Just wondering, does anyone here go coyote hunting on a regular basis? Although deer season is over, coyote season is year round. I've gone a few time before while rifle hunting, but I just never could seem to call one up. Anyone have any tips or techniques? We had a noticeable increase in the coyote population a while back, and these past two deer seasons were probably two of my worst ever in terms of deer sightings.

By the way, I'm working on a something that might interest some of you. It's top secret at the moment, but I'm confident I'll have some pictures to show you before too long.

Top secret? I can't wait. How about a hint?

Tell me. I won't tell anyone on this, I promise!!

Hunt them at night with a friend. One carry a TC .410 Contender pistol, the other a handgun or ....maybe a little night vision, electronic caller and a good light to shine on the eyes!

Lots of camo, no scent, and be very still, but be sure to hunt where the dogs are know to be.

Good remote electronic call. Mine is Foxpro Fury 2. Put the call at least 50 yds upwind or crosswind. Coyotes will try to get down wind of the call. If they get downwind of you it is game over. You can bark at them to stop them running to take your shot.

Only make 15 to 20 min stands then move maybe a mile away. Usually if they don't come by then it's not likely they will.

Besides distress calls use Coyote vocals near the end of a stand. I have some coyote barks and fights I use. They are territorial so they will come if they think other coyotes are in their area.

I don't claim to be a great coyote hunter, but I learned from the master, my buddy "Cat Daddy" Kelly Jackson.

He has appeared on the Foxpro Furtakers TV show on the Outdoor Channel.

I have hunted with both Kelly and his buddy JD who is in this video. They are both amazing coyote hunters.

http://youtu.be/s1Jorm2myMc

I wonder. See, the farm I live and hunt on is about 180 acres, and much of that is small fields. Think I should start asking around for permission to hunt some of the neighbors' farms, as well?

Yes, if you are serious about getting into coyote hunting you need a as much land as possible. You could have some success just hunting your own land but it won't take long for the coyotes there to become wary of calls.

I am lucky to have access to thousands of acres in NW Oklahoma. I don't gett out there often, but I know one guy in the panhandle that has 41,000 acres.

You are getting some good advice here and I don't have anything to add except I am going to quote a very good friend that has since passed away. His name is Bill Austin from Rawlins, Wyoming. Bill was a professional "wolfer" for the state and did his work long before the electronic call craze. He was one of the first to use the 'howling' technique and marketed his own line of mouth calls. Bill is credited with killing over 5,000 coyotes. If my memory serves me correctly, Bill once wrote:

"The only man smarter than a wise old coyote is the man who gets him."

I am still thrilled when I outsmart an old dawg and put him on the ground. FWIW the last coyote I called in was several months ago, before I severely injured my knee. I heard him howling and after some glassing, spotted him and set up in the direction I expected him to come in from. After I started calling he disappeared, coming toward me, and finally showed up in a slightly different spot than what I expected. I slowly tried to reposition and was forced to shoot from a somewhat unsteady rest and missed him clean at 100 yards.

Something you have to remember is that hunting them in TN in fields devided by woodlines as most of the state is doesn't require nearly as much land as it does in the western states. For example if you set up around TN and after calling you don't get a response you can move a couple of hundred yards and are liable to to have 3 run in at once. I killed 4 in one evening off of a calling set up and never moved. Also around hear I have quit using a electronic caller and started using Haydels Government cottontail hunter mouth call. I have never seen a call work better. It is a easy call to master and I haven't seen them come in to any other call in such a jerk. Its a blast wherever and however you do it.reflex264

I just wish I knew someone who was really into it around here who could show me how it's done. There's nothing quite as good as learning from someone experienced.



Oh, just y'all wait. Maybe by tomorrow I'll have pictures up.

I wish I had time to run up to Martin and show you the ropes. Maybe in a month or two I will have a weekend. reflex264

It's addictive, been at it since I called in my first one in 1964. The only advise I'd offer over what others have stated is 'don't get discouraged'! Despite what the videos would have you believe, they don't come charging up every time you blow on the call or turn on the e-caller. Keep at it, it'll happen.

Russell

Are you going to make the Okpredator hunt at Black Kettle this year? If so CU there.

AMEN! They don't always do what you want them to.

