For landowners

Coyote Hunting Essentials: Gear, Tactics, and Advanced Tips

Justin Hunold

01/30/2024

Coyote hunting requires a blend of patience, skill, and understanding of the animal's behavior. Coyotes, often referred to as 'song dogs' due to their iconic howls, are highly adaptable predators found across North America. As opportunistic feeders, they have managed to thrive in a variety of habitats, which presents us with both unique challenges and opportunities when hunting them.

We employ a range of tactics in our pursuit of coyotes. The use of calls, decoys, and scent control is instrumental in luring these intelligent creatures into range. Whether we're mimicking the sound of prey or a fellow coyote, the objective is to capitalize on their curiosity or territorial instincts. Our success in hunting coyotes hinges on our ability to remain concealed and downwind, as their senses are sharp and their wariness is well-developed. They are renowned for their sly and clever nature.

Understanding coyote behavior and habitat is crucial for consistent results. We navigate their environments carefully, setting ourselves up in locations where visibility is maximized while minimizing our own exposure. Moreover, we ensure that any hunting tactics we apply align with the local regulations, which can vary greatly depending on the region and time of year. Whether under the wide-open skies of Nevada where coyote hunting can be done year-round, or in more regulated areas, we adapt our strategies to fit the legal and ethical boundaries of the sport.

Understanding Coyotes

In comprehending the intricacies of coyote hunting, we hone in on their behaviors, dietary patterns, and the role of predator management.

Behavior and Habitat

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are highly adaptive predators that flourish in a diverse range of environments across North America. These animals exhibit keen intelligence and have complex social structures, often living in family units. Notably, during the breeding season, coyotes tend to become more territorial.

Habitats:

Deserts:
Behavior and Hunting: In desert environments, coyotes are often solitary hunters or operate in small family units. They adapt to the extreme conditions by being more active during cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or late evening. Hunting in the desert requires efficiency and stealth due to the sparse vegetation and open spaces.
Diet: Their diet in deserts mainly comprises small mammals like rodents, rabbits, and sometimes reptiles or insects. They may also scavenge on carrion or eat fruits and vegetables when available.

Grasslands:
Behavior and Hunting: Coyotes in grasslands often hunt in pairs or small groups. This habitat provides them with ample space to chase down prey. They utilize the tall grasses for camouflage during stalking.
Diet: In grasslands, their diet expands to include larger mammals such as deer (usually fawns or sickly adults), along with rodents, birds, and insects.
Predator Management: Management in grassland areas may focus on maintaining the balance between coyotes and prey species and mitigating conflicts with agricultural interests, as coyotes may prey on livestock.
Forests:
Behavior and Hunting: In forested habitats, coyotes must navigate denser vegetation, which influences their hunting tactics. They rely more on stealth and ambush rather than the open pursuit seen in grasslands.
Diet: Their diet in forests includes a variety of mammals, birds, amphibians, and even fish, along with fruits and nuts. Forest environments provide a richer and more varied diet due to the biodiversity.

Across all these habitats, coyotes demonstrate remarkable adaptability. They modify their social structure, hunting techniques, and diet based on the available resources and environmental challenges. This adaptability is a key reason for their widespread presence across diverse North American landscapes. Predator management in these areas often aims to balance the needs of the ecosystem, the wildlife, and human interests, ensuring sustainable coexistence.

Coyotes demonstrate crepuscular habits, meaning they are most active during dawn and dusk. However, their behavior can shift to nocturnal in areas with high human activity to avoid confrontation.

Preparation for Coyote Hunting

Before heading out into the field, it's crucial that we equip ourselves with the right hunting gear and understand the local hunting laws. Efficient scouting and spotting techniques will significantly enhance our success rate in the field.

Coyote Hunting Gear and Equipment

To blend into the environment, camouflage clothing is indispensable. We need to select gear according to the terrain and weather conditions we expect to encounter. Here's what's essential in our gear list:

