i want to hunt coyotes (need help)

[ACE_187]

i meant to do this last year. i want to hunt them, field dress them, and sell the fur, and take any meat that i can.

i've never hunted them, and dont know anyone who has. i only hear them howling from febuary-may. and only at night.

are they still there other times of the year? if so why dont i hear them, or see many tracks?

also, how do you hunt something that only comes out at night? other than waiting for a bright well-lit night?

i have a 30-06 that i dont have a scope on, and a .44 magnum pistol with a 7 inch barrel i think. which one should i use? if it's at night i doubt i'll need a rifle because i wont be able to see that far ahead.

[Groundhog whacka]

You need some calls, and a bright spotlight with a red filter on it (a partner helps too but isn't absolutely necessary). Make some calls and scan with the red spotlight, when a yote gets close enough dump it. You can call them in the day too then you don't need a light. Go to www.varminthunters.com there are some coyote whacking bastards over there who have more patience than me to get you on the right track.

[Tetcht Seckum]

First and foremost, an open sight rifle will work, but you will learn to prefer a scoped, fast varmint caliber. I prefer my .22-250 Savage Model 99. Sometimes the Ruger no. 1. Have yet to use my new Eddy Stone .25-06. But I know people who use shotguns, so its all in your skill and patience.

Second, you stink. These things can smell you like you can't believe. Stay down wind. And don't move alot. They can pick up movement from a long ways. Depending on how the popluation is and where they are located, they may be skittish (or they may be fearless, eating out of suburb garbage cans, you never kno till you encounter them), but reguardless, you usually don't get alot of shots before they are in the next county.

As Groundhogwhacka said with the spot light. If I am spotlighting, I bait them. A dead horse is preferable, but just about anything dead and smelly works. I do most my calling in the late day. Thats when I find them most receptive to calls.

It wont take long for them to figure out the difference between your call and real food. You will have to change things up, and dont fall into a routine. These are not stupid creatures.

Have fun and don't get discouraged. All packs and locations are different. Study them, AND BE PATIENT.

[Freelance Tax Collector]

Geography plays a big part. Use the terrain features to your advantage. In Utah and Idaho, it's pretty much open season for any varmint, and there are no regulations regarding camouflage, so a G suit is permissable to use. Stay downwind of your field of fire, and preferrably use the terrain itself to keep your profile/silhouette sunk into the terrain. If you can, try to keep the sun at your back also.

Human smell is one thing, but cologne, deodorants, and lotions are really potent scents that send up all kinds of flags. Avoid using those. Bring parachute cord to drag/hang the bodies too.

[ACE_187]

thanks. i'll join that forum if i need help with anything. i'm planning on going this week or next week.

when i was younger i used to hang my clothes on a clothes line for a few days, or let it rain on them and dry. but i think people make to big a deal about being down-wind. deer may be different, but just a few weeks ago, i was in the woods just messing around, and two does ran right by me like 30 feet away, and everyone is always talking about how good they can smell too. but i still do that with my clothes anytime i go hunting.

i do hear them at dusk, but that isn't alot of time, thats why i just figured i'd need to stay at night.

but you think they are migrating when i dont hear them? and why would they only come back to a certain spot at a certain time of the year? because i remember it was last febuary i heard them in these woods, and around may it ended, then two nights ago i hear them again.

thanks for all the tips. i've picked up some useful stuff.

[ilovechronic]

Originally Posted by ilovesawedoffpump

thanks. i'll join that forum if i need help with anything. i'm planning on going this week or next week.

when i was younger i used to hang my clothes on a clothes line for a few days, or let it rain on them and dry. but i think people make to big a deal about being down-wind. deer may be different, but just a few weeks ago, i was in the woods just messing around, and two does ran right by me like 30 feet away, and everyone is always talking about how good they can smell too. but i still do that with my clothes anytime i go hunting.

i do hear them at dusk, but that isn't alot of time, thats why i just figured i'd need to stay at night.

but you think they are migrating when i dont hear them? and why would they only come back to a certain spot at a certain time of the year? because i remember it was last febuary i heard them in these woods, and around may it ended, then two nights ago i hear them again.

thanks for all the tips. i've picked up some useful stuff.

i have seen them at all times of the day and night. Just because you cannot hear them doesn't mean they are not around. They have predators themselves so they do not want to be giving themselves away.
Research them a little and learn their habits. That will be a good start. Learn your prey.
The call will draw them in if you have any luck.

if baiting is allowed maybe you could kill a few rabbits or other varmint for quick bait.

[1983]

Also if you got a trappers licence and the right traps it can help too.

If you do set up a drag line or stake line make sure there's no dogs or cats around because they'll more than likly end up in em.

I can sujest home made traps that we had to use on foxes on the farm but it's not advisable because it's bolth crule and inhumane and I don't want the information in the wrong hands.
It was basically a last resort for us because the bastards got too smart for the leg traps and nobody had the time to sit around all day to watch the pens.

[Yodabutter]

If you dont have any calls or dont feel like calling just get in a car/truck early in the morning and drive around. Over the weekend I saw 2 of the niggers within a 10 minute time period just driving around, it wasnt that early either it was 8-9 o clock. You probably need to get a scope though cause once they see you they are likely to start running.

[ilovechronic]

Oh and people doont really eat coyote. You can if you want but they seem like they would be pretty nasty.

[The Savage]

Aye, as a rule of thumb don't eat anything that eats meat, it tastes like shit.