Night Coyote Hunting

Night coyote hunting is something that is very fun to do, and a good way to harvest coyotes. Coyotes are primarily nocturnal, so at night is the best time to spot one. Night hunting does require extra gear than day hunting, so be prepared to drop some money. There are a few extra tips as well that will be important to your success.

Night hunting does require some gear that you probably won't already have. While some of the equipment is not necessary, it can make your experience a lot better. Besides, who doesn't love an excuse to go buy $3,000 worth of hunting equipment? One thing that is essential to night hunting is a high power spotlight. I'm talking 1,000,000 candle power minimum. High candle power is important because you will need a light to spot a coyote at least 100 yards away and be able to see it through a scope. Another piece of equipment that is not necessary but can really help you, is night vision goggles. Who doesn't want some night vision goggles? These can be quite expensive but can allow you to see what is going on.

Night hunting is similar to day hunting, except you can't see when the coyotes walk out. This is where having night vision can really be an advantage, because you CAN see when they walk out. Without them, it adds a little guess work to your routine. While you are calling, you periodically have to scan the area with your spotlight to see if a coyote has walked out. I have had good results with scanning the area after about 5 minutes of calling. Remember that the coyotes will probably come in sooner than during the day because they are more active at night.

If you have not taken the opportunity to enjoy some night coyote hunting, I highly recommend that you do. It is a really fun experience and adds a new twist to your normal coyote hunting routine.

Coyote Hunting Rifles

There are several different rifles that make good coyote hunting rifles. Everyone has their preference as to what kind they use. It doesn't take a lot of power to knock down a coyote, therefore there are a lot of guns we can choose from to hunt with. Rimfire and centerfire both are capable of killing a coyote.

Rimfire rifles are named for the way the firing pin strikes the edge of the rim when it is fired. These rifles are smaller and don't produce the knockdown like the more modern centerfire. The most popular rimfire rifle is the .22LR. Most of you have probably heard of this and might even have one. They are good for killing small game like rabbits and squirrels, but are capable of killing a coyote. Larger rimfire rifles were made, but have mostly been replaced by centerfire rifles. A rimfire would be great for a youngster who is new to guns and hunting.

Centerfire rifles are much more popular for hunting than rimfire, because of their accuracy, bullet size, and becauase they make great long range rifles. The best deer rifle is usually a centerfire. These guns come in a wide range of caliber sizes, so you can find one to kill just about anything. I use a .243 win with a 55 grain ballistic tip bullet to do my predator hunting, because of their accuracy and smaller size. However, don't underestimate these rifles, I use this same gun for deer hunting, just a different grain size. Anything bigger than this is probably going to be overkill for any kind of predator hunting. Another similar size is a 22-250, which is another accurate, flat shooting gun that is great for small game.

There are plenty of coyote hunting rifles to choose from, this is completely up to you. If you have a bigger budget, you might even consider semi-auto mp or SKS. Many people enjoy these because they add a little fun to coyote hunting. Just be aware of the laws in your area and know what is allowed.

Predator Hunting Safety

Although hunting has one of the lowest accident rates of any sport, this doesn’t give us a reason to be careless when we are out predator hunting. There are a couple of things you can do to help keep yourself safe while in the field.

The most important thing is to treat every gun as if it is loaded. People should be taught this at a young age, but sometimes they are not. It really bugs me when I am around friends who do not practice this rule and pay little attention to where the end of their gun is pointing. Treating every gun as if it were loaded will eventually become a habit and you will find yourself practicing good gun safety before you know it. Of course, drinking alcohol and handling guns is never a good idea either.

Always hunt with a buddy. The buddy system is your number one lifeline while you are deep in the woods where nobody can hear you call for help. In case of an emergency, there is someone there who hopefully will be able to get help if needed. If you must go hunting by yourself, let someone know you where you are going and when you plan to be home. This will let the person know when to expect you back so they know when something might be wrong. Always carry some kind of communication device, preferably a cell phone, and make sure you can easily access it.

You also might consider wearing hunter orange. The downside to this of course is making you more visible to the predators you are hunting. Is usually best practice to always take off the orange before you start calling for predators. For me, it would depend on where I am hunting as to whether or not I would wear orange. If I am going to public hunting land, you better believe I will have it on when I am walking around. When I am on my own property, I don’t usually wear it. This of course is all up to you. Just remember; never sacrifice your own safety for the sake of predator hunting.

Coyote Bait

Using coyote bait is a technique that can be utilized to attract coyotes. It is not necessarily a technique that I use often, but it can be effective. Personally, I prefer to use calls to bring them in, but everyone has their own preference and goals. Coyote baiting is simply putting out some type of food to attract the coyotes into your hunting area. I have used anything from a dead carcass to spoiled meat.

