As you can see this is my First Post on this Forum, So give me as much holdover as possible.
I am not new to Coyote hunting, just rather getting back into it. But i have a few questions, any advice would be appriciated. Here Goes.
I P.D. hunt so i have the means for Varmit destruction. My first question is What Round is best for All around Coyote Hunting from 100-500 yards? .223,.22-250,.25-06, or .308? I know this is a matter of opinion and i have certainly been lurking on this board for several weeks trying to come to a conclusion. I can't put the .25-06 down i have it loaded This is Win Brass, Fed 210M, 115 Nos. Spitzer over 48.5 of RE-22. With .4 MOA off the bench 3Rds. 100yrds. .22-250 was my round for the last few years but the .25-06 has lately been putting the icing on the cake for me!! I have loads worked up on all these calibers to satisfy me. I guess what i am asking is, Is the .308 to heavy at 125gr. nosler and is the .223 to small with 50gr. v-max? I have an LTR that is a tack driver but have been told that match bullets are worthless for varmit hunting and that gun is ideal being shorter a little lighter. But the only thingis it only seems to eat is 69gr nosler custom comp with 24.1 gr varget. Also i would'nt be afraid to pull the trigger at 500 yards with .22-250 at a coyote but feel more comfortale with the heavier -06.
Another question, I read the magazines and watch the forums.
But have heard(more opinions) that calling in one spot for more than 20 mins is useless(not continuesly). I have heard that after you fire the first shot that you need to move to another spot. Because the dogs are probably on the run to the next county. Now I have had all of these been true and all false for me at different times Where i know there were coyotes there. I am just looking for advice from people that do this on a daily bases.
Another question, I have a Cabelas electronic call and it seems to work very well with a rabbit decoy for me, maybe the coyotes are just uneducated. I don't know. The only thing is I don't like the call being 30 ft from me, not for harms sake but due to it keeping there that close to me allowing more possiblity of me being made. I have several closed reed mouth calls an OLT and a pocket call from Kansas. But i am not confident enough to start mouth calling yet. Does any one have a preference on electric calls with wireless remote, i.e. the most realistic and natural souning calls? Not to mention well made.
When setting up I usually hit a fence line or a tree to steady my shot, I have 2 harris bipods but they don't swivel and that can be useless in decent cover. How is the best way to set up when hunting cow patures and tillable fields. Of course being on the bottomside of the wind.
What about the time between hunts i have heard of people going to the same spot every other day three time straight. Then i have been told to let the place rest for a month. Before going again.

All help would be greatly appriciated!!!

I'm not sure how to answer you.There aren't any good 500 yd coyote calibers in my book. Most of the coyotes I've shot at over 300 yds were unlucky.The gun you use ,in my judgement depends on what you are trying to do.Fur harvest or just kill coyotes.If it's for fur get a .17 Remington and shoot Berger 25 gr bullets,minimal damage and it kills just fine.If it's just to kill coyotes they'll all work.I always stay at a stand 20 minutes minimum.I have got impatient and got up too many times and blown coyotes that were on there way in.I always keep calling if I shoot a coyote early on a stand.I never got hung up on not being good enough on mouth calls sound hurt and frantic and they'll come.I have used Tallyho's for years with excellent success.Learn to howl.I don't call as much as I use to I can produce lots more coyotes with traps and snares than I can calling.I call with the wind at my back,the coyote is usually going to circle to the downside at about 200 yds.I shoot most coyotes at this range.The closer I let them get the more missed opportunities(he sees me,smells me or I miss him)This will educate coyotes in a hurry.I pick my stands were I can see for some distance and were I can be in a slightly elevated position.If coyotes hang up and bark at you,you got made.This is just my experience,been calling coyotes for 25 yrs.Hope some of this helps.

I'm certainly a long way from expert, but here's my two bits. Any of the rifles you listed would work very well so take your favorite and the one that you are most confident in. If you aren't saving hides my pick would be the 25-06 and then the 22-250, but thats just me. The 223 will work ok with the light bullets but maybe shorten up the distance a little and the 308 will work fine at any distance that you choose to shoot.

I call for 15-20 minutes per stand and if I know that I'm in what should be a good area I'll stay for 30 minutes or so just to give it the benefit of the doubt. I have an electronic call, but no remote to use with it so I cant comment on that at all but others here and on other forums will be able to steer you right on that. I'd practice with the mouth calls until you can sound something like the sounds on the e-caller then try it. I'll bet that it'll work for you. I like open reed calls though, because they wont freeze up when you really want/need them to work.

Your set up is good, I think. I'll use a set of shooting stix as a rest. They're easy to swivel on and if a coyote sneaks up on me from a blind side I can drop them and shoot offhand. In an open area try to find a low spot to lie down in and shoot from the prone position over the top of the rise, that works for me sometimes. If the coyotes are uneducated you can hit the same spot more frequently but as time goes on you'll need to give it a couple weeks, maybe a little more, rest before trying it again.

