RE: New coyote hunter need advice!!!!
Welcome to the board J. Your 22 is not adequate to rely on for taking coyotes. Sure it will kill one, but only very well placed shots at close range. You will be better off with your 12 ga. Only at very close range will the pelt damage become a problem. If it's legal in your area, use heavy buck shot, such a 4 buck. This will be effective out to about 45 maybe 50 yrds. on a broadside coyote, with minumal pelt damage. You can pick up one of many different closed reed calls that will work for calling coyotes. I'd suggest getting a cottaintail distress call of some sort to start with. Sit and call, no such thing as walking and calling. If the coyote sees you, he will not come to you. So, pick a spot to sit where you can see one coming, but yet try to blend in with a bush, base of a tree, etc. If you've heard a rabbit scream, than you know in general what you should sound like. You don't have to sound perfect to call in a coyote. Best advice, is put a good predator calling video on your X-mas wish list, this way you can see how it's done and hear what you need to sound like to call in a coyote. Good Luck! There's alot more to calling in a coyote than just sitting and calling, but this is some general info. to get you started.