I wanted to address this topic because there are some who like to do this method. However, there is not a lot to say about it. It’s pretty simple really, just put out something that is attractive to a coyote and wait. I think coyote baiting is a more of a technique that is utilized by people trying to rid their property of coyotes and are not necessarily hunters. I have seen farmers use bait to kill coyotes because it was easier for them than buying coyote calls and learning how to use them. However, for a true coyote hunter, this method seems a little unpractical compared to calling.

When it comes to using coyote bait, you want to place the bait upwind of where you think the coyotes are. If you have some animal carcasses or spoiled meat, it can work quite well. The idea is to have something with a lot of scent that is going to catch the attention of their noses. A freshly killed carcass can work very well also. I killed a deer one afternoon several years ago, and I had to field dress it in the dark. The spot where I dressed it was about 30 yards from a patch of woods, and I had the coyotes in those woods howling about 10 minutes after I opened up that deer. I left the guts lying and I’m sure they were devoured minutes after I left.

As I said in the story above, it was at night when the coyotes were howling at me, which should tell you that baiting is going to work best at night. Coyotes do most of their hunting and scavenging at night, and this is when you are going to have the most success. One thing to keep in mind is that coyote baiting and night hunting is illegal in a lot of areas, so be aware of the laws and always do the right thing.

Coyote Hunting Tips for Success

When it comes to coyote hunting tips, there are several that can help improve your chances of harvesting a coyote. This blog covers most of those tips in one post or another. However, there are three tips that I believe stand out above the rest.

The first tip is to use the proper call sequence. There are many different beliefs on how to do this. For a rabbit in distress call, I like to begin my calling sequence very loud and lasting about 30 seconds. You probably will find many people that believe calling loud at first is a mistake because you can scare away any coyotes that are close. My thoughts on this are if you have just began to call, it means you just got settled into your spot and probably made some noise in doing so. If that didn't scare any close ones away, a hurt rabbit certainly isn't going to. I have had coyotes walk to about 30 yards of me within 20 seconds of calling, and I was calling loud. After your initial calling, wait for two or three minutes before calling again. You can even wait up to ten minutes if you want. Do this over and over for about 30 minutes and if nothing comes, try a new spot. Make sure you stop calling the second you spot a coyote.

The second of the three tips is your cover. You should always wear camouflage that matches your surroundings when coyote hunting. Coyotes are very timid and they will not show their face if they can see you. Camo is good, but camo with good cover is better. If you can position yourself behind some leaves or brush, your chances will improve greatly. Deer stands are also great place do coyote hunting from. This is especially important if you are using a mouth call because this directs the attention of the coyote right at you. A face mask is never a bad idea as well. Remember, the coyote will be scanning the area to find the source of the sound, so try to be as still as possible. You certainly don't want him seeing you by mistake.

The last coyote hunting tip in my top three is to always be aware of your scent. Pick an open location where you can visualize the coyote coming out, and hunt downwind of that area. This will blow your human scent away from it. This goes hand in hand with good cover. Just like seeing you, they can smell you just as easily. This will send off an alarm in the coyotes head and he will be gone faster than you can blink. I always use some kind of scent to help keep my scent covered. You can use scent killer to mask your human scent, or some kind of attracting scent, to make it think you are a potential meal. Don't forget about your hunting rifle either, it will have a scent as well. As I said, hunting downwind will keep the coyotes that come out where you planned from smelling you, but sometimes they come from behind. Always use a cover scent just in case.

Switch Up Your Coyote Calling Methods

Have you ever called in a coyote and almost got a shot off before he spooked and ran away? Chances are that coyote will never respond to that call again. Or maybe you have over hunted an area and coyotes seem to be more scarce. Chances are, the call you are using is no longer effective due to overuse. Its time for a change.

Most coyote hunters use the rabbit in distress call, and for good reason. This call is easily the most effective call on the market for predator hunting. On more than one occasion, I have witnessed coyotes respond to this call in under 20 seconds. However, coyotes can become numb to the same sound, and it would be in your best interest to try something new. I recommend a doe bleat call, or fawn call. Coyotes often snack on baby dear, so if you can create the sound of a fawn in distress, you will awaken those coyotes that have been hiding from your old rabbit call. One thing to keep in mind is the time of year you are hunting. If it is that time of the year for baby dear, this call should be even more effective. Of course you could try the coyote baiting method, but what is the fun in that?

