Coyote hunting tips?

[unwise11]

I'm possibly going on my first Coyote hunt soon.. Got my rifle set up.. Nice Remington 700 SPS Varmint with Nightforce Base / Rings and Osprey 10-40x50 illuminated glass..
I have a Knight and Hale "EZ Howler Plus" call.. I don't like it very much.. Oh well.

I don't really know what to expect.. Just call them in with a little rabbit in distress caller and blast as many as I can?

I assume I'll be shooting at night.

 

[shaggy430]

Make sure night hunting is legal in your area. I'm sure you will find out quick that the phrase "blasting as many as you can" does not apply. Shots at coyotes are quick and you will not likely get more than one shot. If you do shoot, it is not likely you will get a shot at another in the same stand.

 

[Grumulkin]

Make sure night hunting is legal in your area. I'm sure you will find out quick that the phrase "blasting as many as you can" does not apply. Shots at coyotes are quick and you will not likely get more than one shot. If you do shoot, it is not likely you will get a shot at another in the same stand.

I would agree. You have to see how fast a coyote can run after being shot at to believe it. I shot one and hit it hard in the lungs and maybe in the heart judging by where the hole was and it made it 150 and probably a bit more yards before going down from a flat out run. At night they also have a huge advantage unless you have very good night vision equipment as opposed to a scope with a lighted reticle.

All my coyotes, by the way, have been shot during the day.

 

[unwise11]

It's legal AFAIK.. I guess I might have to re think this. I am not 100% sure if I'm going to be able to go, but I hope so.. I have a .308 Remington 700 SPS Varmint that is dead on sub MOA accurate, and my dad's AR with an ACOG 3.5X if I remember right..

I'm leaning on the .308 because I have some 125 G loads cooked up that should be the perfect pill since they'll expand well.

 

[Snag]

Shots at coyotes are quick and you will not likely get more than one shot.

So true. They're very instinctive critters, quite savvy. A lot different than deer. In that they don't run in a straight line, or even at a constant speed, and tend to change direction right when your about to take the shot.

 

[BigN]

When I first started hunting coyotes I bought/had all the latest equipment for night hunting. Over the years I've averaged 16 per season. 3 is the most I've gotten at night in any given year. Daylight to 2 hours later and from 2 hours before dark until dark is when I've been most productive. I don't care for night hunting just because I can't see except for the spot that's lit. I like to see all the way around me. Also, I've found that a tree stand is most productive. By the way, that 40x scope is a hindrance, not an asset for night hunting...

 

[MtnCreek]

Osprey 10-40x50 illuminated glass

You may want to get out at night and look through that scope before going hunting. It may prove to be useless, even set on 10x.

 

[modarmory]

probably a given since you are a hunter but paying attention to the wind, covering your smell, and knowing if the area has been hunted recently helps.
We supply night vision to a local hunting guide and it makes a big difference when hunting them as it gets dark.

 

[Art Eatman]

When calling coyotes at night, don't shine the light down low where it's full in their face. Just pick up the eyes in the edge of the light.

While a coyote will come from wherever they are at the beginning, they usually circle as they get closer, coming in from downwind of the call.

Most of my night shots have been around 40 yards. I use a .243, mostly, with a 2x7 set on 2X. Field of view is far more important than magnification.

 

[rcmodel]

It may prove to be useless, even set on 10x.

A 10-40x50 will prove to be useless in broad daylight for called coyotes too.

Way too much power for a coyote rifle under almost any circumstances, but especially calling.

You would do much better with a low power variable (1-4x or 2-7x) for seeing & tracking a fast moving coyote in the brush.

A 7x is all the scope you need to kill coyotes as far as you can see them.

rc.

 

[unwise11]

I'm not planning on changing my glass right now..

I guess I'll take the AR.

 

[westcliffe01]

I have a 22mag setup for night shooting with a 1.5-4.5 scope which would stay at 1.5 all of the time except if something is coming in and I am tracking it. At 1.5 it has a pretty wide field of view. They are very smart and if you "educate them" by not killing them the first time they show up, you may never see that yote again.