You've got all the basics down and it sounds like you've been successful. As long as you're having fun and being successful enough to keep you interested, thats about all that matters in my book.

Thanks for the advice. I am also new at this game and have called only unsuccessfully so far. I'll try again this coming weekend.
Why is it so advantageous to have snow on the ground for this game?

Well, I guess I will throw my two cents in here as well.

Calling coyotes is lots of fun and a continual education.
Every time I do it I seem to learn more or be more frustrated, I am not sure which!

I have used all the calibers you list and they all have particular advantages. However, I guess I just keep coming back to the 22-250, it works plenty good enough!

I do like to see the way my 25-06 drops them, though.

In regard to calls, I have tried some electronic calls, but actually have had better results so far with mouth blown calls. I think the advantage of the mouth blown calls is the ability to vary the call depending on the situation.

In regard to how long to call. I try to call at least 20 minutes at a stand, both to give a coyote a chance to come in and for the off chance that a bobcat will show up.

I use the Harris bipods quite a lot, but have to admit that in some situations a good set of shooting sticks is a better deal. Heck, I have had some coyotes get so close that they were both useless. Sometimes they just come charging in and are in your lap before you know it!

So long as you are having fun, what the heck, use whatever equipment you like. I have shot coyotes with most everything from a 17 Remington to a 300 magnum, they all worked. (Although I was frustated using the 25-06 with the current 85 grain Ballistic Tips, they are just plain useless.)

R F

Wolfer, I appriciate your advice and opinions about the calibers and range beyond 300. But i have'nt ever of haveing the wind at your back, I have always heard and practicce with the wind in my face.
As far as the hide/sport, I just like the sport of it, now i do give them to a freind that skins/tans them. But since i don't do any of that, the hide vs. caliber is not and issue. But i think 20 min. plus will be the goal on the set.

Hold'em and RF, Yeah I'm haveing a blast with it. I'm not saveing the hides per say. But i do give them to a freind. I guess i mean he skins em all. But i'm not selling them or anything. I think i will for sure start staying for 20-30 mins. Minimum. I will try and mimic the tapes with my calls. I read in the last predator xtreme magazine. That Burnham Brothers Calls are supposed to be the best on the market. Is there any truth to that. They talked about there electronic and mouth calls. I guess i will try and muster the confidence to go out and try the mouth calls eventually. The yardage i was talking about with the guns was'nt a moving target. I mean i would'nt try to shoot one dead run farther than 150-200 yrds. and with a min of 3000fps. vel. otherwise as fast as they can be anything slower i think would be wasting lead. I was talking the long ones out to 500yrds. hung up just setting on there rump looking at you try to figure if your friend or foe.

As far as the 85gr balitic tips. Never tried them, but one of my .25-06 loves 87gr sierra BTHP. Man talk about damage to the p.d.'s. Another one of the -06's, i loaded some 75gr. hornady hp's and could get a decent group for the except in every 5 shot group there would be a flier, like non operator error flier of 2.5", I guess the 75's were moving so fast they they could'nt plane out of barrel very well. That same gun is the one i coyote hunt with the 115's. And it really makes me look good with the Nos. 115's.

Also do either of you or anyone else, have a need to wear scent masking stuff. Liekt eh suits detergent stuff like that. I never have, not even deer hunting. But i'm not a big bow hunter., either.



Thanks again for the help.

Most of the time I have some wind breeze to contend with the sound gets out better down wind.Coyotes here get shot at out of pickups,airplanes,by hunters, farmers,ranchers,snowmobilers,year round.The pups(young adults) are less cautious,the adults are a different matter.After several thousand stands I see most of the coyotes coming from downwind.Right after the deer season closes here everybody and his brother goes "coyotes hunting"Lots of times they pull the truck out on a point,set the caller on the hood,crank down a window and start hunting.This isn't rocket science,I find 1 in 5 to 7 stands is productive.Find your gamed up areas and call where Wiley's groceries live.I have places that produce every year throughout the season and other spots that are inconsistent,I call enough coyotes at these spots to keep me checking them.Learn the animal,his food sources,home territory size for your area.Big sagebrush and greasewood flats with bunnies,deer,antelope and or elk are great places here.Big brushy draws are good.Wish I could take you out for a "sporty little shoot",show some of the spots that produce and whistle up a coyote or 2.

I've never used a scent masker product. Hell, lots of times I dont even put on any camo, and when I do use camo, its usually just a jacket. I'd probably be more successful if I'd go all out with camo, remote caller and scent masking smelly stuff, but I dont and I still get coyotes.

