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Coyote questions

keithlancaster

Junior Member
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0
I've always killed coyotes, as we've always had some sort of livestock. Never went out hunting them though, alway's just shot them as they came up to the farm. Thinking about coyote hunting, so I figure I should ask some questions.

1). What's a good round for Coyote hunting? I've always used .22mag or .223.
2). What are some good tips?
3). What are Coyote furs going for? Average?

I have alot of questions, but that's a;; that's coming to mind right now.
I'll ask more as they come to me.

Thanks
 

yotehunter

Member
1,527
36
spencerville oh
I've always killed coyotes, as we've always had some sort of livestock. Never went out hunting them though, alway's just shot them as they came up to the farm. Thinking about coyote hunting, so I figure I should ask some questions.

1). What's a good round for Coyote hunting? I've always used .22mag or .223.
2). What are some good tips?
3). What are Coyote furs going for? Average?

I have alot of questions, but that's a;; that's coming to mind right now.
I'll ask more as they come to me.

Thanks
Rifle 223, 22 250 both work great and shoot flat.
Tips hunt the wind just like you would deer and try and keep your stuff scent free. Calling at daybreak has been best for me over the years. I have only killed one after dark. And the biggest tip I have is don't get discouraged. Just because they don't come into a call today doesn't mean they won't run you over tomorrow. Snow and tracking is a coyote hunters best friend use it too your advantage. We hunt dogs after them. Its like a big rabbit hunt with a small hunting party.
As far as price we averaged 12 dollars green last year. If put up you may fetch 15 to 18.
The main thing is have fun and get out there and get after them.
Welcome to Too.
 
OK Hello

I normaly let a friend deal with the hides , so I am not up on the current price

The 22 mag may not anchor a Coyote , so I use a 223

A Coyote is smart
So if a coyote busts you due to a down wind set up
It will be 3X times harder to get that one to come to calls from that location again

I like to hunt them in the afternoons to early evening
I find some areas , just after dark is the magic time
BUT other areas before sunset is the only time they will come to a call

If you try them after dark
A red lens on a light mounted on your rifle or shotgun is needed

I use several calls and a E caller
A mouse squeaker , a rabit in destress , a coon verse Coyote fight , a Coyote Chalange call for the late Jan - Early March breading season

One trick that works well
Is a female cat in heat
Use a cage that has been sprayed with scent killer
Put the cat in it , a hour or so before dark sneak up to 50 or so yds from a woods or CPR field and set the cage down
Back off 100 or so yards where you can hide but see the cage
Watch the edge of the woods or CPR
As the cat will call them in

Another great "Bait" is a small lap dog
One that likes to make a lot of noise
Again stake it out by a woods or CPR field
But shoot straight , don't want to tell Ma Ma the coyote ate the house dog

During breading season
A pair of coyotes will defend a den and hunting grounds from other coyotes
So a chalange call will sometimes get both the male and female running at you

If 2 of you are hunting togeather
I like 1 of us to have a shotgun loaded with 4 Buck for the running coyotes


One of the best places I have ever hunted coyotes is a thick reavine behind Dad's house
It runs from a Woods and CPR field to the creek line
The deer and coyotes both use it for easy acess to the creek line
So I watch for both


Another great "call" is a branch on your haul up rope for your treestand
If you are bow hunting and see a coyote , lower the branch into the leaves under your stand
Move it around , so it sounds like some small critter the coyote can eat
I have had several coyotes zero in on the sound and come looking for a easy meal
A arrow works just as well on a coyote as a deer

John
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Yotehunter had some great tips as well as John. Not sure the legality of using live bait. I would agree with "don't get discouraged". They don't come running to the call every time you go out. Might vary depending upon how thick they are in your area. I wouldn't use any round less than 223. Some guys claim 22mag or 22hornet work. I am sure they might, but you better have some killer shot placement. I rarely get a shot at a coyote standing still for long periods of time. "Great" shot selections are not always available. A bit more bullet is preferred by me. Generally use 223 or 22-250.

No clue what the furs bring. Not why I shoot them. Lot of work to put one up for not a lot of money. I shoot them to help the other wildlife, specifically the deer.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Thank you for the information :)

I guess it depends on your goal. To hunt coyotes or kill coyotes. If you want to spend a lot of time hunting and kill a couple, use a call and a rifle.

If you want to spend a little time hunting and kill a bunch. Start snaring.

One method you'll kill a bunch of time. The other you'll kill a bunch of yotes.

Happy killing.
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
It really doesn't take that long to put one up on a stretcher. I did my first one in about 30 minutes with help from my buddy. He can put one up in 10.
 

