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dead coyote, but more questions

6x6

6x6

PMA Member
Yesterday afternoon I sat in the blind we shot our bucks this year from, overlooking the clover,rye and corn waiting on coyotes and watching deer. I am not a very good coyote hunter, since all I have been doing is watching deer and never even pulling the fox pro out of my pack, so far. I just cant bring myself to make that horrible noise and scare the deer to death, so I have been just waiting for them to come out on their own, like they always do when I am deer hunting. Well last night was no different. Had 9 bucks,no shed bucks yet, and a bunch of does feeding, so at last light I was packed and about to sneak out, when all the coyotes around started screaming, and scared all the deer off. One was just across the clover field in the timber, so I threw the call out the door, and cranked up the rabbit distress. Within 30 seconds this pretty female ran right past my blind 10 yards away, got behind me and caught my wind. She spun around and was hauling back where she came from. I was able to stop here quick at 80 yards and dropped her with my 17. Wow, thats the first time I have turned it on this year, been missing out. No mange at all.

My questions are, right now they are getting close to breeding,right? Every evening they all start screaming. Whats the best call to use now at the big males? I have several real big ones that have been running deer alot, I want to kill. I have never seen,heard and got pics of so many big healthy looking coyotes as this year. There are 2 big ones, always together, male/female I am guessing? But the ones that really bother me are 4 real big ones that hunt together. Would they be a pack of males or a mature family group? The rabbit worked great on this female, but would a howl or something else be best If I am close to the males when they start howling. I think I am gonna do a little more calling then moving. Is that better mornings or afternoons? Thanks for any advise.

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Im not "real" experienced, however, coyotes are VERY smart and if they hear you call once from an area and possibly shoot at one in a pack, or, they smell you, you will have a very tough time being able to call to them again. I swear they remember my calls year after year in every spot. The first time I hit these spots, seems they come running in, every year after that, they all hang up and sit there and howl at me.. You may try some different types of challenge howling to make it sound like there is a another small pack intruding in there feeding area.
 
Yeah, I have sure noticed that in years past. Thats another reason I have not done any blind calling yet. Luckily she was the only one screaming in that valley. The big pack was sounding off 1/2 mile away where they usually start every night. I am gonna move in on them tonight and this weekend but want to make the first setup count, so I am just wondering if I should start with the rabbit, or as soon as they start howling, at last light, challenge them with howls? Would the pack of 4 coyotes be more likely to come to a feeding call or an intruder? Is it legal to get salvage tags for roadkilled deer and shoot coyotes over it?
 
If you are good at running a turkey call, it may be worth a shot. I've had good results with one. As far as road kill is concerned, I say go for it. Food is something they will always come to. Take your dead deer, put it where you like and wait about one day. They'll find it. After you shoot over it even one time, drag it off somewhere else. Couple hundred yards will usually do it. Law enforcement just want the deer off the side of the road. Don't really think they care about what you do with it. I've been on our counties call list for road deer about nine years now...............ck
 
Do you have a shotgun with buckshot that you could take with you? I've found that those things can sometimes can CHARGING into the call, and I mean right to the call. Shooting them on the move that close with a scope is tough. I got a Mossgerg with that shoots 3.5's and put a red dot on it... put a full choke and 00buck in for yotes and put the ulti-full choke and #5's in for turks!

Also one tip I learned from others is if you do have more than one dog coming in to shoot the farthest one, that way the closest one will still be in range as it runs away... also if you can quickly hit a coyote pup in distress you have a good chance that 2nd dog will stop and you can get 'em!

We'll be calling at some dogs the next few days as well, good luck to ya!
 
Is that a marlin .17 you have there. Looks just like a .22 mag I had. My small bore gun is a savage .17 hmr. People just don't give the .17 the credit it deserves. Many thot it was a fad. I've shot hundreds of rounds of .17 and I love it. Most outstanding kill shot " in .17"was about 180 yds. on a feral cat eatin on a dead deer..........ck
 
I remember once about posting to shoot the farthest one first. I just like long, long shots also. Longest feral cat kill with my 30-06 is 312 yds.. Have 17 dog kills over 600 yds., all over bait. .........ck
 
coyotekiller said:
I remember once about posting to shoot the farthest one first. I just like long, long shots also. Longest feral cat kill with my 30-06 is 312 yds.. Have 17 dog kills over 600 yds., all over bait. .........ck
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When you say dogs you mean coyote? Not someone's pet...
 
