Coyotes usually move around at night when people are mostly asleep. If you are considering hunting coyotes, you should start by knowing whether it’s legal in your state to avoid breaking the law. After you’ve made sure it legal, you need to know your locality well i.e. the terrain and where to go hunting and then get hunting supplies and gear. You should know that strategies used in hunting coyotes during the day are the same strategies you will use at night. Always stay downwind of your calling area, stick to using coyote calls that imitate enticing the prey and get to a high point to pinpoint incoming coyotes and predators.
The main difference between hunting coyotes during the day and at night is the use of artificial light in a form either red beamed spotlight or bright light. If you are going to hunt at night, you need to look for the best lights for hunting coyote at night.
The beam should be able to pierce through at least 100 yards although some beams can go beyond 300 yards. These beams can either be mounted to the scope you are hunting with or used as a headlamp to provide the light needed to see your target. However, you can also use low scopes that have laser sights, lighted dots or night vision optics. Your choice will mainly be determined by your preference and budget. Since these hunting gears have different prices, you should do a thorough research to gather as much information as possible to make the right choice. You should know the pros and cons of each as well as their limitations if they have any to improve your hunting.
After you’ve geared up, you head to the field for real hunting. To make your hunting easy, you need to know where you expect to find coyotes, wear heavy clothing if it’s cold and go with your friend if you need any help or company. As you call the coyotes, you should sweep the light back and forth through the area you expect them to be. Use the edge or halo of the light instead of the middle brighter section to avoid scaring them away. Once you locate any approaching eyes, concentrate on the predator by keeping the eyes illuminated as you prepare to shoot.
Take your time to aim at the target and then take the shot.You will probably be hunting in a field or a forest and you don’t expect to find coyotes alone at night. You might come across raccoons, foxes and bobcats as well. With continued hunting, you will have enough experience to identify animals by how they approach and the size of their eyes. All these predators have different styles of stalking and gait and if you are going to hunt at night expect to encounter two or more species of these animals. It is important to understand that, of all the animals listed here, coyotes are the most cautious. Therefore, you will need a riflescope to reach into the darkness because they cannot reveal themselves easily.
Finally, you should consider hunting with a friend because you will benefit from their company and help while hunting. One of you can sweep the beam while the other concentrate on shooting the targets. In addition, in case anything goes wrong, your friend might be there to help you or seek help.