coyote hunting

Why don’t we start a forum on coyote hunting? Last weekend I was out with a bunch of guys who were just one crew of the Wis. Coyote Hunters Assn. They had a derby last Saturday–big yo-tee takes top prize. Ours came in third weighing 35 lbs 4 oz., Biggest was 35 lbs. 9 oz and third place was 35 lbs even. Afterwards crews from all over gathered at Heathers in Cambridge for a wild game feed and to compare notes. In all, 22 “song dogs” were harvested, with our crew bagging three.
I used to think that those guys hunting with 4WD trucks, radio tracked hounds, etc were over the top. After experiencing this kind of coyote hunting I can say this just ain’t so! It’s a real hoot!!
If y’all are interested I’ll post my column from the Janesville Gazette once it runs this coming Sunday.
Coyotes are mating now, so when you jump one you’re liable to jump a couple more.
This applies to calling ’em too. Only shot two by calling so far this winter. But with this fresh snow and approaching full moon they’ll be moving pretty well in the morning!

I am by NO MEANS a hippie, tree hugged or anti hunting. However, as a dog lover, I dont like hearing about coyote hunting. Am I being naive? Are these nasty creatures that arent good for anything or are they similar to domesticated dogs. Are they hard on livestock? What is done w/ them? Are the skins used? I know someone that would hunt them in the Dakotas and just leave them where they fall.

Once again-not being critical, just looking for some info.

Do you object to hunting coyotes in general or just using dogs to hunt them? Coyote furs are sold just like foxes or racoon. Saying a coyote is like a domestic dog is like saying a cougar is the same as a house cat. Different species, different animals.
I do not coyote hunt but I have several friends that do and, believe me, it is not an easy sport. These are very elusive, well adjusted animals that have strong instinctive traits.

Gator Hunter

I dont object to it. I just dont know how I feel about it.

I hear you DaveB………..I’ve had the same reservations out of growing up in a home that uses what it hunts. Well, I know nothing of the fur trade so………….that left nothing. However, in recent years I’ve seen that in some cases, the numbers are getting out of balance. In areas full of coyotes, my small game hunting was always effected. So, just like deer getting too populated, I’ve seen the coyotes get too populated too. Yeah, nature can take care of some of it but it’s a healthier outdoors if we exercise our part of the planet’s ecology. I do have an uncle that would take the furs so I have found myself interested in reducing numbers these past couple of years. I’d like to learn more about it first though. Hunting “blind” will almost never get you a coyote.

The local fur buyer is paying $5-$20 for coyote pelts. I am in support of hunting these varmints. They have gone unchecked for a long time. In some cases, they run rampant.

kill them all!!! …….they reek havoc on pheasants, ducks, grouse, and young deer. not my favorite animal to say the least. unfortunatly, they ain’t easy to get. i’ve been hunting for them the last 3 winters…..i’ve read the articles, bought the stuff, hunt good spots……but i have yet to so much as see one . aparently they’re too smart for little ol me…..but do all the ducks a favor next time you see one, SHOOT IT!!!

Dave,

I can try to explain why you may have been told about shooting yotes in the Dakotas and leaving them lay. These animals have a tendency to form packs and can be very hard on newborn calves and sheep(profits of your the rancher). They often get so destructive the state will hire trained shooters to hunt them from an airplane(something I’ve always wanted to try).

I’ve hunted for furs most of my life, heck we used to actually get some very good money for coyotes, fox, coon and badger. Unfortunately, the tree huggers have had a very negative affect on the fur market. This in turn has caused prices to drop to nothing.

There are still some hard core guys out there who enjoy the hunt and I mean these things can be very tough to hunt, eyesight like a hawk and the nose of a whitetail. They are a very cautious and smart animal. Coyote hunting always got good this time of year, plus for a shooting nut, you had something you could hunt to fill the void until spring turkey.

I’m not saying it’s right, but it is legal (in SD anyway) to run these varmints down with a vehicle. There are some special rules that apply to this type of hunting, but I don’t really recall what they all are. I’ve never hunted them with dogs, but have several friends who use their cattle dogs as “bait” while calling. Often, when a coyote fixes his attention on the target, he will drop his guard. I’m told it’s very effective. We always used the whaling rabbit type calls. It does get your blood flowing if you see a coyote closing 600 yards at a dead run, looking for that poor liitle rabbit.

Anyway, long winded, but just thought I would share some of my perception/opinion/knowledge about coyotes.

We’ve got alot of them down here too, especially around the coralville riverbottom. I know thier mousers but eat just about anything thats edible. I know thier important in the taking of the sick or weak that aren’t going to make it through the winter. I do know they love to go through the nests of pheasants, young rabbits, anything they can eat just like a farrow cat which is alot less then desirable to me. I just wonder how many of the young of the sporting animals and birds they do take when they get over populated, i’d say quite a few. I used to know a couple of guys that hunted them by getting a rabbit, cleaning it to make the best scent, hang it on a fence post and use a dying rabbit call, they said soon as they heard the call they would come running and when they smelled the rabbit as bait they were on a full run then. It shure would pass the late winter something to do attraction plus i wish the fur prices would go back up.

I smoked one with my car a couple of weeks ago about 5:30AM on my way to work, scared the crap out of me as I had no time to stop
This was in SE Rochester on circle drive not too far from Century High School.

I omce held a coyote with prizes for the most and biggest taken, seems odd but even in a pro hunting town like Alma I got all kinds of personal attacks including letters to the local paper and phone calls to my home.For some reason people seem to equate coyotes and wolves with soft cuddly puppies instead of the overpopulated predators that the really are.

I have been hunting coyotes in ND for about 20 years. I started because they can cause devastation to many farm animals including livestock, poultry, and even cats and dogs. I have read articles that say more than 25% of a coyotes diet is domestic pets but I am sure this varies depending on the part of the country.

Now, on to my comments. Many people let them lay for a lot of reasons. One of the main reasons is mange. Fox and Coyotes are very susceptible to Sarcoptic Mange. This is traditionally caused by an overabundance of the species and is a way Mother-Nature takes care of the situation when numbers get out of whack. Estimates are that ND has lost over 90% of the fox population in the Eastern part of the state to mange over the last few years. I wouldn’t touch a coyote or fox with mange. In fact you are suppose to burn them if you find them dead or kill one but people hate to go through the trouble when mange is evident.

Coyotes are tough to hunt, unbelievable smart, and very adaptable. Whatever man tries, the coyote seems to flurish. I have harvested hundreds over the years, and have had coats made, hats, and sold many. I loath, admire, and love the coyote all at the same time. The only coyotes I have ever left lay are ones that had mange.

I don’t like the idea of people shooting them and just leaving them lay just as I wouldn’t like someone to shoot a duck and leave it lay either, but it happens and is unfortunate. However, if you have a few coyotes eating your young calves in the spring, I would surely try to get them and in the spring the fur isn’t any good, and you don’t want to eat them, so you would let them lay. Just some more thoughts on the subject.

Is calling coyotes successful with a tape player and cottontail in distress tape. Or is there any ideas on what call or tape I should get.