Coyote Night Hunting

Need some help with night hunting. A buddy and me have been out a few times with no luck. Although the two times we went out, it decided to pour and cut our hunt short. We've been putting dead chickens out and somethings been taking the bait although we can't be sure what it is since his trail camera is acting up. We know possums have done some of the damage (a couple have been properly dealt with). I have a hard time believing its all possums, though. We have a stand set up nearby to hunt in and stay out of sight (and smell). I recently ordered some gland smell lure and some urine. How do we go about putting this out to get them to our location and when should we do it in relation to our hunt. Any tips or anything would be helpful. Also have some calls. How should we incorporate these?

Also, I need a good scope for my rifle that will work well in low light situations. Any suggesstions.

Ive had pretty good luck hunting them at night with calls. I called up and shot four coyotes saturday week ago. I would personally forget about all the attractants and lures. They will eventually work im sure but that would most definately be a waiting game and coyotes don't just move at night so you may not ever be there at the same time as them.

What you need is a good rabbit in distress call, chicken in distress, fawn in distress, yellow hammer woodpecker, turkey, goat, pig, or any other critter you can think of will probably work. I think iv'e killed atleast something over everything mentioned. I try and only use animals they would be familiar with. I know people around here that use jack rabbits in distress and we don't have them so I don't know how they would recognize that...

Anyway once you get your calls you will need a red lense spotlight and a rifle or good full choke shotgun and some hot shells like 000 buck shot or 3,4,5, shot. Then just head out and hunt. Ive noticed that after about fifteen minutes of calling if nothing has come it's time to move on. predators are opportunistic and if they hear a fresh meal squeeling they will come immediately if they are there. 99% of the varmints iv'e killed has been within five minutes of calling. It took me a long time to learn that and Iv'e sat there for an hour before and nothing show up so don't waste half the night in one spot. go somewhere, set up and call steady with short thirty second breaks every minute or two and in fifteen minutes if you haven't seen anything move three or four hundred yards and try again.

also don't leave your light cut on the whole time. turn it on every minute or so and look around very fast and if its there you will see it's eyes glowing. if not turn the light off. and wait a little while. every two minutes or so. I have the best luck setting up in the middle of hay fields or clearcuts. just sit down in the field with shooting sticks to prop on.

this should get you killing them soon. send pictures.

NG Alum, do you use a decoy when setting up in a field at night?

No I don't Turkey Bird. but when im not using a mouth call. I do try and set the electronic caller down foutry or fifty yards form me so im not a point of attention. they see pertty dang good at night so you don't wanna be sitting right beside the call if you can help it. although ive called them up to a white truck in the middle of a field at night plenty of times. I really think being still is the key.

Thanks for all the great info.

I do have one noob question regarding the light. Is there a voltage limit on the light? I tried looking this info up on the DNR site, but could not see anything about hunting coyotes with a light.

NG ALUM said:

No I don't Turkey Bird. but when im not using a mouth call. I do try and set the electronic caller down foutry or fifty yards form me so im not a point of attention. they see pertty dang good at night so you don't wanna be sitting right beside the call if you can help it. although ive called them up to a white truck in the middle of a field at night plenty of times. I really think being still is the key.

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for (racoons opossum bobcats foxs) no more than 6 volts. not sure about coyotes . with todays lights 6 volts can put out a lot of light.

^ X 2 . And for fur bearers as stated above the light must also be attachable to a belt system, part or a hat system or carriable by the person and no more than six volts( basically something that isn't plugged into your cigerette lighter). Most rechargable spotlights fit into this legal catagory I would think being "carriable among your persons". I don't know of a light limit for coyotes I just obey the furbearers game law and know then im legal no matter what.

Thanks guys!