If you’ve decided that you’d like to hunt coyote, there are a few things you should know. In some cases, coyote hunting can be easier than hunting deer or hogs; in other cases, it can yield no results at all, regardless of how hard you try. Coyotes are private, sneaky animals that only come out of hiding when it suits them. They are also incredibly intelligent animals, which makes them a formidable foe.
Mask Your Scent
When it comes to hunting other animals, I’m rather ambivalent about the subject of masking one’s scent. However, if you’re going to be hunting coyote, you need to make sure they can’t smell you. Any canine has a highly evolved sense of smell, which makes it easier for them to detect the presence of the human. Using red fox or raccoon cover scents will help to take care of that problem. Also, make sure to use laundry detergent and soap that has no scent.
Keep Your Distance
While shelter is important for hunting coyote, keeping your distance is far more important. They can hear, smell and see you from afar, which makes them difficult to track. If you can find a location that offers moderate cover while still giving you a decent line of sight, you’ll have more luck snagging a coyote. If there isn’t any cover, you can use tall grasses to mask your whereabouts.
Drive Around
Before hunting coyote, you might want to drive around the area where you’ll be hunting. Keep the windows down and the radio off, and listen for the sounds of coyote calls. When you hear them, mark a big X on your map and continue to the next place down the road. Knowing where coyotes are likely to be hanging out—especially in close proximity to their den—will be of enormous help on the hunt.
Talk to Private Land Owners
Since public hunting land is growing increasingly scarce, you might want to talk to private land owners about permission to hunt on their property. Hunting coyote is different form hunting deer or wild turkey; coyotes are generally viewed as nuisances, and even dangerous in light of small animals and children. You’ll probably have better luck, and it will increase your chances of finding coyote in the wild blue yonder.
Know the Calls
Hunting coyote is different from hunting other types of animals because you don’t want to sound like a female in heat. Since coyotes are predators, you want to sound like an animal that has been caught between the jaws of an alpha male, which will bring other males and females out of the woodwork. Bleating and screaming like a dying rabbit is one of the best ways to go, but make sure to slowly taper off the sounds to increase realism.
Dress Carefully
Cammo is particularly important when hunting coyote, so make sure to choose your wardrobe carefully. Anything that might reflect sunlight should be removed—eyeglasses, wristwatches, shiny buttons—and you should make sure to cover your face and hands as much as possible. Anything out of the ordinary will send a coyote fleeing for the hills—and telling the rest of his buddies to do the same.
