Tips and tactics for targeting high desert yotes

[WKR]

Now that my deer tags are filled, I'm wanting to switch gears a bit and start going after some predators. I'll be honest though I don't have a ton of experience with them besides calling some in on a few ranches we hunted as kids. I moved last year and finally have pretty much unrestricted access to huge chunks of land that's huntable. Im just not sure what my tactics should be.

So far I have made some half ass stands around 8am on where I had seen some sign, and what looked like some old calf kills. And was using the fox pro with female coyote and pup distress. I'll sit up high on a ridge, call and glass.

I haven't seen a single dog during those stands.

I know night hunts would be better but I'm not set up yet.

Also, I'd really really like to call in a cat. But I don't know how feasible that would be.

Any tips and tactics would be great.

 

[Jtb.kfd]

I hunt Eastern Washington heavily for coyotes. Its not high desert, but the tactics for the most part will remain the same. These comments are all based on daytime hunting, I do hunt at night but don’t enjoy it as much.

- I use sounds based on time of season (for the most part). This time of season I mainly use high pitched bird sounds first with rabbit sounds a close second. Sounds that replicate something getting attacked.
- Enter your area with the wind in your face. Seems obvious, but if you walk into an area where your wind blew into the area you are calling, things will be very difficult if not impossible.
- Choose setups that are near cover for daytime sets. Coyotes will bed down in areas of cover. In areas where everything looks the same, small breaks in that terrain such as swales or mounds change wind currents and seem preferable to them.
- I generally have a good first light set, then a lull for a couple hours. Very consistently things pick up from 10am to 1pm. I have found this to be common across multiple states/terrains.
- If I want a cat, I target them. For coyotes I call on and off for 10-30 minutes depending on location. For cats, I turn the caller on and leave it running non stop for up to an hour. I also have a decoy of some sort in the set. Be prepared to pass on coyotes in cat areas as they will generally come in first/faster.
- Try different sounds during a set and also from set to set. Meaning, I start with bird sounds and if nothing comes in after 7-10 minutes I will toss in a completely different sound like rabbit. Next set I may start with rabbit and end with bird. If I still haven’t had one respond, next set I would start with a group howl. That will generally give you an indication of coyotes in the area and where they are. Once they start howling back I determine how far away they are and move in closer. For slow daytime sets, I generally have found I am not close enough to them before calling. If you get close enough, any prey in distress sound should get them to at least take a look.
- In completely un pressured areas, high points with big views can work. In areas with human traffic of any sort I find more success setting up near or in brush where I have anywhere from 50-150yds of shooting lanes.
- Go out after dark in areas where you are finding sign. Do a group howl and mark where the responses come from and how many. Drive to as many spots as possible. Some areas that looked perfect to me, just don’t hold many coyotes for one reason or another. Or, they may use that specific area at a specific time of year and not use it as much at other times. This really applies to large, open expanse areas where their home range can be mobile from season to season.

Hope this is helpful. Ask away with any further questions, my family loves predator hunting and does it year round.

 

[Skerhunter]

If you can find cattle, coyotes are guaranteed to be close by. Haven’t got to hunt the desert, but I would be looking for pockets of heavy brush/low spots.

 

[WKR]

I hunt Eastern Washington heavily for coyotes. Its not high desert, but the tactics for the most part will remain the same. These comments are all based on daytime hunting, I do hunt at night but don’t enjoy it as much.

