Coyote Hunting

[Havin' Fun]

I have had some interest for some time in shooting a Coyote...so I have found some land that has a few on it according to the land owner. What I am interested in is how some of you hunt them. it's not wide open country like ND...infact it's very near the metro Minneapolis area. So what kinds of areas should I look at, and how should I go about attacking them? Tree stand hunting? Stalking with glass?

Let me know what you think.

[can it be luck?]

I hunted coyote a few times. The most productive way was when I went with a group of guys running hounds. I also shot a few while hunting solo. I find an area with a good vantage point(on the ground) and call them useing a wounded rabbit call. Call, wait, and call again. If nothing shows up, I move to another spot and repeat the steps. I find it sort of neat that the animals are actually hunting you, looking for an easy meal....Until you put the bead on them, and watch the hair fly! My, how the table has turned!

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[huskminn]

Stay on the ground and stay mobile. If you don't have a call, you can hunt them like one still hunts deer. Stay close to game trails or even travel on them. If there are ridges, travel just below the horizon of them and peek over the other side on occasion.

It helps to be in your area at first light. Get to a high vantage point if there is one and have binoculars ready. Sometimes you can spot coyotes moving on trails. Sometimes you will spot one sunning itself on a similarly high vantage point....they like to survey their territory, like any predator.

If you see one on the move, try to gauge where it is headed and attempt to intercept it. I have done this with success in the past.

If the cover is heavy and one can't find any area that is open enough to try the above mentioned technique, calling is the best bet. Clothing should be camoflouge or earth tones (unless it's deer season!). Set up in a spot where your back is concealed and call...odds are best if you are watching downwind, as coyotes will circle to scent for possible prey. However, if there is one close and it has pinpointed the source of the wounded rabbit, it can come straight to you from any direction.

When calling, set up in likely travel areas or where game trails cross...sit in saddles between ridges or funnels of cover...not unlike deer hunting.

The advice given by the others on calling is good. Follow it!

I have shot most of my coyotes with my deer rifle while deer hunting, but I have also carried a .222/20 gauge Savage over/under "turkey gun". Rifle for the longer shots, shotgun for the close range. If you are interested in selling the pelt, the rifle is the best bet, unless you're adept enough at making a head shot with your shotgun.

One quick coyote story: I was deer hunting once and set up under a big pine tree, back against the trunk. A heavy game trail came down the hill behind me and passed right by the tree I was sitting under.....several trails criss-crossed below me. I was just taking a break from walking and figured it was a good place to sit for a few minutes.

I was there 5 minutes or so and thought I heard something coming down the trail behind me. Doing what I shouldn't have done, I quickly snapped my head back to have a look and a coyote, who had been trotting down the trail, was litterally on top of me! I jumped in surprise and I think let out some strange noise...he jumped several feet off the ground, but his momentum carried him right over my left shoulder, darn near within arm's reach. I have never seen an animal so anxious to get out of somewhere so fast before! He hit the ground with wheels spinning, kicking up all kinds of dust, clumps of dirt and pine needles. He was gone in seconds and all I could do was sit there and laugh as we both had gotten a lot more than we bargained for on what had been a previously quiet day for both of us, I'm sure. It took a half an hour for the adrenaline to leave my body and I've often wondered just what was going through his mind as he sailed helplessly through the air just a few feet over the shoulder of an orange-clad hunter.

I'll never forget the look on his face: "What the @$#%!! is that!!!", which was probably the same look I had on my face. The fact is, I was just as scared by the episode as he was!

Just another great experience in the woods.

Good luck!!

[Scott Steil]

Most private land owners will be willing to let you hunt on their land in January and February. If you are interested, asking in January will get you access to almost any land.

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Mille Lacs Guide Service
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[Havin' Fun]

I'm really getting pumped about this. Could I hunt them with a .22?

Any specific type of wounded rabbit call needed?
If anyone has any land with a coyote problem, email me and I could possibly help you out sometime this winter after the new year. Keep the posts coming!!!

[email protected]

[This message has been edited by Hammer em' (edited 10-23-2003).]

