5 surefire ways to botch your coyote hunt (and how to avoid them)

Nestled in tight against a big poplar, my hunting partner and I turned on the Foxpro electronic call and waited. It was early December, so a cottontail in distress was the call of choice. Ten minutes had passed when we spotted movement 150 yards away. A lone coyote was sneaking in from the direction we’d walked into the field. Knowing that if he hit our tracks it could be game over, we watched and waited. Sure enough, the instant the coyote crossed our path, it slammed on the brakes, spun around and raced for cover.

Coyotes coming to a call are always looking for a reason to leave. They’re smart and always on high alert, especially when responding to the sound of prey in distress. Certainly, they’re opportunistic predators, but they survive by using every one of their senses to avoid risky situations. To fool their natural instincts, attention to detail is key—miss even the smallest thing, and your hunt can go south in a hurry. Here are five key coyote-hunting blunders to avoid.