An Expert Guide to Coyote Hunting

For a hunter, predator hunting is perhaps one of the most fascinating experiences in their career. Whether you are hunting coyotes to keep your land protected or safeguard your livestock, or for their pelts, the approach will remain the same. You may need to focus on what coyotes do in a specific season, where you should set up, and what calls you should use to bring coyotes in. And, unquestionably, the most important factor is being patient.

There is nothing like predator hunting for beginners as well as experienced hunters. So, if you are lately planning on going out to hunt down some coyotes, here are seven expert tips for you to follow:

 

1. Time of the Year: “What is the best time to hunt coyotes?” is one of the most common questions asked by hunters. Well, the straightforward answer is that every season has its advantages and disadvantages. In simple words, coyote hunting becomes a uniquely different sport when you hunt them in different seasons, since you may require modifying your setup, calls, and even your tactics to match the season.

 

The fall is the time of year when pairs seek to den up. The predator’s breeding season starts from late December and lasts until early March, when coyotes give birth to pups. In the late spring, when the pups are weaned, the pack moves out of the den and abandon it. If you want to hunt them for pelts, winter is possibly the best time as this is when they have the thickest and most beautiful coat.

 

2. Time of the Day: Apart from the season, it is important to keep in mind the time of the day while hunting coyotes. Most successful coyote hunts are done in the evening, night or early morning. Coyotes rest during the hot part of the day. They don’t look for food in the noon, but seek shade to stay cool until the heat abates. While you may be able to hunt a coyote or two during this time of the day, midday hunting is not quite consistent, compared to morning or evening hunting.

 

3. Finding Your Setup: If you are on a familiar landscape and you know where the predators den and where they look for food, it is easier to figure out where to set up. If the herd on an adjacent ranch is calving, chances are high that you may be able to hunt some coyotes. When cows calve close by, coyotes lurk around, looking for a calf if they are fortunate.

 

If you are away from your home turf and don't know the area quite well, explore the dirt roads in the region you are planning to hunt coyotes. Dirt roads and logging offers a superb means to understand how and where the coyotes are moving around in the area. Drive around in the area until you observe their scat or tracks across the road. Next, note the direction in which they are moving and then, stage your setup from there.

 

4. Setup Location: Choosing the location for your set up is perhaps one of the most critical aspects of coyote hunting. Start by thinking about your automobile. When you are exploring the countryside for perfect spots to set up, look for turn-offs to hide your automobile. Coyotes are smart animals. If they manage to sense you or your vehicle, they will quickly move away or scatter.

 

Therefore, it is wise not to get too close to coyotes or their den. Coyotes have excellent auditory and olfactory senses, so you may require staying low, avoiding to stand up against the skyline, and using shade or brush as cover. This may appear counterintuitive, but when you stay low, look for an elevated structure, so as to easily observe any coyote approaching your setup.

 

5. Considering Downwind: When hunting predators like coyotes, you always need to play the wind. The coyotes have an exceptional olfactory capabilities. While selecting the ideal spot for the setup, ensure that the wind is in your face when you call. In general, coyotes will hear your call and circle to approach from the downwind side. For this reason a hunting partner could cover you from the downwind side. Your partner might even get to hunt more predators than you.

 

6. Waiting Period: When it is about predator hunting, the more patient you are, the more animals you bag. Coyotes are always on the alert as they are quite experienced in tracking and attacking other animals, waiting for 15-20 minutes after every call is enough.

 

 

7. Calls: Besides weapons, the most crucial gear for coyote hunting is coyote calls. These are the tools that imitate animal sounds and distressed noises from prey (coyotes) to attract predators in from distant locations. Hunters use either automated calls or hand calls, and the topic is debatable as to which of the two is more effective and for what kind of hunting. However, it largely depends on what you are most comfortable using.

 

Hand calls can be either closed or open reed. It is easier to learn how to use open reed hand calls, but they don’t have the variations that a closed reed hand call offers. Electronic calls can store around 240 hunter-approved calls. But, since they are fundamentally machines, they may fail in ways that are unlikely with a hand call. Whether hand or electronic, most of the calls release an animal’s call to bring the coyote in. The most popular call is the distress call of a rabbit, which is the favorite meal of coyotes.

 

You may want to use coyote vocals, particularly during the coyotes’ mating season or when the pups are first come out of the dens. A pup distress call help draw in a female coyote, who may sense her pup in danger and hightail it to defend their young one. Later on in the season, you should use the calls that you haven’t used earlier. The reason being, coyotes are fast learners and they may be suspicious of calls they hear often. The rabbit distress call is perhaps the most popular one since coyotes think that the rabbit is easy prey.  

 

Conclusion

If you are heading out to hunt coyotes, be it to protect your livestock or to get pelts, you need to know how to play the wind and where to set up, along with coyote calling tips and tricks. Additionally, understanding your prey well and having top-notch hunting gear are the key to successful coyote hunting.