Yeah, the edge of a light's circle of illumination is best, coupled with a red lens-cover. High candle-power is NOT necessary.
I often use a 20,000 CP Streamlight when first calling, instead of a Q-Beam. It's helpful to let life get all complicated and use a two-cell or three-cell "dim-ish" flashlight when the coyote really comes in close. (Generally, I work from my truck. Carrying "stuff" isn't a problem.)
I generally sweep the light fairly quickly across the countryside. If I pick up the gleam of eyes, I don't go back to them. I'll call a bit and sweep again, while getting ready to shoot if the coyote is being helpful.
I've often held the flashlight against the forearm and then just pressed the button when I think I'm close to on-target. Or, turn the light on while holding high, and after picking up the eyes in the edge of the beam, drop down to aim and then shoot.
It all gets more difficult after a few have been shot. Worse if they're shot AT and missed. They don't believe the call is a wounded rabbit, anymore.
Speaking of calls: I like the wounded rabbit call. I try the jackrabbit call, here, and also the cottontail. (We have both.) When I start calling, I'm fairly loud for a bit, and then soften the volume. You might scare off Ol' Wiley if he thinks it's a 400-pound rabbit.
I've found that they either show up within a minute or three, or not at all. I've used tapes, but it's generally more hassle. The Burnham Brothers tape works.
If you set up on some sort of stand, remember that although a coyote may start out by coming straight in to the call, they tend to circle to have the wind in their face for the final approach. Ya gotta figure a spot with this in mind, where they're sorta forced to come in crosswind and not smell you..
Time of day: When there's a lot of moon, I've had good luck in evening toward dark, and in the early morning during first light through sunup. During the dark of the moon, those times haven't been as good; around ten PM seems to work better. My purely-opinion theory is that with a lot of moon, prey animals can see better and thus avoid the coyote. So, the coyotes have to work harder and longer to get a meal. Just a notion...
Out in the back country where coyotes don't really know what people are, I've called them up to the truck in mid-afternoon. It's a hoot to have one go round and round the truck, barking and yipping. Sort of a "Where's my rabbit? You promised me a rabbit! $#%@$!"
And then there's just plain old luck. Coyotes do wander out in the broad open in the middle of the day, sometimes. There's just no telling. Not all of them have read my book, "What Coyotes Do".
Art
