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How To Shoot A Winter Coyote
Improve your winter coyote hunting with patience, an electronic call, and a good vantage point
Photo by Kevin Hand
December through February can be a tough time for hunters. If your tag is punched or the season has closed, you've got a long wait until spring gobblers. But with coyotes you're looking at a year-round season—no limits, no license. Outfitter Cory Lundberg (codahunts.com), who guides predator hunters in Wyoming and Utah, says, “This kind of hunting is a waiting game. A mature coyote can take a long time to come in, and you must be able to sit still the whole time. If he smells, sees, or hears you, the game is over.”
The Call Digital electronic calls from Fox pro (gofoxpro.com), especially those that mimic a distressed rabbit, are lundberg's favorites. He'll also use fox distress calls. He places the speaker 100 to 200 feet away from the hunter, mainly to keep the coyote focused on the call, not the hunter.
The Setup Lundberg often hunts in sagebrush flats. The key is to set up at an elevated position with a good vantage point—the idea being to spot the coyote before he spots you and then watch him close the distance. Since a coyote often tries to approach from downwind, try to set up in a quartering wind to reduce its chance of scenting you.
The Signs one way to tell if a coyote is approaching in thicker cover is to look for a following magpie or crow. They'll fly near a coyote to scrounge on the leavings. Spooked antelope or mule deer are also good clues of a coyote on the move.
The End game Lundberg enjoys the challenge of getting a coyote as close as possible. The shot can be anywhere from 15 to 300 yards. “When the coyote turns broadside—no matter the distance—I know something has triggered his defense mechanisms. This is when I tell the hunter to take him.”
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Comments (35)
Good tips
Coyotes also will tend to aproach from your flanks, so be sure to utilize your peripheral vision more to keep from moving while you wait for them to come to your calls.
It allways seems to me that they will be were you least expect them to be. So be ready. Anyone know of any good night lights for hunting them at night, and does anyone have or know someone who has the light the advertise in North American Hunter. Is it a good light, the range is supposed to be 250 yards, but the price is almost that of a foxpro. I want to know if it is worth the money.
Try Primos Spotlights (comes with red lenses) that can be mounted on your rifle scope, between $30-$150, depending on what set-up you want.
Wind is very important. Know how the wind is going so that you can position yourself. Coyotes usually come from downwind.
Just to point out, at least in Utah and Idaho you do need a general hunting license to hunt coyotes. I don't know about everywhere else and I know that nobody cares about saving coyotes, but it is still the law and you can get trouble.
Thank you, rezavoirdog.
Indiana has a 5 month season and requires a general hunting license.
ya indian requires general hunting license unless u own the land then its any time all the time any number
i mean indiana not indian sorry
Another way in which I have heard people hunting coyote is to place your deer scraps out in the open and "feed" them then pull the scraps and wait.
If you hunt White Sands Missile Range like I have, be very careful when calling coyotes. Your 22-250 or 25-06 might not be big enough for what comes charging in. ORYX! And boy do they!
When calling coyotes, be on the lookout for bobcats and foxes. They come in hard and low and are a blast to shoot!(no pun intended)
wish i had huge fields to hunt coyotes in..nothing like hunting in the timber of the northeast
I have the small primos light for my 22 mag. works great.. Have to wait for deer season to end to use the big guns,in NY. Also try going out around midnight or later, you will find the wind has died down and you don't get all the noise from heavy traffic and what not. Also you can still get the Lohman cd's wich work great with a $30.00 portable cd player from anyone versus a $600.00 and up fox pro.. Good luck and just have fun, Ed..
im planning on trying my hand at coyote hunting in the upcoming weeks this will help me a lot
I like R/R tracks with a buddy or two to watch my flanks, plus I have a couple of spots that have ditches. We park on the road and go up the ditch a couple of hundred yards. The best night hunt yet is during the FEB full moon, good light with snow... I have even better success if I even go back to an orginal spot a couple of hours later...and yes "thawed" deer guts/ animals are great bait. I like to get a full day of hunting in, so one is to go rabbit hunting, keep the body/guts, have rabbit for late lunch and then go to a couple of spots where I left the rabbit parts. Don't limit yourself to one spot or even just coyotes...skunk, racoon, and fox are equally fun and pelts are cool!
don't hunt the gut piles itself hunt the trails into them.. Hunting the gut piles causes critters to get smart on you if you hunt the gut piles you'll get a few hunt the trails into the gut piles you'll get more than a few...
