They are either there or you have to work at it to find them/call them in. This one is definitely one that I gotta work at to get him to come in.

I started coyote hunting just a couple years ago. I didn't want to wait all year, just once a year to hunt, so I took up coyote / small game hunting. After doing some research and gathering tips from friends and other coyote hunters, I've been trying my hand at it. I'm always proud to show off my deer that I've harvested and share my hunting stories with others, friends, and family! Now that deer season is done and gone with the wind, I'm going after him! This guy goes all over these 60 acres that I hunt on. It's fun to decipher when it's walking or trotting, foot placement and which foot it was from the paw print, which travel paths it takes, finding where it goes, and when he follows deer trails. This guy is a bit more to "hunt" than deer, I'm coming to realize. It's pretty exciting as there are all kinds of coyote tracks and trails all over my hunting land! They are coming out at dark and early morning, I've caught some smaller coyotes a blur on my trailcam just only a couple times last year, but now a couple weeks ago, at the end of January, he showed up. Beautiful profile, full face staring right at my trail camera, big and beautiful. Almost positive it's a male, but it's hard to be sure.

After a bit of frustration, days and days on end of hunting, hours out there until dark, days going out to specifically hunt in the dark, wailing on my injured rabbit calls and jackrabbit call, even using my electronic sounds... nothing. I know they are there, I've heard them, seen their tracks and trails and on my trailcam. Having invested in a couple different handheld rabbit calls, mouse squeaker, electronic caller that has 5 different animal sounds on it, handheld coyote howler, scented "death" spray to spray the ground, I figured that should do the trick to start off. They have answered me, me while sitting in my treestand during deer hunting, to a couple times from my "howler" call. They have called out in the morning before daylight during deer hunting. They have called out in the night when I was out there late to check my trailcam. Echos in the darkness and predators of the woods.

Trapping? My friends have mixed feelings about trapping vs. gun hunting them. I feel the same, but I am also intrigued by these coyotes. Unsure about metal foot traps, thinking that I may get my arm caught in them while setting up (being that I am a lot like my dad) hoping I won't injure myself. December 1st, per the DNR, wire snare traps are a go! Being an artist, I knew for sure that I wanted to make my own snares, put some love in it! By end of December I was able to set one of my snares (a couple out of 6 that could feasibly work) placed carefully on the travelway of my beloved coyote, on the frozen creek that runs through the woods. He uses it as his personal runway! 2 years in a row now, as a matter of fact! A couple weeks ago, I ccme to find an animal track was right in the middle of my snare loop. A deer possibly. Covered in snow now, no longer functional, I reset the snare. Shaking my head in disbelief. This coyote is going to give me a run for my money. My next plan: night hunting. I have a feeling I'll be going in circles with this sneaky coyote.