Pressured coyote hunting tactics
The popularity of predator hunting has put a lot of pressure on some property’s coyote populations. When that happens, hunters soon find it difficult to harvest educated coyotes. Some land owners allow multiple hunters to hunt predators. They think the more hunter, the more harvests. But this makes it more difficult more often than not.
Here are some tips to become more successful on land you or other have hunted heavily.
Hunt different times
The average predator hunter is home by midnight. Being different is the key on pressured properties. And that means being there at different times. Coyotes will pattern hunters. So changing times up on your prey can give you a distinct advantage.
I rotate my times at all my properties. I will hit property A, B and C in order one trip. Then C, B and A on another trip. This allows me to be different on my times.
Properties that are hunted hard by the landowner are great for me after midnight. I let the farmer have the run of his farm until 11 p.m. when he goes to sleep. Then I move in after midnight when the predators do not expect me. This combination works well for multiple hunters on a property.
Coyotes that bed farther away will arrive much later. A great point on this is that you don’t even need to leave the house until 11 p.m. when most hunters are already calling it a night. Changing your times up increases your odds in the predator hunting chess match.
Hunt midweek
Another key to being different is hunting mid-week. Most predator hunters are out on the weekend. So make it a point to get out there mid-week after the pressure has died down. Seasoned fishermen learn to stay away from certain lakes on the weekend. They go mid-week and have the whole place to themselves. The same goes for pressured predator hunting properties.
Hit your pressured properties on Wednesdays and see your harvest numbers go up. Leave selected properties where others can hunt along on the weekends. Hit those pressured properties Thursday also, before the weekenders come calling. Knowing the patterns of the other hunters will pay off on these properties.
Be patient
The average predator hunter goes right to the call and plays their favorite calls loud and long. On pressured properties where this tactic is less successful, be patient. I scan for hogs and listen for coyotes in these instance. And I make a strategy based on that evening’s data.
I’ll pick a great vantage point and scan for game with my thermal scanner. When coyotes sound off, I will move toward the area before alerting them to my presence. This time allows things to settle down, and lets me move in close before setting the trap.
If I have to make a call after an extended period, I’ll make a lone howl or two just to see if I can get a response. Aggressive calling is good on properties you hunt alone. But you need to be more patient on properties hunted hard by others. Wait longer after a calling sequence on these properties also.
Coyotes get wise to running right to a call on pressured properties, and often wait until later to come walking. Be patient on these heavily pressured lands.
Go after them
Get off the beaten path for this last strategy on pressured properties. Most predator hunters don’t roam far from the road. Tripods, calls, and weapons are usually a full load, and many hunters don’t want to walk far carrying all that gear.
On my heavily pressured properties, I practice patience, then move long distances that others won’t walk. I confirm coyotes are in an area through scanning with a thermal or calling with a lone howl.
Once I confirm a coyote is in an area, I will move great distances closer to call them into range. The best areas are when you are just out of scanning range from the road. The sweet spot is in the 700 to 1000 yard range. Get back in those areas where vehicles can’t get to for those pressured coyotes to come to the call.
Predator hunting will hook you on the sport. Pressured coyotes will test your will to keep at it. Be different on certain properties that are pressured, and you will pick off many predators that others are passing by or educating.
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