New to coyote hunting, please help

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My brother and I are interested in learning how to coyote hunt. We live in eastern colorado, but have never been. We can't find anyone that knows what to do, what to bring, or what is legal. Any tips would be appreciated!

 

[Robert]

This is the 2011 Small Game book but it is still worth a read.
http://wildlife.state.co.us/SiteCollectionDocuments/DOW/RulesRegs/Brochure/smallgame.pdf
CDOW has tons of great info on their web site that will cover the legal side of things. Where in Eastern CO are you?

 

[BADUNAME37]

The only coyotes I ever shot I just happened to kind of stumble upon them, I did not bait them at all like some people do.

I shot one in broad daylight over 20 years ago, and one that visited my back yard in the middle of the night about five years ago. The only way I could shoot the one in the back yard was because he was lit up with my back yard floodlights. Since we were having problems in the neighborhood with the neighbor's cats not coming home, I suspected coyotes or fox. At night, many summer nights, I can hear them in a distance calling to one another and sometimes a pack of them that sound like martians when they are all howling and barking together.

From what I see, they are constantly moving, running, looking around, always on guard. They are extremely cunning creatures. I think they can smell danger nearby!

 

[rcmodel]

Back in the late 1960's while stationed at Ft. Carson we killed a ton of coyotes east of Colorado Springs and south toward Pueblo road hunting. Just drive the back roads until you spotted one and have your way with it using a .22-250 or .220 Swift.

Back then it was legal, the ranchers wanted rid of them, and it was great sport on those vast flat plains.

Shots could range from 25 yards to 500+ yards.

It's different now and road hunting is highly illegal, but I'd start looking for friendly ranchers out in there in the flats who will let you hunt on thier land.

Coyotes are creatures of habit, and make pretty much the same hunting circuit every day.
So if you can scout some places and find where one is moving, set up a blind overlooking the path and have at it the next morning or two.

rc

 

[Texan Scott]

I live in one of those Tx counties that still puts bounty on a pair of coyote ears. (just not enough to make it worth going out of your way for).

if you just needed them dead, it really wouldn't matter what you shoot 'em with, so long as you hit 'em.

since you're doing it for SPORT, i assume you'll collect pelts. This and groundhogs are about the only cases where i would EVER say this... but you may need a bolt-action in a small, pointy, extremely high velocity FMJ round. (flat trajectory at longer ranges, less damage to the pelt.)

I AM NOT SUGGESTING IT'S THE BEST ROUND FOR A HUMANE KILL. it's not. then again, i won't hunt or kill for sport or trophies alone. I cast no moral aspersions on those who DO, because i don't think the animals have rights... only that people have responsibilities. If you're shooting 'yotes for any reason, do it safely, responsibly, and legally, and maybe consider finding a constructive use for the pelts. (If you're gonna shoot 'em for their skins, at least WEAR 'em).

 

[Art Eatman]

I've had success in southwest Texas with a wounded rabbit call. Both mouth-blown and "baby boom box" with a Burnham Brothers tape.

Call for a half a minute or so, then wait. Call again, a little softer. Pray.

Coyotes will initially come in from wherever they are, but will generally circle on the final approach to come from downwind. That means that you have to pick a sitting spot where some terrain feature keeps him from a direct approach and smelling you.

If you call at night, don't shine a light directly on the coyote. Just the edge of the beam, picking up the glow of his eyes. Sweep quickly, in brief looks. Doesn't hurt to have two lights: A strong one for the initial looking, a weaker one for when he's close in.

Keep the light out in front of the scope; it's amazing how light in the wrong place can mess things up. I commonly use a Q-Beam with a red lens cover and make a shroud from a piece of cardboard to avoid backscatter of light.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

I drive out in the pasture, I see them, I shoot them, hang em on the fence sometimes, got too many to worry about what happens to them after that.

