Dialing elevation for coyotes

[mxgsfmdpx]

I’ll definitely shoot them if i spot them within range while moving to a calling position.

But please elaborate on what other ways you kill them so we all can know how do it right lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Overcalling is the biggest mistake new coyote hunters make. Going out into the woods and randomly hollering for coyotes is generally not a great idea. If you do call be sure to set-up on high ground, not in a hole or depression. Visibility is key.

I used to own and manage several thousands of acres and did no limit no season varmint killing as a side job. I killed coyotes on more days than I didn't kill them for nearly 10 years. Takes learning and patience. You need to know where they are, their habits, their main travel routes, hunting/feeding areas, etc. Being able to spot and locate dens, etc.

In general it takes years to learn to kill coyotes effectively. I'd recommend getting setup with somebody who has experience in your local area if possible.

The quickest way to "get kills" is calling in areas where they frequent, but using the right calls and what time of day is key. Coyotes are smart and will quickly learn that your calls and decoys are a threat instead of an opportunity. You can and will have success at first, but long term, all you're doing is educating them in a bad way. Do not overcall or overhunt a small set of woods or fields, this is a losing battle.

Spot and stalk or "run and gun" via side by side or vehicle is the best way to kill them regularly (meaning dozens per month minimum). Local cattle ranches or BLM/State land that has cattle or other livestock grazing it are the best places to kill.

Watch for birds, magpies, gray jays, ravens, vultures, etc as a tipoff to fresh kill locations. Approach carefully and then watch the area for returning coyotes. If you are in an area with a high population of rabbits and squirrels or other small game you are usually in a great area to find coyotes.

Don't hunt for coyotes like you do for deer or elk. Hunt as if you were hunting for another deer/elk hunter. Anticipate differently and don't ask yourself what would a deer or elk do in this situation, but rather what would an elk or deer hunter do in this situation.

Once you kill a coyote, stay for at least 30-45 min. Other coyotes will often return to the site, sometimes very quickly.

Their eye sight and sense of smell are way better than you think. They usually see, hear, or smell you long before you've ever seen them.

Practice long range shooting abilities, wind reading, judging animal distances traveled in your scope for follow up shots and double/triple kills. Shoot a light recoiling rifle, practice racking another round immediately after the shot and staying in your scope the entire time. Don't zoom in too far, use the scope FOV to your advantage. Lots of times dogs you never saw will run from behind cover after killing one. Use a suppressor as often as possible.

If you're truly in it for depredation and/or wanting furs or bounties, trapping supplemented with good rifle hunting strategies works well.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I like a scope that dials. 90% of the time my shots aren't far enough for the need to dial but when one hangs up 300+ out, I like to get a range and dial it in.

What happens when you dial and the coyote takes off from a miss or a second or third dog comes into view?

I agree that dialing for elevation on a long shot is beneficial, but it can mess with a needed hold over for follow up. They move so fast and never in the same direction. A well designed reticle for elevation and wind is the way to kill more coyotes.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Overcalling is the biggest mistake new coyote hunters make. Going out into the woods and randomly hollering for coyotes is generally not a great idea. If you do call be sure to set-up on high ground, not in a hole or depression. Visibility is key.

I used to own and manage several thousands of acres and did no limit no season varmint killing as a side job. I killed coyotes on more days than I didn't kill them for nearly 10 years. Takes learning and patience. You need to know where they are, their habits, their main travel routes, hunting/feeding areas, etc. Being able to spot and locate dens, etc.

In general it takes years to learn to kill coyotes effectively. I'd recommend getting setup with somebody who has experience in your local area if possible.

The quickest way to "get kills" is calling in areas where they frequent, but using the right calls and what time of day is key. Coyotes are smart and will quickly learn that your calls and decoys are a threat instead of an opportunity. You can and will have success at first, but long term, all you're doing is educating them in a bad way. Do not overcall or overhunt a small set of woods or fields, this is a losing battle.

Spot and stalk or "run and gun" via side by side or vehicle is the best way to kill them regularly (meaning dozens per month minimum). Local cattle ranches or BLM/State land that has cattle or other livestock grazing it are the best places to kill.

