Where To Setup - In Woods (Tree Stand), Edge, or Open Field

C

CowboyinIL

New member
Hello Everyone

Just started Coyote hunting and had a question about setting up without regard to the wind at the time because I've read about being upwind and downwind and each argument as to which is better. Do you guys setup in

1. Deep Woods
2. Deep Woods (With Tree Stand)
3. Edge of Woods

4. Open Field (Facing Woods) (Approx 400 Yards from Woods)with Road and small group of trees behind as a background). Either in Front of them or in them?

5. Or some other setup


Thanks for your input.

Cowboy
 
As far as hunting in the woods, I believe the deeper you penetrate, the odds are in the coyotes favor because they will have plenty of cover to work themselves down wind. I have always hunted edges with no chance of the wind blowing into the woods. I personally steer clear of tree stands, to much trouble climbing up and down for just a 20 minute setup.
 
Woods this time of year are nasty and miserable, we can`t hunt woods during the summer anyhow.I would probably try and find a higher ground and some trees and vegatation and try and coax them to the woodline. If you scout the area you may be able to find there travel routes, may find scat etc... We checked out a new area yesterday found a some turkey feathers a some scat but it was just too thick to get a good look.
 
do a little scouting walk some sand ditches a find lots of tracks and scat and you'll know where to hunt. you can never disreguard wind as it is pretty critical. we all love the field setups where we can just slip up to the edge of a field start callin and in fifteen seconds call a dog in but truth be told that don't happen too often. you up your success penetrating the woods a little but remember if it's so thick you can't see your not accomplishing anything. if you can find some open woods with lots of ditches a patches of brush that gives them plenty of cover but opens up enough for you to shoot. i've been seein more dogs in the middle of the day than any other time of hte day lately. perhaps that would be a good callin time. i've not tried it yet but thinking bout givin it a shot. good luck
 
When you are setting up you should remember the primary 3 senses the coyote uses to hunt, and the way/order they are used. Keep all this in mind while also remembering that usually the only sense we use is sight (I've only ever heard one coyote approach before I saw it). So, you have to see the coyote coming before he picks you up with any of his 3 senses.

The order is sound-sight-scent. Obviously, the calling gets them interested. If they are interested enough, they may forego the other 2 senses and approach directly, sometimes at mach 2. If they are more curious, they hear the sound, then look to see what's going on. Again, if they hear and see something that looks like meal time, they might forget about the scent thing and come straight at the call. This is where a decoy can really help. They hear it, see it, come straight at it without regard to scent. Many will say that the sight part is the most important, and if you can fool this one, the battle is won.

Final scenario is if they hear it, but something doesn't look or seem right, they will want to catch a wiff to verify what they are hearing. You can't fool this one, no matter how hard you try. The only thing you can do is avoid it.

So, back to your question of where to set up. That will depend on where you think the coyotes are (scouting as mentioned will help with that one), and where you want them to go based on the senses they use, and the only sense you use. Set up where you can see the widest approach area and take advantage of the first 2 hunting senses of the coyote without them switching to the 3rd sense is key.

Now, also bear in mind this is coyote hunting, so none of this may apply...
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Very, very well said Webopper!

To add to what you layed out so clearly, I like to call field edges, using a wind direction that would put the coyote out in the wide open, if they want to go downwind to satisfy their 3rd sense. Bark, howl, yell if you have to, to stop them before they get downwind. Soon as they stop, put the hammer to them.

Tony
 
CowboyinIL, A lot of my hunting ground is in and along river bottoms, and while finding the 'ideal' spot based on wind and sun can be time consuming.

I try to set up about 5-10 yards inside the tree line, with an open field in front and a little up wind from my location and with my caller/decoy right at the edge of the field, also a little up wind and hopefully with the sun to my 'weak' (left) side or to my back.. If needed, I can pivot to my left easier than to my right for shooting..

Usually I will have a river levee on the other side of the field, as they (Coyotes) like to use them for cover and hopefully they choose to pop up and I see them before they locate me...

The down side to being in the trees is that the 'yotes also like to use them for cover while traveling to investigate and usually bust me before I know they are in the neighborhood...and able to do anything about it..

A couple of years ago, my son-in-law had a tree stand set up on one of our river bottom properties... I tried it for a couple of days, but the position was just too restrictive for easy shooting or observation...What little of the field I could see was great, but I wasn't lucky enough to have one come across that field of fire..
 
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