Calling coyotes to your set

[hook]

In the past couple of years, I have had encounters with coyotes during my morning setups over a decoy. During one instance, I had a coyote get within 5 yards of my hen decoy and another time the coyote circled at about 30 yards. Both times I let the coyote walk AND in both instances, my set came up with nothing...

Problem is, in the spring, this is when pups are being born and I'd hate to bag a female and have pups suffering, and since I coyote hunt the area in the fall and winter, I'd like to keep some stock. But, if coyotes are around, what are the odds a gobbler will come to my set?

I'm interested to hear whether you have had this situation and how you handled it. Let the coyote walk, or pop the dog and find a new setup?

 

[Liv4Rut]

I've always shot the coyotes, thinking that soon there will baby turkeys, pheasants, and fawns. and I would rather have alot more of those three around than the coyotes. I dont think turkeys really get all that spooked from a gun shot, a few years back i shot a gobbler right at flydown, and alll it did was work the other gobblers up into a huge frenzy, i had two tags and was calling another in and he popped up over a hill and saw me, just my luck lol

I always thought the male did all the hunting for food, and the female stuck around with the pups, but im not sure, i just figure im shooting males

 

[Daver]

A random gun shot will not spook every turkey in ear shot. I once missed a bird right at flydown, but I just sat still and about 10 minutes later another bird landed in about the same spot. BOOM! I didn't miss the second time.

A single shot probably doesn't sound too much different than thunder.

 

[BW]

Turkey opportunities are a dime a dozen compared to coyote opportunities for me.

No hesitation, I let the fur fly......

 

[deadeye]

Silent bows are nice