Looking for tips for midwest Coyote hunting

[Rwsmith425]

I’ve been inspired take of coyote hunting after the coyotes devoured my buck this fall. I spoke with some of the local farmers and there is a large pack that they have not had any success in getting rid of. The coyotes have also killed several cattle.

Besides reducing the population I thought that it would be a good opportunity for me to hone my spot-and-stalk skills in the off season of western Elk hunting. From what I have read it is very similar; working the wind, proper setups, calling, etc…

As far as equipment, I have my optics, a coyote dog howler mouth call, and my Remington 700 with bipod. No electronics. I picked up a Montana Decoy fawn cheap thinking that could be useful at some point. I saw some videos where hunters took their dog with them but I would be afraid to put my in harms way if there really are a lot of them. Trying to get my buddy to join me with his AR.

I plan to start after the holidays and I am looking for tips and resources that can get me up to speed. I have looked on you tube but much of it is geared to western hunting which may be different than central Illinois. I have LOTS of open field for glassing and making long range shots. Scattered around are some very dense thickets and woods ranging from 40 to 80 acres in size. I have seen the coyotes ranging between them from time to time.

I’m looking for ideas like the best time of the day, time of the year, what to focus on, etc… Maybe it is like a lot of things where you just get our there and learn from mistakes but I don’t have unlimited time and I have to travel 3 hours to get there so I want to use my time wisely.

Thoughts. About where to start?

 

[KurtR]

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lots of good info

 

[KJH]

I only hunt coyotes when there is snow because they are so damn sneaky at times and its easier to see them. I call in one spot for 10-15 minutes and then wait 10-15 minutes before moving on. I like calling where there is a large open area upwind from me. I like calling by drainage ditches, creek beds, and blowouts that give them natural cover while they move to the call. Over the years I've shot more in the afternoon than the morning.

My first calling sequence is from the truck. I pull in somewhere and park... sit there for 10 minutes in silence then call. If nothing, then I start walking to the spots I want to call from based on the wind. My calling spots are all about a 1/4 mile apart.

I use an e-caller and then a mouth squealer after I turn the e-caller off. Many, many times I've had 2-4 coyotes coming at the same time and have shot dozens within 20 yards. As soon as I shoot, I turn the e-caller right back on and it isn't uncommon to get another one a few minutes later sitting in the same spot.

Its one of those hunts that seems like either you shoot 3-5 a day or nothing. Rarely do I have a 1 dog day and often a zero dog day. I've always suspected it has something to do with the moon phase or something, but never tried to figure it out.

Foxes will come too in an they are either A. stupid and unafraid of anything or B. they are so skiddish you can never get a shot off because they are hiding so much. Depends on the day.

 

[Rwsmith425]

This sounds like a good strategy for me as there are a lot of drainages going from the open fields into the woods. I also planed on going after the snowfall. How important is an e-caller? Essential or just a nice to have?


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[the0thermrt]

find a guy who is really good at calling and shadow him. sit down, shut up, watch the setup and approach, ask questions. Start gps pinning locations that are successful and study the topography/features that make it desirable. if you can't do that, watch lots of youtube videos and find someone who's hunting style works for you. Everyone's got their own calling recipes and setups.

 

[mcseal2]

I have come to consider an E caller pretty important when hunting solo.

I used only mouth calls for years and I feel like I got just as many coyotes to respond with the mouth calls, maybe more. What I didn't do is kill as many as I do now. Hunting with a partner I usually did the calling and hid myself pretty well so I could get away with movement running my mouth calls. I put my partner in a spot with better visibility but less cover so he could shoot anything coming in downwind of me. I would shoot the ones that charged in to the call, their movement let me get away with my own movement getting the gun on them. I let my partner take the majority of the coyotes that came in more cautiously and slowly while I called. Their attention was focused on where the sound was coming from letting him get away with more movement. Hunting solo with mouth calls the coyote was looking right where I was, while I had to watch for coyotes from everywhere. I got busted more often, even with trying to move only my eyes as much as possible.

Now with the electronic call, I cover the downwind side myself while the call and a motion decoy draw the coyote's attention. It lets me get much better shots and educate less coyotes.

I really like the FoxPro calls, I would buy a Shockwave if I was getting one today. I won a Prairie Blaster III that I use. Its a great call but pretty heavy and bulky to carry. I like the TX-1000 remote that lets me have the Foxbang feature, it helped me get my first 4 coyote set earlier this year. I set the Foxbang to a wounded coyote yip so when the gun goes off it can help stop the other coyotes from running to far to fast. The Primos Alpha Dog is a good call too, I had one of those I used before winning the FoxPro, but the remote is less user friendly to me. I have a Foxgrip II

FOXGRIP 2

attached to my shooting sticks so that I can quickly switch to a quiet mouse squeak with button 1 when I see a coyote coming and have a loud distress sound going. Button 2 is currently a coyote warning bark that seems to stop them sometimes when the Foxbang's wounded coyote doesn't. Having it on my sticks lets me use it with whatever gun I happen to be shooting that day.

As far as stands I like to hunt where I can slip in unseen. A coyote that spots you walking in just isn't coming. I like to set the call where a coyote can approach it from straight downwind without smelling me. I drop my other gear at the spot I'll sit, get the call, decoy, and my bottle of Coyote Juice ready. Then I quickly walk out, set the call & Mojo critter decoy, squirt a little Coyote Juice on the ground or vegetation, and get back to where I'll sit as quick as I can. I usually wear short rubber Muck boots to leave as little scent as possible walking out there, and hope the scent I squirt out will cover the rest. I then get back to my spot, settle in and get gloves and facemask on, then start calling. I like to let things settle for a couple minutes and just look over the country before starting the call. I start quietly for a couple minutes, silent for a couple, and then begin increasing volume. After 6 minutes I want 30 seconds of real loud calling so that a distant coyote can start my way if he is going to. Then I back the volume down slowly for the rest of the set. I vary that quite a bit depending on the spot, weather, time of year, etc. but it's a place to start.

I'm a believer in good camo for coyotes, not necessarily expensive but something that fits the terrain. A face mask is something I always use, as are gloves. I like Mossy Oak Brush, Cabelas Outfitter, Kryptek Highlander, FL ASAT, or anything that blends into brush and grass pretty decent. I often use a vest that is quite a bit lighter or darker than my jacket to further break up my outline. The leafy or ghillie suits can be good but I find that they can be a pain too. I seldom think I need them anymore with good basic camo.

As far as time of day I shoot more coyotes before 10am than any other time of day. I'm usually to busy feeding cattle to call much then, so I do much of my calling after 3:30pm. I find the last hour of the day to be the best. Calm sunny mornings especially cold ones with snow, or hazy misty afternoons are my favorites. I find they move earlier in the evening with the sun covered and some moisture in the air.

Time for supper, that's all I've got for now. Good Luck, I'm headed out tomorrow to chase all the ones I spotted and didn't shoot last couple weeks while rifle deer hunting.

 

[RoJo]

If you have not heard of MFK Game Calls, search on Youtube. They have a bunch of instructional and hunting videos. They make diaphragm style mouth calls that let you call hands-free. Those guys are pretty deadly and have perfected a huge variety of animal sounds with those calls. In some of their videos, they go into detail about sounds, strategies, setups, using the wind to your favor, etc.

No, I don't know them or work for them...