- I use sounds based on time of season (for the most part). This time of season I mainly use high pitched bird sounds first with rabbit sounds a close second. Sounds that replicate something getting attacked.
- Enter your area with the wind in your face. Seems obvious, but if you walk into an area where your wind blew into the area you are calling, things will be very difficult if not impossible.
- Choose setups that are near cover for daytime sets. Coyotes will bed down in areas of cover. In areas where everything looks the same, small breaks in that terrain such as swales or mounds change wind currents and seem preferable to them.
- I generally have a good first light set, then a lull for a couple hours. Very consistently things pick up from 10am to 1pm. I have found this to be common across multiple states/terrains.
- If I want a cat, I target them. For coyotes I call on and off for 10-30 minutes depending on location. For cats, I turn the caller on and leave it running non stop for up to an hour. I also have a decoy of some sort in the set. Be prepared to pass on coyotes in cat areas as they will generally come in first/faster.
- Try different sounds during a set and also from set to set. Meaning, I start with bird sounds and if nothing comes in after 7-10 minutes I will toss in a completely different sound like rabbit. Next set I may start with rabbit and end with bird. If I still haven’t had one respond, next set I would start with a group howl. That will generally give you an indication of coyotes in the area and where they are. Once they start howling back I determine how far away they are and move in closer. For slow daytime sets, I generally have found I am not close enough to them before calling. If you get close enough, any prey in distress sound should get them to at least take a look.
- In completely un pressured areas, high points with big views can work. In areas with human traffic of any sort I find more success setting up near or in brush where I have anywhere from 50-150yds of shooting lanes.
- Go out after dark in areas where you are finding sign. Do a group howl and mark where the responses come from and how many. Drive to as many spots as possible. Some areas that looked perfect to me, just don’t hold many coyotes for one reason or another. Or, they may use that specific area at a specific time of year and not use it as much at other times. This really applies to large, open expanse areas where their home range can be mobile from season to season.

Hope this is helpful. Ask away with any further questions, my family loves predator hunting and does it year round.

I think a problem I'm having is their territory is so vast around here that I don't know where the X is. So I'm just picking spots at random, where really I'd like to be able to be within ear shot of them.

Everywhere I go there is sign, but that doesn't mean it's fresh. Is there a way to pattern them to know when and where they will be?

 

[Jtb.kfd]

I think a problem I'm having is their territory is so vast around here that I don't know where the X is. So I'm just picking spots at random, where really I'd like to be able to be within ear shot of them.

Everywhere I go there is sign, but that doesn't mean it's fresh. Is there a way to pattern them to know when and where they will be?

There probably is a way to pattern them but I have never figured that out. The chunks of public land I hunt range from 10k to 60k acres, massive areas to say the least. In those spots I have done a locating (group howling) to find where they are hanging out during the day. Just prior to first light or shortly after is a great time for this locating. I use OnX to mark these spots and then get in closer (150yds) to start calling. Over the years I have found stands that consistently produce, but they don’t look much different than the surrounding thousands of acres. The only exception to this would be denning season (Feb - April). During this time I look for hillsides/mounds or the thickets brush pockets you can find. That is where they will start digging dens, I mark those and then set up calling within 100yds in the mornings.

Knowing what they eat on the territory you are hunting can help as well. A call into a local biologist can give you a ton of info. The coyotes I hunt travel over these big tracts of land for food during different breeding seasons. That ranges from early mice/vole birthing just as snow starts melting, to chukar, snakes, elk and deer calving to bug swarms (crickets, grasshoppers). This all happens in different areas throughout the season and the coyotes will stay where food is most plentiful.

And, just when I think I have things figured out, I go out like a few days ago into an area fully expecting to get 6-10 and end up with 1 after a 6 mile jaunt. On that note, I do prefer to hike in and make sure I am using the terrain to not be seen if possible.

 

[Jtb.kfd]

I should follow up with, I have found massive chunks of land in WA, OR, Wyoming and Montana that look amazing, look like other area that produce, have some sign but just don’t hold many coyotes for some reason. Or, the population is low when I was there. I judge that based on locating howl responses and calling stands with no sightings. In that case I move on and keep finding more spots with higher populations. This changes year after year also. It very well could be you are hunting a spot that has a couple small packs of coyotes spread over a huge area. I wouldn’t waste time in these areas.

 

[BeardownAZ]

Don’t discount just because you don’t get coyotes coming in that there aren’t any. Might have been an area called out or educated. Some really good advice here on setup areas. I always have good luck during the day with a heavy brushed area nearby

 

[WKR]

I should follow up with, I have found massive chunks of land in WA, OR, Wyoming and Montana that look amazing, look like other area that produce, have some sign but just don’t hold many coyotes for some reason. Or, the population is low when I was there. I judge that based on locating howl responses and calling stands with no sightings. In that case I move on and keep finding more spots with higher populations. This changes year after year also. It very well could be you are hunting a spot that has a couple small packs of coyotes spread over a huge area. I wouldn’t waste time in these areas.

I'd like to talk more specifics about my area but don't want to blast it all over the Internet so I'm gonna pm you

 

[The Harbor Master]

Thanks for starting this thread, I've appreciated the responses so far. Im also in the high desert and just starting to try coyote hunting as a way to get outside and hone skills after deer and elk closes. I've been out 3 times and managed to see and kill only one (pretty much a chance encounter, not my hunting skills).