If you are hunting on public land that is hunted often, a fawn call could also be effective. As I said earlier, most hunters use the rabbit in distress, and this includes all those people who hunt on the same public land as you. Being creative and thinking smart can help you harvest those coyotes that everyone else is missing. If it is a time of year for a different animal that is a popular main course for coyotes, get a call for that animal and see what happens. Before your next coyote hunt, go grab a fawn call and throw it in your hunting bag. It certainly never hurts to have more hunting equipment, that's my belief.

Use Scents When Coyote Hunting

Coyotes just like any other mammals have an excellent sense of smell. You can use this to your advantage when you are coyote hunting. However, it could also ruin your hunt if the coyote gets a scent of something he doesn't like. There are two important concepts here, attracting scent and cover scent.

There are a couple of things you can do to keep the coyotes from getting a whiff of your body scent, and trust me, you don't want this. The most important thing is to always position yourself downwind of the coyotes. This is the best defense over any scent killer. The hard part is deciding where the coyotes will come from. It has been my experience that they usually come from the opposite side of human activity. If you are hunting near a road, put the road at your back. If there are houses nearby, the coyotes will probably come from the opposite direction of the houses. If you're out in the middle of nowhere away from anything resembling civilization, find a field and sit downwind in that field. At least you will know that any coyotes coming into the field will not get your scent.

Cover scents should also be used. You can find scent killer at any outdoor store, and Walmart usually carries it as well. To put it bluntly, scent killer products make you smell like dirt. They have an earth like smell to it and it does a pretty good job of covering your smell, given that you don't just reek of something abnormal. There are also scent killing soaps and laundry detergents if you are really paranoid about your scent. Theoretically, if you take a shower with scent killing soap, wash your clothes with scent killing detergent, and use the spray before you get in the field, your should be good to go. Personally I don't go this far with it, I just use the scent killer spray and position myself downwind of where I think the coyotes will be.

Using scents to attract coyotes is also an excellent way to improve your coyote hunting results. Some scents you can use for this is the urine of bobcats, fox, and rabbits. You can find all kinds of people out there who believe in one over the other, probably because they had a good or bad experience at one time or another with a particular scent and now bash it. My recommendation for you is to use all of them and see what works best for you.

There are a couple of ways to use the scent. You can buy scent releasing products that will release the scent for you. An example of this is scent bombs. Just spray the scent on the scent bomb and hang it from a tree limb. Another way that is popular is to apply some scent in a few places around your hunting spot. It is urine, so make it as if the animal was marking their spot. Just try different methods and remember the one that works the best.

10 Essentials for Coyote Hunting

1. Camouflage – If you're going to do any kind of hunting, you need to blend in with your surroundings. Coyote hunting is no exception. If they spot you, they will not come out from cover, or they will. Remember to wear the proper camouflage for your surroundings. If it is snowing, wear white.

2. Location – In a good location, you want open fields, seclusion, and lots of coyotes. If you can't find a place to hunt, ask local farmers, go to public hunting land. Most people will be glad to let you on their property if you are going to get rid of their coyotes.

3. Wind – Your scent can make or break your hunt. Aside from wearing scent cover, you want to be downwind of where you think the coyotes will come out. So if you're are in a large field, make sure you sit on the side that is downwind.

4. Population – A high population is a blessing for calling coyotes. Whenever you look for a location, make sure it has a high population before you take the time to hunt it. Land owners will usually know if they have coyotes or not, because they will have spotted them or heard them howling at night. Public hunting land is usually pretty secluded, so it should have coyotes as well.

5. Call – The call is probably the most important thing when calling coyotes. If you want to dish out the money, you can get an electronic remote caller. These can get quite expensive so you can always go for the $15 rabbit distress call. Just make sure you know what you are doing when using mouth calls. If you are unsure you can go here: Rabbit Distress Coyote Call.

6. Call Sequence – The call sequence will either make the coyote think there is a wounded rabbit nearby, or he will wonder what in the world that noise is. If he don't think its real, he won't come. Your call sequence is automatic if you have an electronic call, However, if you don't go to the link above on rabbit distress calls to find out how to call.

7. Time – The time of your hunt is not the most important thing, but it can increase your chances if you go at certain times. I believe the best time to go is at night, and I'm sure most will agree with me on this. Hunting at night does require you to have certain expensive equipment like spotlights and night vision goggles. I myself am more of an economical hunter, so I go during the day. I believe early morning is the best time to hunt in during the day. So, get out there at about daylight, and you should improve your chances.