Watch for birds, magpies, gray jays, ravens, vultures, etc as a tipoff to fresh kill locations. Approach carefully and then watch the area for returning coyotes. If you are in an area with a high population of rabbits and squirrels or other small game you are usually in a great area to find coyotes.

Don't hunt for coyotes like you do for deer or elk. Hunt as if you were hunting for another deer/elk hunter. Anticipate differently and don't ask yourself what would a deer or elk do in this situation, but rather what would an elk or deer hunter do in this situation.

Once you kill a coyote, stay for at least 30-45 min. Other coyotes will often return to the site, sometimes very quickly.

Their eye sight and sense of smell are way better than you think. They usually see, hear, or smell you long before you've ever seen them.

Practice long range shooting abilities, wind reading, judging animal distances traveled in your scope for follow up shots and double/triple kills. Shoot a light recoiling rifle, practice racking another round immediately after the shot and staying in your scope the entire time. Don't zoom in too far, use the scope FOV to your advantage. Lots of times dogs you never saw will run from behind cover after killing one. Use a suppressor as often as possible.

If you're truly in it for depredation and/or wanting furs or bounties, trapping supplemented with good rifle hunting strategies works well.

Great info I agree wholeheartedly. Thanks for the write up!

 

[MuleyFever]

What happens when you dial and the coyote takes off from a miss or a second or third dog comes into view?

I agree that dialing for elevation on a long shot is beneficial, but it can mess with a needed hold over for follow up. They move so fast and never in the same direction. A well designed reticle for elevation and wind is the way to kill more coyotes.

What scope do you prefer?

 

[waspocrew]

I wouldn't want to rely on dialing... I prefer a FFP reticle so there's really no need to dial unless it's a coyote you spotted that's just out and about, sunning itself, etc. My Revic RF with just spit out the correct, then I hold in the reticle.

 

[Robinhood21]

What happens when you dial and the coyote takes off from a miss or a second or third dog comes into view?

I agree that dialing for elevation on a long shot is beneficial, but it can mess with a needed hold over for follow up. They move so fast and never in the same direction. A well designed reticle for elevation and wind is the way to kill more coyotes.

I have the MOA reticle as well. Best of both worlds. What works for me may not work for you. I was just telling him what I do. I never said it was the only way…

 

[dirtytough]

Overcalling is the biggest mistake new coyote hunters make. Going out into the woods and randomly hollering for coyotes is generally not a great idea. If you do call be sure to set-up on high ground, not in a hole or depression. Visibility is key.

I used to own and manage several thousands of acres and did no limit no season varmint killing as a side job. I killed coyotes on more days than I didn't kill them for nearly 10 years. Takes learning and patience. You need to know where they are, their habits, their main travel routes, hunting/feeding areas, etc. Being able to spot and locate dens, etc.

In general it takes years to learn to kill coyotes effectively. I'd recommend getting setup with somebody who has experience in your local area if possible.

The quickest way to "get kills" is calling in areas where they frequent, but using the right calls and what time of day is key. Coyotes are smart and will quickly learn that your calls and decoys are a threat instead of an opportunity. You can and will have success at first, but long term, all you're doing is educating them in a bad way. Do not overcall or overhunt a small set of woods or fields, this is a losing battle.

Spot and stalk or "run and gun" via side by side or vehicle is the best way to kill them regularly (meaning dozens per month minimum). Local cattle ranches or BLM/State land that has cattle or other livestock grazing it are the best places to kill.

Watch for birds, magpies, gray jays, ravens, vultures, etc as a tipoff to fresh kill locations. Approach carefully and then watch the area for returning coyotes. If you are in an area with a high population of rabbits and squirrels or other small game you are usually in a great area to find coyotes.

Don't hunt for coyotes like you do for deer or elk. Hunt as if you were hunting for another deer/elk hunter. Anticipate differently and don't ask yourself what would a deer or elk do in this situation, but rather what would an elk or deer hunter do in this situation.

Once you kill a coyote, stay for at least 30-45 min. Other coyotes will often return to the site, sometimes very quickly.

Their eye sight and sense of smell are way better than you think. They usually see, hear, or smell you long before you've ever seen them.

Practice long range shooting abilities, wind reading, judging animal distances traveled in your scope for follow up shots and double/triple kills. Shoot a light recoiling rifle, practice racking another round immediately after the shot and staying in your scope the entire time. Don't zoom in too far, use the scope FOV to your advantage. Lots of times dogs you never saw will run from behind cover after killing one. Use a suppressor as often as possible.

