goin' coyote huntin'... any tips?

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

grizz

Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2005
Messages
412
Location
Eagle River, AK
Tomorrow and Sunday I'm trying out some coyote hunting for the first time. I'm wondering if you guys think this setup sounds OK, or if you have any suggestions:

Location: About 1.5 hours outside of Salt Lake City, UT: sagebrush, juniper, rolling hills. public land, but near cattle ranch with lots of calves.

Rifle: Armalite AR-10(T) - long range .308 w/ 4.5-14x Nikon (my DPMS isn't sighted in yet) RRA AR-15 Tactical Car A4 as backup in case all hell breaks loose.

Calls: I downloaded 2 mp3 call sequences from varmintals.com, 1 20 minute and 1 16 minute and have them burned onto a CD. I also have several Primos calls (but alas, only newby skills)

Sound system: Nice Sony boom box hidden in bushes

Decoy: (haven't figured this out yet... need to find something furry and cheap) will position decoy next to boom box on a barb wire fence or something.

Camo: Full 3-D suit.

Tactics: I'm planning on getting there about 4 hours before sunset and hiking about 15 minutes from my jeep. I'll position the decoy and boom box about 100 yards (?) up-wind from me. I'll play the call sequence, if nothing shows up, try 10 minutes of manual calls, then move on to a different location and try again.

ANY TIPS? Thanks for the help.

--Grizz
 
Sit Still! And leave a lot of open down wind because 'yotes normally try to circle around down wind before comming in to attack the "rabbit". Good Luck!
-Mike
 
Are the cows still birthing? If they are, the coyotes will try to get a calf or the after-birth. If the calves are a little older, the coyotes will not be hanging around the cattle. For a cheap decoy, I have used a black rag spread out on a wire fence so that it looks like a crow landing. If you put it by your call box, the coyote evidentually thinks the crow is getting the easy meal first. Have had them rush the flapping rag.
 
Movement in camo shows up as much as movement in Levis. Coyotes don't see color except as shades of gray. If you have camo, there's nothing wrong with wearing it, but it's nowhere near necessary. The main thing is to go all Zen and pretend you're a stump or boulder. :)

When there's lot of moon early in the night, late afternoon and on through dusk is a very good time.

Having the dying rabbit sound some 50 or so feet out from you is a good thing, although I mostly just use a mouth squaller. Don't set the volume up too high, since coyote ears can hear "Food!" from a long way off.

Sit cross-wind from your speaker, backed up against some brush. A little elevation for your sitting spot helps, so you have a better view of anything coming in.

Lots of threads on this subject in this forum, if you have the time and inclination to do a Search...

Art
 
All great suggestions! The decoy is a great addition as it gives the yote something to watch. I hadn't thought of the black rag but can't wait to try that! Give the yote's a little extra time, up to 45 min. at a set as they are getting wiser, I've witnessed more of them sitting out at a distance looking things over, and as stated before give yourself a lot of space down wind as they tend to circle wider than they used to.
Best of luck


Terminate don't Educate
 
NO LUCK

A traffic jam shortened my hunting time to about 1.5 hours before dark. I made 2 different attempts. Saw FRESH tracks in the mud, but 'yotes were'nt having any of my boom-box calls w/ mp3s from varmintals website. I also tried some mouth calls (wounded rabbit mainly) but no luck. Next time I'll devote much more time to practice with my mouth calls before heading out to hunt and probably leave the boom box at home.

Possible setup problem: Due to weight issues and time constraints I only hiked about 5 minutes off of the road in 2 different locations about a 5 minute drive apart. It was a remote dirt road with no vehicles passing, but still, maybe if I hiked farther into the wild I'd have better luck.

Weight: Overall, my equipment was way too heavy. The boom box, a 14lb AR-10 and backpack w/ water, snacks, extra clothes, basic survival gear was just too much. Also was packing a pistol for backup. Next time I'll leave the backpack and the pistol and just take the AR-10, 2 mags, and a camelback.

Area looked good though, but no luck.

Thanks for the tips.
 
A couple more tips...

When going into an area, be very quiet. Act like you are stalking the coyote. Get to where you are going, but don't rush.

Always be on the lookout for coyotes. Sometimes you can spot them when you walking in if you are quiet. It is a huge confidence boost when you sneak up on a predator, and it is fun to kill them before they even know you are there.

If I see really fresh tracks like you described, I stop get a good blind (or closet one) and set up.

Once you get to where you want to set up, wait about 5 minutes before you start calling. Sometimes you might startle a coyote walking in, but if you wait for a few minutes, he might forget that he heard anything and come running to your calls.

Hope this helps for next time. Good luck on your future outings!
 
Grizz,

I think you are right about the gear being too much.

Turkey hunters (especially the bow and arrow guys) are notorious for loading themselves down with several decoys, a chair, a blind, a backpack, etc. until they lose the ability to change locations or move quickly, or get back in the woods far enough to meet up with a turkey.
 
