Alex Shifler watched a doe and small fawn feed on acorns near his Clear Spring, Maryland, tree stand when suddenly both animals came alert, whirled, and ran with white tails flagging from side to side.
“I expected to see a bear or aggressive buck approach,” thought Shifler, who then saw the source of danger — a coyote.
“The predator was well down the mountain, but must have smelled the deer and came right toward my stand. Shooting light was about gone, but I centered the scope on its chest and squeezed the trigger of my Excalibur.”
Shifler thought he hit the coyote, but it ran through several tree tops, so he planned to return the next morning to check. Ironically, his father, Mike, used a climbing tree stand and took a dandy 8-point buck early the next morning, giving father and son dual trophies, one anticipated, the other unexpected.
Keep Coyotes in Mind
Coyotes thrive in deer country and often prey on them when caught in snow or as newborn fawns.
Although your first priority may be venison on the table, it’s easy to keep a coyote caller in your packet or daypack. Calling a coyote can be done without reducing your chances at a big buck.
Three types of calls will bring coyotes to your stand, and the calls themselves take up little space, so it won’t be a problem when climbing into a tree stand.
A “squeaker” is the first type. This tiny bulb makes a soft squeaking sound that predator hunters use to draw a coyote into those last lethal yards. There is little chance that this call will spook deer, and it can be heard by a predator 100 yards away. Even without a squeaking bulb, you can kiss the side of your hand to make a mouse-like sound that will often lure a predator closer.
The second type of caller is a standard dying rabbit bawl, or a fawn-in-distress cry. These calls can be heard at a much greater distance and could cause alarm among approaching deer. Just a brief series may be enough to bring a pack of coyotes looking for you. Use discretion regarding how loudly and frequently you call.
Finally, the coyote bark, or brief howl, can easily stir the territorial instincts of a coyote and bring him looking to kick butt. Small electronic callers are ideal for this type of call and will usually have other calls in memory as well.
Electronic callers may contain deer sounds, which could be illegal, so use judgement with this option.
Although deer hunting regulations often include “legal hunting times,” most states have no such rules for coyotes, so you can sit in a stand as the moon comes up and take a nasty predator from the woods that will make an excellent trophy.
Shifler plans to have his coyote mounted life-size and will preserve the memory of the hunt for a lifetime. Whether you mount a coyote or just save its fur, it will be a unique trophy you’ll cherish and a reminder of all the animal lives you “saved.”
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