Coyote hunting tips

[geo4061]

I saw my first set of twins today. The proud mom was showin' out. Spots shinning in the morning sun. The young were getting their first look at the big wide open world. It's time to break out all those young in distress calls. With all those babies running around your odds have greatly increased when using pup distress, turkey distress, fawn distress, and any other young distress sound.

 

[Three44s]

I think the trick with a wire fence has some potential.

We are blessed with not only coyotes but cougar and bear and soon, wolves.

We have elk and deer for prey as well.

One could take the wire squeaky sound and record it. Add a elk calf or deer fawn in distress to that and want for a larger rifle if you are not real lucky. But any self respecting coyote has also wanted to up it's dinner fare.

Around our mountainous areas if you blow a elk cow call you may also bring bears (yes more than one at a time) in from multiple directions at the same time.

I have also recorded the working of baby calves and goats and edited out the stray sounds out. The wire sounds could work there as well.

This might intimidate a lone coyote but just added food for thought: One could try adding the call where a coyote is mustering up other coyotes to join in on the kill. A coyote decoy might also be useful.

Three44s

 

[Dvldad]

Keep a hand call around your neck at all times.

 

[geo4061]

Finally a cool front. It got me thinking about knocking the dust off my CS24C. Well, what can I do different this year? The answer, start off with dull and boring but all winners. From the sounds you pick to stand locations. Pick the ones that are tried and true. Ones that have produced great results in the past. This will get you off to a fast start, increase your confidence, and get you back in the game. Then ad in those new sounds, new decoys, and new locations a little at a time.

 

[geo4061]

All this and there hasn't been anything said about perhaps the best time of all to go hunt a coyote, night time. There is no doubt that they do to some extent let their guard down at night. Take what you have found to be successful during the daytime and use it at night. The only new equipment you need is a light. I have used and been successful with everything from a flash light, to Q Beam, to Stanley Fat Max, to Wicked Lights. You do not have to spend a lot of money to be successful. Take a youngster with you and have fun.

 

[Litehiker]

BEST ALL-AROUND CAMO MAIN COLOR

For me it has been mainly browns, like Realtree Advantage, etc. Brown colors worked in Pennsylvania for all seasons (forest floors are brown with dead leaves) as well as here in Nevada's brown/reddish desert country.

Gray's work in semi-snowy country and I have all white synthetic camo suits as well. (Cotton sucks in the snow B/C it gets wet easily and stays wet.)

Eric B.

 

[cheechin]

I've killed a couple of coyotes over the years, but while deer hunting.Last year I bought a western rivers predation call,sounds good and has a remote,but when you switch calls your remote has no call index on it. Just an up/down button. I am in the process of getting the money together for a foxpro fury,now that's a cool call.I've come to the conclusion for someone new at calling predators you better have the easiest call to use so you don't mess up.It's been my experience so far all it takes is one little mess up and your done for! I have really gotten into this sport,and that means lot's of dollars spent on gun,spot light,gun light,and caller. I'd say if you really get into coyote hunting you'll do the same!

 

[Three44s]

Member Damon Finley posts "Always keep a hand call around your neck"

+10!

Three44s

 

[geo4061]

"One little mess up and your done for!", said cheechin. Love it. That is what makes it fun and so challenging.

 

[22Kreedmire]

My tip for coyote hunting is to make a lot of sets! If there is even a remote chance theres a coyote there or even if the wind is wrong you NEVER KNOW. I've had a bunch that we just tried last ditch effort and called them in. Try new stuff but also stick with your gut. Also. After a good storm or a VERY cold night, coyotes seem to respond very fast.

 

[geo4061]

Night hunting.Use the same techniques you use during the day that have been successful. Stealth pays dividends. Keep movement to a minimum. Coyotes will cross more open areas at night. Dark nights are best. Use the shadows. Example set up in the shadow of a cedar tree. I like to stand up at night backed into cover if you have some tall cover. You do not have to spend a lot on a light. However, the more expensive ones do have advantages. As to colors white, red, or green. They will all work. The trick is to use as LITTLE light as you need to pick up their eyes. Use the beam edge to scan. Then increase light intensity slowly for I D. This is where the more expensive lights are handy( rheostat} or just raise your light to center your beam.. I use red just because I think it does not burn the eyes as bad. Scan back and forth at a pretty good pace. At night the light is your camo. You want to pick up their eyes before they see you. Once you pick up their eyes do not move the light off of them! Most times if you do they will pick you up and are gone.

