LandGuys: Matt Cox on Coyote Hunting

Well, I think it is an understatement to say that I am excited to be part of the LandGuys team. I truly feel that the LandGuys are the most professional and knowledgeable brokers in the business. I have been a dedicated waterfowl hunter since the time I was in diapers, and I fell head first into a life of bow hunting that has filled my walls and parts of my floors with trophy whitetails, but at the end of the day one of my all-time favorite animals to hunt is the ever elusive “Wiley-E-Coyote.” I started matching wits with this critter approximately 12 years ago and it has turned into an absolute obsession, I often feel as if I am the coyote and they are the road runner, but in the past 10 years I have called in well over 300 coyotes and my hunting buddy and I have killed close to 66% of those that made the mistake of investigating our call.

More and more there is an obvious surge in the number of people calling coyotes in this area and obviously across the state, and for that matter the nation. I think there are a few things that most landowners and “deer hunters” need to know if they want to be successful at controlling the coyote populations in and around their area. Hopefully this article will help some of you get rid of a few of those fawn killers before spring.

I have talked to many “newbies” about coyote hunting in the past and it seems like the overwhelming majority of them have what I call “the FoxPro mentality”. It is important that everyone understands that successful coyote hunting will require a lot more dedication than simply buying an electronic caller and setting it out in front of you with your safety off and gun ready to fire. To be brutally honest I think I tried calling coyotes for a solid 2 years before I ever seen one. The good news is, if you have had any type of success in deer hunting, than you should be able to utilize some of the same strategies for coyote hunting that will increase your odds tremendously.

Scouting: This one always surprises some folks but it is just as important to scout for coyotes as it is deer. Would you go hunt the west side of your farm when all your trail cameras show the buck of your dreams is living on the east side? Trail cameras and good old fashion scouting will ensure that you are actually in the right spot; otherwise you may be wasting your time and killing your chances of success. This is a great time to use aerial maps and other tools to help identify good setups. Some setups look great on a map, but when you get to the actual location it doesn’t work as well as it did in theory. Scout your spots and stand locations just like you would for a chance at the buck of your dreams. It’s usually a great time to find a few of your early shed antlers as well.

Hunting the wind: Using the wind to your advantage is probably more important while coyote hunting than it is when deer hunting. If you have ever rattled or grunted in a big buck, you know that they often times try to get down wind of your position and at that point in time you are hoping that all of your scent control tactics will actually work. My theory to scent control and coyote hunting is simple, if they even think they smell a human they are gone. Use the wind to your advantage and place yourself in a position that forces a coyote into the wide open. If he or she wants to get down wind they must sacrifice the comforts of cover. They will often times choose cover over wind, and you need to make that play into your hand. In this case you cannot “forget the wind and hunt” or you will fail before you get started. Much like deer hunting keep in mind how you are going to enter and exit each setup as well.

Take the right gear: For many hunters they think this is like turkey hunting and they go running and gunning through the woods only to disappoint themselves when an opportunity presents itself and they miss. On top of dressing properly for the occasion, I carry 4 items to every setup that I consider a must have. An accurate rifle: Take the time and dial your gun in with the actual bullet you are going to use. Sight the gun in for dead on at 100 yards and make sure you are dialed in before you go hunting. Shooting Sticks: I personally like and use the Primos trigger stick in a bipod setup. Free handing a shot at a coyote is much harder than you think and having a solid shooting platform is essential when that moment of truth arrives. Comfortable seat: Again I will tell you my personal preference is the “gobbler Lounger” made by Cabelas. We often times sit at one location calling for a minimum of 45 minutes. You will be surprised how many times there is no tree or fence post to lean up against. The “gobbler lounger” provides a stable back rest and keeps you up off the frozen ground or snow. It will also increase your marksmanship when you are comfortable and relaxed when Mr. Wiley-E shows up.
Mouth Calls: An overwhelming majority of hunters will be using electronic calls such as FoxPro, but I have found that man-made electronic devices will fail and they always seem to fail at the worst time ever. I carry a variable style distress call as well as a coyote howler, that way I can keep the hunt alive even if my batteries die.

Stay tuned for some additional blogs at landguys.net on coyote hunting. This is a fairly in depth process but something that I hope many of you will find helpful and useful in the future. It’s a great way to expand your hunting opportunities well after deer season has ended and it will also be a great time of year to learn a little more about your land and ultimately help your fawn crop for next year.