How do coyote calling contests work?
- Thread starter AR-MAN
- Start date
The ones I have participated in are judged solely on body count - the team that whacks the most coyotes in the specified time period wins. I called in a two-day contest last year that was set up this way. It was $20 per two-man team to enter, with an optional $10 per team for big dog/little dog. At check-in time (Sunday 3pm), 6 of the 9 teams had come in. First place won 50% payback of entry fees of $180 (or $90) with six coyotes, second place won 30% (or $54) with three coyotes, and my wife and I won third for $36 with three coyotes (we checked in ten minutes after second place - dang!). All coyotes were weighed. The team with the heaviest won 50% of the big dog/little dog pool (in this case 8 teams paid $10 for a total of $80). The team with the lightest coyote won the other $40 of the big dog/little dog pool.
Most of the ones I've been in here in the north central part of Texas (Graham, Mineral Wells, Strawn, Rising Star, Abilene, Comanche, etc.) have a max of four members per team. Each persons entry is usually in the $20-30 range.
Most have been around a 24 hour hunt, you hunt whatever land you can get on. Some that I've been in limit the counties that you are allowed to hunt, others are open range. The Graham hunt used to have several teams travel way out in west Texas, maybe even driving 3,4, 5 hours, I guess the coyotes are so much better that they are worth driving that far for, which those teams usually did win, then they split the contest into east and west regions.
Most contests are based on a point system, coyotes bobcats and fox being worth different points. Some I've been in coyotes got you more points, some bobcats. Foxes usually don't get you very far in points.
The winnings sometimes are only split 1st and 2nd, some sometimes pay even up to 5th. Its usually decided upon at contests at the check in, # of entries, etc. There are also side pots, heavy coyote, cat, fox, etc that you can pay extra to enter.
The most common rules are teams can only call in one location(you can't split your team and go two different call spots), no baiting, no hunting from public roads, etc, and of course the state laws. The rules are usually agreed upon at check in to begin with. A while back we were in a contest were the guy running it didn't "specify" that all animals had to be called. A team brought in almost 40 coyotes that they shot off dead pits, dead pigs in pastures and all. It was chaos, and hurt the contest the next month. But its is going good again since the rules were cleared up. A polygraph is usually what keeps people honest, although your smaller contests they don't usually have one.
Contests are fun, the one at Graham is the biggest we've entered, the pot sometimes gets up to over 10,000 in it. 1st place there is around 2-3000 dollars I think, last year a team brought in 21-22 coyotes, usually in the 10-15 coyote range would give you a really good chance, but some bad weather nights you may get some money with as few as 5 or 6. It's tough to compete with some of those guys, but sometimes you get lucky, its worth taken a chance to play I guess. We always do!! Its fun seeing some other teams setups, hearing what they are doing and what works for different people. A lot like this board does!!
Most have been around a 24 hour hunt, you hunt whatever land you can get on. Some that I've been in limit the counties that you are allowed to hunt, others are open range. The Graham hunt used to have several teams travel way out in west Texas, maybe even driving 3,4, 5 hours, I guess the coyotes are so much better that they are worth driving that far for, which those teams usually did win, then they split the contest into east and west regions.
Most contests are based on a point system, coyotes bobcats and fox being worth different points. Some I've been in coyotes got you more points, some bobcats. Foxes usually don't get you very far in points.
The winnings sometimes are only split 1st and 2nd, some sometimes pay even up to 5th. Its usually decided upon at contests at the check in, # of entries, etc. There are also side pots, heavy coyote, cat, fox, etc that you can pay extra to enter.
The most common rules are teams can only call in one location(you can't split your team and go two different call spots), no baiting, no hunting from public roads, etc, and of course the state laws. The rules are usually agreed upon at check in to begin with. A while back we were in a contest were the guy running it didn't "specify" that all animals had to be called. A team brought in almost 40 coyotes that they shot off dead pits, dead pigs in pastures and all. It was chaos, and hurt the contest the next month. But its is going good again since the rules were cleared up. A polygraph is usually what keeps people honest, although your smaller contests they don't usually have one.
