero luck seeing or hearing this pack of yotes with what I believe to be effective set ups.

The east "feels" like the best part of the property. The cattle farm borders heavily wooded hills and a green forest pond that feeds a creek running to the highway. There is a 70 acre freshly planted field to the east (usually my back when on this stand), with about 100 yards of trees that separate it from the cattle farm. The pond and creek lies in that stretch.

Am I moving to much on only 200 acres? Should I wait it out in the one spot I think is best instead of walking around such little land trying to find them? Make a stand, skip a stand in the same stop, then repeat in the same spot?

I have a great time in the woods not seeing anything and blowing calls regardless of the outcome I'll keep on doing it just to be in the woods but my year would be made just to hear one respond to my lonely howwlllsss!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks and get ready for mating season!
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Dcoy
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Re: Georgia coyote hunting

Post by Dcoy »

Saw this awhile ago and was hoping someone from your area would take a run at it.Many on this board hunt much different country which involves different tactics etc.There are so many variables I suspect many on the board are hesitant to suggest much-as I am.I'll premise the following comments by urging you to find a good coyotehunter in your area and seek his help and suggestions.
200 acres is a very small parcel to hunt in general and certainly to hunt as hard and often as you are.Even using relatively low volume MFK diaphragms,I suspect under most conditions every coyote on the property has heard you every time you have been there and for a long list of possible reasons have not responded.IMO the odds of them now responding are low-at least to the calls,sounds and approach you have used.I would NOT move around that small piece of property making multiple sets.When you do call it I would carefully access one part of it(based on wind,visibility etc)and then call with a view toward where you think they likely are and from a position where you have left an approach where they can try to get downwind of your sound with some cover to aid them(but where you can shoot before they actually get downwind).
If no luck,leave.Leave it alone and try again from diff spot,different sounds,different time of day etc in a few days.(i'd wait at least a week).For instance you might take your shotgun and call in or from very thick cover next time.
Knowing nothing of the area but with the calling you have done and the 'traffic' already shown to them,I personally would stay away awhile and the next time I went there,I'd approach as if going on deer stand.Arrive in pre dawn,take a stand and just observe.I MIGHT try locating sounds(even a siren)in the dark but doubt it since the 'sign' sure shows they are using it and if you can only hunt the 200 it makes little sense.
Hate to sound pessimistic but....try change,what you are doing isn't....
To end on a positive note,you are gaining experience every trip and I'd urge you to look at the 200 acres as your 'access ticket' to hundreds of acres more.By that I mean it sounds like the best coyote habitat is on neighboring parcels which you can effectively 'call' from your 200.A number of my reliable spots involve coyotes called from land closed to hunting-at least by me and sometimes by anyone.
Good luck!
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Coyotehunter
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Re: Georgia coyote hunting

Post by Coyotehunter »

Good advice.
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westga66
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Re: Georgia coyote hunting

Post by westga66 »

I just joined this site too.Alot of info.I'm in Ga also,opposite you though west ga area around Buchanan.I started calling late last may or so and used fawn distress.It's really tough here with the cover.Have you thought about using a climber to get a better view?I use my own deer stand to call out of,although electronic with a remote.Killed one so far.Keep up the hunt,we need to save more fawns in GA.
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Coyotehunter
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Re: Georgia coyote hunting

Post by Coyotehunter »

have either of you used folding 16' ladders
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westga66
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Re: Georgia coyote hunting

Post by westga66 »

I have lockons ,but I figure anything to be oughta their line of sight is better.since I don't sit very still.
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