Coyote Hunting Field Guide: How To Hunt & Trap Them

Hunting coyotes may seem effortless when you see those who regularly have successful hunts or traps, but there are certain mistakes that can make the experience more challenging. To increase your chances of success while coyote hunting, it’s crucial to invest time in scouting for areas. It’s a common misconception that coyotes will automatically appear once calling begins.

In this article, we go over some of the best tips on how to coyote hunt successfully, what to bring and a list of mistakes to avoid.

Choose a good location for your stand or trap

Selecting the ideal location for your stand or trap is crucial and should be well thought out. Neglecting this aspect can severely impact your chances of success. To maximize your potential, follow these guidelines to position yourself with the best chance of successfully hunting or trapping a coyote.

• Allows for easy access and concealment of your approach.
• Has the wind blowing towards you, to prevent the coyote from detecting your scent.
• Provides an elevated vantage point to survey the surrounding area.
• The trap should be concealed with brush or other cover.

You can also forgo the stand altogether. If you are not finding coyotes in one area, it’s time to move to another. Being mobile has a lot of advantages when coyote hunting.

Knowing which coyote call to use is important

In certain hunting areas, certain calls may no longer be effective due to overuse. In areas where hunting is frequent, the coyotes that are easily fooled may have already been hunted, leaving only the more experienced animals. To increase your chances of success, it’s important to be creative and experiment with different calls. Electronic calls have made this process more convenient. With a variety of pre-recorded calls to choose from, it’s easier to try out different options and find the one that works best in your specific hunting area.

Electronic calls, such as those made by Foxpro, are pre-recorded calls that can be played through a speaker. Mouth calls, such as those made by Primos, are calls that you blow into like a whistle. Hand calls, such as those made by Johnny Stewart, are calls that you manually operate. Each type of call has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to research the different types and choose one that best suits your needs and preferences.

Make your call loud but don’t overdo it

Another issue with calling is determining how often you should do it. Remember, it’s not a good idea to keep up a constant tirade of calls; this is only likely to make a coyote suspicious. On the other hand, you do need to make sure that the animals can actually hear the calls you make, in order for them to be enticed by your efforts.

If you’re calling in an area with a high coyote population, you can call more frequently as there is a greater chance that a coyote will hear your call and respond. If a coyote responds to your call, wait a few minutes before calling again to give the coyote a chance to come in. If you don’t get a response after a few calls, it’s best to stop calling and move to a different location to try again.

Keep in mind that the electronic calls with pre-recorded calls are louder and can be heard farther than mouth calls or hand calls, so you may need to call less often with electronic calls.

Be ready to aim and shoot at all times

Before you start calling, it is important to ensure that you and anyone else with you are in a position to take a shot should a coyote appear. Even the smallest movements can cause a coyote to become skittish and flee the area. It is crucial to be still and ready to shoot before you begin calling. This will increase your chances of success and make the hunting experience more enjoyable. You should have your gun or bow ready and in a position where you can quickly and easily take the shot when the time comes. Failure to be prepared can lead to missed opportunities and a less successful hunting experience.

Know your gun

To achieve success when hunting, it is essential to become intimately familiar with the firearm you will be using. This means taking the time to practice and become proficient with your weapon before heading out for the hunt. A hunter who is not completely comfortable and familiar with their firearm is at a disadvantage and is unlikely to have a successful hunt. This is why it is crucial to invest time and energy into practicing with your firearm, so that handling it feels natural and effortless. Experienced hunters understand that achieving proficiency with a firearm takes time and practice and that simply picking up a gun for the first time and expecting to be successful is not realistic. By knowing your weapon inside and out, you will be able to handle it with ease and make quick, accurate shots when the opportunity presents itself.

Using the wrong scope magnification

Do not forget that you are not sniping your prey; this is all about calling the animal and enticing it closer in. Most coyote kills should be made at less than one hundred feet. This means that when checking out scope reviews you do not have to worry too much about a high level of magnification, for this type of hunting. Although, most of these scopes do have a wide range of magnification options available anyway. You should start by selecting as low a magnification setting as possible. It’s easier to increase the setting if you need to than it is to decrease it if a coyote decides to charge in your direction.

Thinking one kill is all you will get

If you have achieved a kill, do not assume you cannot get another one. Coyotes do not tend to be scared off by gun shot, and you can try luring further animals by using a distress call. This may not always work, but it’s worth a try, rather than just moving on straight away.

By using these coyote hunting tips and being aware of all these mistakes you can make, can greatly increase your chances of making your next coyote hunt a successful one.

Do you have any coyote hunting tips to help other beginners?