 

[Three44s]

Night time, did someone say night time?

Well my night game got changed up since I last posted in this thread.

A long time friend fell into financial distress and sold me his 2 year old ATN thermal scope. I went to work and sighted it in on an AR that is a flat top. The coyotes had/have been plaguing our dogs at night.

About 1:30 AM I woke to a ruckus and went out on our deck, AR w/ Thermal mounted and started scanning. These coyotes get light shy around rural residences real kwick so no external light in this instance was a real advantage as I was behind a deck railing which broke some of my outline.

After much back and forth a pair showed themselves for a moment. I only got a glimpse of one of them through the sage but the more bold one stopped right in line with my wife's man gate of her metal horse round pen. It was as if the coyote framed itself in the upper bow (top of the gate). I feel he knew I was there though as he was starring right at me so time was of the essence to close the deal.

The coyote was 100 yds beyond the gate and I was 100 yds "before it" thus it was a 200 yd shot. At the crack, the coyote jumped straight up and hit the ground body first. I even saw it's feet fall last through the imager.

Confident that it was DRT I went to put on boots.

Arriving on the spot there was no coyote. Two days later I put on a more thorough search and found it was folded up about 100 yds past where it had first went down.

Best regards

Three44s

 

[Three44s]

I thought I would expand just a bit on thermals vs. lights.

There is thinking amongst night callers that once you go "the dark side" (acquire a thermal) that you don't need a light (or even want one).

That is incorrect thinking.

Now there are all kinds "nights" .... I am reffering to the light conditions. But one thing is universal. Whatever we can see in the dark, coyotes are 10 times better at it. A properly run light will camouflage the hunter yet not spook the predator. It can be a fine line but the advantage is there.

So don't think that just because you spent a ton of money on a thermal that you have outgrown or graduated from lights. But lights are not the only form of concealment. Daytime concealment solutions could certainly work as well.

Also be aware that your face is illuminated by the display as you place your face close to it and/or pull it away.

Three44s

 

[Three44s]

More coyote action right off my deck:

This happened just a week after the night story I shared in post #124.

My wife generally fixes a nice breakfast on Sunday mornings and that Sunday was no exception. Right in the middle of eating it our two stock dogs go ballistic in the yard. A coyote right there in full daylight is all postured up and the dogs and this coyote are only about 20 yards apart. I rise and spot the source of the commotion, race to get a "day rifle" and using the deck railing to cover my movement I advance to the chair I have positioned for such four legged intruders and give him a 55 gr. Hornady SX in the lungs and front shoulders. About fifteen feet of blood trail and he is piled up with our dogs playing tug of war with him dead.

I put the Ruger American compact in 223 away and resume eating breakfast.

But not four minutes later it happens all over!

This time a coyote is standing about 70 yards away to challenge our dogs. Another race to the day gun and another slink to my chair and rest out on the rail. This second coyote of the day is a lot more nervous about my presence and I can not stop it for a standing shot. I take the moving shot (not fast though) and fire. The coyote jumps straight in the air and does a bite and spin and hits the ground flat out.

I put the rifle away and go finnish breakfast.

I then put on my work boots and go to retrieve my latest 'otes. The first one is DRT so no problem there. But the second one pulled itself together and split while my back was turned. I hate that!

I never found that one.

It has been 13 years since my Rem 788 in 22-250 died (barrel shot out) and I turned to the 223 cartridge but after the two recent run offs I had had enough! I broke down one of my Savage bolt guns and installed a take off from a SS Axis barrel I had bought off the net chambered in 22-250.

I got it swapped, got it on paper and then started working up a load. The top load of my first string put three into .230" at 100. Well I guess that means I am back in the 22-250 business again!

Three44s