10 Things Every Coyote Hunter Should Know
The following text will sum up all the important details a future hunter should know in order to have a successful coyote hunting experience.
1. The rifle you should use - greatly depends on the environment. Widely used calibers for this type of hunting are the 22's starting with the 222 - anything that is smaller than this isn't recommended as it will most likely only injure the coyote. For shotguns, the most suitable one would be the #4 or even smaller buckshot. Practice is the key in all hunting activities and coyote hunting is no exception.
2. How can you properly call coyotes ? Learning how to use a mouth blown rabbit-in-distress kind of call is quite an easy job, basically all of the models available for purchase should come in hand to any inexperienced coyote hunter. It is highly advisable to stay approximately 30 minutes on each of the hunting stands especially when you are conducting the hunts in an open area. For wooded areas, 10-15 minutes should be enough as the sound of the call won't go very far. It is recommended to make calls at short intervals (20-30 seconds), afterwards wait for about 2 minutes and repeat again.
3. Which calls are recommended - mouth calls are very popular among coyote hunters. As an alternative, electronic calls have proved their efficiency over the last few years. Howling is practiced by some hunters as well, but it requires prior proper training in order to have observable results. As a conclusion, for inexperienced hunters, basic mouth calls should work just fine.
4. Choosing a coyote decoy - the basic ground squirrel can do wonders if it is positioned appropriately. For beginners we also recommend using a rabbit as it is a cheap alternative that should do just fine.
5. Choosing proper clothing - there are a couple of things that should be taken into consideration by all coyote hunting beginners, these are: camouflage(although people say that these animals are colorblind we disagree and we feel that camouflage clothing is a must); weight(as light as possible in order to allow the hunter to move around with no difficulties); environment(the clothing should be chosen in order to suit the hunting environment and the time of the year); quality(the clothing must be durable, resistant and versatile).
1. The rifle you should use - greatly depends on the environment. Widely used calibers for this type of hunting are the 22's starting with the 222 - anything that is smaller than this isn't recommended as it will most likely only injure the coyote. For shotguns, the most suitable one would be the #4 or even smaller buckshot. Practice is the key in all hunting activities and coyote hunting is no exception.
2. How can you properly call coyotes ? Learning how to use a mouth blown rabbit-in-distress kind of call is quite an easy job, basically all of the models available for purchase should come in hand to any inexperienced coyote hunter. It is highly advisable to stay approximately 30 minutes on each of the hunting stands especially when you are conducting the hunts in an open area. For wooded areas, 10-15 minutes should be enough as the sound of the call won't go very far. It is recommended to make calls at short intervals (20-30 seconds), afterwards wait for about 2 minutes and repeat again.
3. Which calls are recommended - mouth calls are very popular among coyote hunters. As an alternative, electronic calls have proved their efficiency over the last few years. Howling is practiced by some hunters as well, but it requires prior proper training in order to have observable results. As a conclusion, for inexperienced hunters, basic mouth calls should work just fine.
4. Choosing a coyote decoy - the basic ground squirrel can do wonders if it is positioned appropriately. For beginners we also recommend using a rabbit as it is a cheap alternative that should do just fine.
5. Choosing proper clothing - there are a couple of things that should be taken into consideration by all coyote hunting beginners, these are: camouflage(although people say that these animals are colorblind we disagree and we feel that camouflage clothing is a must); weight(as light as possible in order to allow the hunter to move around with no difficulties); environment(the clothing should be chosen in order to suit the hunting environment and the time of the year); quality(the clothing must be durable, resistant and versatile).
6. Using coyote dogs - some of the most recommended coyote hunting dogs are: the American Staghound, the Plott Hound, the Greyhound, the Mountain View Cur and the Black Mouth Cur. It is recommended that a coyote dog should be trained from an early age.
7. Lures & scents - food lures contain oils of plants and roots, fruit extracts and juices of meats. Curiosity lures are the ones that aren't recognized in the environment: Cumin, Rodium and oils of Anise. Moving on to the scents, the passion scents contain hormones, pheromone secretions and urine. As far as the techniques used, the best one might be: stay at 20 yards away from the stand and place 11 drops on the tree trunk/brush; circle around by reapplying the exact same quantity in all directions.
8. How to trap coyotes a) locate the most appropriate place for a trap installation; b) set the trap on a ground even level; c) place the trap near trail junctions, livestock trails, fence crossing and high hills.
9. Bow hunting coyotes - the best bows for coyote hunting are the stick bows that have a maximum range of about 50-60 meters. Consulting an archery dealer is highly advisable in this particular situation. Practicing is imperious for hunting coyotes with a bow and so is the hunter's placement. Wind plays a major part in the bow hunting adventure so try using it to your advantage. Change stands every day to improve your chances.
10. The most important advice is: practice. Rifle, shotgun, bow, it doesn't matter, keep practicing and you will increase your chances of success. With the right equipment and training, these clever animals can end up in your hunting bag for sure!
7. Lures & scents - food lures contain oils of plants and roots, fruit extracts and juices of meats. Curiosity lures are the ones that aren't recognized in the environment: Cumin, Rodium and oils of Anise. Moving on to the scents, the passion scents contain hormones, pheromone secretions and urine. As far as the techniques used, the best one might be: stay at 20 yards away from the stand and place 11 drops on the tree trunk/brush; circle around by reapplying the exact same quantity in all directions.
8. How to trap coyotes a) locate the most appropriate place for a trap installation; b) set the trap on a ground even level; c) place the trap near trail junctions, livestock trails, fence crossing and high hills.
9. Bow hunting coyotes - the best bows for coyote hunting are the stick bows that have a maximum range of about 50-60 meters. Consulting an archery dealer is highly advisable in this particular situation. Practicing is imperious for hunting coyotes with a bow and so is the hunter's placement. Wind plays a major part in the bow hunting adventure so try using it to your advantage. Change stands every day to improve your chances.
10. The most important advice is: practice. Rifle, shotgun, bow, it doesn't matter, keep practicing and you will increase your chances of success. With the right equipment and training, these clever animals can end up in your hunting bag for sure!
General Info
Equipment & Tools
Tips & Techniques