Camouflage:
Purpose: Camouflage clothing and face cover are crucial for blending into the hunting environment. Coyotes have sharp eyesight and can easily detect anomalies in their surroundings.
Selection Tips: Choose patterns and colors that match the specific environment you're hunting in. For instance, use desert camo in arid regions, forest patterns in wooded areas, and grassland camo in open fields.
Weather Considerations: Ensure that the camouflage gear is suitable for the weather conditions. In colder climates, opt for insulated camo, while in warmer areas, lighter materials are preferable.
Optics:
Purpose: Binoculars or spotting scopes are essential for locating and identifying coyotes from a distance without alerting them. Good optics can mean the difference between a successful hunt and a missed opportunity.
Choosing Optics: For open and vast areas like grasslands, high magnification and wider field of view are beneficial. In dense forests, prioritize optics with good light gathering capabilities.
Additional Features: Consider durability, waterproofing, and fog-proof features, especially in harsh weather conditions.
Calls & Decoys:
Electronic or Mouth Calls: These are used to mimic prey or coyote sounds to attract them. The choice between electronic and mouth calls often depends on personal preference and the situation. Electronic calls offer a variety of sounds and hands-free operation, while mouth calls give more control over the calling sequence.
Decoys: They serve to create a more realistic scenario, diverting the coyote's attention and allowing for a better approach or shot. Decoys can be simple fur tails, moving decoys, or even more elaborate setups mimicking prey animals.
Navigation Tools:
Public or Private Lands: Understanding the boundaries of public and private lands is crucial for legal and ethical hunting. GPS devices often have applications or map layers that can show property boundaries.
Backup Navigation: Always carry a physical map and compass as a backup. Technology can fail, and being prepared with traditional navigation tools is wise.

Each piece of gear plays a critical role in adapting to the hunting environment, enhancing your ability to locate and lure coyotes effectively, and ensuring a safe and successful hunting experience. It's also important to regularly review and update your gear list based on changing environments, seasons, and personal experience.

Choosing the Right Firearm

When it comes to firearms, reliability and accuracy are paramount. Here are our choices for calibers and firearms:

Rifles:
Popular Calibers:
.223 Remington: Known for its accuracy and minimal recoil, it's ideal for long-range shots in open areas.
.22-250 Remington: Offers a higher velocity and flatter trajectory, suitable for long-range shooting where wind drift is a concern.
6.5 Creedmoor: Provides excellent long-range accuracy and is effective in windy conditions, making it a good choice for open terrains.
.243 Winchester: Versatile for both varmint and larger game, offering a balance between low recoil and effective stopping power.
Choosing a Rifle: Consider factors like weight (for ease of transport), barrel length (for accuracy and maneuverability), and action type (bolt-action, semi-automatic, etc.). The choice often depends on personal preference and the specific hunting environment.
Shotguns:
Usage: Shotguns are ideal in dense vegetation or forested areas where coyotes may appear suddenly at closer ranges.
Shot Selection: Using the right shot size is crucial. Buckshot or larger birdshot sizes (like #4) are commonly used for coyote hunting.
Choke Selection: A tighter choke pattern is often preferred to ensure effective range and stopping power.
Ammunition:
Type and Quality: Ensure the ammunition is suitable for the chosen firearm and the game. For rifles, soft point or hollow point bullets are effective for coyotes, as they ensure quick and humane kills.
Quantity: Have plenty of ammunition for practice as well as for the hunt. Regular practice is essential for maintaining shooting skills and ensuring firearm reliability.
Proficiency and Practice:
Regular Practice: Engaging in regular shooting sessions is key to maintaining proficiency. This includes practicing under various conditions and distances.
Accuracy and Safety: Continuous practice improves accuracy, which is vital for ethical hunting. It also reinforces safe firearm handling, which is paramount.

Choosing the right firearm for coyote hunting involves a combination of personal preference, environmental considerations, and ethical hunting practices. Whether opting for a rifle or shotgun, the key is to select a firearm that offers reliability, accuracy, and is suitable for the expected hunting conditions. Regular practice and a deep understanding of your firearm's capabilities are crucial for a successful and responsible hunt.

Scouting and Spotting Techniques

Scouting helps us identify coyote habitats and patterns. We implement these techniques:

Land Survey: Visit potential hunting areas beforehand, looking for signs of coyotes, such as tracks or droppings.
Talk to Landowners: Gather information on coyote sightings and any livestock losses.
Spotting: Use quality binoculars or scopes to spot coyotes from afar before setting up for a shot.

Coyote Hunting Strategies

In embracing the pursuit of coyotes, we focus on strategic approaches that address the nuances of behavior and environment. Through meticulous scouting and applying precise tactics, we increase our chances of a successful hunt.

Wind and Weather Considerations

When hunting coyotes, always be aware of wind direction and weather patterns. The ideal setup is with the wind in our face or coming from the side, masking our scent from the coyote’s keen olfactory senses. In cold weather, coyotes are often more active and may respond better to calls, while on windy days, our sound projection is challenged, requiring louder or more frequent calling sequences.

Effective Coyote Calling

Successful calling hinges on our ability to mimic coyote vocalizations or prey distress sounds. Start with a series of mouth calls or rely on an e-caller to project sounds over long distances. A typical call sequence might escalate from soft to loud, ensuring we reach coyotes near and far without startling them.

Coyote Vocals: Howls and barks can provoke territorial responses.
Prey in Distress: Rabbit squeals, rodent squeaks to pique the predator's interest.

