Nighttime coyote hunting and tactics for yote shooting

[Stinkyrat]

Hi folks!

So I think I found an area that has quite a few coyotes in the area as I saw zero deer poo and a ton of what looked like coyote scat (as well as some that was bigger, cougar perhaps? Not a poo expert)...

Anyways, how do you go about going after coyotes in a heavily forested area? There are quite a few closed logging roads in the area, just set up camp and do some nighttime calling right on the gravel? Or would it be smarter to do this during the day? Sorry for the ignorance, this just sounds like a fun trip to me and any tips or help is greatly appriciated.

Also, I have a few calls (snowshoe and a female call) but do any of you find better success with the electronic calls?

Thanks for reading!

Stinkyrat

[wraithen]

Stinky, I'm right down the road from you and if you're in the stomping grounds nearby, the coyote scat is thick but how many prints have you found? Also the cougars are really thick there. I have a foxpro but I can't get those things to get anywhere near me. If you figure it out give me a shout and we can team up for the coyote madness this year until Dec.

As far as calls, near as I can figure the mouth calls are better because you can adjust on the fly with them. I can break my buddies hearts with my elk call doing a raspy bunny dying, the foxpro just spooks them a bit  You don't need the electronics. The advantage I figured I would have is it would bring them near me but not focused on me. I figured that would get me the jump. Turns out I gotta get them in sight first somehow   

[sirmissalot]

I wouldn't do any night hunting this time of year, give it a couple months till big game seasons are over. At least I would.

Calling coyotes in timber is something I'd like to learn too

[wraithen]

Night hunting risks shouldn't be anything other than poachers being scared and shooting you over here. The gamies and/or local sheriff might appreciate a call though first. Most people in that general area won't give the sound a second thought.

[Stinkyrat]

Well I don't even think nighttime hunting is allowed right now through big game hunting season anyways, so this would be more of a spring/summer activity I think? I see tons of videos of coyote hunting during the day so I figured I'd give it a shot, but I have buddy (currently in Afghanistan) That does the nighttime thing and seems to have good luck with it, just can't get the details at the moment since he's a little busy!

As far as the poo goes, never seen tracks however it is fresh (still wet, flies landing, etc) so I know they are there. The area I am talking about is the DNR lands eastern to Eatonville down some of the closed service roads. Pretty creepy out there by myself, it was really foggy the day I went and could have sworn at one point I was being stalked. I was walking and stopped to listen to my surroundings and something behind me to my left took three steps and stopped. That's when an AR-15 with 120 rounds of screw you is quite comforting 

I actually took pictures while I was out there, I'll try posting them later today. But I'd definitely be down for a team-up trip out that way, I just bought some burlap camo to build a cover of sorts. Between that, foxpro and some calls I think we can get a few yotes!

Stinkyrat

[sirmissalot]

I was just talking about being legal, not safety wise. The way I've always read the regs as long as there is no center fire deer or elk season, you're good. Otherwise you'll be breaking the law. I hate Internet police, but I'm just saying what I would do.

[wraithen]

Sir, you are correct, I forgot that the area in question has stuff other than birds, squirrels, bobcat, coyote and cougar.  Stinky, I'm not sure which closed road you tried but walking those roads usually won't give you anywhere to make a decent stand. I've found a few just kind of slowly rolling down the road and looking for where trees look like they might thin out a bit. Did you circle around looking for tracks when you heard the 3 steps? I can hazard a guess and bet I know exactly what you heard. Just wait til she starts talking to you. It gets more interesting when you realize she's talking to her teenager on the complete other side of you. 

[MadHatter]

I don't think that it is illegal.  I know there was a push to make coyote hunters use rimfire at night, but I know that rule wasn't adopted.  I searched thought the regs and couldn't find any prohibition on hunting coyotes at night during modern season.  I do know that this has been discussed here before, the thought was that I could be out hunting (read as poaching) deer at night, and if I get stopped can just tell a game warden that I am "legally hunting coyotes."

I have always hunted coyotes at night, year round.  Lot of time I will take find gut piles during the day, and then sit on them at night for coyotes.  Taken several that way actually.  As for tactics, I use my hand calls and red light to look for eyes.  A good rule to remember is that predators will tend to look at you and you will see both eyes, prey animals you will only see one eye. This is not always the case, but a good thing to remember... Predators need binocular vision, thus have their eyes in the front of their head, prey animals (deer, elk, rabbit etc) need to be able to see predators coming and have their eyes separated and on the side of their heads.

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[bobcat]

Look at page 76, item number 10, 2nd paragraph.

No night hunting during modern firearm deer and elk seasons.

[Stinkyrat]

Yeah bobcat is correct on this one:

"Coyote may be hunted at night
year round, EXCEPT it is unlawful
to hunt coyote at night during the
months of September, October,
or November in any area open to a
centerfire rifle deer or elk season."

Which is fine, its flippin cold around that point anyways! Well I think the area I was checking out may be a good one for getting Coyotes to pop out to visit, gonna head up there on Friday and I'll be sure to throw a report up on here for how it turns out. Went out with a scoped M16A4 styled AR last time and the area just doesn't call for that kinda distance. Think this time I'll be rocking the 1971 Colt A1 and try just straight iron sights.

We'll see what happens!

[bearmanric]

I got a call today asking these same question. Sounded kida fishy to me antie like. I just noticed the call came from New york. Said the same stuff as this post.  Rick

[MadHatter]

Look at page 76, item number 10, 2nd paragraph.

No night hunting during modern firearm deer and elk seasons.

Wow... Looks like I read past that like 5 times... thanks.

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[Stinkyrat]

I got a call today asking these same question. Sounded kida fishy to me antie like. I just noticed the call came from New york. Said the same stuff as this post.  Rick

Not quite bud, definitely a gun totin' good ol boy that just moved back from Ellensburg. I'm stinkyrat on here, gunboards, waguns, ak-47.net and five-sevenforums. (well actually I am stinkyfert on five-seven.... they have a thing for ferrets over there ) but I sure am no anti.

Stinkyrat

EDIT: Hey while I'm on here, if I take my AR out for coyote, are you allowed to have a shotgun out with you at the same time? I only ask because if I see grouse, I'd just assume take em with a shotty over the AR. That and not have to hike all the way back to the truck to switch weapons if I didn't have to!

[yote]

I wouldn't do any night hunting this time of year, give it a couple months till big game seasons are over. At least I would.

 

[rynokron]

In the thick stuff at night you will most likely educate all the local yotes and never even know they were there. During the day setup so you can see the furthest down wind. Be ready for fast action. Shotgun works good for up close moving targets.