The majority of North American states allow you to hunt coyotes all year round. The thing about these animals is that they tend to cause a huge problem for wildlife and even livestock. And this is the primary reason why night time coyote hunting is widely encouraged even in the off season. But hunting coyotes at night is not as easy task.
If you’re an avid hunter, then you should develop and master the skills of spotting and capturing coyotes at night. This way you get the opportunity to hunt all day throughout the year.
So what you see below are the best coyote hunting tips and techniques that you can use during the night. But before we get to that, there’s something you should know.
Photo credit: junglekey.in
What you need to know before reading on
Coyotes are nocturnal animals. And this means that they carry out their daily activities after the sun goes down. Tasks like breeding, eating, hunting, and even establishing hierarchy are all reserved for the night.
Plus, they feel more secure as they don’t find or hear the sound of humans as much. And it’s during the night only that coyotes let their guards down.
Spot Lighting
How to spot coyotes at night? With the help of a high-powered spotlight. It is considered to be the most efficient and practical tool for the job. These kinds of lights are very bright, and they can light up coyotes as far as 400 yards.
Animals that have the ability to see clearly when it’s dark also have eyes that reflect brightly because of the spotlight. This means that you don’t need to spend or waste a lot of time looking for coyotes. Nocturnal species have eyes that glow when struck by artificial light.
But you need to make sure that the animal you’re looking at in the dark is a coyote before you begin shooting at it. So at such times, what you need is practice and on-field experience. Once you make enough trips, you’ll be able to tell the difference just by looking at the bright eye reflection. Prey eyes are not as bright as predator’s eyes. Nevertheless, be sure of the target before capturing it.
Spotlighting Coyote at Night
Now, let’s talk about how to choose the best spotlight for hunting coyotes at night. You should always opt for a model that offers a rechargeable supply of power. Such a kind of spotlight is also legal to use in most states as it doesn’t require your vehicle for power supply.
In the end, I would just like to add a piece of advice. Whatever spotlight you choose, make sure that you check with the local regulations. And that’s because the laws related to using artificial lighting for hunting can be quite tricky.
Calling Coyotes During the Night
Hunting coyotes at night requires you to make predator calls. They respond to calls more actively during the night. Common tones include distress calls along with bird and rabbit sounds. You can use predator calls like coyote yips and howls as well.
When talking about call types, you will be glad to know that both electronic and mouth calls work at night. But electronic calls are better if you’re not an experienced hunter. They are clearer, louder, and more life-like than mouth calls. And the coyotes come running to these types of sounds without any fear.
Best Time for Hunting Coyotes at Night
Even though the majority of states allow you to hunt coyotes at night, many people indulge in the activity only during the fur bearing phase. This means that they hunt from September all the way through March. Also, it’s during these months of the year that hides of coyotes fetch a higher price.
Hunting coyotes demand you to make coyote calls, right? And the best time to do so is in warmer climates. This type of weather doesn’t invite too much competition. And that means you can use predator calls to draw a coyote towards you quite easily.
But it’s during the colder season that most people go for coyote hunting at night. Winter days are short and nights long. So if the sun goes down by 4:30 p.m., you have no option but to capture the animal in the dark!
Wrapping it up
Once you learn how to hunt coyotes at night, you get to spend more time on the field doing what you love. Hunting is a fun and adventurous activity. And just because the days are short doesn’t mean you can’t hunt as much. At such times, all you need to do is change your hunting techniques to adapt well to any situation at hand.
The best part about night time coyote hunting is that the chances of capturing your prey are incredibly high. Just make sure that what you’re shooting at is a coyote. In the dark, everything, including animals, tend to look slightly different from what they are.
So have you ever gone coyote hunting at night? If yes, then do you have any valuable tips to offer?
Also, I would like to know if you found the article interesting and useful. Is there anything that you think I forgot to discuss? Please let me know. My goal is to write better content, so my fellow hunters can make the most when out on the field.
I hope all was okay and I also hope that you come back again to read some more. I have plenty of hunting articles in the form of product recommendations and helpful tips for both beginners and experts. So don’t hesitate to browse through.
Thank you for reading. Happy Coyote Hunting!
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