Coyote Hunting?

SAMI

Formerly Beardy McGee
Location
SLC, UT
I want to get into this. Where does one go about learning how, and what to do? I've got a modified 10/22, will that be 'ok'?
 

DAA

Well-Known Member
I've got a modified 10/22, will that be 'ok'?

Well... That's somewhat a matter of opinion. But, in my opinion, no, it is not adequate for the job.

I really don't like any rimfire for coyote hunting. The .17HMR or better yet the .22WMR can be adequate in practiced, disciplined hands. But, not in the hands of a novice. Again, just my opinion. That's an opinion formed over the course of 30 years hunting coyotes and about 800 killed personally and several hundred more witnessed killed.

Best way to learn is just to get out and do it. Reading books and watching videos can help cut the learning curve substantially. But in the end, the coyote himself is by far the best teacher. Spending time with boots on the ground is the only way to get really good at it. There are a ton of forums dedicated to predator hunting too and if you have a good BS detector and can separate the pepper from the fly sh*t they can be a great source of information for the beginner as well. They can also lead the beginner down many a false path if the beginner has difficulty separating the pepper... Lots of guys with not much experience and even less success are on the forums talking like they are old hands and handing out lots of advice, most of it not so good... I'm a moderator on the forums at the National Predator Hunters Association site (thenpha.com). It's as good a place to start as any.

My partner and I got three more last time out and going to hit them again on Thursday :D.

- DAA
 

AX10TOY

Undecided
Location
slc,ut
ok so this mite be a dumb ? but are there alot of rabbits around when you kill all of these coyote?

i have benn out a couple of times and have not seen a coyote or rabbit
new to this predator hunting but not to hunting a tip or hint
thanks
 

DAA

Well-Known Member
Not many rabbits around this year. There weren't all that many coyotes in my area of operations this year either, as far as that goes.

My coyote season is over for the year. Just didn't do as well this year as in recent years past. Hopefully, the litters are large and the prey base prospers this spring and summer.

- DAA
 

DAA

Well-Known Member
Nawww... No thanks. Just not my style.

It IS neat to watch good tolling dogs work coyotes. Very exciting stuff and you get to see coyotes acting in ways they don't normally act. The videos are good entertainment in that sense. Don Laubach of E.L.K. Inc. made a series of similar videos many years ago with Merv Griswold and his dogs that I still consider some of the best filmed, most entertaining coyote hunting videos ever made. They are out of Montana as well and it wouldn't surprise me to learn that the dogs in this new video share some of the same blood lines with Merv's dogs. And a good friend of mine, an ADC professional in Wyoming, Cal Taylor, also made a similar video utilizing tolling dogs a few years back (his dogs definitely share some blood with Merv's dogs).

I get what these guys are doing and the need for it. It's animal damage control work.

But... I'm a recreational hunter. Not an ADC specialist. Killing pregnant spring coyotes or wet bitches on a recreational basis doesn't interest me. At all. And after killing a wet *****, the hard work of locating and then digging out the den to kill the pups so they aren't left to die of dehydration isn't any fun or excitement at all, either.

As a recreational coyote hunter, I prefer to leave the coyotes alone during the denning and pup rearing seasons. Just my personal choice.

Don't get me wrong, control work is a job that needs to be done and done correctly. I have friends who do it for a living. I don't know the guys in this new video personally, but I'm guessing that they are doing legitimate ADC work. I have zero problem with that. Just not something I'm interested in doing, is all.

I don't know about the big problem in South Dakota being too real either? I have several friends who are professional ADC specialists (Gov't Trappers) working for the South Dakota program. Professional, full time, year round coyote killers. Two of the best ADC guys in the state of S. Dakota came out here and hunted with me for a few days just recently, in fact (I learned a TON from those guys!). They are telling me that coyote numbers in SD are way down due to mange? They thought there were a lot more coyotes where I took them here, than back home in SD. But, I do have an open invite for a Gov't Trapper guided hunt in SD, anytime I want :greg:.

- DAA
 
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