Any coyote hunters in West Tn/West Ky?
01-11-2017, 08:31 AM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Martin, TN
Posts: 854
Any coyote hunters in West Tn/West Ky?
If you're a fairly successful coyote hunter in the Northwest Tennessee or Southwest Kentucky area, I have a request. For several years I've sporadically tried my hand at calling in coyotes, but I've never managed to call in one, even though I know for a fact that we have several in the area. Most of the issue is unlike with deer and waterfowl hunting, I've never had a more experienced hunter in that field teach me. My request is if you plan to hunt coyotes this spring, would you please consider allowing me to tag along so I can learn the ins and outs of coyote hunting?
01-11-2017, 04:22 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Germany/Calif.
Posts: 2,664
If the mentor thing doesn't work out for you, I have a tip for getting a Yote in the late spring.
If they grow and cut Hay and/or Alfalfa Hay anywhere nearby. Setup on the downwind side of a cut field. First cut is best because the mouse population is at it's peak. They chop up a lot of mice (even baby Rabbits or Fawns) when they cut Hay. I usually set up at least 200 yards from where I anticipate a shot. The reason is if you let the Yote or Fox lay there after a shot, you have a good chance a second will show up maybe 3/4 of an hour later.
Yotes or Fox are likely to be out there in the daylight in the spring. Either the smell or experience draws Yotes and Fox into those freshly cut fields in the daylight. That time of year they are trying to raise a family and hunt longer hours into the daylight anyway.
A good time to get some fairly long range shots off.
The down side is if you shoot a lactating female you may feel bad thinking about some pups starving to death. The pelts aren't worth a darn.
Another good tactic is to check the fence lines after a rain. I have no idea why, but they tend to use a self made trail down the fence lines. I've found a lot of Fox and Yote tracks next to a fence line after a rain and/or or along side the woods where they meet the fields.
I'm basically an ambush hunter, I go where they are likely to show up, set up and wait.
Calling sounds like fun, I've tried it with mixed results. I always seem to go back to my old ways, anticipate their movements and ambush.
If they grow and cut Hay and/or Alfalfa Hay anywhere nearby. Setup on the downwind side of a cut field. First cut is best because the mouse population is at it's peak. They chop up a lot of mice (even baby Rabbits or Fawns) when they cut Hay. I usually set up at least 200 yards from where I anticipate a shot. The reason is if you let the Yote or Fox lay there after a shot, you have a good chance a second will show up maybe 3/4 of an hour later.
Yotes or Fox are likely to be out there in the daylight in the spring. Either the smell or experience draws Yotes and Fox into those freshly cut fields in the daylight. That time of year they are trying to raise a family and hunt longer hours into the daylight anyway.
A good time to get some fairly long range shots off.
The down side is if you shoot a lactating female you may feel bad thinking about some pups starving to death. The pelts aren't worth a darn.
Another good tactic is to check the fence lines after a rain. I have no idea why, but they tend to use a self made trail down the fence lines. I've found a lot of Fox and Yote tracks next to a fence line after a rain and/or or along side the woods where they meet the fields.
I'm basically an ambush hunter, I go where they are likely to show up, set up and wait.
Calling sounds like fun, I've tried it with mixed results. I always seem to go back to my old ways, anticipate their movements and ambush.
01-11-2017, 05:14 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Southeast Missouri
Posts: 2,178
Colder Weather is better for Hunting Coyotes/Predators,they need to eat and stay warm so they will come in to the sounds better.Use very little movement,stay concealed and don't over call them.I like hanging a feather on a limb to draw thier attention.Coyotes like to hang around Pasture's and usually move before and after a good Snow much like Deer.I usually Hunt out of my elevated ladder stands when Calling or set up where I have a good view and as Mulder Chuck mentioned....fresh cut hay fields really draw in the Predators!
01-12-2017, 04:39 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: MICHIGAN
Posts: 2,568
There is a learning curve to coyote hunting with success. There are also rules that apply and I do not mean the states rules.
(1, you will never get a coyote off a property if there are none near by. We use a siren locator sound on our callers, you can down load the sound from Varmint Al's web site to an MP3 player and hook up a external speaker to make the sound loud enough.
(2. be silent, do not slam car/truck doors and do not talk even a whisper, hand signals only.
(3 Use the wind keep it blowing in your face but watch your back also as they will circle.
(4. if others are hunting in the same general area at any time try to use a different sound in your caller than what every one else is using.
We have been having great success with a squealing piglet even where there are no pig farms for miles.
(5 don't over work a set, start a sound low at first then increase the volume a little. We always stop the sounds at the 20 minute mark or as soon as the sound ends close to that time. We then set quite for another 10 to 15 minutes scanning the area before we pick up and leave. Try using a pair of calls with different sounds at the same time. Squealing piglet and pack howls works for us.
(6 don't over hunt an area (for us it is 22 farms we have permission to hunt.) We will only hunt one about every 30 days or so.
As said it is a learning curve. I shot my first one from a deer blind while deer hunting. The second one was two years later when I shot it as it was going across my back yard rifle range.
Then another year went by and I tried to hunt every day during the season and started nailing them steady every since.
Al
(1, you will never get a coyote off a property if there are none near by. We use a siren locator sound on our callers, you can down load the sound from Varmint Al's web site to an MP3 player and hook up a external speaker to make the sound loud enough.
(2. be silent, do not slam car/truck doors and do not talk even a whisper, hand signals only.
(3 Use the wind keep it blowing in your face but watch your back also as they will circle.
(4. if others are hunting in the same general area at any time try to use a different sound in your caller than what every one else is using.
We have been having great success with a squealing piglet even where there are no pig farms for miles.
(5 don't over work a set, start a sound low at first then increase the volume a little. We always stop the sounds at the 20 minute mark or as soon as the sound ends close to that time. We then set quite for another 10 to 15 minutes scanning the area before we pick up and leave. Try using a pair of calls with different sounds at the same time. Squealing piglet and pack howls works for us.
(6 don't over hunt an area (for us it is 22 farms we have permission to hunt.) We will only hunt one about every 30 days or so.
As said it is a learning curve. I shot my first one from a deer blind while deer hunting. The second one was two years later when I shot it as it was going across my back yard rifle range.
Then another year went by and I tried to hunt every day during the season and started nailing them steady every since.
Al
Last edited by alleyyooper; 01-12-2017 at 04:43 AM.