8. Gun – This is not as important, but you do need one if you are going to kill something. I believe the best gun is a smaller caliber center fire rifle like a.243 or 22-250. I use a .243 with 55 grain bullets. Be aware of the laws when you are hunting on public land. Some places where I live require hunters to use a rim fire.

9. Binoculars – I am a fan of binoculars because I don't believe in putting my scope on something to find out what it is. If you are unsure of what is standing out in the field, use your binoculars to find out, not your gun. This might save someones life!

10. View – Finally, the view you have is essential to calling coyotes. Make sure you can see your surroundings very clearly. You don't want to get caught calling by a coyote you couldn't see coming. If you are setting on the ground, take a chair to get yourself up above an tall grass that is around. If you can, hunt out of a deer stand.

Coyote Hunting – The Best Call

This post is devoted to what I believe is the best call on the market today for coyote hunting. This is not a product review because I am not going to talk about any specific brand, although I might recommend a few. I will save product reviews for another post. This is about what I think is hands down the kind of coyote call that will give you the best results, other than just using coyote bait.

The call I'm talking about is the electronic remote predator call. These calls are the best for a couple of reasons: they don't require you to do anything but press a button, and they can be placed away from you and controlled with a remote.

The fact that all it requires is for you to press a button is good because it doesn't require that you control the sound or the calling sequence. The device comes preset with the proper sound and proper calling sequences. This means that a we can't screw it up for ourselves by making unrealistic sounds. Plus, I like the fact that I don't have to sit there and blow into it. I guess I'm just lazy :).

The fact that it can be placed away from you and remote controlled is equally as beneficial. One of the worst things about mouth calls is that the sound is coming directly from you. This means, when the coyotes are headed your way, they will be looking directly at you. Anyone who has ever been spotted by a coyote while calling knows they don't hang around long when they figure out you are there. With a remote caller, you can place the sound source several yards away from you and control it with a remote. In my opinion, this is invaluable. I enjoy getting in deer stands and placing these at the base of the stand. This way can see them coming from a long ways away, and minimize you chance of getting busted.

There are many brands out there that make these calls at different price ranges. It is best to find the price range that fits you. One brand I am particularly fond of is Foxpro, they make excellent predator calls. However, they are kind of pricy for equipment that is just used for coyote hunting.

Coyote Hunting - Importance of Location

Coyote Hunting – Importance of Location

Location is something I have talked about before, but I want to devote an entire post to this because, basically, it can make or break your hunt. There are two different kinds of location that apply to coyote hunting: the geographical location you choose to do your hunt, and the spot you choose to sit in.

The geographical location is important because you don't want to hunt on property that is not inhabited by coyotes. This sounds pretty obvious, but you would be surprised in the people who hunt locations that are exactly that. There are several ways to find places to perform your hunt. If you know of places that have coyotes, then you have it pretty easy. Just go to that place.

If you need land to hunt on, you can ask local farmers in your area, they will usually be glad to have the coyotes thinned out. The good thing about coyotes, there are more places with them than without them. Coyotes have even been known to live in urban areas. Local farmers will usually know if there are coyotes and where they are more likely to be, so be sure to pick them for any information they have. There are many public hunting lands located throughout the country, any of these places would be great places to hunt. The only downside is that it may be hit or miss on finding coyotes.

Once you find your location to hunt, you have to decide where you are going to sit. One thing you want to look for when choosing your calling location is an open field that you can lure the coyotes into. If you have a deer stand to or blind to get into, that would be ideal. If not, you have to pick a spot to sit. You definitely don't want to sit out in the open if you can help it. If they spot you, then your hunt is over. If you're going to sit on the edge of a field, and can't decide which side to sit on, consider what human activity is close to that field. If there is a road, house, or something related to where people might be, sit on that side. It seems that in most of my hunts, coyotes come from the opposite side of any signs of people.

Your experiences my give you different results than mine. I just know what I have seen in the field. The important thing is that you have to get out there and see what works for you.

Coyote Calls - Rabbit Distress

One of my favorite, inexpensive coyote calls is the classic rabbit distress mouth call. This call is essential to any coyote hunters arsenal and one shouldn't leave home without it. The great thing about this call is that it is small, lightweight, and very effective.

What this call does is make the sound of a rabbit that is in serious pain. You can control the intensity by how hard you blow. You can give a waaaa like sound by how you move your hand over the end of the call when you blow. There is a call out by Knight and Hale that can be reversed as a coyote howler. You simply take the mouthpiece from the endpiece and voila. I'm not sure how well it works, but it sounds impressive to me and I will be purchasing this toy very soon. The downside to these coyote calls is that if you don't use it properly, you won't get results. Therefore, you must know how to use the caller and the correct sequence to call.