Don't get discouraged. I used to call in a Coyote for every 20-30 min. of calling. Of course until 20 years ago hardly anyone called,it just wasn't that popular. But since then there have been alot of advances in techniques,and equipment,and alot more callers.I have seen a steady increase in the amount of time a dog will look over a situation before coming in. I had one come in last year less than 5 min. into a set. But the average calling time now I'd guess at more like 3-4 hours per dog spotted, I don't usually call more than 45 min. to an hour at a set,then move on. I called in a familiar area once last fall, 3 different sets, an hour to an hour and a half at each. After a whole day of calling and hiking, I only saw one Yote. He was dead down wind at about 200 yards and all I could see was his head sticking up. I had been calling for a half hour or so,I don't know how long he was there. The only reason I saw him was when I stood to leave. I don't think he would have ever come in, I think he was just waiting to see what I looked like.
 
30 06 is exactly right, be patient, and make sure if you are going alone, that you can either look over your shoulders cleanly, or have some kind of impedement behind you, or you are likely to have one sniffing up behind one of our ears.
 
Coyotes can usually be found not to far from anywhere,you don't have to be to far out to find them.Travel as light as possible.Try the mouth calls,you'll probably do better than you think.Just keep calling the dogs will come.Try to hunt a cross wind and don't shoot the first one to show up,wait a little and you'll probably have two or three,you may get all of them.Good luck and good hunting.
 
I agree on the gear, go lightweight. When I coyote hunt, I just take my rifle, water, and some snacks in my pocket. I use a hand call that hangs around my neck and dress in layers so I can adjust to the temp. I leave my lunch and other gear in the car, which is typically no more than a few miles away. I'll hunt in the morning and evening and take lunch at the car. If I'm planning on staying out all day, I'll take my small hunting pack to carry my lunch and more water.

I don't stay more than 15-20 minutes on a stand, but I try to hunt areas that aren't hunted a lot. Be sure to enter the area quietly and pay attention to the wind and as others said, try to be very still when on a stand.

Just keep at it. The first few times I went out I didn't see anything and learned from my mistakes. It just takes time in the field.

Tim
 
Thanks for all the great tips, everyone.

Does anyone recommend a certain brand of call?

I'm using Primo's (a 'yote yeller and a smaller injured animal call). I also have another brand that comes in a 3 call set, but I think they sound like crap. They're all plastic calls. Do some of the wood ones sound better?
 
Most of us are trying to mimmick a dying rabbit,either a jack rabbit or a cotton tail.I have used many different brands,plastic and wood and they all worked pretty good.A varible pitch is good if you practice with it.If the distressed rabbit isn't working,sometimes a yelping puppy will bring them in.Yea a coyote will have a puppy for dinner.A howler may be a good idea to help you locate the coyote.I like late to hunt the late in the evening,if I hear them howl,I can usually call them in.
 
You might also check http://www.coyotegods.com

Remember, the guys on the tapes and DVD's edit out the stands that don't produce

You may try to figure a way to turn the sound off and on rather than continuous

for a decoy, you can take a turkey feather and tie it to a fence with light string so it moves in the wind

make sure not to silhouette against the skyline walking in or make any noise including slamming car doors
 
Coyotes travel. To help me locate them I have topographical map sections that cover my entire hunting area. These are on a wall in my toy room,

393712.JPG



When scouting and I see coyote sign I stick a white headed pin in the map at that location. If I see a coyote or if a landowner ect tells me they have seen one I stick in a blue pin. Wherever I make a kill I stick in a red one. Over time I have areas marked where I know they are at some time. When I make a kill I stay away from that area at least three weeks. I concentrate on and rotate between these areas. This way I can hunt areas without having to see fresh tracks. I also get out immediately after a rain looking for tracks. Sometimes I'll go to the same areas several times in a day after a rain to see when they came through. In order to have a successful hunt there has to be coyotes there when you are. You have to get into the area without them knowing you are there. Then you have to convince them that you are something they are somehow interested in. Next is the fast shot. Whatever part of the coyote I see I put the crosshairs in the middle of it. I just want to knock him down. I use a Colt SP2 with a 20x50mm Springfield Combat scope. Its like looking in a TV screen. But for me the wide angle of view is essential for keeping a moving coyote in view. I shoot 55g hand loaded softpoints pushed by 26g of IMR4895. Since I hunt mountains I always carry a pistol. My current choice is a Colt trooper .357 with .38sp 124g hps. Have one sppedloader for it. Lots of times I've had to track a wounded coyote in the rocks and finish him off.

rk
 
I might try a different location this week. The snow is melting at my land (100 acres in northern Utah) and I'm eager to get up their and do my help to control the predator population :D .

Thanks again for all the great advise. I want to get serious about hunting coyotes, so this is all really helpful (me being such a beginner).

