New to coyote hunting Question 1

[PrimalTV]

Hello All,

 I just started hunting coyote's this year. I got into it cause I like pheasant hunting and figured I would do my part in keeping the population up by killing the yote's. I have gone out about 5 times, it has been a ton of fun and killed 1 yote. One in five trips seemed pretty good to me but thought "I can do better," and so the internet information hunt began. Not long after the hunt began I discovered this website and "Coyote madness III." After looking at the scores I am now shamed that I even thought "one in five trips is pretty good." 98 killed in four months! Kudos to you Team Sagebrush Assassins. So now I have joined this site and would like to know how I can be better at saving them baby pheasant form the Wile coyote.

 My first question is camouflage? I have none at the moment but have been looking around on the internet. I like what i see coming from M2D, ASAT, and Optifade but what are your thoughts about camouflage for coyote hunting?

[BIGINNER]

woah woah woah there,  1 kill in 5 trips is awesome for a beginner.  it took me about 12 trips to get my first.  so don'y try too hard or expect yourself to acomplish (from the very begining) what sagebrush assasens did.  those guys are maniac coyote killing machines.  lol  but since you got 1 yote in your first 5 trips, i'd say you're off to a very good start.

as for cammo, i just use regular mossy oak that i bought at walmart. i'm not too picky,  get somekind of face cover, cuz your face will definately stand out, and use gloves of you're doing mouth calls.

[Big10gauge]

Camouflage is probably at the mid or towards the bottom of the list for successful coyote hunting, but it’s always good to look the part. Take a good look at the area you’re going to hunt and pick a pattern that blends with it. I and most of my hunting buddies that hunt sagebrush use NaturalGear, but RealTree and others like ASAT work just as well. As Beginner said gloves and a facemask is important as the head is usually the highest off the ground and the hands and head will make most movement. Hope this helps.

[NW-GSP]

I agree with 10 gauge, cover your face and hands otherwise you will stick out like crazy. I usually just wear camo pants but I have a ghillie suite for the upper half of my body. scent is also a big thing wash your hunting cloths with something like scentguard, they also make a deoderant.
Most of the coyotes I have called in have always come in down wind but you will always have the random one that comes in from behind

[PrimalTV]

It sounds like camouflage is not bad to have but not critical. The important thing being cover your face and hands since these are the most likely to be visible due to movement and skin color. How about camouflage on your gun? 

[NW-GSP]

I think the only part you would have to worry about is a reflection from the glass on your scope but they make covers for them now, I think I usually shoot them before they get that close but thats just me

[Big10gauge]

They make honey comb anti reflective scope covers but they seem to restrict the light too much. A good sunshade works well. If you have a SS barrel you probably would want to wrap it. If you're not afraid to paint your gun it's fun to do.

[fair-chase]

Unless you have a stainless barrel camo on the gun is another low priority. Of course the more you get into it the more gear you will inevitably need and there will probably come a day when you need a ghilli suite, camo rifle, stock in a scent block company, and a whole lot of other gear. For now just keep after 'em and learn their patterns and habits. Oh yeah, keep your head up. One in five is great for a beginner. Your off to a great start to your new addiction.

[WAcoyotehunter]

decent camo is helpful, but not critical.  I like to cover my face, but I've killed them without much camo.  i think sneeking into the set is the most important thing that is often overlooked.  once there, take a few minutes to let things settle down.  i also like to change calls up after a few minutes of one not working.

[FALFire]

It is said that coyotes see in shades of gray, and that is probably why camo is a low priority. I agree with Big10, use gloves and a face net, forget the gun camo unless you think it is cool  I camoed a few of my guns but in reality when the dog is coming towards you they can't tell what is covering your gun.

It is more important to move slowly when you have to move. Keep yourself in the shade as much as possible and don't sit on top of a hill or in direct sunlight, you will look like a beacon, not bacon 
Use a fence post to rest your back against and keep brush to your back so you blend in with the surroundings. Set up where you can see a cow trail or a dirt road, jeep trail or game path, coyotes are lazy and will use these paths while moving from one area to the next.

If you use an e-caller, keep the volume down low to mid range and don't play it for hours, just a half a minute or so and wait for a couple of minutes to let it go again. If you are using a hand call, don't blow it like a trombone, keep it covered and use short cries, no bunny rabbit ever sounded like King Kong roaring over the hilltops, rabbits have little lungs so short cries work better than one long drawn out bawl.

Use a squeaker to get the coyote to stop prior to shooting at it on the move. Tape a coaxer squeaker to the fore-end of your rifle so it will always be in the right place when you need it.

If you like to use decoys, try the Mojo Critter, Cabela's has them they work pretty well sometimes.

Use your eyes to scan the area before turning your head, keep your rifle ready resting in the shooting sticks and move slowly to shoulder it up. Stay low and use a stock mounted bipod to steady your shot. If you choose to use binoc's keep your movements to a minimum. Use a range finder to check your distances prior to beginning the calling session.

Movement and wind is your worst enemies, coyotes can and will come from all sides but usually they will tend to travel to your down wind side to get a sniff at what is making the cries. Be ready and if nothing shows up after 20 minutes or so, stop calling and let things kind of settle down for a few minutes before you pick up and leave. When you do get up to leave, do so slowly as a dog may be very near and you might just catch it before it spot's you. 

Don't shoot at a dog that busts you while calling and runs off. If you miss at a runner, you will have just trained him to not respond to the call sound you were making. Wait for the dog to stop, often times they will about 200 yards out and that may offer you up a standing shot but you will only have about 3 seconds to get on him before you see dust boiling from his Mach I exit.

Good luck

 

[trippledigitss]

I have been calling/hunting yotes for just over a year now. I think it took me 12-15 trips out before I got one, and the 1st only came due to the help of an experienced hunter (predatorpro) putting me in the right place with the right gear. I didnt shoot at the 1st one I called in all by myself, but it was such a HUGE RUSH!   Then the next day P-pro took me all over the E-Wa hillsides and finally got me my 1st coyote.

Anyway, that was a little off topic. Personally I think camo is important, if no other reason than it looks cool, and I think Kings Desert and Prairie Ghost camo is very slick. But for the west side you need more green/dark colors - sometimes I just wear plain ol mil-spec woodland camo stuff I got at the Sportsmans Guide. Personally I dont think scent cover works worth a darn. I think once they get a whiff of that, you, or anything not native/normal, you are busted busted busted. I've even had them sniff rabbit urine and evacuate the area in a hurry.   So I dont put a whole lot of effort in trying to mask my scent.

So I say - in all my infinite (or infant) wisdom - best is to stay down wind of them at all costs - but you will get a dumb one now & then. (In fact, I depend and rely on the dumb ones!) Other main thing for me is movement, big one there. And I think the best way to mask that is a decoy. I SWEAR by my little rabbit Quiver Critter decoy. Like I've said before, I think it mezmerises them and they dont even see me at all, and if they do, they dont care, they want that rabbit! So my top 3 would be wind, movement, and decoy with camo coming in a close 4th.

Does anyone else hate the way the text jumps around when you are typing at the bottom of the box!??   I freaking HATE that! WHY does it do that?