“What does that contraption do?” The farmer looked down at my Foxpro Fusion with a skeptical glance. He was a friend of my mother-in-law and had agreed to allow me to hunt coyotes on his property down in western Alabama on one condition — he had to join me.  

After I explained to him the purpose of the e-caller, he retorted, “There are plenty of coyotes around, I hear them howling almost every night.” I tried to explain to him that hearing them and getting them within gun range were two different things. He gave me another skeptical glance. “What? You’re going to have to speak up! My hearing isn’t what it used to be!”   

Once we were settled in along a tree line near his cattle operation, I turned on my e-caller and went into a 10-minute sequence of distressed rabbit. I scanned the field in front of me when suddenly the silence was broken. “IS THAT THING TURNED ON?” It was the farmer, sitting to my right holding his vintage deer rifle.  

I quietly nodded in affirmation. “IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WORKING! I CAN’T HEAR IT!” he continued.  

I raised a thumb to signal the farmer that I had heard him, but at that moment I gave up any hope a coyote would come to the call. I relaxed my grip on the shotgun and signaled to my hunting partner the stand was over. 

“I HOPE YOU DIDN’T PAY MUCH MONEY FOR THAT THING!” The farmer pointed down at the Fusion. I showed him pictures on my phone of plenty of coyotes that had been fooled by my e-caller.  

“WELL, THOSE AREN’T ALABAMA COYOTES,” he said with a grin.  

“Coyotes are tough customers, they have a way of making you feel like an idiot,” I said looking right at the farmer. “Kinda like someone else I know.” 

The farmer put a hand to his ear, “WHAT?”  

“THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME HUNT ON YOUR PROPERTY!” I replied.