Coyotes at night

[Dee]

Lately I have been hearing a lot of coyetes on my property and accross the street in the evening and late at night. I never hear or see them in daytime. Does anyone ever hunt for coyotes at night? Would I have much of a chance of taking some down with an 18" smooth bore shotgun with a flashlight and Trueglow electonic sight at night? I can get pretty tight patterns with 00 buck, about a 3" group at 20 yards or so and it is pretty accurate with rifled slugs. #4 buck spreads out a lot at 25 yrds so I would have to get very close with that type of ammo. Any ideas?

 

[kanook]

Check your regs on hunting at night, or learn how to call them in during the day. The shotgun should be more than enough to do the job.

Night hunting sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[jem375]

buy a flashlight with a red filter, you can see their red eyes a long distance away and it doesn't scare them away...

 

[Dee]

Thanks guys, I have only very limited experience in hunting but I have been a couple of times at night and it is a lot of fun, it wasn't where I live though. Does anyone know off hand about the regs of hunting at night in TN, does it make a difference if it is on your own property? I may play around with calling them in the late afternoon, I did see a caller at Academy that I may try.

Also good tip on the red filter, I'll have to try that as well.

 

[RoostRider]

You better check your reg's in your area before you proceed with either hunting at night, or hunting with artificial light...

Here in MN you can take a coyote any time you want, without a license, but you are NOT allowed to use artificial light (night scopes are OK)

 

[Whitman31]

RoostRider, actually in Minnesota you can use artificial lights to take coyote's from January 1st to May 15th. There are few restrictions, must be on foot, must be using a shotgun, must be calling, and cannot be within 200ft of a vehicle. (pg 41 of the regs)



Also, night vision is completely illegal in minnesota...(pg 31)

 

[RoostRider]

You prove my point quite well Whitman31.... lol.... check reg's!!!!

And here I thought I knew it all..... lol.... I will have to review the reg's myself it would seem.... thanks

 

[Whitman31]

RoostRider, I believe both laws are fairly new. I know they began allowing artificial lights at least a year ago, not sure when they banned night vision...

As you said, check your regs...

 

[Whitman31]

To the original OP, I suggest going to something smaller than buck. I've had good success with full choked turkey loads. Very effective out to 50yds. Also, the "Dead Coyote" load from Hevi-Shot is amazing out to 70.

+1 to the spotlight with a red filter, it works as long as you don't focus the beam directly on them, and even then they don't seem to mind that much.

Hunting at night without snow cover is pretty tough, many coyote hunters have great success during dusk and dawn. If your a good enough caller and there isn't much hunting pressure you can sometimes wake them up anytime of the day.

Good luck...

 

[Dee]

I went on to TWRA website and all it said in regard to coyotes is that you can hunt them any time of year with no limit, it did not mention any limitations that I could find.

I may try out some different shot sizes, 00 seemed to have a tight pattern but #4 spread out a lot past 25 yards, it would probabley do pretty good within that range I imagine. I have not tried any other turkey shot or anything yet. Right now I only have an 18" barrel and it isn't threaded for a choke. At some point I may look into a longer barrel though. Thanks again.

 

[RoostRider]

Not sure what the TWRA website is or how it pertains to the law in your land.... here they issue a booklet that is available in the places that sell the licenses (also available on the web I think).... it should cover it all...

Whitman31.... ok, I'm really bummed if they took away the ability to use NV for coyotes.... but glad to see they approved artificial light (gotta wonder why the limitations though, considering the prevalence of them)... looks like I need to go through the regs again... I totally would have used a NV scope without even thinking about it... *duh*

 

[Whitman31]

RoostRider, I think the regulations on the use of artificial lights are kind of a stepping stone. Limiting them to shotgun use only must be a feel good measure taken to keep people from sending rifle rounds into the abyss. The requirement to be calling part must be an effort to keep people from shooting over bait. The vehicle part is obvious.

All the requirements are obviously intented to deter folks from shooting rifles out of truck windows. I think once they see that all hell hasn't broken loose they might loosen up a bit.

 

[RoostRider]

Yeah, I get it, but I just have to wonder why they would want to keep you from hunting over bait, or with lights, or with night vision, or however it is that you will go out and take them....

Coyotes have become a pretty big concern, at least in the Northern parts of the state. If they really want to do something about it, remove all restrictions aside from those set up to make it safe. (the car rule makes sense to me, knowing how dangerous it can be to wield a loaded long gun around in a car)

 

[Whitman31]

I'm guessing they're trying to make it very obvious that your hunting coyotes, not poaching dear. Just a guess though. The things are way overpopulated in the southern part of the state as well. Do you part and kill more...

 

[Kingcreek]

I used to have a ball hunting coydogs when there was snow cover and moonlight. 30 years my cousin and I laid in a frozen irrigation ditch and covered us with a white sheet. We were calling and actually had one run over us when we sat up to throw the sheet and shoot.