Coyote Hunting

[KMcCormick]

Im in the grand junction area so GMU 30 and 31 and was wondering if anyone knows of good areas to hunt coyotes. I do most my shooting at the blm land by the grand junction airport and see tons of prairie dogs, so I set up near prairie dog town and started my normal calling routines that I would use in similar situations near Fort Collins and after 4 hours I didn't see a thing and I no longer had shooting light so I packed up and went home. Any ideas where I may want to go to next?

[donek6977]

I live in GJ myself and want to hunt coyote but haven't seen anything. They come out more when it colder and it's easier to track them after snowfalls. I was recommended to Cactus Canyon and Rabbit Valley for rabbits and coyote. I didn't get to try the coyote part. P. Dogs are everywhere here so there's no shortage of finding them. And I don't think you can use bait or calls on coyote.

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[Irving]

Pretty sure you can use calls. Doubt you can bait them though.

[CS1983]

Electronic calls are legal for furbearers (including coyotes) in CO. Calls in general (non-electric) are always legal for small game, but non-furbearers cannot be hunted using electronic calls. You can use natural bait for furbearers. Artificial light is illegal except on private land, unless you have a night permit from CDW.

Since there if a proliferation of prairie dogs and other things for them to eat, try something crazy they're unlikely to hear normally, like a snowshoe hare distress call. They're curious creatures and even if they're not disposed to come in for a baby rabbit or something, they'll want to know what that awful racket is that they've never heard. Wind direction, terrain, etc. do matter for the little bastards. Plan your hunting spot based on the trusty OCOKA acronym: http://www.armystudyguide.com/conten...al/ocoka.shtml

O - Observation and fields of fire: They will use IV (Intervisiblity) lines -- places you cannot see their approach such as dips. Do map recon w/ Google earth to determine potential placement out to intended area of target). You could also walk in to your field of fire area from their approach (not on day of hunt) and look at it from their perspective -- what allows them to approach to the X with ease and yet concealment?
C - Concealment: Use terrain to your advantage for camouflage and blocking your outline/movement (i.e., be the bush on the hillside, not sitting there in the open)
O - Obstacles: Look for anything that can impede their movement or assists/funnels them into an area -- old abandoned car out in the desert? They have to go around it, so what's more natural for them to approach if they shoot out from its rear? Pond? They ain't going through it. etc.
K - Key Terrain: Look for choke points and anywhere that can serve you for O(1) and C. You don't have to worry about catching indirect from Coyote FA, so key terrain isn't a danger for your OP, but what makes your observation better (i.e., a little higher = nullification of IV lines)
A - Avenues of approach: Look for natural ways for them to get somewhere to observe the sound themselves.

All these play into each other and each preceding principle informs the next.
http://www.wpi.edu/academics/military/ocoka.html
https://www.nps.gov/vick/learn/manag...n_Analysis.pdf

If you can, watch videos of coyote hunting in your area -- pay attention to how the coyotes behave (where they come from, how far out they stop to observe, etc.). If you notice a consistent pattern of behavior, make it a strategy.

Make a range card of your field of fire w/ yardages/DOPE come up and be prepared to adjust on fly.

reference, page 8 actual (pdf numbering, not viewer numbering): Colorado's official small game hunting manual:
http://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/RulesRegs/Brochure/smallgame.pdf

[TRnCO]

after 4 hours

When calling coyotes, sitting in one spot and calling for more than 30 minutes isn't necessary. Most coyotes that are going to come to the call with be there in 15 minutes or less. So be mobile, cover ground and that will up your odds of action.

[CS1983]

When calling coyotes, sitting in one spot and calling for more than 30 minutes isn't necessary. Most coyotes that are going to come to the call with be there in 15 minutes or less. So be mobile, cover ground and that will up your odds of action.

Didn't catch that. They must have thought that's the dyin'est rabbit ever. lol.

[Squeeze]

Question, where do you turn in the coyote pelts?

[TRnCO]

For the last few years I've been selling mine to Petska fur. You can look at their website to see their routes through Colo.

[Squeeze]

Thank you TRnCO. I'll certainly look into that.

[TRnCO]

you guys thinking about trying to call coyotes need to get out and try. The coyote population across the eastern plains is very robust this year. I started the year by killing six on one stand and in the last two days I did 18 stands and called in 21 coyotes, killed 18 of them. They are worth a little money in the round, so you don't have to skin them to sell them and you can expect around $30./ea. average. You can shoot them, put them in a bag and freeze them and sell them frozen. That's how I do it. There is still some mange, of the 18 I shot, 5 had mange from one degree to the other.
Get out there and try. There's never been a better time, IMO.