Howling

Starting Off a Stand with a Howl

 

 Dont be afraid to let off a howl at the beginning of a stand. The great advantage of using howls on stand is it lets the hunter know for sure that coyotes are in the area. The howls also help calm things down. By howling it can give the less dominate coyotes a reasurance that its safe to come in because other coyotes have checked it out. The howls are a great way of getting there attention especially because its louder and a less aggressive way of calling.

 

Interogation Howl

 



I like to start off with a greeting howl or interogation howl which lets the coyotes know their where abouts. It's basically a locator howl. This call can be done with or without barks. Just dont do too many barks or it will sound like a challange howl or warning barks. The call is smooth without doing any sharp loud noises. Make one even pitch and draw out the noise. I usually will make one to three of these calls and wait and listen for a response. Coyotes will either respond right away or it could take a couple minutes to hear them howl back. Just because they did not howl back does not mean they are not in the area. If nothing has responded try a different howl or make some distress sounds.

Coyotes are very territorial. If you've ever owned a pet dog, you would know how much they bark and pee everywhere. This is because they are defending their territory. The same goes for coyotes. They have invisible territories to us but to them its like property boundaries. Just like we as people don't like others tresspassing on our property the same goes for a coyote. Letting off a howl in their area is like setting off a car or house alarm. Bottom line is they don't like it and nor will they tolorate such behavior. A coyote could come to your interogation howl simply because its curious, looking for a mate or will come to run you off. If nothing responds to the howl it doesn't mean there is nothing coming in. Often they will come in silent. If nothing has responded after a few minutes or so I will go into a distress call. No territorial coyote is going to be happy about an intruder eating a rabbit on its property. That might just be what is needed to tick them off. Only this time they may come into the distress call because they don't want their intruder to have it.

When doing the interogation howl it can be done as an older coyote or dominate male, a female, and a pup howl. By doing a dominate male call it may scare off the smaller coyotes because they won't want to pick a fight with a bigger dog. The dominate male call is most likely going to bring in another dominate male in the area that is tough enough to challenge you. The dominate male call may also bring in a female that is looking to mate. This is why I especially like doing a younger coyote or pup howl because it is non threatning to all coyotes. A female howl will also be non threatning. Its impossible to us as hunters to know exactly what coyotes or animals are saying to eachother but we can have a basic understanding. The best theory or understanding for coyotes is that they're curious creatures. Your calls may just peak their curiousity and they may come to your call to figure out what is making the noise.

Below is a great video to watch for demonstrating proper way to make an interogation howl. Randy Anderson an expert in howling teaches how different pitches can make different kinds of coyote sounds such as the dominate male, female, and pup howl.

 

 Female Invitation Howl

 

 

 Invitation howls are my favorite. In my opinion they work the best for bringing in a coyote from a howl. This call is mainly used during the mating season, which is from January to March. This call is inviting a mate. Its like calling your date and asking her out. It can be repeated as much as needed. Its a sharper more high pitch howl and instead of drawing it out and having a smooth ending, it's shorter and ends more suddenly. This call is a female call and it will bring in all kinds of coyote, especially a male.  Randy Anderson gives another great lesson on how to do this call.