Shotgun hunting in thick cover - how to you setup?

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dave3006

Well-known member
I have hunted with rifles in the CA deserts for 20 years. A few years ago, I moved to Idaho. The areas that hold a lot of coyotes are flat and thick with brush.

I want to try hunting it with a shotgun. However, I am a little unsure of the strategy for placing the call. Primarily ...

1. Do you still place your call upwind?

The reason for asking is that I can't place it too far upwind or I won't be able to see it. I am concerned that a coyote will simply approach from the downwind side, catch my sent, and leave without me having a clue.

2. Do you have any other tips that require a different technique than rifle calling?

I wish I had terrain like Derby Acres so I could lay down. But, I almost actually need to do the opposite (stand up) to even know if one came in.
 
I like to set up with a cross wind with the caller up wind and about 20- 30 yards out.,
 
I do a lot of shotgun coyote hunting and definitely agree with hunting a crosswind if possible. Only difference is that I stretch my call out to 50 or close to it.( In an opening if possible) Shooting 1 1/2oz of #3 tss. If it gets anywhere close to the call at that distance it has some serious problems. Just what I do and definitely doesn’t mean it’s correct but that has been the most consistent recipe for me. I would hate to guess how many times I’ve been busted in timber or cover playing the wind in my face game. The wind in your face idea for me is only to get to my calling location.
 
I set up at 20-30 yards because I use 1-1 1/4 oz of NP BBs in my old guns and I rarely have 50 yards in the thick stuff. I actually use combo guns when hunting in the thick. That way if I do luck into a spot with longer range I have the rifle by just a trigger choice away..
 
I place my Foxpro upwind from me 10 to 20 yards away when I am using a shotgun. I like to hide my Foxpro in grass, weeds or rocks when I can. If my caller is in plain sight quite often the coyotes will stop and look at it

I don't want my caller more than 20 yards away from me. If I set my caller 35 yards away and they stop 30 yards from my caller, that puts them 65 yards away from me. If I set my caller 10 yards away and the coyote stops 30 yards from my caller, the coyote is only 40 yards away.

The coyotes that I hunt don't circle to the down wind side very often. It maybe because I am calling them up steep hills, mountains and ridges quite often, or since nobody else is calling them or is in these areas they don't know to smell for danger on the down wind side of my caller.

On flat ground with no cover if the coyotes don't see anything out there in the open they may not feel like they need to circle to the down wind side because they don't see anything.
IMG_0263 by Robert Morris, on Flickr
In the wide open country with no cover, like in the above picture I would see the coyotes circle to the down wind side if they were doing that.

IMG_2186 - Copy by Robert Morris, on Flickr
IMG_2187 - Copy by Robert Morris, on Flickr
The coyote in the above pictures was running straight up the hill downwind and actually ran by my Foxpro and got very close to my son with his shotgun.

Now that I am 73 years old I can no longer lay on my back with my ramp and pillow to call in coyotes on flat ground with no cover.

IMG_8757 by Robert Morris, on Flickr
I had the big male coyote in the above picture run right up to me in wide open country with no cover while using my ramp and pillow. I am really going to miss hunting coyotes with that ramp and pillow in wide open country. Quite often I would hear the coyotes feet hitting the ground before I saw the coyote.
 
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derbyacresbob said:
I place my Foxpro upwind from me 10 to 20 yards away when I am using a shotgun. I like to hide my Foxpro in grass, weeds or rocks when I can. If my caller is in plain sight quite often the coyotes will stop and look at it

I don't want my caller more than 20 yards away from me. If I set my caller 35 yards away and they stop 30 yards from my caller, that puts them 65 yards away from me. If I set my caller 10 yards away and the coyote stops 30 yards from my caller, the coyote is only 40 yards away.

The coyotes that I hunt don't circle to the down wind side very often. It maybe because I am calling them up steep hills, mountains and ridges quite often, or since nobody else is calling them or is in these areas they don't know to smell for danger on the down wind side of my caller.

On flat ground with no cover if the coyotes don't see anything out there in the open they may not feel like they need to circle to the down wind side because they don't see anything.
IMG_0263 by Robert Morris, on Flickr
In the wide open country with no cover, like in the above picture I would see the coyotes circle to the down wind side if they were doing that.

IMG_2186 - Copy by Robert Morris, on Flickr
IMG_2187 - Copy by Robert Morris, on Flickr
The coyote in the above pictures was running straight up the hill downwind and actually ran by my Foxpro and got very close to my son with his shotgun.

Now that I am 73 years old I can no longer lay on my back with my ramp and pillow to call in coyotes on flat ground with no cover.

IMG_8757 by Robert Morris, on Flickr
I had the big male coyote in the above picture run right up to me in wide open country with no cover while using my ramp and pillow. I am really going to miss hunting coyotes with that ramp and pillow in wide open country. Quite often I would hear the coyotes feet hitting the ground before I saw the coyote.
Click to expand...

What state is that?
 
Cross wind. Caller 20 yards or so out front but slightly to the upwind side of me if possible. Gives a broad side shot if they come strait in from the down wind. Keep yourself in the shadows and sun at your back if possible. I try to hide the caller so they have to come close to find the source of the sound. Putting it in a tree or bush when possible keeps them looking up. Try to give yourself some visibility beyond the caller as well. Sit so you can swing your shotgun across as many avenues of approach as possible. I sit on a stool or the ground. Also pattern your shotgun. Skipping this step can lead to a lot of disappointment.
 
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