Using Decoys and Scent Control

Decoys add visual stimulus to our calls, suggesting a potential meal, which can be irresistible to a coyote. Using a combination of motion decoys and scent lures enhances realism. Scent control is crucial; therefore, we rely on tactics such as:

Wind and Weather Considerations:
Wind Direction: Always position yourself downwind or with a crosswind to your advantage. Coyotes have an exceptional sense of smell, and being upwind can easily give away your presence.
Weather Impact: In colder weather, coyotes are more active in search of food, making them more responsive to calls. Windy conditions may require louder or repeated calls, as sound carries differently.
Adjusting Tactics: Be prepared to adapt your strategy according to sudden weather changes, which can affect coyote behavior and movement patterns.
Effective Coyote Calling:
Mimicking Sounds: Learning to accurately mimic coyote vocalizations and prey distress sounds is crucial. Understand the context of different coyote sounds – territorial calls, mating calls, etc.
Call Sequences: Start with lower volume calls and gradually increase intensity. This strategy avoids startling nearby coyotes and attracts distant ones.
Electronic vs. Mouth Calls: Electronic callers offer versatility and ease, especially in windy conditions. Mouth calls require practice but provide a greater level of control and can be more realistic.
Using Decoys and Scent Control:
Decoys: A combination of motion and still decoys can create a convincing scene. Position them where they can be easily seen by approaching coyotes, yet allow you an unobstructed shot.
Scent Lures: Use scent lures that mimic prey or coyote pheromones to attract them to your location.
Scent-Free Approach: Utilize scent-free clothing and cover scents to mask your own smell. Be mindful of scent contamination while setting up equipment.
Ambush and Shooting Tactics:
Positioning: Find an elevated position that provides a clear view of the surroundings and potential paths of approach for coyotes. Concealment is key.
Shooting Preparation: Use shooting sticks, a bipod, or other stabilizing methods for accurate shooting. Practice shooting from various positions and distances.
Shot Placement: Aim for the vitals – typically the chest area. This ensures a quick, humane kill and avoids unnecessary suffering for the animal.
Patience and Persistence:
Waiting Game: Coyote hunting often involves long periods of waiting. Patience is essential, as coyotes can be cautious and may take time to respond to calls.
Adapting Strategies: Be ready to change tactics if certain methods aren’t working. This could mean switching call types, moving locations, or adjusting decoy setups.

Coyote hunting requires a blend of skill, strategy, and respect for the animal and its habitat. By applying these detailed tactics and considerations, hunters can increase their chances of a successful and ethical hunt.

This careful approach helps conceal our presence from the sharp-nosed predator.

Ambush and Shooting Tactics

Positioning ourselves for an ambush requires knowledge of the land and potential coyote paths. Choosing the right spot, often an elevated position, ensures we spot coyotes before they spot us. Equip ourselves with shooting sticks or a bipod for stability, aiming for accuracy rather than rapid firing. Proper shot placement is critical to ensure an ethical and effective hunt.

Advanced Coyote Hunting Techniques

To consistently outsmart coyotes, we employ advanced hunting techniques that suit various situations. These tactics not only challenge us but also demand our proficiency and adaptability in the field.

Night Hunting Skills

Night hunting elevates the challenge due to reduced visibility but offers the thrill of pursuing coyotes under the cover of darkness. Utilizing thermal imaging or night vision optics, we can detect the heat signature of coyotes, turning the night into an ally. A successful night hunt requires:

Night Hunting Skills:
Utilizing Lights: Employ quality scanning lights that have a wide beam to spot the reflective eyes of coyotes. Different light colors (like red or green) can be less disruptive and may not alert coyotes as quickly as white light.
Optics for Night Hunting: Thermal imaging is effective for detecting heat signatures of coyotes, allowing you to see them even through vegetation. Night vision provides clarity in low-light conditions and can be crucial for accurate identification and tracking.
Stealth and Movement: Move quietly and keep light scanning to a minimum to avoid alerting coyotes. Positioning and setup are key, as coyotes may approach from downwind.
Adapting to Coyote Behavior:
Understanding Habits: Pay attention to the local coyote population's habits, including where they hunt, travel, and rest. This can influence your strategies for night hunting and calling.
Observation and Patience: Spend time observing coyote behavior. The more you understand about their movements and reactions, the more effectively you can adapt your tactics.
Safety and Legal Considerations:
Night Hunting Regulations: Ensure you are compliant with local laws regarding night hunting, as regulations can vary significantly.
Safety First: Always prioritize safety, especially when hunting at night. This includes clear identification of your target and what lies beyond it.

