Calling Coyotes with My Kid: What I Learned About Hunting—and Fatherhood

Calling Coyotes with My Kid: What I Learned About Hunting—and Fatherhood

I’ve called a lot of coyotes in my time—some came running, some hung up, and plenty outsmarted me. But nothing compares to the time I had a 10-year-old sitting next to me, bundled in a too-big camo jacket, holding a pair of knockoff binos like they were gold.

This wasn’t just a hunt. It was a lesson in patience, perspective, and passing something down. Here’s what happened that frosty morning—and how it changed the way I think about both predators and parenting.

🏞️ The Setup: Cold Morning, Full Heart

It was early February. Snow still crusted the grass, and the air bit through our gloves. We set up on a rise above a dry creek bed in western Kansas. I’d picked a spot where coyotes often circled downwind and the visibility was just enough to give us a shot if they broke cover.

My son sat cross-legged, scanning like a sniper but smiling like a kid on Christmas.

🎙️ “He didn’t care if we got one. He just wanted to be where I was.”

🗣️ The First Howl—and First Lesson

I let out a lone female howl on the diaphragm, followed by a short series of distressed rabbit cries from an e-caller. We waited.

Three minutes in, he whispered, “Did it work?”

I smiled. “It might. But you gotta be patient.”

🎙️ “Coyotes and kids share one thing in common—you can’t rush them, but if you do it right, they’ll both show up.”

🐺 Movement on the Fence Line

At the 9-minute mark, a shape flickered behind a fence post. Then another. Two coyotes, working in, but cautious.

My son froze. No flinching. Just wide eyes and steady breath. One circled downwind—just like I’d explained the night before. The other crept into a shooting lane.

I squeezed the trigger. One coyote dropped. The other bolted.

🎙️ “He didn’t cheer. He didn’t yell. He whispered, ‘That was awesome.’”

🧠 What My Kid Taught Me About Hunting

✔️ Explain the why, not just the what – When he understood the setup, he paid closer attention
✔️ Let curiosity lead – His questions made me think deeper about things I’d taken for granted
✔️ It’s not about the shot – It’s about the shared stillness, the trust, the anticipation
✔️ You don’t need perfect gear – His mismatched gloves didn’t matter. His excitement did
✔️ Don’t narrate—experience – I learned to watch with him, not teach at him

🎙️ “He was my hunting partner, not just my kid. That changed everything.”

👨‍👦 Gear That Worked for Both of Us

We didn’t fill a truck bed. We didn’t break a state record. But I left the field that morning with something better: a new hunting partner, and a deeper understanding of what this lifestyle really means.

“You can teach your kid to shoot, to call, and to track. But if you teach them to love the quiet moments between, they’ll want to hunt with you forever.”