[huskminn]

I would not go after them with a .22 rifle. Although a .22 is fine to dispatch an animal in a trap (between the eyes) it is not a big enough round for an animal on the foot.

A wily coyote deserves the respect of being killed quickly and humanely.

[Guest]

While the .22 can work, I think you are really handcuffing yourself. I have used a .22 magnum a fair bit, and for close shots it does the job, but I did have a couple of wounding incidents that caused me to retire the .22 mag and go to heavier artillery.
If you read the various varmint publications, they will tell you that you need a .220 Swift, 22-250, .243 or the like. I don't necessarily agree, and settled on a .17 Rem (recommended by a friend who loves his), which is a real flat shooter, but very comfortable.
Be prepared to be frustrated starting out. The coyote hunts for a living, and we are just weekend warriors. The ways you can screw up are too numerous to list, and I'm sure you will find a few of your own. A little trick is to circle downwind after you are done calling. It is amazing how many times you will come across fresh tracks from critters that came in but you never saw.
Camo is important, staying still even more so. Hunting with a partner really helps - you can set up to take advantage of the coyote's habit of circling downwind, hopefully right into your partner's lap. I try to set up with a tree, rock or whatever behind me.
There are lots of calls on the market, and most are pretty reasonable.

[Scott Steil]

huskminn, I can get you on lots of private land if you want to hunt them. The wounded rabbit call is available at most sporting good stores. There are all different kinds of electronic calls. If you want to hunt them this winter, shoot me an email. I seem to have an abundance on my land. I don't hunt them myself but will let anyone who wants to hunt my land as well as my neighbors.

[email protected]

[wade22]

Sweet story Huskminn! Got me a little pumped up just reading it.
Can't add much, only that my best luck calling in the coyotes is during January/Feb. nights. I like to use a full or partially full moon for optimum light conditions.
I use a .223 and a rabbit call. I never really tried still-hunting the things before; I guess I spot up a few places to sit and call and move from post to post as quietly as possible but will have to try some of the strategies previously discussed to change things up a bit. Pay close attention to wind conditions. Hunting predators in my opinion is the next level. Coyotes provide great mid-to-late winter hunting if you're a determined night owl.

[fishnutbob]

Hammer em, I live 27 miles west of mpls and we have lots of coyotes the man who farms my land said they saw a pack of I believe 6 or 8 my son did hunt here and we hear them at night i have a big slew behind my farm. Had a big black one in my field a summer ago but he was real smart night time was when my son hunted or sunset used a electronic rabbit call. If you would like no problem come and hunt. E-mail me at [email protected] Also I should have no proplem getting you on neighbors land whenever it works for you. Bob A.

[This message has been edited by fishnutbob (edited 10-23-2003).]

[wade22]

Sweet story Huskminn! Got me a little pumped up just reading it.
Can't add much, only that my best luck calling in the coyotes is during January/Feb. nights. I like to use a full or partially full moon for optimum light conditions.
I use a .223 and a rabbit call. I never really tried still-hunting the things before; I guess I spot up a few places to sit and call and move from post to post as quietly as possible but will have to try some of the strategies previously discussed to change things up a bit. Pay close attention to wind conditions. Hunting predators in my opinion is the next level. Coyotes provide great mid-to-late winter hunting if you're a determined night owl.

[Ruttin' Buck]

A great critter to go after in the winter when all the other seasons are over and the coyotes get hungry! Helps the pheasant/grouse populations also.

I try to go out a few times a year in January and February. I snow shoe out under a full moon (or close to), nestle under a cedar and call. They like the cover of darkness and I think they call easier at night. Can it be luck was right on the money. Call, wait, call, wait...if there's nothing there in 20 minutes, move.

Remember, you can take fox in this manner too. At night is okay...no artificial lights can be used however. Just be careful after March 15...Gray fox season closes!

Most guys use 22-250's, 243's, 22 Hornets, etc. I've used my 10-22 before, my 7mm with 100 grain hollows, and my bow. Others use shotguns with 00 buck.

When I call I work up to a very loud and somewhat eery rabbit squeel. Break branches, make it sound like a struggle. Watch down wind!! They like to circle. If you get them close, resort to a squeaker.