Wolfer- That's the kinda advice i am looking for, Thank you. I understand now why you have to set up in the wind due to pressure. Here people who hunt coyotes which there are very few. Use dogs or trap them. I can't count other than the few guys that occasionally go with me. More than five people around here that hunt song dogs. That would be alright by me going with ya, I would like to go with someone with a little more experience. Thanks again for the advice. By the way, Hunting up wind, how do you mask yourself from the scent. I hope this does'nt sound like i am trying to squeeze secrets out of you. I am just curious.

Hold'em-I've read that some people don't camo all the way up either and are still very successful. And Wolfer remindered me of people just sittin in the truck. I guess the camo is the duck hunter coming out where you have to be covered from head to toe.

Thanks for all your help.

Just ordered my 22-250 today. I am new to coyote hunting so I appreciate this thread. Gonna load down for rabbits then set up for coyotes along my bunny trails with stiffer medicine. My gunsmith recomends FMJ's for pelt conservation, but I would think I want some expansion???? Would appreciate more input on good calls as well (no electronic in Colorado). I will be hunting in the foothills where I have also seen bobcat and lion sign so a call that would work with the cats would be great too (man how I would like to call in a lion!!!!). Will also try the riverbottoms out on the plains. Both areas are loaded with rabbits and deer.

Deke.

I don't mask my scent I really don't want my position pinpointed.I do wear camo,I spray it with the UV Blocker spray.Try to keep your movement to an absolute minimum.Get setup and ready to shoot before you start calling.The hardest part is trying to breath with your heart in your throat when that coyote is coming right at you.My favorite fur guns are .17 Rem with 25 gr. Bergers,then as a distant second a .223 with 60 gr Hornady's.I skin,flesh and stretch everything.Lots of times I have setup on a big flat that I know coyotes travel/hunt,started calling and had one stick his head up within 100yds.Vern Howie has a real good video,he is a friend of mine and he kills coyotes for a living.You would learn alot from Verns tape.Just a suggestion.I have a dog that hates coyotes,I take her as a decoy dog sometimes.She can get too aggressive and run some off.Now all you got to do is go whistle some up.Be very careful as coyotes are very addicting.

Thanks, One last question? How do i get one of his tapes? Does he have a Website? I would like to order one.

Schmitt Enterprises .Gerald is a good guy.he sells the tapes.1-507-359-4149. Terry Montgomery at Montgomery Fur(he put Verns tape out) 1-801-394-4686.$34.95.Enjoy

Sceery and Johnny Stewart make good calls and if you wanna go the custom route Rich Cronk at Cronk's Custom Calls makes a real nice call. Tally-ho works well and the Thumper and Tweety calls are good too.

I dont like a FMJ bullet, but then again I'm not saving hides. I like a spire point or V-Max bullet and usually go with Cabela's Critter Ridder bullets.

Hey Cupped_N_Fallin, Let me first say I don't have anywhere close to the number of Coyote kills as some of the guys responding. Just want to be clear so my "limited kill base" dosen't lead you astray.

That said, the Coyotes I've killed(and seen killed in the Carolinas) have been quite a challange and often totally unpredictable.

Seems to make sense to face into the wind and watch for them attempting to circle down-wind. HA Quite often they just come from behind you. Having thought about this, I believe it was simply because they were "down-wind" of me(us) in the first place.

One day I was putting up a Stand in July with 2 other guys when the temp was in the upper 90degs with a very slight Southerly breeze coming through a woods. All of us soaked in sweat. One guy at the top of the Stand happened to look out and here came 2 Coyotes toward us from the North - directly up the scent path. We all stood still and they came within 25yds. I really don't understand that.

Then, just the opposite can happen. Walk in with Cover Scent on your feet that Deer ignore and sometimes a Coyote will get to it and act as if they ran in to a glass wall.

Tough critters to figure out.

...

Anyway, the reason I'm posting is to let you know this is real close to the time of the year when the "Easter Bunny" stuffed toys will be hitting the shelves. I managed to find one that looks a good bit like our real Rabbits. We tie a piece of monofilament to the ears and then to clips so we can hang it slightly off the ground by a low limb or a bush. Then another piece of line comes over to where we are. With a small tug, the Decoy does a little bit of movement which is "occasionally" enough to draw the Coyotes attention as it is coming in.

Best of luck to you.

Good call on the Bunny trick, I use a rabbit decoy. But i forgot how realistic some of those stuffed animals cam be.

My best pal and i went the other morning. And the first spot we went to we are sure they came in from behind us, but just heard some definite movement behind us but never could pinpoint it. Actually there was movement on both sides of us behind us, and we know it was'nt a tree rat or anything like that. Not to awefull positve they wern't foxes. As we left we had one fox meandering his way our direction. And scared a pair also.

The second stand we had about 20 miles away, we had no luck at all.

We have some ideas and have received some value advice on here. Eventually we'll get 'er down better.

Thanks