Here in Colorado, I find my calling success drops significantly from early-mid-December until early to mid-January. Nothing I've tried works well.
I believe it is due to mating season starting up.
Two years in a row, during mid-December, I witnessed 4 groups of coyotes laying on a snowy hillside, about 3/4 of a mile from where I was goose hunting. One group had 7-8 in it, another had 5-6. Very close to each large group were 2 coyotes,
Every now and again, a coyote from a large group would get up and circle the 2, then go back to the large group and lay down.
Both years I used distress one week and vocals the next, and they had no interest in my calls. The most that happened is one or 2 would stand up and look my way when I used vocals.
After much thought, I believe the large groups were males, and the 2 groups of 2 were females. A male would walk around the females doing a 'sniff check' to see if the females were in heat.
By early to mid-January, when they have paired up, I start to get action again with vocals and distress.