 

[dailyherold]

Very interested in better tactics for big open desert. Went on a west TX hunt Feb this year (profile pic), and planning on it again Jan '25. Only glassed one dog over two days, only heard a pack once, and was hand howl and distress calling. Could find tracks, and felt like I was in great country, but was so vast I had a hard time with strategy. Eager to learn more and experiment this next go.

 

[Wildcats32]

I’ve heard right after a storm goes through coyotes get a lot more active. Might be worth trying with the next snow storm

 

[TheGDog]

In the Dez? I'd recommend FirstLite's 3D Leafy Jacket, or the Killsuit Mesh-ghillie SAPR suit from AllPredatorCalls.com. Those two are lightweight, and have GREAT air-flow in the Heat. And roll-up small in your pack.

You said you post-up on a ridge, so I assume the eCaller is down on the flat in front of you that you can see well in your FOV.

Even though you're up there, are you backed-up against some kinda bush or something so your outline is obscured? And are you being careful to not be turning your head back-and-forth while scanning your FOV while you're eCaller is playing?

Just like you, as a predator, they notice motion VERY well.
And their Hearing? Is INSANELY good! So make sure you quietly clear your throat and take care of all that fidgeting BEFORE you press play!

Are you trying purposefully to be as QUITE as you can when you enter the area?

Also when entering the area... are you doing so like a stalk? Depending on the topography... you might also have to concern yourself with being busted visually by yotes that are there that you don't see yet, as you make your way to your intended sit spot.

If they bust you, visually, that's it. That spot is done. Like sometimes if you're approaching a BIG DesertHills Mountain, there likely may be several fingers you end up wanting to hunt along it's bottom by the flat. Sometimes ya might have to "take the long way around" instead of just going up and over one finger ridge to get over into the next one, because they might see ya otherwise and bust ya. Again depends on the topography of the area and how educated they are to the hunting efforts there.

Typically they say to "Call into the Wind". BUT.. if you're on the edge of their area and the Wind is flowing into their area... Just make sure YOU are setup crossways to that wind coming off wherever you have the caller stuffed up high into a Juniper. So that YOUR scent (or your trucks scent) won't greet their nose on their way in to the eCaller.

Works really great to stuff it into the Juniper about chest-height on a branch up higher off the ground so the sound carries well and ALSO.. BONUS! when they come in, since it's up high... they end up stopping to then try to extend themselves up to look up to try to checkout where in there the racket is coming from. THIS buys you even more milliseconds to make the shot!

I personally don't take the motion decoy with me anymore. Had a hard-charger in my highly pressure area I visit come in hot, then hook a hard 90 degree when he saw that motion decoy.

If your goals is cats? DEFINITELY use the motion decoy! It'll keep 'em there, and hold their interest for quite some time!

And if an area is brand new to you. I just consider each new outing as a chance to potentially mark a new area OFF the list as a "Nope" if no takers come in. You know, when you're carpet-bombing across an area that's new to you. Make sure to cover a realistic distance from where the first set was, to yur next set location, so your next new area is out of ear-shot to sounds that WOULD HAVE emanated from that prior calling spot.

And make sure you're giving it like 10min or so after you stop calling, before you go fetch the caller. You'd hate to educate them by going to fetch your eCaller too soon while they're still around somewhere to see you enter the scene and become educated that all this exciting noise means "Him". Rather than prey.

Try to find places that seem to be near areas where like you've spotted a decent amount of Ground Squirrels... or like, you've seen good amounts of Quail up mulling around in the area. Or like, if on the drive in, you saw some Rabbits fightin each other on the road illuminated by your headlights? THAT is an EXCELLENT area to make a set at!

And if there are maybe rock formations, or concrete drains/tubes/tunnels that might present with collected morning dew water at first-lite, those can also be places Deer and Coyotes might try to slip in to in the morning to try to catch a slurp of water before it goes away.

ALSO since it's Dez, consider your vehicles smells and it's visibility to them. Ya don't want your vehicle to be something they can see sticking out like a sorethumb in this area of theirs where vehicles don't normally go to. So when you can, try to park it behind some finger or large bush that will obscure it from view of any yotes that might be higher up the ridge when they enter the scene.

