Time of Year

Calling in the Fall: Fall is my favorite time of year to hunt. The weather is just right and coyotes are anxious to be called. Young pups are out on their own, and you’re likely to have more success with the “young dumb ones.” I typically stick with prey distress sounds this time of year.

 
Article by Andrew Lewand: Hunt the Early Fall.

Article by Andrew Lewand: Why Wait For Winter To Coyote Hunt?

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Calling in the Winter: This is the time that most predator hunters target coyotes. The pelts are “furred up” and they are spending more time in the daylight hours hunting for food. The weather makes them more active in the daytime and food becomes scarce. I change my methods around hitting on the four instinctual areas mentioned earlier in the article: Curiosity, Hunger, Territorial, and Paternal instincts. They are getting called more, so they are wising up to any old rabbit in distress. Try something different, change it up and find success. February 15th is considered to be the peak of the breeding season.

Article by Grand View Outdoors: Coyotes Like Valentines Day Too.

Article by Grand View Outdoors: Hunting Pressured Coyotes

Calling in the Spring: The coyotes are very territorial by now and are working on dens. Coyote vocals are the primary sounds used to call this time of year. They will come to prey distress, but it’s not as effective as using it in combination with coyote vocals. This type of hunting can be very rewarding. Howling in a coyote is a challenge, and takes a lot of practice to do it right. Be patient this time of year, we sit on stand longer if we know coyotes are in the area. No more than 30 minutes though, I rarely do that unless I’m working a coyote that I can hear.

Article by Grand View Outdoors: Sounds of Spring Coyote Hunting

Article by Grand View Outdoors: Keep Pressure on Coyotes and Help Deer Hunting Success

86. Summer: Summer is usually time off for predator hunters, and that includes me. However many still enjoy getting out and hunting during these times of year. Most of the action is by using decoy dogs to attract a pair of coyotes. There are many different tactics used in summer hunting, I don’t really know because I’m gone fishing!

In all seriousness, I like to leave them be for a while. No need to kill a nursing female, you’ll kill the whole litter. Unless that’s your intention. I only hunt fawning areas, or when a rancher asks for help near their claves. I say let the coyotes alone for a short season to recover the population. I enjoy hunting coyotes and I want them around for a long time so I can enjoy it with my children and friends for a lifetime.

Article from Dustin Butler: Consistently Calling Coyotes.

Article by Grand View Outdoors: Pros and Cons of Summer Coyote Hunting.

Article from Dustin Butler: Hunt Harder for Late Season Coyotes.

Video by Dusting Butler: Early Season Tactics.

Time of Day

Early Morning: If you want to be successful, you need to hunt early in the morning! This should go without saying, but animals are most active in the early morning and late evening. Coyotes will respond to a siren or howl and I start a lot of my pre-sunrise stands with a interrogation howl, group howl, or locator. I sit and wait three or four minutes, then start into a distress or other howls depending on time of year.

Late Morning: I love to hunt from the break of dawn through 11:00 am or so. The coyotes just respond better during this time of day. Have your spots picked out and get as many in as you can during this time. I know you’re tired, but you’ll thank me later!

Noon Time: Some think coyotes can’t be called during the middle of the day. That’s true when you’re eating lunch. On the other hand, remember that a coyote is an opportunist. If they perceive a free meal, they will often times let their curiosity get the best of them. During colder time periods, as mentioned before, coyotes are more active. While driving down the road, I see more coyotes during the middle of the day than at any other time. Sometimes you can spot and stalk coyotes during this time of day!

Article by Grand View Outdoors: Spot and Stalk Coyotes Now!

Afternoon Delight: This time of day can be challenging, but good scouting, good locations, and a good setup and approach will allow you to be successful. It’s this time of day when we get lazy. We don’t check the wind, we setup in the sun, we don’t hump that last hill for a better spot. All of these things will catch you off-guard when you finally notice a coyote 20 feet from your decoy. Then you realize you forgot to chamber a round! Coyotes can be called almost anytime of day. Some people in Arizona call in the middle of the day in the middle of the summer! Why you ask? I don’t know, but they call predators in by using good techniques.

Article by Grand View Outdoors: Hunting Tactics for Mid-Day Coyotes.

Article by Grand View Outdoors: Hunt Coyotes All Day Long.

Evening: The last chance to call in a song dog. Animal activity picks up again, and the coyote is no different. The evening stands can be the most productive, be patient, pick a good stand you can sit on as the sun goes down. Occasionally I sit on the last stand for 30-40 minutes.

Moon Phase: Some will tell you that you can’t call a coyote in the daytime during a full moon. I’ve seen them come in on a full moon, a waxing crescent, a waning crescent, and no moon. Those are all secret sound names too. A full moon can make things more difficult because they see so well at night, and night hunting for them means they will have a full belly by daylight. This isn’t always the case, every coyote will be different. By hunting so much in the winter, they also burn a lot of calories. They need to eat whenever they get a chance. Don’t let the moon phase stop you from going out!

Continue with the 101 Tips

• Part 1: Coyote Hunting Tips Intro.
• Part 2: Coyote Hunting Gear.
• Part 3: How to Find Coyotes.
• Part 4: How to Call Coyotes.
• Part 5: When to Hunt Coyotes.
• Part 6: How to Hunt Coyotes at Night.