If you are hunting coyotes in an area with turkeys and the coyotes are not responding to the rabbit, mouse, or fawn in distress calls; try talking turkey. As a long time year-round turkey hunter it is most annoying at how often coyotes come in and come in close looking for a turkey dinner. Coyotes have investigated turkey calling during all seasons, spring, summer, fall and winter.
On December 31st the last day of Wisconsin turkey fall season the sub-zero temperatures were too cold for Vic, the turkey dog to hunt. Sadly, he had to stay home while I went hunting. Setting up for cold calling takes on a whole new dimension.
After setting up, I started making lost turkey sounds; these are a series of loud yelps trailing off as if the voice was breaking at the end. Picture yourself yelling until your vocal cords become strained causing the sound to fade and crackle. That’s what a lonesome, lost turkey sounds like as it tries in vain to find a companion. A young bird of the year will throw in some Kee-kees.
Within 20 minutes this coyote made the mistake of thinking I was going be the turkey dinner. A Federal premium 3 inch, #5 Third Degree turkey shell dropped her in her tracks.
Coyote killed with a Federal third-degree turkey load. Coyote came in fast & close to my calls of the wild turkey.
Yes, coyotes prey on wild turkeys. Why would they not?
Coyote wild turkey kill. Coyote scat in the top of the picture. The scat contained what appear to be turkey feathers.
This coyote responded to turkey calls in November and was shot a few yards away with a shotgun using a turkey shotshell.
If you are a coyote hunter take a turkey call out with you and see what happens, you may just be pleasantly surprised. And we turkey hunters will be grateful one less coyote is looking for a turkey dinner. Good luck.
FirstBubba says
4 – number of coyotes I’ve caught sneaking up on my hen deke.
3 – number of coyotes that weren’t able to carry away 1 1/8 ounces of #8’s.
1 – number of coyotes that left with a butt load of #8’s.
Charlie says
Those coyotes were very close if #8s killed them. Next time some X-rays would be very interesting. Like you did for these turkeys in Beyond The Patterning Board; X-Rays of Shot Turkey Head/Necks
FirstBubba says
LOL!
Within 10 or 15 yards, even a ‘yote is in trouble, Charlie!
I’m afraid it’s a little late for xrays.
N.C.L.W. says
We all love that XRay data, FirstBubba!
: D
Charlie says
Figured the Xrays would have to wait for the next. But then, at 10 yards no Xray is needed to find the holes. 😉
Pete says
I haven’t done any predator hunting, but do not need any additional convincing of the efficacy of turkey calls. Coyotes have investigated my calling and decoy set-up often enough in the Spring. Also, one evening I took a long walk to a local pond to fish. I figured the time on the walk was a good opportunity to practice on some turkey calling. This is a suburban area with no turkeys but a lot of coyotes and some foxes. As I walked toward the pond, doing some occasional yelping and clucking, I caught some movement behind me: it was a coyote who’d been trailing the calling; he was more surprised than I, to find out the “turkey” was actually a guy with a fly rod and a wingbone yelper.
Charlie says
Gave me a chuckle with a mental picture of you either lassoing the coyote or casting a fly around his head…Then you’d both be surprised.
N.C.L.W. says
Happy 2018, great work so far Charlie! Looks like you are pulling out all the stops for the site already, so early in the year! Great news and plenty of catch-up reading for myself around here. Cheers
Congrats on the fur!
I have used a predator call to elicit shock gobbles from Turkey yet have not had Coyote actually run up on me during a Turkey Hunt just yet… They have been around (I found a Coyote killed bird this past Spring season in ’17). I’ll keep this in mind when out and about next Sir!
Unfortunately, I am unable to use Turkey loads to actually get a Coyote as my jurisdiction mandates #1 BUCK or larger, for ‘Yotes… I know, very weird yet hey, I surely didn’t create these regs!
LOL
Charlie says
So far in my state and all that I have hunted there are no regs mandating how to kill a coyote. If I were out to take coyotes on purpose my .308 would be the first choice.
When a lull in hunting happens I will endeavor to consistently post. When I find there is something interesting to hunt as I am currently. Well, then the posts will take second place to the hunt.
N.C.L.W. says
Pleased to read this reply from you, Charlie – Both the absence of ludicrous prohibition on Hunting methods/ammunition in your areas as well as your having your priorities set correctly! Looking forward to reading more of your Hunt stories in the future, as always.
.308 seems quite the heavy, potent choice for ‘yotes, yet then again I can’t say I would pass a shot on such a beast with my own 270 WSM should such a scenario manifest.
WRC says
I’ve rolled a few yotes with a load of Fed 5’s, they do like sneaking in on decoys.