If you're truly in it for depredation and/or wanting furs or bounties, trapping supplemented with good rifle hunting strategies works well.

This is an interesting take.

At the end of the day the best way to maximize kills per minute spent hunting in the daylight is calling if not using dogs, snares, traps, poison, etc.

 

[waspocrew]

Calling is effective, especially if you know which calls you should be using based on a particular time of year. It's not just about turning rabbit distress on at every stop as mentioned above.

I primarily hunt coyotes at night with thermal. When out at my family ranch, I keep a rifle with me at all times, since I've ran into plenty of coyotes just driving. I try to stack the odds in my favor - if hunting season is going, I try to go back to areas where I've left a gut pile or carcass. I've caught plenty of them out in our pastures while just scanning with thermal at night as well.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

What scope do you prefer?

SWFA 3-9 left on about 4-6 power. SWFA fixed 6. Maven RS1.2 left on about 6-8 power.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

This is an interesting take.

At the end of the day the best way to maximize kills per minute spent hunting in the daylight is calling if not using dogs, snares, traps, poison, etc.

Short term success long term loss.

 

[MuleyFever]

SWFA 3-9 left on about 4-6 power. SWFA fixed 6. Maven RS1.2 left on about 6-8 power.

I tried the SWFA 3-9 and the 3-15 but just wasn't a fan of FFP. I went to the Trijicon Credo. Thinking of trying the Maven RS1.2 to give it another chance. If I didn't like the SWFA is there anything about the Maven that may sway me to liking it more? I just was never a fan of the super thin reticle at low magnification and super thick at high power.

 

[dirtytough]

Short term success long term loss.

I would probably say the same thing if I didn’t know how to call.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I tried the SWFA 3-9 and the 3-15 but just wasn't a fan of FFP. I went to the Trijicon Credo. Thinking of trying the Maven RS1.2 to give it another chance. If I didn't like the SWFA is there anything about the Maven that may sway me to liking it more? I just was never a fan of the super thin reticle at low magnification and super thick at high power.

Maven reticle is better. Trijicon will work just fine though.

 

[WCB]

shot 100s. I've dialed for honestly maybe 2 or 3 of them. Hunted a bunch of tournaments and we always talked about bringing a "long range" gun just for the ones we find sitting in impossible spots to call to or when driving to the next spot the ones that are cruising 500-600 yards out that are already on to you. Can usually get them to stop of a few seconds. We mostly just resort to taking wild ass guess shots at them.

But actually calling (western MN, ND, SD, eastern MT). never really had the need.

 

[flyfisher117]

3 of my 5 favorite coyote rifles have turrets. They usually sit on .5 mil. Very very rare for me to touch the turret.

My shooting skills just can't manage far shots on coyotes. Very rarely do I find them sleeping/laying down or holding still.

 

[turbo406]

If it's passed 400 I'll dial, seems like having the ability to dial and switching to 6 arcs and 22 250 shooting 75 eldms have opened up alot more potential for the ones that hang up at 500 plus. The biggest thing that bit me in the ass has been sfp scopes on varying magnifications, yeah it sounds stupid but in the heat of the moment I couldn't tell you what power I'm on its whatever felt right

 

[TaperPin]

I walk around with the scope set for 300 yards. At 100 to 200 yards, it’s hitting 4”ish high, so the hold is right at the bottom of the chest. Pretty simple. Longer ranges I’ll dial, but once you get way out there it’s exponentially harder to smack one if it’s moving or not.

It sure helps if your natural point of aim with the rifle is dead center of the scope.

 

[tuffcrk14]

I’ve tossed this idea around a fair bit over the years while coyote hunting and overall like my scope set up at 100 yards. I try to set my stands up to compliment this too. I want them to search for me and come in as close as possible. I’ll do mouse squeaks or something barely audible to keep stringing them along if they start acting reluctant. If they hang up outside of my typical killing radius, I will likely have time to dial it up. My rangefinder has my ballistic info, so with the click of a button I’ll get the distance and MOA all at once. One or two out of ten coyotes is beyond 150 yards for me. I love getting them close!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk