Passion for the hunt

Nebraska’s Geoff Nemnich is a two-time world-champion coyote caller. He also manages the Lucky Duck Decoy Company’s Pro Staff. He is one of those rare individuals who is not only a great predator hunter, but a great teacher. He’s quick to share his knowledge to help other predator hunters be successful. As winter progresses, Nemnich stresses that coyote hunters must make some major adjustments to both their calling strategies and stand placement. Nemnich offers these insights for coyote calling as the season progresses into mid and late winter. Here’s how to call coyotes during late-season.

Coyote calling tips

• Think outside the box. By the time the new year rolls around, most coyotes have heard and seen it all. New sounds and varying your stand position can make a big difference. Remember what coyote calling methods you used and where you set up earlier in the season and switch it up.
• When choosing sounds on your electronic caller for late season calling, focus more on coyote sounds. As coyotes transition from sustaining themselves as individuals to sustaining themselves as a species, they generally respond better to howls, fights and breeding sounds.
• Be patient. In most cases, coyotes responding to howls will approach the call with more caution than they did earlier in the season. This equates to a slower pace. Sitting 10 to 15 minutes longer on stand can be worth the wait.
• For a sound-sequence recipe, start off with a series of four or five female lone howls scattered over the first two or three minutes. After waiting another two minutes in silence, start in with some female whimpers and estrus chirps. Let that play until the 10-minute mark. After waiting another two minutes in silence, play a group serenade for two minutes. From that point, roll into an aggressive coyote fight sound until the 20-minute mark. Sit quietly for two more minutes, then end the stand with several lone howls. If you get a coyote to answer, you know exactly where to go on your next stand.
• Prepare yourself for longer shots. Using a scope dial or drop reticle, and knowing the drop of your bullet at extended ranges, will allow you to ethically and effectively make shots out past 250 yards. Coyotes later in the season often hang up out past 300 yards and just look at the call. Being prepared for this gives you the opportunity to harvest more coyotes.

Get more hunting tips from one of the greatest hunters out there–Melissa Bachman.