SD Coyotes

After seeing 20 coyotes in 5 days of deer hunting back in the first part of November.
I had to get back to the area to call coyotes.
Ended up calling for a day and a half. Was able to make 14 stands and in those 14 stands called up 10 coyotes.
The 2nd stand of the trip was a quad. Wow talk about a rush of chaos.
Ended up with 3 in the truck but with some better shooting there should have been 7.
Here is the first of the year. A male pup that charged hard to the call.
Gotta love this time of year. Lots of pups that are learning quickly that they have to kill to survive. They charge hard to the call playing the ol bunny blues.

Attachments:

1. 

   IMG_4491-scaled.jpeg
   

Very jealous, wish I could make the time. Dam is that fun!!!!

That looks like a blast, congrats

Thats a nice coat on him. Do you just get the hides tanned or what do you do with them? No way you are eating those right?

I used to sell them. Now days there is no market for them. It was great when I got $20 a coyote on the carcus.
I usually give them away now days.

I heard Steven Rinella cooked one up one time. Don’t think that went over very well. lol.

The fur buyer I sold to back in the day would pay top dollar for west river coyotes. Don’t know what he would pay for east river but he always said the west river coyotes had a better coat.

Another thing about this time of year is they are prime and not rubbed like they can be in February.
For those that don’t know. That is from sleeping on snow or frozen ground. Their body heat thaws the snow or frozen ground when they bed then refreezes when they are asleep. The fur then rips out or breaks off when they stand up.

Awesome write-up and cool picture!

I’ve whacked a few around here this year (SE MN), but I would agree that they aren’t quite as “pretty” and well-kept as some of those out in the Dakotas.

Ok ive gotta ask. Whats different between a west river and east river yote?

I can’t tell the difference.
The fur buyer I used to sell to said west river coyotes had a better coat on them then and an east river coyote. So they were worth more money.

Awesome . I gotta get out and try that . I have a full thermal and suppressor setup just haven’t used it since I moved to the city . We called in eastern Montana once and it was crazy easy compared to the pressured stuff we hunted in Iowa .

Full draw wrote:

I used to sell them. Now days there is no market for them. It was great when I got $20 a coyote on the carcus.
I usually give them away now days.

Been hearing no value to 20 put up. I averaged about $12 so far on the lessor. The few big nice females that had great color went to a couple taxidermists that wanted them for decent money. Of coarse, WI doesn’t get the prefered Western and we often get that crappy amber color in them.

I’ve long considered taking up hunting yotes in Jan/Feb once pheasant season closes. Maybe this is the year. I could gain permission to hunt them nearly anywhere I hunt deer, turkeys, and pheasants from the landowners.

Can I ask what caliber, brand, and model rifle you’re using?

If I had to pick one rifle it would be my Tikka 22-250 with the can . Thing really puts a wallop on them . Considered going to a 243 as well . Killed a ton with standard ar-15 in 223 as well . The 22-250 bang flops them a lot better and I’d bet the 243 is even better although much rougher on the hide if that’s your thing .

Now that sounds like a lot of fun Mike! Do you typically hunt public or private?

I get asked that question a lot.
I am not sure why because when it comes to calling them in there are a lot more important questions to ask.
Some popular calibers are .204, .223, 22-250 (which is a very fast round) and .243. Now days you have new rounds like 22 Arc and 22 Creedmore.
I agree with Andy a 22-250 wallops them good. If you can get them to the call a shotgun with #4 buck is the best thing.

Another common question I get asked is what sound are they coming to. I can honestly say there are none that are special. Trigger there reason to answer the call and they will come. Whether it’s hunger, social or competitive. I always like the hard chargers that show up in less than 3 minutes. I don’t think it would matter what sound you play then.

I hunt public land 95% of the time. I don’t do much calling in MN but when I do it’s on private for the most part.
This is my favorite area to call. It has national grassland, private opened up to walk in access and state trust land mixed in with private and tribal lands in the area.
I try to have areas I can make 10 to 15 stands a day with an average on time of stand at 12 minutes.

Forgot the picture.

Oh and one more thing. I try to get to within 800 yards of where I think coyotes are at for that time of day. I have called them in from over a mile out but the closer you are the better the chances they will respond to the call. I had one show up one time at 800 yards out but he would not come any further. Eventually I think he just laid down. I couldn’t see him anymore anyway. I moved up 300 yards and here he come running to the call at less than 2 minutes in.

Attachments:

1. 

   IMG_4496.png
   

I shoot a 22-250 with Barnes TSX 50gr. My lead bullets blow some mighty big holes. Those barnes TSX are not too bad as long as I don’t blow a shoulder out.

I agree with Mike very much on distance. I like setting up at 600-900 yrds of where I suspect they are holding up at. I have my 250 dialed in for 500 and under as a prefered shot. Most of mine here in southern WI is about 200 yrds. CO, WY, N/S Dakota is much more friendly for calling them in from a long ways off. Often over a mile. Nothing like the rush of a pack coming in!!

When I’m calling in norhtern WI dense woods, I went to a 22mag. often those shots are 50ish yrds or less and that 22mag does the trick

That sounds like a ton of fun! Nice work Michael.