Predator Hunting and Bowhunting Coyotes

Bowhunting Coyotes

Archery hunting for coyotes can be a difficult task, but if you use your head before the hunt and set up properly, your chance of bagging one is not impossible. First, you must look at the terrain that you are about to hunt. Is it wide open country or are you surrounded by housing developments? This will predict the challenge of the type of setup you are about to use. When using a bow and arrow for coyotes, it does make this a more difficult task to do.When bowhunting coyotes in the western states and most likely in the wide open country, you will probably want to use some sort of bait, if it is legal. A road killed deer or other large animal carcass can be used for your bait. This sort of tactic works exceptionally well during severe winters. Placing a dead carcass or rotting domesticated meat in a wooded area and placing an elevated stand next to your bait will definitely increase your chances of seeing your prey while bowhunting coyotes. Using a treestand will also help your chances by not only concealing yourself, but also it will help keep your scent off the ground where the coyote could pick it up and be gone in a flash. A howler call can be very useful in this situation. Getting the hungry coyotes attention may bring him in for a closer look or the coyote may catch the scent of the decaying carcass, allowing you a shot at a much closer target. Some other good calls to use when bowhunting coyotes are; a rabbit in distress or even a squeaker call.

Bowhunting coyotes in the suburbs could be very successful too. Coyotes have learned that living close to the suburbs has increased their chances of an easy meal. They love the taste of small domestic pets and have learned they are an easy prey. Mimicking a cat in distress in your own back yard can be one of your easiest ways of getting an up close shot at Mr. Wile E. Coyote and also doing your pet a big favor.

Bowhunters, like me, also learn the travel routes of the coyote while silently waiting for deer. On occasion, the coyote will give you the opportunity of an up close shot while bowhunting deer or even while turkey hunting in the spring. I personally keep a rabbit in distress call in my pocket when bowhunting at anytime. You just never know when the opportunity will come up and you need to call in order to get the coyote in a little closer. A squeaker call works very well for this also. Sometimes the rabbit in distress call is simply too loud and is liable to scare your predator off. A simple soft squeak of some kind of rodent will bring the most wary coyote to close range.

Bowhunting coyotes is fun and very challenging. It is a sport that can be done all year long in many states and by doing so will keep the number of coyotes in check, which may help your deer hunting by increasing your deer herd size. But you must be careful as to not upset Mother Nature too. Sometimes, coyotes will help your deer population. By that I mean, maybe your deer herd is too big in numbers and your deer are starving because of overeating. This is when the coyote comes in very handy and can take care of the problem by killing the weak and sick deer that need to be weeded out of your herd. But you must also remember that just one female bitch can produce up to two litters of pups in one year. This could mean an extra twenty coyotes in just one year in your deer bowhunting area and that could create the opposite problem of too many coyotes for that particular area. So be careful and use common sense and try out one of the most challenging hunts there is. BOWHUNTING COYOTES!

I was able to call this coyote in while bowhunting deer during a late December hunt in 2006.