By
John Olsen
Hunting Coyote has been a fun winter sport for me for many years. Winter coyote hunting is a great way to hunt in what is technically the off-season of hunting.
There are no regulations regarding hunting coyotes and no season, but just like baseball, there are unwritten rules. And like some baseball players, some hunters ignore those rules. I'm not here to judge, and I believe that the fewer coyotes there are, the better, but I'm also a big believer in fair chase, even when it comes to coyotes. I personally would never run down a coyote with a snowmobile.
Rule number one: Don't ask for people's honey whole. Many people will get on social media and ask, "where are the Yotes?" First, someone worked hard to find a place to hunt; they aren't going to give it up. Second, do the leg work. The coyotes are out there; it will take time to find them!
Rule two; if you find someone hunting a spot, don't set up right next to them. Move off and find a new location. It's a first come, first serve world; unfortunately, we must share public land.
Three, it's an unfortunate fact that many people want hunting shut down. It's a horrible part of life. People are entirely separated from their food source and don't understand hunting or hunters. Please don't do something to give them fire. Respect the animals you hunt. Don't post inappropriate pictures of you and your kill. You posting a picture of your buddy humping your dead yot may be funny to you, but if you end up on a PETA post, it makes every one of us look like idiots.
There are bounties on coyotes here in Utah, for a good reason. A Coyote will kill, on average, 22 fawns a year and seven adult deer. We need a lot of animals, especially in northern Utah, where the deer population is struggling. If you are hunting coyotes, you could get paid. A confirmed coyote kill will get you $50, but you can't just throw a dead yot at a game warden and have him hand you the cash. You need to take an online course, pass an easy test, know what to bring, like scalp lower jaw, and have the app to post your info. Everything you need to know is at this site https://wildlife.utah.gov/predator-control-program.html
Hunting coyotes is like most hunting in Utah. It can be fun and frustrating at times. It would be best if you had some camouflage, an attractant like call either a hand one or electronic, a good gun, and time. And you can go as expensive as you want on all. A simple rabbit call is an excellent place to start if you want to spend less; these can be bought for $8 and up. Another inexpensive route is a Bluetooth speaker with a hunting app with sounds.
Camouflage is easy in winter. A white hoody and pants marked up to brake up your outline. Coyote hunting can be as cheap or as expensive as you would like. Some hunters have a rifle just for coyotes others use their deer rifles. Whatever works for you. The debate on the best caliber for what animals is a stupid argument many people have spent hours debating. If I'm being honest, most hunters have rifles that shoot much farther than their skills allow. If those hunters spent as much time practicing as they do at the keyboard defending their caliber choices, they would be almost as good of a shot as they claim to be.
It takes time to find a great spot; you must use footwork, listen for the coyote set up down, wind practice calling in the dogs. It's that simple. OnX App is the best hunting app to use to find public land to hunt. It marks private land, and you can record where you tracked and make notes on it. I use it for all my hunts.
Coyote Tips: Try to set up with you calling into the wind. You want something behind you, like a hill or barrier. When you're calling into the wind, the coyote will first approach "hopefully" in front and circle around, trying to catch a sent. You want to be able to get a shot before he winds you. Clear the directions where you can shoot and the areas you can't before you start to call. Talk with your partner if hunting together, so you know your shooting lanes and who has what.
Stay still; coyotes have excellent vision; use your terrain to hide. Know your yardage and capabilities. Coyotes are small dogs with kill circles about the size of a dinner plate.
Set up and call for 30-45 minutes; any yots in the area will respond by then; if you have yet to see anything in 45 min, head to your next spot.
Lowland sagebrush areas with plenty of shooting lanes are my favorite to hunt. These areas hold small game like birds, rodents, and rabbits, all of which are a favorite food for yots.
The rifle I hunt yots with is a Remington pump action 7600 in a 270 caliber. It's an older gun I updated with synthetic stock and new scope. I love it because it's faster to shoot than a bolt, and at 270, I can use it for deer hunting if I also want. 270 shoots flat and far enough for my skill. The biggest plus? I already own it—no need to buy a new gun when the 270 is a tremendous multi-tool gun. But you can use whatever you want. Again it's the caliber you feel best suits you.
Hunting coyotes is fun; that's why we do it. Get out, have fun, be respectful, and be safe.
Author John Olsen
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