Coyote Hunting--Need some tips and tricks.

[esheato]

I'm up here in Northern California. I've been hunting the local rice, milo and wheat fields for coyote.

I've seen lots of them, but they usually run....no, let me re-phrase that...they usually haul *ss until they're about 500 yards out, then stop and turn around. I've gone out there with my .308 Win and tried to take them down, but my skills aren't quite sharp enough to shoot that far.

So....I picked up a Johnny Stewart digital Preymaster electronic caller and some of the coyote/predator calls. They include a crying jackrabbit and coyote locator sounds. They are the ones that I use most frequently.

The last two nights we've gone out around 8pm to try to call them in. We set the caller up on the edge of a field, and run the speaker out about 50 feet and sit in the weeds on the side of the field. We have been downwind both times with the caller facing into the wind. We're sporting 12 gauge shotguns with 00 buck for the close kills, as you can't see much more than 75 feet once it's dark.

I usually play the coyote locator (a bunch of howling) and wait for about 10-15 minutes. Both nights we heard a pack howl back, but nothing comes in. One pack tonight was fairly close as they were a lot louder than the others. After the howler, I will play the crying jackrabbit constantly for about 10 minutes, then sit still for 15-20 min. Nothing gets close to us.

Tonight we even had a dead jackrabbit that we cut open and put 10 feet past the speaker.

I have yet to go out during the day and try this.

What am I doing wrong? Any tips or tricks that would help improve my odds a little bit?

I figured I would go out in the next couple days and spot one, then play the crying jackrabbit and see if they even notice it. Hopefully they'll come running in. Any help would be appreciated.

esheato...

 

[Art Eatman]

Sounds like you've got a good start on the basics.

I've never used a "locator" call; just the wounded rabbit...

Coyotes will come running in until they're fairly close, and then commonly circle and come in more slowly from a downwind direction. That might be a factor in your not seeing any, in close. Dunno. But I suggest positioning yourself where you can watch the downwind areas...

Try the last hour of light when there's a fairly full moon. They seem to begin their hunting a bit earlier, then, and you might get better visual information about their behavior. Same sort of thing for first light in the morning; they hunt later, when there's a lot of moonlight. (My theory about that is that the greater amount of night time light allows prey animals to see the coyotes more easily and remain hidden; the hunting is more difficult and it takes longer for Wiley to get a meal.)

FWIW, Art

 

[Steve in PA]

Varmit Al's

Varmit Al's Hunting Page

 

[HSMITH]

The most important tip on calling is: DON'T keep doing the same thing!!! Change it up each time out. DON'T use ALL of your calls, pick ONE and try it, if no result move and try something else. Trying all your calls from the same spot is like showing your poker hand before betting. Using the same call in the same area again is like trying to sucker the same guy with the same shell game. Both guarantee you lose.

The constant is you need to constantly change it up and keep your routine from ever getting routine.

 

[Greybeard]

Quote: "Any tips or tricks that would help improve my odds a little bit?"

The same folks who took your $ for the electronics will likely be happy to relieve you of a little more (around $100 with tax) for a (red-lense) spotlight to fit atop the scope on your .308.

 

[esheato]

Thanks for the ideas. I've seen tons of jackrabbits in the fields, so I've tried to stay with the two jackrabbit calls on the caller.

I'm starting to think the electronic caller is great for the long range calls, but falls way short once they're coming in.

I'm thinking I need a "coaxer" or something quieter to get them into shotgun range.

I'll definitely start changing up the calling.

BTW, Varmint Al's is a great resource. I have it bookmarked. I should probably pick up some of the mouth calls, but I'm notoriously horrible with them. I routinely get my duck calls taken away from me by my duck hunting partners.

Greybeard, was that sarcasm about the red lensed light? I actually thought about picking one up. Gamaliel has one with a 250 yard beam on sale for about 65 bucks....what ya think? I was planning on making my Mini-14 strictly a coyote gun. It's the stainless ranch version...I have a fixed 4 power Weaver scope on it now...I figured I could add the light on to the top of it.

esheato...

 

[Art Eatman]

I have a Q-Beam with a red lens cover, for when I'm working out of my truck. I've had good success in shooting with just holding my Streamlight SL20 against the forearm of my rifle.

The problem with these lights is that they're really too bright. It has seemed best if I just barely get the coyote in the very edge of the beam, barely lighting up his eyes. If the light is squarely on them, and very bright, they get spooked. (Can't blame them, really; I would, too.) Quite a few guys will change from a bright light when scanning the area to a two-cell flashlight for close-in work.

Art

 

[Greybeard]

Sarcasm more toward just one more "need" of the retailers for you to leave them some more of your $. Don't feel lonesome; plenty of mine has been left down there too. Thus far, I've only fondled the scope-mounted light at Bass Pro Shop here. My Savage .222/20 gauge really does NEED one! (Think "reason over emotion". And leave the Amex at home.)

I agree with Art on flashlight and trying to keep 'em on edge of beam, just enough to get crosshairs visible. Red lenses tend to spook less.

I've got a Mini-14 with 4X too, but have not used much for coyote gun. Best groups I've got out of it are in 2" to 3" range under ideal conditions - and the coyotes just don't seem to let have me those. At the 200+ yards where I've had daytime coyotes decide to "go back yonder" a flat-shooting .30 preferred over Mini-14. Much better, especially in the wind, for reaching out and touchin'.

 

[twoblink]

From what I can recall, my friend ties a jack rabbit, one leg to a post, so it gets a chance to hop around, and let's the yote's pick up the sound and scent..

You ain't hitting 'em at 500 yards huh? Time for a bipod and scope.. ;-)