venisonman

<img src=icon_smile_question.gif border=0 align=middle> About a week ago I was deer hunting on a pasture that was approximatly 300 acres. The conditions were cloudy, very windy out of the north with squalling showers every-so-often. The conditions were just right for stalking so I had elected to carry my 10 gauge loaded with xx buck 3&quot;. The pasture was rectangular in shape and I had been stalking the tree line. I had stopped about half-way to watch the other side of the pasture which was about 350-400 yards. All of the sudden the wind kicked up and the skies got dark and the rain began to fall. Squinting to see across the pasture I caught movement on the treeline. It was a buck, at least a six point, flat out gettin it. I thought at first he was on the trail of a doe when I noticed a grey figure and then another in hot pursuit. I thought this is no contest because the buck was flying, leaving the grey figures farther behind with every bound. Before the buck had made the corner of the pasture, three other grey figures sprang up in the bucks path and it was kaos while all creatures were running around in circles. The buck made two circles and then vanished into the treeline. I suspect he made it to another day. I realized that I had just witnessed a coyote pack hunt.

My questions are; How do I hunt coyote? Are there times and techniques that are better than others? Has anyone ever run into a pack that hunted the hunter? I live in central Florida and have heard from ranchers that they have been seeing them but this was my first visual sighting... They seem to be about the size of a german shepard with very bushy tails. Kind of ash colored. All were very similar in appearance...

Thanx for input!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pap-tx

I hunt coyotes more than I do deer. I usally hunt coyotes at night with a spot light and electronic call. I seem to see more at night. Any mouth blown distress call will work. Most call imitate a dying cotton tail rabbit. I like using electronic calls because of the versatility. If you have to hunt during the day, hunt at daylight and dusk. A Lohman or Johnny Stewart electronic call will run you about $160. If you want to spend the money and buy one I would suggest using a fawn distress tape because you know they are at least trying to eat deer. If they are trying to eat full grown deer you need to try and hunt them. Check your laws and see if you can hunt at night. If you kill one, check and see if there is a bounty on them. I have seen places in texas where people will pay $100 dollars for a dead coyote. You might like hunting predators. It is a rush when one is full blown running straight at you at 20 yards. Be careful though. They have the best hearing I have seen and a very good nose. They aren't dumb animals. I don't know about your area, but coyotes the size of german sheppards are VERY big coyotes in Texas.

strut

Like pap-tx said ,check your local state laws and see if you can hunt them at night. Here in Mo. it is illegal to call any varmints at night. One of the most important things is to watch the wind , they will almost always come into you from down wind and if they smell you out first you will not have much of a chance getting one, I like it best right at daylight set-up in a area where you can see for several hundred yards and a good varmint rifle, it is exciting. Most coyotes will not come in as close as foxes and other varmints will but a good flat shooting rifle will take care of that problem.

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