Geoff says that targeting areas with livestock can be a productive strategy this time of year. During the winter and spring months when calving starts, greater densities of coyotes can filter into the area to take advantage of a good food source – dead cows and calves. In addition to the opportunity to feed on livestock, Geoff says that what a lot of people don’t realize is that coyotes also move in and clean up the supplemental cake left over that farmers and ranchers feed their cattle. In addition, the hay that is put out to feed the livestock can be a big draw for rodents and small animals so coyotes prowl the area to cash in on the increased activity.
Winter has a good portion of the country in its icy grasp – snow, ice and frigid temperatures can make life a little harder for coyotes. Because it is so cold, food is a necessity to keep coyotes fueled, and because of that it would seem like distress calls would be a home run for hunters. However, Geoff says think again. By January and February, there aren’t many places left that are relatively unpressured, and that means the coyotes have heard about every call in the hunter’s library making those distress calls far less effective. Instead, Geoff says at this time of year he sticks with coyote-based sounds like howling, fighting and breeding. Because the coyotes are in transition right now and getting ready to pair up and breed, using coyote sounds has a tendency to work with greater effectiveness. Geoff says that every stand is a little different, but he generally sits 15-20 minutes per stand on average with his e-caller running continuously. Starting off with some lone howls for the first few minutes, he says he then transitions to a coyote fight for a few minutes and then bounces between a few more lone howls and more aggressive fight sounds. In doing so, Geoff says you’re trying to trigger a response from a smart coyote that doesn’t buy the dying rabbit sound anymore. Don’t pigeon hole your hunt, there is more than one time a day that is effective for coyote hunting, not just morning as many people will tell you. Geoff says that he is an all-day hunter, chasing coyotes from sun up until sun down noting there are days that he kills just as many coyotes mid-day as he does in the early morning or late evening hours. Many hunters will go sit for a few hours in the morning and then pack it up and head home before noon, but Geoff says it’s all about knowing the behavior and patterns of coyotes in order to find mid-day success. Just like deer, coyotes go from feeding areas to bedding areas in the afternoon and If you can key in on the areas where they will be up and hunting in the morning, and where they will be bedded throughout the day, you’ll likely be bringing home some fur. When coyote hunting, it’s all about having lots of ground and property lined up to hunt, Geoff says. You want to be able to hunt different coyotes throughout the duration of the season, not the same places over and over.
Listen in for great tips from Geoff Nemnich, seasoned coyote hunting pro. If you want to be a better, more effective, coyote hunter, then you can also check out Geoff’s online home, www.CoyoteCraze.com. There are tons of articles and videos, plus you can find out about upcoming seminars and Coyote Craze College events you can attend to help you hone your fur sniping skills.
Chase some fur,
Trav