Coyote hunting at night

[RUGER]

Didn't want to hijack the other thread(s) so I thought I would add another one.

I have coyote hunted a very long time.
Back before there was a tndeer where we were lucky enough to have the vast knowledge of TWRA at our fingertips I had a "discussion" with a wildlife officer about the issue.
Not hunting at night, but the fact that once deer season started my coyote hunting basically ended.

At that time I didn't bowhunt or muzzleloader hunt for deer and I felt I was being done wrong.
I will say that the officer I talked to was very patient with me and my concerns.
LOL He finally grew tired of my bickering and laid it out pretty simple for me.

I said all that to say this, or ask this:

I, as I said, have hunted them a very long time and I love it.
Never have I ever had any desire to hunt them at night.
Dunno if I would feel differently if I tried it or not.
I just don't see it.

Am I in the minority for not having any desire to hunt them at night?
If so, what's the big skirt blow up about it?

 

[Planking]

For me the coyote is an invasive pest that needs to be eradicated just like the hog. Why not open some opportunities for hunters when these things are actually active? Im a novice, but right now it seems like its daytime coon hunting when i go out calling. Seems like it would be much easier to use locators and move in on them at night. I don't know, alot of other states do it and it looks like the hunters are enjoying themselves and to me that's what's important. I think it would be alot of fun personally and i would be an active participant.

 

[RUGER]

That makes sense.
I look at them differently, more of a sport hunting adventure rather than a pest.
To me watching them come in to the call and react to the calls is what I enjoy about it.
I think the eradication of hogs will be alot more sucessful than an eradication attempt at coyotes.
No way you gonna get them all.

 

[Planking]

No, but it sure would be fun to try.

 

[RUGER]

True.

 

[Grill-n-man]

I look at coyote night hunting this way. Although the coyote has its place in nature its pretty much considered a pest/problem. If this wasn't so it would not be huntable year round. Night hunting is just another way to solve this problem. Also night hunting would give cattleman more opportunity to resolve their issue. What's the issue with loosing a cow you ask? Well considering one weighing between 400-600 lbs can bring $4 a pound and an 800 pounder can bring better than $2.50 a pound there is a big issue. Nobody can afford such a hit. Seems that more of a problem a critter is the more it gets restricted. Look at hogs, they are here and the only way to fix that problem is to kill them when you see them. That's proven and the data is there. Now look what the TWRA has done with that issue. Why does our dollars have to go to pay for someone to trap or kill an problem animal when Tennessee hunters are more than willing to do it. But when its all said and done with the reason is more than likely a political one. Only reason I can think of for taking money from a group who are more than willing to address the issue then turn around and give their money to another to address the same issue. And yes Tennessee is just like other states, they pay "professionals" to trap/kill problem animals and these guys don't work for free.

 

[Wildcat]

I have coyote hunted off and on for years but with the new e-callers and the remotes that help me more than anything else plus Kentucky allowing night hunting with lights starting last year I got into it in a big way. Night hunting is a different ball game but it's not as easy as some people hope for, you still have to hunt as hard as you do in the day time, it's just a different way of seeing them. Another bonus for me was extra time. Taking care of Mom has cut back on the time I can hunt since I need to be home more in the day time. Once I put her to bed for the night then I can go hunt all night and the dawn until it's time to get her up.

Some people think it's not safe but after last year I realized it's much more dangerous to try to hunt in the moonlight and no lights. Using lights allows people to see you for miles around, anybody driving down the highway can see the lights working the fields and woods and know where you are. Also anybody coming up to you like a game warden shines his light and you know it's another human being with a light and not some animal.

You use a scan light, most people have them set on top of their caps and only use the bottom of the light halo to pick up "eyes", once the eyes are spotted you follow them in until them are in range then hit the shooting light on your shotgun to light them up and to make 100% for sure it's a coyote before shooting. Most times with the scan light you will ID him long before he's inside shooting range. When you get out of your truck and are ready to head out to a stand you first scan the whole field with the scan light and a lot of times you will pick up eyes, sometimes as far away as the other end of a 800 acre cut corn field. That way you can decide what to do, either set up right there or try to go closer while knowing how to use the ground to cover yourself to get there. Speaking about cover, you do NOT need camo or anything else night hunting. The light it self is your cover. Go outside tonight, walk about 50-100 yards from the house and have your kid or wife shine the flash light above your head. You are not blinded but you still cannot see past the light. If they point it right at you then you are blinded and that is why it's better to use the bottom of the lights "halo" to see eyes. As long as you are behind the light they will not see you. At night I simply get off my 4 wheeler parked next to some bush, walk about 5 yards from it and set up the Primos tripod and the caller right in front of me. I get my shotgun on the tripod and turn on my caller and start the calling sequence all the while I'm turning my head all around scanning for eyes. I want the eyes looking at the sound which in right in front of me. Of course I'm standing up. After 30-40 minutes if nothing shows up I simply turn the caller off and put everything back on my 4 wheeler and ride to the next calling stand. That's in open areas and open fields. In the woods and logging roads I walk in and set up a little different but still stand up and try to find a high spot to get my self a little above the road.

I can't wait until midnight Sunday/Monday, it's Feb 1st, the start of night calling in Ky. The good news is it's suppose to snow that night and I'm already at the starting gate waiting until it pops open.