How big a role do binoculars play in your success against coyotes?

[ivarhusa]

I have so far been letting binoculars play a pretty small role in my hunting.  I'd typically scan the countryside before commencing calling, then to keep my movement to a minimum, I would put the binocs away when I was calling. I am not so sure that is the best strategy. Last week I spotted a retreating dog at 500 yds, and wondered if I'd used binocs while calling, I might have spotted him sooner.

I hope that answers to this question/poll will help me put binoc use in better perspective.

[Bofire]

I use them before calling, and after, if I see no movement. Before to see if anything is there and to get familar, later to see if anythng is different. once in a while I pick one up(see one)  I might have missed, like a "freeze up yote" at 300 yards. I love those, a good rest, 243 barks! whop!
Carl

[Sidewinder]

I always use my binoculars. I use them when I first get there and look ahead of me as I walk in. I get in place and look around for coyotes. If I call for awhile and nothing is coming in, I glass the area over. Sometimes you can spot them in the high ground and they do not know that you are there.

[Jerry malbeck]

Its a love hate thing with me , I hate to risk glassing before starting a set .
 one thing i do recommend is taking just a short time to really LOOK at your killing field for anything that looks out of the ordinary so that later in the set you don't think that thought of ohhh whats that object out there .
Survey the ground close in and far out , and make a mental note of coyote shaped sage brush etc .
 doing this will also assits you in identifying a ( coyote) gremlin that was not there when you started your set .
 If i am calling a large open area with me having the advantage of elevation i will from time to time glass at the end of a set just to make sure i have not missed anything with the naked eye .
there have been a couple of times this allowed me to harvest some fur .
 the thing i have a problem with as far as glassing goes is some people do way to much of it at inappropriate times and in inappropriate areas .

[Wanttohuntmore]

I'll have to agree with Jerry, definitely a love/hate relationship.  I know the yotes can see the movement, or the glare of the glass, so I'm reluctant to use them, but I pick up at least 40% of my yotes this way, usually the hunt up ones at 300 yds.  I find if I'm hunting areas that get a bunch of pressure, I get more hung up yotes, the glasses are necessary.  If I'm hunting thicker areas, or areas that are not called, or the wet side, don't need them at all, the yotes seem to run in within the first 5 min.

I like what bofire and jerry said though, sounds like I need to do a quick scan at first, go through the sequence, then pull the binocs out for the last horrah.

[Big10gauge]

I usually only use binos for confirmation that it's a coyote and not a "rock/sage coyote"
If I glass for coyotes it's only after the set, when I first sit down on a set I use my rangefinder on a couple of spots before calling and then take the time to eyeball the area for a couple of minutes to familarize myself. If I set up in a area where there is a definite line of cover I will pay particular attention to it at the end of the set. I could leave my binos at home and not miss them.

[Jerry malbeck]

 could leave my binos at home and not miss them.
I hear ya , most of the time i do !!!

[tlbradford]

I usually only use binos for confirmation that it's a coyote and not a "rock/sage coyote"
If I glass for coyotes it's only after the set, when I first sit down on a set I use my rangefinder on a couple of spots before calling and then take the time to eyeball the area for a couple of minutes to familarize myself. If I set up in a area where there is a definite line of cover I will pay particular attention to it at the end of the set. I could leave my binos at home and not miss them.

I agree 100%.  If you aren't seeing coyotes with your naked eye than they are out of range, or you need to get your eyes checked.  If you have binos up to your face you are limiting your field of view and may miss movement off to either side of where you are set-up.  If you are worried about needing binocs as you approach your stand, you may need to rethink the path you are taking ot your calling stand, or how fast you are moving into that stand.

[boneaddict]

and may miss movement off...

but they won't miss it putting the binos up to your face and lowering them

[ivarhusa]

or how fast you are moving into that stand.

TL, do I take then, that you may be moving rather slowly to a stand?  I've tried to walk as efficiently as I can, watching feet carefully, so as not to step on twigs and make sounds.  Should I be mindful of moving slowly, not just silently? I have held the opinion, unsubstantiated by long experience, that if you are moving, then they are seeing you.  I have no idea how slow one would have to move to be relatively unnoticed.

[VarmintVentilator]

The speed in which you enter a stand can depend on the type of terrain you're in.  Sometimes I am at a normal walk, other times I am very slow and scanning with my eyes constantly looking for movement, or something that doesn't fit.  If you know what I mean.  As far as binos, mine stay in the pickup 80% of the time.  But that's just me, I have an easier time picking stuff up with the naked eye.   

[tlbradford]

Looking at your photos of the terrain you are hunting, I would walk normally if I am in a low lying area, or walking through tall sage.  If I have to go up and over anything then I will stop when my eyes can see the area past the ridge and will pause and look the area over carefully, Step up a little higher and do it again.  Keep doing this, it may take up to a minute, until you have looked over the new area carefully, then crest and drop over the side until you are no longer skylined.  I don't know how many times I have spotted a coyote, or deer, etc. doing this, and have immediately gained the advantage in trying to kill them.  I was always taught to keep my head up and not looking at the ground when hunting.  I was always drilled by my dad that you need to spot them before they spot you.  If I have to take a route like this I will do it next to any cover I can find.  I will try to always walk in shade next to a rock bluff.  I will always try to sit in the shade of a bush if at all possible.  I know that is a long answer to your question, but like VV just said, the terrain will dictate the speed at which you approach a stand, and your naked eye will detect mnay things better than when you have binoculars up to your face.  Also, the more practice you get spotting coyotes without binoculars, the easier it becomes over time.  It seems like every season I will need to take a few trips out spotting animals until it seems like I get tuned into what I am looking for.

[tlbradford]

Ivar - I forgot to mention, you are going to bump coyotes occasionally, it just happens.  Calling coyotes is a time management thing as well.  How many stands you want to make, how much area do you have to call...all of that will play into how long a calling stand will be, how fast you get into position, and how much care you take getting into your calling stand.  If you bump  a coyote, don't give up on calling the area.  If I bump a coyote I will immediately drop to a knee and look for a shot.  If they don't have your wind you will often get a standing shot.  If you are completely busted and that coyote vacates the area, you still have a chance to call in other coyotes that have not spotted you.

[VarmintVentilator]

Have fun taking all this in Ivar, coyote hunting is a kick.  Remember, you're playing a game they don't like on their turf.