My first predator kill was a yote.I drove up on him suddenly on my wheeler at 10yds. I grabbed my Ar-15 took half a dozen shots and lowered my gun. Only to see him grab the front leg, I just blew off!, and run into the tree line. I couldn't believe it but my cousin was there to witness it! we trailed it for 100+yards with no luck. SUMMARY: PREDATOR HUNTING IS AWESOME!
Are there any states that still have bounties on coyotes,Arkansas used to pay ten dollars each you had to send the ears to game and fish for payment.
Alabamaoutlaw
I am just getting into coyote hunting, this was very helpful, just what I needed. I think Predator Hunting is going to be the fastest growing type of hunting in the near future!
when you shoot a coyote or shoot at one use a serenade call or call aggressively with short howls. you would be suprised how many will come in after a shot or two. The two best times of year to hunt them is early november when the pups leave to claim their own territory, then in February and march during breeding season. I suggest not hunting after March to allow whats left to reproduce for next year.
Will someone please bail me out! I'm a beliver of Gene Hills fine works, ran into a few about dogs on here and blundered out somehow. Can anyone please direct me back to them? I've gone to everoe of these and can't find them. Thanks in advance.
good tips
I've been told that Kentucky has a bounty (amount is fuzzy, but it was more than $10 according to my source). I don't know this first-hand, but you can probably check their website.
I believe they take tails as proof of kill.
One time I saw a ORYX and it ran up real close and I was so excited I realized I had a special feeling in my pants.
One time I saw a ORYX and it ran up real close and I was so excited I realized I had a special feeling in my pants.
I have been hunting coyotes the past year and have had some great trips. The state of Utah has a bounty $20 each but you need to check if you need to be resident to claim it. I have been hunting close to home in Las Vegas and need some hunting buddies.
Hey DiverJim, me and my friends are in vegas and we are also looking for people to hunt coyotes with too. Where have you seen/shot coyotes near vegas?
good tip
has anybody hunted them near canon city colorado?
Awsome advice
Good tips, just got an electronic call, gonnatest it out when I get back home.
Colorado requires a small game license, year round season, no bag limit.
Also, any hunter with a valid big game license (deer, elk, bear) can shoot a coyote DURING HIS VALID SEASON. So if the deer ain't showing, and a coyote pops up...you can bag him if you want.
By the way, lots of ranchers will let you hunt coyotes on their private property if you ask real nice! They love to get rid of the varmints since they take sheep and calves.
who ever said you need a license to hunt coyotes in utah obviously has never been here they are a rodent and are free game to anyone anytime any age.
Post a Comment
Good tips
Coyotes also will tend to aproach from your flanks, so be sure to utilize your peripheral vision more to keep from moving while you wait for them to come to your calls.
Try Primos Spotlights (comes with red lenses) that can be mounted on your rifle scope, between $30-$150, depending on what set-up you want.
Another way in which I have heard people hunting coyote is to place your deer scraps out in the open and "feed" them then pull the scraps and wait.
Wind is very important. Know how the wind is going so that you can position yourself. Coyotes usually come from downwind.
Just to point out, at least in Utah and Idaho you do need a general hunting license to hunt coyotes. I don't know about everywhere else and I know that nobody cares about saving coyotes, but it is still the law and you can get trouble.
If you hunt White Sands Missile Range like I have, be very careful when calling coyotes. Your 22-250 or 25-06 might not be big enough for what comes charging in. ORYX! And boy do they!