When using a rabbit distress call, you are trying to imitate a rabbit being attacked. So you start out with a loud, high pitched cry, and slowly work the intensity down. Your initial calling sequence should be about a minute long. After the first minute, pause for no more than about two minutes. The next sequence of calling should be about a minute long and similar sounding to the first, except with a little less intensity. By this time the rabbit is getting tired and possibly closer to death, so it doesn't have the strength to cry as it did before. After this, hold off on calling for about 5 minutes, then resume with the same sequence over again. Remember that you are directing the attention of the coyotes directly toward you, so your movement has to be kept to a minimum.

Remember that location is always important. I have said this before and I will say it again. Set yourself in a spot where your eyes can cover a large area. You want to see the coyote coming. If you are in a field and not sure where to sit, go to the side closest to any human involvement, like a road or house. It is my experience that coyotes always come from locations farthest from where people are. Well that is enough for now. Remember, if you ever have any questions, just ask :).

Call Coyotes

If you are looking to jump into the sport and call coyotes right away, here are some things to consider for a quick and easy start. Think about your location first. Are there coyotes there? If you know of a place where howling is often heard, I would recommend hitting up that spot if you have access to it. If not, its always good to get as far away from urban and residential areas as you can. If you know of some bottom land close to a water source, this is probably your best bet.

Second, make sure you go at the right time. Now, some will say there is no right time to go because I'm sure coyotes have been called in at just about any time of the day or night. But there certainly are times when you are more likely to call one in. I recommend going early in the morning or at night. Going at night will require some equipment like a spot light, or even night vision goggles. If you don't have these don't worry, I don't either ha. If only I had more money. Anyways, I would recommend going early in the morning, about an hour after the sun has come up. You can hunt as long as you want, but I have spotted more coyotes within about three hours after daylight. From my experience, the best time to call coyotes is about 7:00 to 8:00 am.

Finally you need a good call. This is to be debated on what call is the best. But, if you are just starting out, go with the call you can perform the best. This is probably going to be an electronic call because you are not actually doing the calling. One thing to remember is to try and put the call away from you so that when the coyote is looking for the animal it hears, it won't be looking at you! If you are using a mouth call, try to practice it first. I would recommend downloading some distress audio files and trying to mimic those. Try to practice these tips and I think you will have some luck when you begin to call coyotes.

Predator Calling

Predator calling in general was how I got started in coyote hunting. Originally my goal was to call in a bobcat. I had read articles on bobcat callinga and found out that I need a rabbit in distress call. This was an all around basic tool used for predator calling. I read that this simple call will call in just about any type of predator if they are in hearing range of it. I put it to the test and sure enough, in came a predator. To my surprise, however, I called in an owl! I had heard that bobcats come out at night so I decided thats when I would try it out. I called for about half an our, then I became discouraged and left. When I stood up from the base of the tree where I was sitting, an owl flew off a branch right above my head. Scared me to death!

This was my first experience with this type of call. Today, I still use this same one and it goes with me whenever I go hunting. As a matter of fact, I take an assortment of calls with me whenver I hunt. You never know when you might get the chance to call in an animal. Once you get this thrill, you will love it.

I will talk more about the rabbit in distress hand call in future post. But my main point is that calling coyote isn't just limited to coyote. You can pretty much call in any predator with the right calls. However, there are some calls that are specific to coyotes, and I will discuss them at a later time.

Welcome to The Coyote Hunting Blog

Welcome to my site on coyote hunting and calling coyotes. Over the years I have developed a love for hunting and especially coyote hunting. I have started this blog to share with you some of my experiences and what I have learned from each one. I have done a lot of experimenting with different ways of calling animals, and I hope to let you in on some secrets I have learned. Maybe this will save you from the failures I have experienced.

I love to hunt coyotes for several reasons. One, I can pretty much hunt them all year long. One thing I hate is having to wait all year long for the other hunting seasons to come along. With coyotes, I can do it anytime. Another thing I love is being able to shoot as many as I want. This is probably the best part because I love guns and I love to shoot them at things, especially live animals! Another thing I love about hunting those varmits is exactly what this site is about, hunting coyotes! I love trying new equipment in field and tinkering with gadgets, and I get to do this with calls.

I also enjoy spending time at the outdoor store and wishing I owned everything in it. I swear if I was a millionaire I wouldn't have enough space to fit all of my hunting equipment. Waiting for the new coyote calls to come out each year is like waiting for christmas for me. So stay tuned and hopefully I can share some helpful experiences with you.