[Nels]

I am also interested in hunting coyotes.
I know most people either skin them or just dump them.
Has anyone on here actually cooked them up?

I would be willing to try it, but I don't think I would do it often.

I haven't eaten crow yet either, but I'm sure that day will come too.

Good luck hunting.

[can it be luck?]

I had a coyote fur made into a hat. I took it to a taxidermist who's wife fashioned fur clothing, they did an excellent job. A head liner with fold down ear covers were sewn in, and the hat had the legs and tail still on. The top of the hat has the longer back hair of the coyote which makes it "stand up", it looks really cool. Very warm for ice fishing! Very dangerous for hunting! Small chidren's views of it are mixed, some are fascinated while others are terrified. As far as eating? I think I would try to eat some lutefisk before I tryed coyote!

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[This message has been edited by can it be luck? (edited 10-24-2003).]

[danny berg]

I am not a member of PETA or any anti-hunting group. I am an avid hunter and fisherman. But I follow this simple rule while hunting: "Only kill what you can eat."
Now my question is, Why kill a coyote if you don't eat it? I am not trying to stir the pot but I have never really understood the appeal of killing something if you don't eat it.

Thanks

Danny

[Scott Steil]

Danny, I am going to avoid the argument that this is sure to envoke. In my case, I lost all my Turkeys last year to the Coyotes. This year, I lost a bunch of pheasants to fox. On my land it is about predator control, not elimination. I am not asking to have them all eliminated, just a few shot. There are not a lot of predators higher on the food chain then the Coyote, so in my case I like to have a few shot to keep the population under control.

This Spring we had two Coyotes that had big litters of pups or whatever they are called. That just added to a population that was already high.

[TUMBLEWEED]

I prefer my XP-100 in 223 Remington.
AS, for the no eat no shoot. Nothing is wasted in mother natures realm. I get a nice
fur/pelt, the landowner has a lower hassle
factor with the yotes, and the skunks,
crows, and the like get an easy meal
simple as that.........

[Ruttin' Buck]

Well Nels...I know Lewis and Clark resorted to buying dogs from the Indians to eat during a harsh winter they spent on the Pacific coast. However, I've never seen their recipe published!

If you don't damage the pelt terribly, some taxidermists will buy them. If you're not big on skinning them, some taxidermists will buy them for less money whole...you have to find the right one though.

[Flatlander]

I've never hunted coyotes, so I have no advice there. But, I know where you could go and shoot a bunch. You'd probably eat really well while there as well.
I got a call from my dad up in northern WI the other day. It seems he shot a nice little buck about 8:30 in the morning the other day. He snuck out of his tree and walked back to the house to let it bed down for about 45 min. When he headed back to his stand, he found his arrow, and a pretty substantial amount of blood. Quite pleased with the shot, he proceeded to track his buck about 150 yds. into a thick cedar swamp, and found it. He said it was covered with leaves and other forest floor debris, and a good chunk of the arse end was eaten out. He was able to salvage most of one hind-quarter, but the other side was shot.
Needless to say, he was pretty irritated with Wily and his buddies, so he went back with the rifle a few hours later, to sit over the gut pile. No dice. They came back and cleaned that up as quickly as they ate the hind end.
We don't have many wolves up by my parents place, so the coyotes are thicker than fleas. If anyone is interested in heading up that way this winter, let me know.
Unfortunately, there are no fish in any of the lakes up there, so it wouldn't do any good to bring along the ice fishing gear.

[leechlake]

Everyone has their own opinion. I relate to Danny, although I went coyote hunting in AZ once, it was fun. When I pheasant hunt in ND and SD the guys I go with don't think twice about shooting a coyote or fox, as long as the dogs (our hunting dogs) aren't in the area. Usually the posters do the varmint shooting. I don't shoot them because I'm a softy at heart. Scott is also right (am I on the fence on this?) about predator "control" also. I'm also the guy who wishes you could "catch and release" deer and ducks so take this with a grain of salt. That said, 22-250 and a rabbit call, the louder the better!

