When it comes to the best coyote hunting, many coyote hunters have strong opinions. Like caribou hunting or hog hunting, coyote hunts come in two basic modes: stealth and driving. Hunters will debate forever which method offers the best coyote hunting, and it will be up to you to decide which is more right for you… or try both.

The stealthy method of hunting generally involves the use of either bait piles or coyote hunting calls. Most states see the coyote as a varmint or a nuisance animal and offer either a very long hunting season or year around opportunities. Still, the proper time to participate in the best coyote hunting with calls or baits is in winter when prey is scarce, or in the spring when females are feeding their pups. The drive for food offers the best coyote hunting because it increases the success rate and leads to much less frustration on the part of the coyote hunter. Since the coyote generally hunts at night, a person who relies on stealth for hunting coyotes will have to spend some time in the woods, in the dark, to find the best coyote hunting (although they can be coaxed out in the daytime).

If this thought is unappealing, the other most notable method of hunting coyotes occurs during the day. Hunters will use hounds to trail and bay coyotes in the daylight. Many hunters will argue that this method offers the best coyote hunting because of the fast pace, constant movement and ample shooting opportunities. With the advent of global positioning systems, coyote hunters can easily track their hounds as they pursue coyotes through difficult terrain. Similar to the stealth method, the best coyote hunting when using hounds is also in the winter months. Snow cover allows for easier tracking. The snow holds the scent of a running coyote and it is easier for hunters to locate a “hot trail”. Snow also makes it easier for hunters to follow their dogs when they enter cracks, crevices or ravines where GPS tracking collars may fail.

While either method has positive points that could make it the best coyote hunting method, both do have their drawbacks. Hunting at night can be difficult when hovering over a bait pile. Calls for calling coyote can get expensive, especially if a coyote hunter purchases several electronic calls. Determining which coyote howler calls to purchase from the coyote hunting outfitters can be confusing, since all claim to offer the best coyote hunting success rate. On the other hand, tracking dogs can be pricey and their care can also be a hassle. GPS systems for collars are an added expense if the coyote hunter chooses to use them.

Some hunters feel that the use of stealth is the most sporting method, making for the best coyote hunting. Others find the wait boring. Proponents of using coyote hunting dogs feel that it offers the best coyote hunting because the longer shots are more sporting and this method gives the coyote a chance to use its wits to outsmart a pack of dogs… which happens frequently. The coyote is nothing if not clever, one point upon which all coyote hunters will likely agree. Even if hunters don’t agree on the method that offers the best coyote hunting, no coyote hunter will argue against this varmint’s intellectual capabilities and its ability to outsmart the best coyote hunter.