I just need to devote more time to actually being in the field. I work a 7 days on 7 days off schedule, so come tuesday I'm clear to hunt some 'yotes all week long.

I might camp out at my property if the snow is melted down to ground level anywhere. The land is at about 7000 ft in elevation and had 5 feet of snow on it two weeks ago, so we'll see...

I'll keep everyone posted. I'm planning on going out tuesday morning (early) and staying out all day.

Thanks!

--Grizz.
 
coyote hunting

Grizz, My advice is keep things simple. The less things you drag around the better off you are. Electronic callers are okay but extra luggage. I'm partial to open reed calls. You can do soo much more with them under certain situations. You might want to think about getting a howler and learn the coyote lanquage. I start all my setups with a howl all year around. Then I follow up with a hurt pup or rabbit distress. A lot of time I'll just do the hurt pup and that's all you got to do. Camoflage is nice but not necessary. One of the main things is motion and your setup. You shouldn't have any shiny equipment and most always call into the wind. When I started hunting I was eleven and went to the old school of hard knocks. Calling is an exciting sport and after you call your first one in you'll be hooked. I still get a thrill just like when I called my first one. You'll make some mistakes just like everyone but eventually you'll get better. Try to get into your area as quiet as possible. I always sit for about 5 minutes and let things settle down before I start calling. You might want to get a good set of binoculars as they are invaluable when hunting coyotes. You can glass the area and see them coming a long ways out. You have the advantage then. If they spot you first your in his ball park then. When you setup to call make sure you don't have any blind spots where you can't see them up close. Happy hunting. Any question feel free to email me or look at my website.
 
IMHE the .308 is over kill, I carry a bolt .22 250 with a 2x7 power on it. I have had the opportunity to hunt using a AR flattop and would like to try that with a red dot. The scope on it had too small of a field of view for where I was hunting (SW minn)and I missed two shots because I was too slow.

My gear is all manual because electronic calls have not worked for me. i have used road kill for baiting too. A really bloated raccoon or deer carcus hung over a fence is real deal for getting their attention. Fresh road kill works too. but it seems that it has to be really stinky or still twiching, the in between stuff just has not worked for me, (don't be finicky tho, sometimes the road kill brings in the crows and boy they are fun to pop too) and once I had gotten a couple of crows down and had a live growler flapping around I got two yote's who came running to the rucus.
 
Is it legal to hunt at night in your area? This will produce more coyotes, especially on a moon;ess night. If it is, notify the local game warden where you will be, the times and dates, and 3what your aredoing. Tis courtesy will eliminate a lot of probles. he might even suggest ways to hunt them more effectively. At least, they do here in Texas. get a good cordless 12v spotlight and a red filter. Red doesn;t seem to bother the 'yotes.
 
no luck again...

On my last week off (I work every other week) I went with some friends to southern Utah and camped/ coyote hunted. I tried open reed mouth calls in 2 different stands, without any success. We camped near a 'yote den with tracks that were probably 3-5 days old, but didn't hear any dogs calling during the 3 days we were down there, so I'm guessing there just weren't any in the area. I did see 8 desert bighorn sheep though (better keep putting in for that permit).

Things I plan to try: Coyotes aren't protected at all by Utah game regulations, so maybe I'll try at night with a spotlight as suggested above (thanks). Also I'm in the process of looking for a decoy (cheap stuffed rabbit, or maybe I'll shoot a jackrabbit and use it's hide?

Thanks,
Grizz
 
, snacks, extra clothes, basic survival gear was just too much.
Click to expand...

LOL! All that for a stroll only a few minutes away from your vehicle?

The above posters are right. Too much gear.

Plus, IIRC, you're supposed to relocate every 15 or 20 minutes.

Seriously, you didn't sound as if you were going varmint hunting. You sounded like you were going to rescue the hostages.

:D :D :D

BTW, before you get offended at my wisecrack, ask me what I took on my weekend camping/hunting excursion in the Cumberland mountains.

I wasn't hunting. I was moving.
 
I use a stuffed animal I got from Wal-Mart for a decoy. It works good...once they spot it! The best decoy is one with movement. I tried putting the stuffed animal on a line and jerking it when i think the coyote could see it, but they normally saw me jacking off the string the stuffed animal was tied to and ran away. For 50 bux you can get one of the movable decoys from Cabela's. Take care.
-Mike
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

B
  • Locked
Coyote hunting with dogs
Replies
5
Views
375
Bfh_auto
B
E
  • Locked
Coyote Hunting--Need some tips and tricks.
Replies
8
Views
3K
twoblink
T
B
  • Locked
Airgun Coyote Report: first coyote called and killed with....
Replies
10
Views
737
WardenWolf
W
hps1
  • Locked
Introduction to Scimitars
Replies
5
Views
418
Patocazador
Patocazador
hps1
  • Locked
Anyone hunt coyotes using night vision devices?
Replies
6
Views
1K
hps1
hps1
Back
Top