 

[The Harbor Master]

In the Dez? I'd recommend FirstLite's 3D Leafy Jacket, or the Killsuit Mesh-ghillie SAPR suit from AllPredatorCalls.com. Those two are lightweight, and have GREAT air-flow in the Heat. And roll-up small in your pack.

You said you post-up on a ridge, so I assume the eCaller is down on the flat in front of you that you can see well in your FOV.

Even though you're up there, are you backed-up against some kinda bush or something so your outline is obscured? And are you being careful to not be turning your head back-and-forth while scanning your FOV while you're eCaller is playing?

Just like you, as a predator, they notice motion VERY well.
And their Hearing? Is INSANELY good! So make sure you quietly clear your throat and take care of all that fidgeting BEFORE you press play!

Are you trying purposefully to be as QUITE as you can when you enter the area?

Also when entering the area... are you doing so like a stalk? Depending on the topography... you might also have to concern yourself with being busted visually by yotes that are there that you don't see yet, as you make your way to your intended sit spot.

If they bust you, visually, that's it. That spot is done. Like sometimes if you're approaching a BIG DesertHills Mountain, there likely may be several fingers you end up wanting to hunt along it's bottom by the flat. Sometimes ya might have to "take the long way around" instead of just going up and over one finger ridge to get over into the next one, because they might see ya otherwise and bust ya. Again depends on the topography of the area and how educated they are to the hunting efforts there.

Typically they say to "Call into the Wind". BUT.. if you're on the edge of their area and the Wind is flowing into their area... Just make sure YOU are setup crossways to that wind coming off wherever you have the caller stuffed up high into a Juniper. So that YOUR scent (or your trucks scent) won't greet their nose on their way in to the eCaller.

Works really great to stuff it into the Juniper about chest-height on a branch up higher off the ground so the sound carries well and ALSO.. BONUS! when they come in, since it's up high... they end up stopping to then try to extend themselves up to look up to try to checkout where in there the racket is coming from. THIS buys you even more milliseconds to make the shot!

I personally don't take the motion decoy with me anymore. Had a hard-charger in my highly pressure area I visit come in hot, then hook a hard 90 degree when he saw that motion decoy.

If your goals is cats? DEFINITELY use the motion decoy! It'll keep 'em there, and hold their interest for quite some time!

And if an area is brand new to you. I just consider each new outing as a chance to potentially mark a new area OFF the list as a "Nope" if no takers come in. You know, when you're carpet-bombing across an area that's new to you. Make sure to cover a realistic distance from where the first set was, to yur next set location, so your next new area is out of ear-shot to sounds that WOULD HAVE emanated from that prior calling spot.

And make sure you're giving it like 10min or so after you stop calling, before you go fetch the caller. You'd hate to educate them by going to fetch your eCaller too soon while they're still around somewhere to see you enter the scene and become educated that all this exciting noise means "Him". Rather than prey.

Try to find places that seem to be near areas where like you've spotted a decent amount of Ground Squirrels... or like, you've seen good amounts of Quail up mulling around in the area. Or like, if on the drive in, you saw some Rabbits fightin each other on the road illuminated by your headlights? THAT is an EXCELLENT area to make a set at!

And if there are maybe rock formations, or concrete drains/tubes/tunnels that might present with collected morning dew water at first-lite, those can also be places Deer and Coyotes might try to slip in to in the morning to try to catch a slurp of water before it goes away.

ALSO since it's Dez, consider your vehicles smells and it's visibility to them. Ya don't want your vehicle to be something they can see sticking out like a sorethumb in this area of theirs where vehicles don't normally go to. So when you can, try to park it behind some finger or large bush that will obscure it from view of any yotes that might be higher up the ridge when they enter the scene.

This is great info. Thank you.

 

[BBtiller]

Like others have said, locate if you can because that helps you know they are there. Even if you do a set on located coyotes and they don’t come over the ridge, then pick up and move closer and try again, with vocals. I have done that before with some success.

Try locating on the closest public land to cattle.

Besides calling into a crosswind, the other important thing to avoid a bust is sitting in shade. They see in black and white and have a really hard time seeing in the shade if you sit still.

One thing about coyotes, even out east, is to have a lot of land and to keep at it. 5-10 sets a day and don’t let up. I think the educating thing is a bit overblown as long as coyote density is good.

Good luck!

 

[JDMBEND]

Following. Great information and tips.