Coyote hunter experts???

[Fuddy1952]

We have a coyote problem here. I'm not a hunter but a good shot, variety of guns. Groundhogs I rid with just a 12ga., 00buck shot. I have a Ruger .243 & scope for distance.
Our outdoor cats I put up at night in a large chain link gazebo (it has a thermostat heated room). Months ago just at dark I was walking near cat pen, saw a coyote trotting toward me and quickly went into garage for a while.
Garage upstairs the windows face back of property and I've seen coyote with binoculars but hundreds of yards away.
Last night we get home about 10pm and one is loudly calling out behind us I'm guessing only 200ft away.
Questions I have are best time to hunt? I'm thinking those garage windows would be a great spot?
My neighbor hunts, I believe he has an electronic caller (rabbit distress & other calls). Would that be good? How about bait?
Coyote is the trickster I've heard. They're a nuisance. One neighbor friend had a calf with a bleeding torn belly (it finally healed). I'm no expert but I was wondering coyote.

 

[ovrszd]

I've been around coyotes all my life. They often get a bad rap. What are the coyotes doing that's harmful to you?

A couple howling coyotes will make you think there's a dozen. And you'll swear you can feel their breath. When in fact they may be 100s of yards away.

I doubt your neighbor's calf was attacked by coyotes by the damage you describe.

With all that said, if you feel compelled to kill them, a call is the way to go about it.

If you shoot it, wounding it, plan on tracking it down and finishing the job. If you don't then you become the nuisance that needs controlled.

 

[atsah]

OP, we have lots of them here, we use calls and shoot them with either a 22-250 or 243. Here they like to eat small dogs, cats and deer that are out on the ice and can't run. I believe they need to be controlled, they don't really have anything to eat them unless you live where there are wolves which you don't.

 

[Zippo1]

We also have coyotes here and I often see them back in the field pouncing on mice. They seem to cycle around the area. I'd much rather have the coyotes than mice. We have 6 cats that are never allowed outdoors and I've raised pigs the last couple of years as well as turkeys and chickens without a coyote problem. The pigs are raised in a paddock enclosed by 4 foot tall electrified chicken netting. I'm pretty sure if a coyote wanted to he'd be over that fence in a single hop but that hasn't happened. The chickens and turkeys are in large pens and, at night they head into their respective coops. An automatic door closes at dark and opens in the day to let them out. Personally, I'm more concerned about the neighborhood dogs than I am the coyotes. Your mileage may vary...

Way back when I did hunt coyotes it was with a rabbit distress call and a compound bow at night so I had to bring them in close. I would imagine that a .223 would be more than enough for a powder hunter, though.

 

[dodge man]

I have hunted them some. Tried calling them in with mixed results, usually negative. Bait can work also. Best way is a target of opportunity. Just have a rifle handy when you see one. There pretty smart when it comes to being around people.

I also have mixed emotions about shooting them. I do not like to shoot things for the sake of it but we have had several cats disappear over the years that I am pretty sure coyotes got. We now keep are cats in at night.

 

[Jjkirwan]

Hi Fuddy 1952
You have what you need to sort them out the 243 can easily take them out at anything up to 300 yards
I suggest you try this seen as though they are coming close to your house pick a good spot from where you can shoot, garage window could be a good, observation point the electronic caller can be good but if one has been used to call them in, by someone hunting or lamping at night , and if they have been shot at and missed they get wary of rabbit call and bright torches
So try this, pick the spot from where your going to shooting from there pace out 100yards until you are beside a fence post or a a tree, next thing you will need ia a small solar powered light this you attach to the fence post (or tree) then beneath the light start to put down bait ( small open tin of dog meat ) put it down just before dark, if he eats it on the first night good .
Put down a tin for him to eat every night for 3 or 4 nights, when he has tarted to come for the bait each night and enjoying the free meal next start to switch on the solar light so that it comes on at dark right above your open tin of dog meat, after a night or two he should get bold enough to come back in under the light for the food when he is doing that put out food for him and go to your shooting position when darkness sets in and solar light comes on you will be ready for him when he comes to feed
Then take him out .:fox:
If you want to try the rabbit in distress get a piece of polystyrene and a piece of glass put a bit of spitle on glass then run the polystyrene up and down the glass sounds like a rabbit in distress
Cheaper than electronic
Let me know how it goes :thumbsup:

 

[kf4uda]

Be sure and check legal hunting hours and if baiting is legal for your location.

I use Hornady superformance in my .22-250. I bet they would work well in your .243.
https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/243-win-95-gr-sst-superformance#!/

 

[teejk]

A couple howling coyotes will make you think there's a dozen.

I doubt your neighbor's calf was attacked by coyotes by the damage you describe.

As to the first point, they can run in packs depending on the time of year...rarely "a couple". As to the second point, we had a situation here a few years where a farmer lost several (15 I think) young steers and tried to claim compensation under our wolf damage program. The conclusion was that it wasn't wolves but rather coyotes and he didn't get a dime on the initial claim. I never heard about the end of that battle. Either species could do the damage. They used to be hunted hard around here (with hounds) but fur prices for Wisconsin coyotes haven't been much lately. Still get a few groups that have hounds and want to get out of the house.

 

[teejk]

I have hunted them some. Tried calling them in with mixed results, usually negative. Bait can work also. Best way is a target of opportunity. Just have a rifle handy when you see one. There pretty smart when it comes to being around people.

I also have mixed emotions about shooting them. I do not like to shoot things for the sake of it but we have had several cats disappear over the years that I am pretty sure coyotes got. We now keep are cats in at night.

They have an excellent sense of smell so wind direction is important. They are also pretty smart (other than when a roadrunner is involved) and they can get pretty shy if they had a close encounter before.

 

[oosik]

I have many packs/herds/groupings??? of coyotes here. They will howl on clear nights. They mind their own business - I take care of mine. It's just a part of nature and I've learned to live with it.

Besides - take a guess - who was out here first? I think we are lucky that coyotes don't have scoped, high power rifles - right?