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Hunting & Fishing Ohio Coyote Hunting.

DoctorBen

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 7, 2011
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Cincinnati
Hey folks,
I'm heading out for some coyote hunts in Ohio in about a month; my extended family owns and farms several thousand acres of land in total between Dayton and Washington Courthouse. We've gone out a number of times in the past year or two on dedicated coyote hunts with no luck. We usually post on a tree-line, overlooking fields, or sometimes from tree stands. We haven't had much luck seeing them in the spring, but we sure hear them howl and bark at night. Usually they're running abundantly in the fall going after deer. Anyone hunt this region and have advice they can offer? None of us are particularly experienced hunters; we do deer drives in the fall, and I stand-hunt in upstate NY with the inlaws when time allows, but I must admit we've not taken any deer. I've been reading that sight seems just as important as smell, so our going plan is bait pile, electronic call, and stalk in early in the morning and lay low and quiet. Any thoughts?
 
look around on some of the predator forums like predator masters, southeasterncoyotes, coyotes unlimited, fins and fur (just to name a few) their are some very knowledgeable folks that have dedicated 20+ years to hunting these VERY elusive critters and they are usually willing to offer advice.

Wish I lived closer, I'd go with you folks
 
At least around here the coyotes seem to be mostly nocturnal with occasional random forays during the day. There was one by my driveway when I came home very late several weeks ago. I've shot several during the day or evening hours and recovered the first one in the fall of 2011 when I just happened to see it crossing the field in front of my yard in the fall. I've never seen one early in the morning. I believe the most likely time to see them is in the late afternoon just before or a little after dusk; at least that's the way it is on my farm.

Coyotes are VERY fast and if you don't put them down immediately and they get to some type of cover, you probably won't recover them unless you have a tracking dog or are yourself a good tracker. In the spring of 2012 I shot one with a 22-250; from the location of the wound, it was probably a heart shot. The 'yote ran at full speed for probably 300 yards before going down. I've found neck shots to put them down most dependably; i.e., DRT.

I've tried a predator call and to date have had no luck with that approach. I think your best approach might be to establish some area where you put edible garbage the coyotes can get used to coming to. I know when I shoot a groundhog or raccoon and leave it in my yard, it's usually gone by morning so I know they like handouts.
 
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I hunt that area at times along with most areas of this state. A few pieces of advice. Eastern coyotes especially in ohio are very hard to call and even harder in the daylight. I don't want to discourage you but the food sources are abundant and there's lots of cover and little need to come to a call. Bait piles are basically the same issue. Your best opportunity for that is when its cold as hell and snow has them searching for calories. My success in ohio comes from good night vision gear and patterning. The best areas these days are anything that butts up to urban areas that's huntable. Urban coyotes are the name of the game anymore
 
+1 kill switches advice.

Eastern and even southeastern or timber yotes are a wary bunch. You just have to hunt them differently than the western yotes. We are farms and pastures everywhere, their food sources can be close and they've been shot at by farmers for so long, I think they're nocturnal by birth now. More so than a "learned" response.

There is a forum built around hunting eastern 'yotes called "Midwest Predator Hunters." It's a great bunch of boys from your neck of the woods. They taught me a shitload. I've been up there and cooked for the Indiana Predator Challenge the last 3 years, out of my own pocket, in an attempt to repay the boys in some way for all the learning.

There are some dedicated articles around calling sets and night hunting. Also, just searching or reading through others trial/error sessions tend to teach alot as well.

Good luck and keep on them, you'll be whacking their asses soon enough. Best thing you can do is find a local experienced whacker and see if you can tag along.

Hope this helps,
Breeze
 
All good advice Gents, I give my thanks. It seems my dad sees them whenever he's out on walks or on his motorcycle, and whenever out deer hunting, but when we go just for them, be it morning, noon or evening, it's a ghost town.
 
I love hunting and calling coyote's.
We have the best luck this time of year in early morning and again at sunset using coyote vocalizations on mouth calls more so then prey distress....Right now they are mated up and getting ready for their spring litter to arrive and become extremely territorial so they tend to investigate the sounds of an interloper on their land and will defend their stake. Male and female sounds can and will work on either sex.
Also the young from last year are not overly educated yet as far as humans calling them in so they tend to investigate coyote sounds quicker then their parents and being recently kicked out of house and home I think they are either looking for a mate of their own or simple companionship/curiosity reasons.
 
I really like the fawn distress or calf distress sounds right now. Calling sequence can be the difference too. Start with a howl or communicative like ^^^xhair^^^ says, but then put a fawn bleat or distress. They can come in very hard when an interloper is eating their food!

good luck and post the pix!

biggest tip, watch your wind. Most 'yotes will get close then circle down wind to let their nose verify what the ears are hearing. if they cross your trail or get your wind carried scent, they're gone.
know where you are going to make your set. Getting to your set should be like coming home late when you were 16. Quiet, don't wake mom & pop. When you ease your door shut, check wind, if ain't right, get right back in your vehicle and go. The wind can bust you before you get started.