When calling coyotes, be on the lookout for bobcats and foxes. They come in hard and low and are a blast to shoot!(no pun intended)
wish i had huge fields to hunt coyotes in..nothing like hunting in the timber of the northeast
I have the small primos light for my 22 mag. works great.. Have to wait for deer season to end to use the big guns,in NY. Also try going out around midnight or later, you will find the wind has died down and you don't get all the noise from heavy traffic and what not. Also you can still get the Lohman cd's wich work great with a $30.00 portable cd player from anyone versus a $600.00 and up fox pro.. Good luck and just have fun, Ed..
im planning on trying my hand at coyote hunting in the upcoming weeks this will help me a lot
I like R/R tracks with a buddy or two to watch my flanks, plus I have a couple of spots that have ditches. We park on the road and go up the ditch a couple of hundred yards. The best night hunt yet is during the FEB full moon, good light with snow... I have even better success if I even go back to an orginal spot a couple of hours later...and yes "thawed" deer guts/ animals are great bait. I like to get a full day of hunting in, so one is to go rabbit hunting, keep the body/guts, have rabbit for late lunch and then go to a couple of spots where I left the rabbit parts. Don't limit yourself to one spot or even just coyotes...skunk, racoon, and fox are equally fun and pelts are cool!
don't hunt the gut piles itself hunt the trails into them.. Hunting the gut piles causes critters to get smart on you if you hunt the gut piles you'll get a few hunt the trails into the gut piles you'll get more than a few...
when you shoot a coyote or shoot at one use a serenade call or call aggressively with short howls. you would be suprised how many will come in after a shot or two. The two best times of year to hunt them is early november when the pups leave to claim their own territory, then in February and march during breeding season. I suggest not hunting after March to allow whats left to reproduce for next year.
It allways seems to me that they will be were you least expect them to be. So be ready. Anyone know of any good night lights for hunting them at night, and does anyone have or know someone who has the light the advertise in North American Hunter. Is it a good light, the range is supposed to be 250 yards, but the price is almost that of a foxpro. I want to know if it is worth the money.
Thank you, rezavoirdog.
Indiana has a 5 month season and requires a general hunting license.
ya indian requires general hunting license unless u own the land then its any time all the time any number
i mean indiana not indian sorry
Are there any states that still have bounties on coyotes,Arkansas used to pay ten dollars each you had to send the ears to game and fish for payment.
Alabamaoutlaw
I am just getting into coyote hunting, this was very helpful, just what I needed. I think Predator Hunting is going to be the fastest growing type of hunting in the near future!
good tip
Awsome advice
My first predator kill was a yote.I drove up on him suddenly on my wheeler at 10yds. I grabbed my Ar-15 took half a dozen shots and lowered my gun. Only to see him grab the front leg, I just blew off!, and run into the tree line. I couldn't believe it but my cousin was there to witness it! we trailed it for 100+yards with no luck. SUMMARY: PREDATOR HUNTING IS AWESOME!
Will someone please bail me out! I'm a beliver of Gene Hills fine works, ran into a few about dogs on here and blundered out somehow. Can anyone please direct me back to them? I've gone to everoe of these and can't find them. Thanks in advance.
good tips
I've been told that Kentucky has a bounty (amount is fuzzy, but it was more than $10 according to my source). I don't know this first-hand, but you can probably check their website.
I believe they take tails as proof of kill.
One time I saw a ORYX and it ran up real close and I was so excited I realized I had a special feeling in my pants.
I have been hunting coyotes the past year and have had some great trips. The state of Utah has a bounty $20 each but you need to check if you need to be resident to claim it. I have been hunting close to home in Las Vegas and need some hunting buddies.
Hey DiverJim, me and my friends are in vegas and we are also looking for people to hunt coyotes with too. Where have you seen/shot coyotes near vegas?
has anybody hunted them near canon city colorado?
Good tips, just got an electronic call, gonnatest it out when I get back home.
Colorado requires a small game license, year round season, no bag limit.
Also, any hunter with a valid big game license (deer, elk, bear) can shoot a coyote DURING HIS VALID SEASON. So if the deer ain't showing, and a coyote pops up...you can bag him if you want.
By the way, lots of ranchers will let you hunt coyotes on their private property if you ask real nice! They love to get rid of the varmints since they take sheep and calves.
who ever said you need a license to hunt coyotes in utah obviously has never been here they are a rodent and are free game to anyone anytime any age.
One time I saw a ORYX and it ran up real close and I was so excited I realized I had a special feeling in my pants.
Post a Comment