[huskminn]

I guess I've become a softy, too, as I don't have much desire to shoot coyotes anymore. I grew up on a small place in western SD and spent a lot of time around ranchers and their kids. I used to be closer to the land back then and closer to the relationship between man, livestock and coyotes.

If I see a coyote while I'm out hunting now, I tend to want to watch it go on about its business....the wildlife viewing factor seems to be more important to me now. That is probably a result of me now being a city dweller and spending 90% of my life in urban/suburban areas....far from the raw relationships of man vs. nature.

That being said, I would never say a word against anyone who hunts predators.

Actually, as I write this, it occurs to me that we have more of a "problem" with predators now than 20 years ago. The anti-fur, anti-trapping crowd has successfully driven down demand for fur. The banning of leghold traps in some states has eliminated 99% of predator control. Mountain lions are showing up in places that they haven't been seen in 150 years. Wolf populations are growing unchecked. Coyotes are more prolific now than they have been since this land was settled.

As human populations grow, conflicts between man (his children and his domestic animals) and predators are ever increasing.

Take a look at what is happening in Wyoming right now. A good portion of those folks out there hate wolves...they are cattle and sheep ranchers. The state is attempting to list the wolf as a simple predator, like a coyote or a fox. Naturally, as long as wolves stay in certain designated areas (parks and preserves), they are protected, but if they wander outside those boundaries, they are fair game for anyone with a rifle.

Some people would be appalled by that attitude, but to completely understand it, one has to understand the ranching culture and also get a grasp on what a small margin of error there is between failure and success in ranching.

I'm rambling now, but I think this is an interesting topic and I have often wondered why my attitudes have changed on shooting coyotes. I guess I still don't completely know why I'd rather just watch them.....

[Havin' Fun]

I guess that's really why I title this "Coyote Hunting"

Flatlander....
Where about in N. Wisconsin. Marrying a gal from C. Wisconsin.

Go VIKES.

[Flatlander]

Hammer,
I grew up in Sayner, WI. Unless you've actually driven through there, chances are you've never heard of it. If your gal is from central WI, then I assume you know Wausau. If you head north on Hwy 51 about 70 miles, you'll eventually run into Sayner. If you'd like to head up sometime, let me know. Unfortunately, as I said earlier, there are no fish. I believe there's even a town ordinance banning Viking fans from any lakes in Vilas county.

FAVRE FOR PRESIDENT!!!!

[Havin' Fun]

According to my calculations that puts you between Minaqua(sp?), and Tomahawk?

Your right, I hear there aren't any fish up that way.

My Fiance's family were originally from Antigo, so I'm somewhat familiar with the area. Great for hunting!!!

Use to drive through Ladysmith heading up that way, past a bar called the "Neutral Zone" I believe. Half Purple and Green. Rumor is that it doesn't exist anymore.

Great area up there.

[wade22]

danny berg,
One day when I was fourteen or fifteen a coyote that was probably rabid, sprinted across a thick slough over a frozen lake and leaped the fence of one of my dad's numerous hog lots. It sprinted right for a couple gilts and would have perhaps attacked a few were it not for my black lab, who chased it back across the lake. That night I went out tracking the thing and for the next few days I pursued a mangy coyote around the section before I found it in my crosshairs and subsequently buried the carcass.
It's not "us vs. them" or any sort of war mentality and I realize the coyote had just as much right to hunt the area as me, it's just a matter of appropriate predation. Fox DO NOT behave as aggressively and most of these coyotes are crossbreeds of pack dogs, etc. that are ecologically threatening to so many other animals, including pheasants, grouse, fox (whose rapidly diminishing numbers I blame entirely on the proliferation of said coyotes), small deer, fawns and certainly livestock are in danger when coyotes run the prairie. I appreciate your sense of view and input but this, in my opinion, is a particular situation when the shepherds need to protect their flock. I know my long-winded response isn't going to be popular among the "metrosexual" crowd that gets facials and manicures and cute little doggy sweaters for their cute little toy doggies but that's just the way I see it. Once in a while, a hunter's gotta hunt the hunter too. It can't all be fuzzy and warm. Thank God.