Shooting Coyotes at Dusk

[shepherddogs]

I'm surrounded by yipping coyotes around my house every evening. During the day I think they stay down in a thicket, but at dusk they sound like they're in the field beside the house. By then it's too dark to get a shot. I don't want to spend a bunch of money on night vision equipment. Can anyone recommend a good weapon mounted light setup? I've heard that a red light doesn't scare them. The coyotes are getting a little too bold for my liking and I want to teach them a little respect about coming up close to the house. I have tried the ATN 1st Gen NV scopes and they aren't too good. The 2nd gen Trident worked fairly well but not worth the price so I sent it back. If anyone has experience with some affordable NV that works well, I would like to hear about it.

[Daryl]

Chances are they're a lot farther away thanyou think they are.

Red lenses don't usually spook them if you use them right, but there's some technique to using them. Use the edge of the light, rather than the full-powered beam.

The red light shows eyes pretty well, but you'll still likely have to use a white light to positively ID your target.

Instead, I'd get a mouth blown predator call for about $10 at wally world, and lean to make it sound like a baby crying (that's what a rabbit sounds like, too).

Hunt them early AM and late PM for best results Last spring's pups are now starting to howl pretty good, and are old enough to hunt for themselves. They're pretty easy to call in, being mostly uneducated to such things.

Have fun!

Daryl

[northsman]

if there close like that i would set out some bait if its legal in your area and shoot them in the light. butcher scrap or the like made a little hard for them to get at so they have no choice but to hang around for awhile would be alot cheaper than night vision and will most likely give better results.

Happy Huntin friend.

[Big Bill]

You can use an electric call and a spotlight. Your rifle with a regular scope will work just fine.

[shortwave]

Can understand your demise shepherddogs.
Seems like every year about this time, I'm plagued with the same problem.
These yotes literally are in the yard making sounds almost resembling a pack of hyena's. Not a howl but more of a high pitched, very fast paced, yep.

Drive's my house dogs crazy and thus I'm up all night long:mad:

Last year at this time I shot three in yard. All at night, using a spotlight and 22 rifle. Shot the 1st one this year last Wed morning, 0730 standing under the apple tree sniffing were the deer come up and feed. My German Shepherd(house-dog) winds the non-noise making critters in yard and grumbles. He started growling and I expected to look out and see deer but it was this yote instead. A very big male that had an un-usually dark-reddish tint to his coat. His size and color made me hesitate at pulling the trigger for a minute. Then I thought of the sleepless nights . Sweet revenge! ;)

I'd love to have a Star-Lite scope but just can't bring myself to spend that kind of money on one. For now it's the spot-light and 22.

[shepherddogs]

I saw am ad for a scope called a Pulsar N550. You can use it during day or night. It is a digital scope whatever that means. One reviewer said it's as good as a 3rd Gen. Price is $1399. Very tempting.

[treg]

The best time to shoot a coyote is when the moon is out.......



and when it ain't. :D

[shepherddogs]

I tried to get one last evening. Took my caller and my 12 ga over to the field. Set the speaker in a clump of grass 50 yards out in the field and hid in some brush at the edge of the field. After I let things settle about 30 minutes I hit the screaming rabbit button. I'd let it go for about 5 minutes and stop and wait for about 15. I did this 3 sets and never saw a thing. It was almost too dark to see but I hit the coyote pup in distress button and the whole damn place lit up with howling. It was actually pretty unnerving out there in the dark surrounded by the critters. Thing is none of them ever came out where I could get a shot. I guess I have a lot to learn about hunting these things. I see vdeos where people out West call them from way out and they run right to them through open fields. I think here in the wooded East they pretty much stay concealed. I need to come up with a new plan.

[shortwave]

Alot of times, right before dark, a yote will wait in a wooded lot and just watch an open field. Yote feels more secure after total darkness exposing himself in open field. Try putting your call at fields edge and actually hunting the wooded area. You may ambush the yote coming to fields edge to check out call. Another thing is the yotes nose. If your hunting the woods with call in field,in-other-words, field to your back, make sure wind is in your face.
I've sit up in my deer stand located in a wooded island in the middle of a field and while using a bleet call, watched yote actually circle the field just feet inside woodline trying to spot deer in field. After darkness fell the yote felt more free to com in the open.

Also, if your hunting thick cover, you might want to consider a shotgun.
Here around the house its thick enough and enough foothills, a full choke 12ga with heavy shot is my prefered weapon.

[mitchell koster]

hmm, there is a gun lighted spot light thats good out to bout 50 yards maybe 100 made by light force. Could be worth looking at.

MK

[longshank]

I have the LightForce red spotlight and think it is one of the best spotlights out there. I do have a Pulsar digital night vision scope on order and it should be here mid-November. It will go on my 6.5 Grendel as my deicated night rifle. Will post a review when I get it set up.

[shortwave]

longshank,
Will check out the LightForce red spotlight and am really interested on your findings with the Pulsar digital nv scope. Looking forward to your findings.

[markj]

Guys were out last couple nights shooting yotes, younger teen guys that can stay up later than 9:30pm :) heard the yotes calling when I put the dogs up for the night. Later a few shots, dont know if they got any yet. Full moon nights. We used to run coons this time of year but no longer :(