 

[Centurian22]

I have not been yote hunting yet but have researched it a good bit. Couple little hints / tips to try. Find a rabbit farmer or someone who has a pet rabbit and clean the cage out for them collecting all the droppings, hair and shavings in a bag. Use this for bait / scent. I can't remember the name of the cat toy but it's a something-weasel. Motorized to roll around and flip its tail all about. Attach the ball part to a stake high enough for it to be seen above the brush / ground cover and re-paint to more natural color if need be. Calling with either a mouth call or cheap mp3 player zip tied to a megaphone are a great way to top it off. Coyotes are very cautious but the more of their senses you trick and appeal to the less cautious they will be. They hear and come investigate, they see and the get closer, they smell and they run in for the kill. Setup down wind of a raised part of a field where the various lure are set up and wait. Supposedly they will run right by other dead yotes and pay no attention, so don't assume you're done after taking one out. Good luck, be safe, have fun. Let me know if you want any further elaboration on the above mentioned ideas.
Also check out www.predatorswest.com alot of good info, nice forum, and not to long ago the guy that runs it was sending out a free camo long sleeved shirt and mouth predator call completely for free when you signed up.

 

[tri70]

I howl them in with Primos hand calls, I love watching Primos videos with Randy Anderson. You can check them out at CallingAllCoyotes.com, he has very educational step by step videos and you can start off on the cheap or go all out with an electronic caller.

 

[M-Ful]

I dont know about any of the other states but in Arkansas you have to get a prededation license from the game and fish commision to hunt them at night. Ive had awesome success hunting powerlines on our deer lease, dont listen to people that tell you that you need multiple hundred dollar electronic calls, I use primos hand calls but I called one to 50 yards in this years deer muzzleloader season with only my mouth, just make sure youre camoed up really well, I use face paint too, in my opinion coyotes are one of the toughest critters to hunt, at least that Ive hunted, theyre smart and they blend in really well, theres a reason that COYOTE tan is a popular base color! And if you have two people have one with a rifle and one with a shotgun with some form of buckshot, if youre in some thick brush they can come in really close and make it a hard shot with a scoped rifle.

 

[gamestalker]

Not sure of what is legal in Colorado, but here in Az. coyotes are open year around and can be hunted with any weapon, and no firearm restrictions exist. I use a remote controlled elctronic caller and set it out at about 150 - 200 yds. from my elevated postion. I use a distressd jack rabbit or cotton tail call. It is more fun than you can imagine without having to invest a truck load of money. Back in the old days I used a mouth call (distressed rabbit) and would sit in an elevated place so as to see them on approach using a semi auto 22 LR loaded with HP's. Sometimes they would hold up at 200 - 300 yds., but because I was using a scoped 22 lr (no recoil) rifle I would just walk the rounds in until I found my mark, that's fun no matter who you are!

Now days I enjoy the electronic caller and a high powered rifle with HP's. There ain't nothin more fun than watching a yote litterally explode, in my opinion. A cheap shooting stick is handy if you plan on taking long shots. But a call and rifle are really all that's needed to have gobbs of fun, and gain experience shooting at live animals, sometimes on the run.

A couple tips! Set up in an elevated position, keep the wind in your face in position to the call, and sit against something, rather than hiding in a bush or sky lining yourselves. Yotes are very smart and will often try to circle the caller to identify the meal visually and by scent before coming all the way in.. I've had a few times in which yotes and fox came in behind me, and when I realized it I was within several feet of them. One time my buddy and I had been calling and had just dropped 1, and when we stood up to leave, we turned around to find one standing litterally at our feet looking at us, bewildered I guess. Same thing happened to us with 2 foxes that didn't have any idea what we were. I actually felt kind of bad about those foxes cause they just stood there staring at us.

You can by a remote controlled call for about $30. The last one I bought was about that much and has like 5 different calls on it. Or just pick up a mouth call, Circe make a good one for about $10. we can't use bait out here but if it's legal in Colorado i would pop a rabbit and use that along with the call. Don't handle the rabbit with your hands or your scent may prevent them from coming in close. Scent is about the most important factor in my opinion, which is one reason I like to sit in an elevated position and keep the wind direction as much to my advantage as is possible.

Before I knew anything about calls I would sit in an elevated postion and watch for yotes doing their early morning hunting, but thats more of a time and chance method and can go either way for ya.
GS

 

[shootniron]

I enjoy coyote hunting and I find that the most effective call that I can use is a live rabbit. You can twist the leg of a live rabbit and it will produce a distress vocalization that coyotes cannot resist.