Coyotes

[stavebuyer]

The Coyote numbers are getting pretty high in my area. Been a lotta years but I used to do a lot of trapping as a teen. Back then Red and Grey fox were the only canines. Snares were strictly off limits except for under ice beaver trapping. 

A lot has changed over the intervening decades. Rabbits, Fox, Ground Hogs and especially Quail are few and far between. I am sure habitat(clean fencerows and weed control chemicals plays a part) but I can't help but think Coyotes take their share too.

Snares and electronic callers are legal for Coyotes. I am thinking I may try my hand at thinning out the Coyote population on my place a bit. I ordered some snares and thinking about some type of electronic caller.

Anyone have any experience or advice to share on the snaring and calling of Coyotes?

[btulloh]

I've tried mouth calls and a nice electronic call and I prefer the mouth calls.  The most important thing about calling them is they need to be around.  Around here, they range around a lot and aren't around one are for long.  If they can't hear the call, you can't call them.  :D

They will talk to a siren and there's no shortage of those around my area.  You can use a siren or a coyote sound to find out they are around.  Then you can call them in.  There's lot's of info out there about calling and hunting coyotes.  Most of it seems to be western states, which seems to be different than my area.  I'd just get a few mouth calls to start and see how it goes.  If you can borrow an electronic call and try it, that would be a good way to see if you like it.  Good ones are kind of pricey.  I'd hate to spend $500 just to find out I didn't need to.

No experience with snares.  I don't think they're legal here, and I wouldn't use them here even if they were.  Too many other things around here that would get caught.

Around here, if you start shooting some, they tend to stay out of the area.  Word gets around.  Good luck and happy hunting.

[Nebraska]

@stavebuyer, there is a fellow named Randy Anderson, if my memory serves me correctly has a few videos out, on calling coyotes etc. I will double check here in a minute... I have a basic electronic caller and couple mouth calls, by no means am I an expert, but I do it occasionally no love lost on coyotes...Just pay attention to your wind just like deer hunting, you'll figure it out and have a little fun doing it.

[stavebuyer]

The main reason the electronic caller interested me is setting up a "blind" in a way the quarry can't take advantage of both cover and wind responding to the call. From what reading I have done it seems the serious callers seem to be upper Midwest/plains rather than southeast. The buffet table might be so full for them here they don't need to respond to calls.

[Southside]

We snared coyotes back in the '90s as part of a deer protection program.  In areas where the deer would yard we would use deer trails and a funnel of bows to get them under a fallen branch or other obstacle where the snare was set.  Very effective, but very controversial, as now and then someone would snag a Lynx or a Bald Eagle.  

[btulloh]

They will empty a buffet table pretty fast!  When they're active around here, all the rabbits, possums, raccoons, turkeys, and pets disappear pretty fast.  I think they'll respond to your calls no matter what's on the buffet.  

You're local conditions make a lot of difference in how they behave and react.  No matter what you do, they'll try to circle and down-wind you if at all possible.  Like a lot of things, your experience will be different than what you imagine and what you read about.  Get started and have fun with it.

[doc henderson]

In Ks, farmers and ranchers carry a rifle in the farm truck.  It is matter of fact, if you see one, take a shot.  for every one you see, there are a dozen you do not.  It is considered a service.  no joy.  I have shot one while deer hunting at the end of the hunt!

[Nebraska]

That's true here as well, especially a little farther west. I remember the days when every truck had a gunrack, on the gunrack lots of times was a well worn rifle of some sort, likely a whip, sorting cane, and usually a coiled lariet  rope. Unless it was pheasant season, then maybe a shot gun as well. Lots of kids would hunt their way to school in the morning(a few teachers as well). It was normal nobody thought anything about it. Never was even a thought of an issue
either.

[Southside]

Yup, did the same thing growing up, even skipped the prom because I won a turkey tag that year.  Simpler times. 

[stavebuyer]

A gun rack was essential. Back then... trucks even had beds large enough you could haul stuff in

[Pine Ridge]

I used to do alot of predator calling. Guys that use mouth calls and know what they are doing are true professionals. For me the mouth calls wear me out, in a hurry !!! Me and my friend used the johnny stewart or lohman cassette callers exclusively back when we did alot of it. Best winter we had we shot close to 40. Johnny stewart cassette number ct102a was the cassette tape we used 95 percent of the time, ct stands for cottontail rabbit. Setup to call just like you would turkey hunting, and don't get the call volume too loud. Call for 2-3 minutes then silent for 30 seconds. Stay on stand at least 20 minutes. Days with little to no wind were best for us, Days warming up after a very cold spell or snow were the best. Its as close to fishing as you can get, their either biting or not at all. 

[timberking]

Called one home last night with 7mm08.  Was watching deer when they got hinky and saw him in the right o way.  Usually they are running but this one acted like he was mousing.  Now for the other 39 that were howling earlier.

[KEC]

With a little practice you can make some good calling sounds with any cheap turkey diaphram call. Hands-free, cheap, light and effective. As others said they have to be nearby or you won't get them in. So don't blame yourself when you don't get results as often as you'd like, good luck.