TN Lone Wolf -
Coyote hunting has become my winter past time and 2nd to deer hunting. the Randy Anderson "calling all coyotes" DVDs were my biggest find back around 2004. I continue to use his techniques today, all mouth calls - this can get you in the game with minimal expense. I use the Primos\Anderson series & the Verminators Tweety call which is my #1 favorite. Multiple locations are key "land access". I knock on lots of doors, those that say no to deer hunting will often allow coyote hunting. Most responses I get are "I hate those things - shoot all you can find". Learn to play the wind your setup can make or break your set. I hunt right after sun up thru noon and from 3pm to dark. Both have produced equally well. Here in southeast Indiana my success rate run right at ~33% which is I will call up 1 coyote for 3 stand attempts. I purposely time my sets, calling for 25 to 30 min. I have had some rush right in while others may take a while to appear. If nothing shows after ~25 min of calling, I set and watch for another 30 before I move. New Years day at the 33 min mark one finally showed up. Give it a try and I suspect you will have a ball.
Good luck
B...

Ain't that the truth.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Last night I talked to a relative of a fellow student who's tried coyote hunting with no luck before. If we can get together, we might be able to figure everything out. His relative was complaining about coyotes bothering her dogs at night, so I'm hoping this opportunity will result in some new land and maybe even a hunting partner.

Oh, and for those who waited patiently for the reveal of my project:


I got a new coyote gun.

Great looking rig and I like the two-tone.

Thanks, Gregg. It would probably look nicer if the frame and barrel were the same finish, but I had to use what components were available. I'm don't dislike the combination, though.

I like the 2 tone combo also. Looks really sharp and is better for hunting than a totally silver gun. I have been using rifle scopes on light recoiling TCs for 35 years. My favorite varmint rig is a Contender 223 with a 4x12 Bushnell BDC rifle scope on it. If you sight in with your hand on top of the scope it will help keep the recoil down.

Depending upon your State Laws – you can enjoy shooting at night with a caller (mouth or electronic) night vision/thermal scope and a can (silencer). Not many States allow this and not many people can afford to shoot coyotes in this manner – but if you can, it’s productive if you have coyotes in the area.

Here’s what some might want to consider when attempting to locate coyotes. Purchase a Blade 350 helo with camera and fly the thing around your area. You’ll be surprised at what you can see from the air.

For as often as I’m able to get out anymore, a couple of years ago I just upgraded to a MA-21 caller, purchased a good warm set of winter camo bibs & jacket and mainly go to where no coyotes roam. I find it difficult justifying purchasing the "good, modern day equipment" that others have.

I use the caller placed 50 to 100 yards into the wind from my hide. I find the rabbit, pup in distress, fawn and mouse calls effective when coyotes are in the area. I also use a decoy - it's a fur cap I place next to my caller.

My success rate some days are 1 in 4 or 5 while my normal successful call rate is maybe 1 in 15, meaning once every two or three days in the field. Sometimes they will start to come and hold up 400 to 600 yards out and just sit and look in your direction. If they stay there long enough (20/30 minutes) I'll send one their way but seldom connect on that skinny target (223 Rem) - a 243/308 would be the gun to have when that occurs.

I know of a couple people who harvest 250 to 350 coyotes a year (November thru end of March) but they have a lot of coyotes in their area and they use silenced 223's and call both day & night several times a week. (Must be nice to be well off farm boys) In our State we can own silencer's and full autos but can't shoot coyote using night vision. Clear nights with a good moon and snow on the ground helps but I'm thinking these guys are using something to give them an edge at night - could be wrong.

They just won a coyote contest yesterday – the 2 of them bagged 14 coyotes in 12 hours. Got 5 coyotes off one set – called in 6 in 40 minutes and bagged 5. You need a silenced 223 in order to accomplish anything like that. Very unusual to call in that many off one set in the winter months. Two weeks ago they took a 5th place in another contest, so what that means to me is they are experienced coyote hunters, have good equipment, good physical stamina, they scouted their area very well, lots of coyotes in the area and a little luck always helps.

I’m doing fairly poorly this year, as I don’t seem to make the time to get out very often, I’m getting lazy and soft, as walking over frozen snow covered ground quietly and keeping your nose pointed into a cold breeze all day long just isn’t as much fun as it was 60 years ago, 30 years ago, 5 years ago, hell, just last year seemed easier than this year. Anyway, my youngest grandkids can’t stay still for more than 5 minutes, so I blame it on them for my poor showing this year – plus they sound like a herd of buffalo walking to the hide.

Good Luck to ya, keep at it and you’ll score one of these days and if you get the bug – God help ya, as it can last a lifetime.

Chance, The few times I`ve hunted western coyotes were some of the finest, most rewarding hunts I have ever experienced... what Rio say`s about hunting as much land as possible is so important... You have the benefit of the members advice, with many years of experience, that can make your coyote hunting a little easier...