Mike

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,840
223
Up Nort
After see a snaring demo by Boarhead this weekend, I would snare if I had the time.
 
hickslawns said:
Not sure the legality of using live bait. I wouldn't use any round less than 223.
There are no legal issues with using live bait, as long as there's no "animal cruelty" involved. By that I mean, having an animal/bird staked out with a string or other method of keeping it moving that would cause injury or could be considered abusive. If the live decoy is inside a cage, nothing could be said.

I avoid all the live decoy issues by using a MOJO Critter. Ease of transport, ease of use and I only have to feed it once a year. :smiley_blink:

As for firearm selection...there's no such thing as overkill. You'll never see my hunting coyotes with a weapon that wouldn't put a coyote down HARD. I've had my share of "run offs", plus, coyotes are NOT known for offering the best of shot placement. They're always on the move or offer piss poor shot angles.
I carry a 12 gauge with a choke tube designed for long range buckshot patterns...out to 50+ yards and have a .25-06 sitting next to me on a bi-pod, in case something thinks it's out of range of the shotgun. I also carry a small caliber pistol for "finishing" shots, because I don't like wasting rifle/shotgun ammo.

If you call a coyote in and get a shot, but miss, don't go back there for a couple of weeks. When you do go back, use a different call and set up in a different location. Coyotes remember bad experiences and learn quick. :smiley_bodyguard:

Play the wind, be patient and kill as many as you can. :smiley_dead:

Bowhunter57
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
How about mosin Nagant? I want to coyote hunt this winter. Too poor for a new rifle right now. I was thinking of using my mosin

Rather large caliber in my mind. But make sure you don't use full metal jacket bullets for safety sake due to richocets.
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,381
193
North Central Ohio
Rather large caliber in my mind. But make sure you don't use full metal jacket bullets for safety sake due to richocets.

That's the reason I sold my 303 Brit a few years ago. There isn't anywhere to shoot it other then at a range with that much lead going down range. Stood 40 yards way and shot soft tips through a cinderblock wall across an 8' wide empty room and out the other block wall once as well as put one all the way through a telephone pole. Just isn't enough room around here to shoot that 180gr bullet anymore.
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,381
193
North Central Ohio
12ga with a good coyote load would be pretty good out to around 60 yards or so. Slug would get you out to 100 maybe 125 yards but that's some serious drop at those ranges.
 

yotehunter

Member
1,527
36
spencerville oh
Very informative. My other options are 12 gauge with buck or slug

3 inch 4 buck or 00 is what we use try different choke patterns for the best patterns. I've killed them with 4 buck up to 80 yards. But I'm also using a 34 inch warlock hastings barrel. If you can find a partner good with the rifle and take the shot gun. The rifle for anything past 50 yards anything inside of that shotgun them.
 

CJD3

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
14,630
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NE Ohio
Not to hijack but to add to this informative thread w/ a question;

I see yots show up on my trail cams once or twice a month but only in the middle of the night like between midnight and 4 AM. Would that imply I don't have a den near by and I'm just on a large loop occasionally run or what?
Also, what is a typical home range? ( 1,3 5 sq. miles?)
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,381
193
North Central Ohio
Not to hijack but to add to this informative thread w/ a question;

I see yots show up on my trail cams once or twice a month but only in the middle of the night like between midnight and 4 AM. Would that imply I don't have a den near by and I'm just on a large loop occasionally run or what?
Also, what is a typical home range? ( 1,3 5 sq. miles?)

I would have to say your part of a loop and they go by as they make rounds. I would think if there was a Den nearby you would be getting daylight pics at some point.

Here is an excerpt from Michigan DNR:

The size of a coyote's home range depends on the food and cover resources available and on the number of other coyotes in an area, but it generally averages between 8 and 12 square miles.

I would also say the home range at least for the ones I have around here are smaller then 8 miles. I would say mine are closer to half that and about 2-5 sq. miles. Pretty good cover and plenty of food for them so there is little reason for them to have a huge home range.
 

yotehunter

Member
1,527
36
spencerville oh
I would have to say your part of a loop and they go by as they make rounds. I would think if there was a Den nearby you would be getting daylight pics at some point.

Here is an excerpt from Michigan DNR:



I would also say the home range at least for the ones I have around here are smaller then 8 miles. I would say mine are closer to half that and about 2-5 sq. miles. Pretty good cover and plenty of food for them so there is little reason for them to have a huge home range.

Its more of a domain range rather then a food issue this time of year. And I agree until they go to breeding their main range around me is about a 3 mile radius . That's until the weather turns ruff and the breeding starts. then I would say it does expand out to the ten mile range..