Yea, coyotes. Never shot someone's dog. Ok, after thinking about, I have rock salted two nuisance "dogs". Neighbor wouldn't keep em home. BB gun didn't seem to faze them a bit. Just dumped shot out of some 20 guage rounds added rock salt and closed back up. Waited till they had their butts pointed at me n let her rip. They never came back........ck

So I'll add that they were big dogs at 25/30 yds max. If you've ever tried it, you know that rock salt DOES NOT PATTERN WELL. The dogs were in no harm.
 
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I get very jabbery about yote killing so please bear with me. When choosing bait, you can use just about anything that they can't carry away. Livestock, deer whatever. I've split deer, then run a wire thru the hock behind the tendon, then stake it down. Don't use rope if you can help. They chew. Try to put it where there's little traffic as they will sometimes bed down by the food and feed during the day between naps. 50 pound bags of pet food make great bait. Really anything they can't walk off with. Live chickens in a cage work great, but they are working to get at them so this is more of a close range thing. They get very excited by live bait so getting a standing shot is diffi cult..........ck
 
This is one for country folk. I save all my food scraps or whatever in a bucket with a lid. Walk about 300 yds from my porch and dump em. If you want to drive em crazy, dig a hole about two feet deep, 8-10 inches across. Dump the scraps, then put some kind of wire cover over it and stake it down. All their attention is focused on the hole. Step outside, ready,aim,fire......ck
 
I know I'm bein a thread hog, but I've been killin and educating others on how to kill yotes for more than 35 yrs.. It is truly my all time fav. You don't have to pick n choose cause everyone is a shooter. Baiting is prefered by me. I have calls, but have never owned an ecaller. I'm thinking of getting one tho, so someone might consider this on a boat trade. I've shot over them, and it is a lot of fun. A new or near new high end fox pro would prob get my boat. Mouth calls draw attention to the shooter unless you have someone willing to sit somewhere else and call for you.

In the winter, hayfields are like mouse hotels. They make tunnels,homes and in the spring when the field is melting the mice hidey holes are getting exposed. Very common to see coyotes hoppin all around catchin easy, fresh meat. Once again, live food makes them considerably less cautious. I love hayfields boardered by tall crp grass. Lay down n wait for em.........ck
 
Ok, I promise to take a break after this one. Why do I like baiting best? I have found that going to where the coyote wants to be, "food" is more effective than trying to get him to go where "where you" want him to be. Baiting isn't as hot when breeding, but they're out all day anyway so who cares........ck
 
Nice shooting! I sat through a predator hunting seminar this past week and the speaker stated that he liked to start out each calling session with a 'mouse squeak' that way he wouldn't startle and spook any coyotes that were close to his setup with a loud call. After a few minutes he said that this time of year he loved to switch to a 'howl' as their breeding season is just getting started and will continue into March. Howling will often times bring in a male (who is sometimes with a female) to the call because he is trying to figure out who is in his territory. This particular seminar speaker said that his favorite call is a fawn in distress, and that the more 'emotion' you put into your calling, the better. I don't know squat about coyote hunting, but pictures like the ones you posted above make me want to give it a try!
 
Thanks CK and everyone. Its a Savage .17 hmr., great, accurate gun, and not so loud. Too windy this afternoon to give it another try, but the next 2 days look great. I really appreciate the advise.I would love to hear more from you guys on whats been working for ya.
 
Congrats Joe!! I believe thats the animal thats population needs to be thinned down. What are you going to do with the yote?? Skin it and sell it or tan it? My brothernlaw got one last winter about this time and tanned it. It looks awesome hanging in his man shop. Just wondering what everyone does with them?
 
Great info. I am new to dog hunting also and dont have a clue what to do.

I am also scared to shoot them out of my deer plots as not to freak the deer out. But last week when i sat on my plot just to watch deer, out came 2 dogs and scatterd 26 deer. So i decided to start hunting them.

Buying a rock river arms coyote gun .223 caliber. should have by end of week.
 
Thanks 6x6 and ck, really enjoyed post, can't say enough good things about the .17 (mine's a Ruger). A buddy and I were sitting on the porch and saw a yote in the distance. I grabbed my .17 and he said what are you going to do with that little gun? I said, I've got to try. Took the shot and killed him, turned out to be 175 yards. Amazing little rifle! Keep on whacking!
 
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