Calling Pressured Coyotes

Calling in coyotes that have faced hunting pressure tests our expertise. Coyote pup distress or prey distress sounds can be effective, but varying the sequence of calls is vital. Here are strategies for calling pressured coyotes:

Calling Pressured Coyotes:
Diverse Sound Selection: Pressured coyotes become wary of familiar sounds. Using a variety of calls, including pup distress, prey distress, and even non-traditional sounds, can pique their curiosity.
Volume and Intensity: Start with lower volumes and less intense calling sequences. This is less likely to spook experienced coyotes and can draw them in out of curiosity.
Timing and Duration: Vary the length and frequency of calling sessions. Sometimes, shorter, more infrequent calls work better with pressured coyotes.

Long-Range Shooting Proficiency

When coyotes are wary, long-range shooting becomes a crucial skill. It calls for:

Long-Range Shooting Proficiency:
Ballistic Knowledge: Understanding the trajectory of your chosen ammunition at various distances is crucial. This includes how environmental factors like wind affect bullet flight.
Rifle Setup: Equip your rifle with a high-quality scope that offers clear magnification at longer ranges. Ensure the rifle is well-sighted and you are comfortable with its operation.
Practice: Regularly practice at ranges that mirror your expected hunting scenarios. This includes shooting from different positions and in varying wind conditions.
Shot Placement: At long ranges, precision is critical. Aim for vital areas and only take shots you are confident you can make.
We equip ourselves with high-quality scopes, practice consistently to understand our firearms' ballistics, and maintain calm, steady breathing during the shot.

Advanced coyote hunting techniques like these require a combination of specialized equipment, extensive practice, and a deep understanding of coyote behavior. They offer an engaging and challenging experience, pushing hunters to continually improve and adapt their skills.

After the Hunt

In the aftermath of a successful coyote hunt, we must pay close attention to handling the game, preparing the fur, and considering ethical implications as well as conservation efforts.

Handling and Transporting Game

After we successfully hunt coyotes, it’s crucial to manage the handling and transportation of the game efficiently. Carrying the game can be done using a drag rope or a game carrier, ensuring that the carcass is kept clean and undamaged during transport. When walking out of the hunting area, always respect the surroundings and consider the weight and bulk of the coyote, as this will affect our endurance and ability to traverse the terrain.

Coyote Fur and Pelt Preparation

The value of a coyote hunt often lies in the fur or pelts. Preparation starts with proper skinning, done as soon as possible to prevent spoilage. Once the pelt is removed, we need to flesh it, removing all meat and fat from the skin. The next steps are:

Salting: Apply a generous amount of non-iodized salt to the flesh side to draw out moisture.
Drying: Stretch and pin the pelt on a flat surface or a drying board, fur side down, to allow for proper air circulation.

It is important to store pelts in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent degradation of the fur.

As we conclude our exploration of the multifaceted world of coyote hunting, it's essential to reflect on the deeper aspects of what we've learned and the respect we've gained for both the environment and the coyote itself.

Camouflage – More Than Just Attire: When we don our camouflage, it's not just about blending into the environment; it's about respecting the habitat of the coyote. It reminds us that we are visitors in their natural world, and our ability to adapt visually symbolizes our deeper commitment to understanding and respecting this balance.

Through the Lens of Optics- Our use of binoculars and scopes is more than just a means to an end. It represents our desire to observe and understand the coyote from a distance, to appreciate its movements and behaviors. Each glance through the lens brings us closer to a respectful coexistence with these intelligent creatures.

The Art of the Call- Perfecting our coyote calls is not just about luring in our target; it's a practice in patience and learning. Each sound we mimic is a step closer to understanding the language of the wild, an attempt to bridge the gap between human and animal in the most primal of ways.

Navigation- A Journey of Discovery: Our use of GPS and maps is a testament to our adventurous spirit. It's about the journey as much as the destination, a reminder that the path we take in pursuit of the coyote is filled with opportunities for learning and discovery about the natural world and ourselves.

Night Hunting- Embracing the Unknown: Hunting coyotes at night takes us into a world that is not our own, a realm where shadows and sounds take on new meaning. It's a practice in courage and adaptation, a reminder that there is much to learn from the night and the creatures that call it home.

Long-Range Shooting- A Test of Skill and Patience: The discipline of long-range shooting is more than just technical skill; it's a form of art that requires patience, precision, and a deep understanding of the environment. Every shot taken is a moment of connection with the coyote, a respectful challenge that tests our abilities and our understanding of this elusive predator.

In our pursuit of coyotes, we find more than just a hunting experience; we find a deeper connection with nature, a heightened sense of awareness, and a profound respect for the wild. Coyote hunting challenges us, teaches us, and ultimately, brings us closer to the natural world we cherish. As we look forward to our next venture into the wilderness, we carry with us the lessons learned, the respect earned, and the memories forged in the quiet moments of anticipation and the exhilarating seconds of action.