Contests are fun, the one at Graham is the biggest we've entered, the pot sometimes gets up to over 10,000 in it. 1st place there is around 2-3000 dollars I think, last year a team brought in 21-22 coyotes, usually in the 10-15 coyote range would give you a really good chance, but some bad weather nights you may get some money with as few as 5 or 6. It's tough to compete with some of those guys, but sometimes you get lucky, its worth taken a chance to play I guess. We always do!! Its fun seeing some other teams setups, hearing what they are doing and what works for different people. A lot like this board does!!
nd coyote killer
New member
They are a lot of fun if they are ran right (temp checks, blocking in the mouth etc.)
A predator hunting contest should be just that, coyotes are not the only predators out there. I have played the contest game and enjoyed it, made many friends and learned alot about predator hunting from some of the best competition hunters in the country. We never hunted for money, just braging rights and trophies. Most all of our hunting was done on public land of which we have lots of it. Guys and in some cases gals would check out in southern California on a Friday evening and have to be back to check-in Sunday afternoon usually around 4 pm. It took 35 to 45 animals to win these hunts, that was not an easy task but it was fun trying. In my opinion, a predator hunting contest should consist of coyotes, bobcats, badgers and fox, lions were legal. It's true most of the action well be coyotes but the other predators are also worth taking. I heard the World contest is going to include night hunting now, it's about time. Predator hunting is more then day hunting. Night hunting is not legal everywhere but should be for predators. It's a totally different game when night hunting but every bit as big a part of predator hunting. Like in Texas, we also have a point system but all our animals have to be called in, No traps, dogs, bait etc. I'm sure some of you guys already know, big time competition predator hunting started between guys from Arizona and California many years ago. I think Texas had the first predator hunting club in the country called the Texas Wild Animals Callers and probably had some of the very first contest ever. Have fun and Good Hunting.
Temp. checks are done with a temp. probe that is stuck into all the coyotes in the same area and the temps. are recorded and compared to see if they were shot about the time that the hunters say they were. I'm not sure on the "blocking", but at St. Francis, they have tags that the hunters fill out for each coyote with the time and date that the coyote was shot and this tag is attached to the upper jaw of each coyote, and then they use the temp probe info. with the time and date info. and compare them and they all should be close when compared to other coyotes that are brought in. Does it keep guys from cheating, I'd like to think so, but I doubt it. I'm not going to go into the ways that they could cheat, but there are ways I'm sure.
mocons, why enter a contest if you believe the contestents cheat? Most teams do not cheat and most winning teams have no need to cheat. It's true, cheaters are out there, but I don't think it's as bad as you may think. Go hunting buddy and have a good time, hay...you may win....go for it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
nd coyote killer
New member
MOUTH BLOCKING is where they give you a piece on 1x1 inch by 4 inch long piece of wood with zipties running through the ends of it. They also have your team number and are numbered in order for your coyotes. when you shoot a coyote you take your block numbered #1 right the time on it and put it in the coyotes mouth and ziptie the top and bottom jaw down on it. This makes it so you can't have another team out hunting for you because it would be near impossible to have them numbered right and if you don't put the blocks in right away then you have to rip the muscles in the back of the mouth to get the mouth open for the block or to ziptie it tight.They work quite good to keep people honest
Danny B, all the contests I have been in here have been "calling" contests, the one I mentioned is when one one particular individual took advantage of the unstated rules and baited. I agree with you though, contests are a little more interesting with more than just coyotes. Many of them in our area actually place bobcats higher in worth of points. That makes a lot of teams stick out calling spots a little longer for a chance of a slow coming bobcat. Mountain Lions are also included in most we have, I've yet to see one brought in,even though there are quite a few in our area. They are usually worth 3-4 times the points as coyotes or bobcats.
Big_Tex22, that's why I use the term predator hunting contest. A calling contest is just that, where people compete with hand calls to see who is the best. Over the years people have missed used the term varmint hunter, when it should have been predator hunter. Oh well, enough of that stuff lol. Big_Tex22 I have seen a few Mt Lions come back to check-ins, I have even seen a few Mt Lions up close and in person lol. Good Hunting to ya.