Coyote night scopes

S

SEMN Coyote

New member
I'm a deer hunter in South East Minnesota. I hunt 4 adjacent farms and their woods. Major Coyote problem and its really affecting the deer population. Our trail cameras saw coyote chasing deer this past year and a neighbor less than 2 miles away put a camera outside a coyote den. In the past 3 months his camera picked saw 11 fawns being dragged into the den. I'm aware of 3 dens on the land I hunt, and might be 5+. We had one camera with 9 coyote running together in a pack, kind of scary looking.

I'm planning to go down in late December, and I'm buying all new equipment for this. I have a good friend who has had success hunting coyote about an hour away that will teach me the ropes. He suggested buying a scope first as its more important than the rifle, especially since we'll be hunting at night.

Question is what do you recommend for a night scope?
Would you recommend a digital night time scope like ATN X-Sight or Sightmark Photon

Or something more traditional like Leupold VX-3I 4-14X50 or the Nightforce SHV 5-20x56

I've already been told that if I'm able to have success where I hunt there are at least 6 other farmers that want me to hunt their land for coyote also. Eventually I'll be asking for more advice on type of AR rifle, to calls, but I'm not getting great opinions on the type of scope to get.

I've been reading this forum and magazines for well over a year. First post and I'm excited to get started on this.
 
What’s your budget? I think you want nightvision if it’s legal. If not you will be stuck to hunting full moons and snow on the ground. If you want just a regular scope I would consider the Trijicon 2.5-10x56 it illuminated with out a battery shouldn’t need a lot of magnification for nite hunting. There’s a ton of scopes to look at. Get to a cabelas and look at some outside at dark. Make sure u can see the reticle and you are going to want good lowlight glass.
 
I second what zr600 said!! I am stuck with full moon on snow where I hunt. I shoot 3-9x50 stuff with a lit reticle. The 50mm objective for the most light and also agree...you shouldn't need more than 9 power at night. Also, don't overlook calling at sun-up and at dusk when you do have light without snow...might surprise you.
 
Our coyotes are not denning up yet and have not began to breed here in PA..Our deer have most of their fawns in may and june...
 
Sorry if this is confusing, its hard to explain. There is over 1000 acres of woods. almost 100 acres of pasture that is only used part of the year, and 600 acres of fields. I have permission to hunt about 200 acres of the woods, and the 600 acres of fields. (There is another 100 acres of field on the other side of the woods that I've never explored. The farm land is not exactly flat, and has multiple corners where I hunt deer on the edge of the fields. The 200 acres of woods I have access to is the roughest terrain of the 1000 acres with over 100' bluffs and many natural caves. Some of the caves are coyote dens with others acting as coon dens. 3 years ago we had a bear in the woods, which is very rare for this part of MN.

We have two 9 day shotgun deer hunting seasons, you have to choose just one unless you are under 18. With the youth hunt (son) I was in the woods 16 days, around 10 of the days we had coyote near us at some point in the hunt. This is big deer country, and while there were still some large bucks harvested, there were very few medium to small sized deer taken or on the trail cameras. Plenty of coyote tracks, and coyote on trail cameras. There is coyote dung almost on every bluff, or rocky spot.

The den that had 11 fawns dragged into it is a neighbors farm about 1 mile away from me. He told my father in law about the 11 fawn and said they were all dragged into the den over the past 6 months. Fawn are here are also born between May and July with the majority happening in late May. The Coyote seem to use some of the dens year round as we constantly pick them up on trail cameras near the dens, and the ground traffic always appears to be fresh around the caves.
 
In Minnesota - Night vision, thermal etc is not legal to possess with any weapon day or night or to use to locate wildlife. A light may be used for coyote with shotgun and roadway,vehicle limitations.
 
Thanks for the info spotstalkshoot. Did more research as I was out with a friend years ago with night vision. It was legal then, and they changed the law around 5 years ago. Saw it was up to be voted on in 2016, but either failed, or was never voted on.

Already contacted my State rep... who is anti gun, but a past friend so he hear me out, agrees its safer to hunt with this than without, and forwarded the issue to a committee.

What's crazy is the local "expert" at Scheels recommended the ATN for hunting coyote at night near his store. You'd think he would know better, and you'd think politicians would either make night hunting illegal, make possession of this in any form illegal, or get out of the way and let us hunt with them. With night vision being sold here, I'm sure they are being used here. I honestly can't think of a reason to own this that wouldn't involve breaking the current law. No one target shoots at night.

I was really excited, thought it would be great to be able to see live what my son was looking at, and have the hunts recorded.
 
We have enough problems with indiscriminate gunfire (roading coyote and Fox)during the day in to private property from roads. I know with thermal all the __s wipes will be shooting from roads 24 hrs a day.
 
Originally Posted By: spotstalkshootWe have enough problems with indiscriminate gunfire (roading coyote and Fox)during the day in to private property from roads. I know with thermal all the __s wipes will be shooting from roads 24 hrs a day.

I don't agree with this logic. You're claiming that outlaws that are road hunting are being somewhat law abiding by not using night vision/ thermal. How do you know they aren't already using it?

Just like gun laws, this only affects law abiding citizens. One could argue the road hunters might get off the roads if this equipment was legal. With the current ban it's probably easier for some to just drive around until they see something with headlights, because they can't see anything in the dark fields/ woods.

Current set of laws continue to allow outlaws to purchase, and use, while I have to hunt without. Changing the law back would not only give me an advantage vs the coyote, but also make my hunting experience safer.
 
They are not "getting off the road" because they do not have trespassing permission. So they shoot from the road to flush coyote and Fox from cover. Day or night this is dangerous and it is illegal already, with thermal or night vision legal to possess they will most definitely continue after dark. Do not get me wrong I would like to use it, but some changes to hunting laws make law enforcement very difficult.
 
Originally Posted By: spotstalkshootThey are not "getting off the road" because they do not have trespassing permission. So they shoot from the road to flush coyote and Fox from cover. Day or night this is dangerous and it is illegal already, with thermal or night vision legal to possess they will most definitely continue after dark. Do not get me wrong I would like to use it, but some changes to hunting laws make law enforcement very difficult.

I understand where you are coming from, however it's highly unlikely those that do not have permission to hunt a simple "coyote" are going to invest thousands in a unit to kill them from a road.
 
^You'd be surprised. I know one guy that got jealous of me hauling in coyotes after hunting and hiking my tail off for years. Over the last 4 years he spent maybe $8000 on scopes, luckily karma is a real [beeep], a couple months ago he had his AR and night vision stolen, I think he got maybe one coyote with it. Then replaced his stolen "underpower" 223 with a 6.8 for more deadlyness and bought a US Optic. The night vision didn't give him enough of an advantage so he is getting a thermal next. He may have another pelt or two in a couple years.

There's a lot of dip [beeep] out there.
 
That guy must have more money than brains- and/or hang with some shady types- but people get jealous of a coyotes getting killed. I just give those guys a year or two and then give up when they find out its not quite like they see on tv and they run them over on every call.
 
Hi Page 31 small game regs
A person may NOT possess any kind of IR or thermal imaging device while hunting, you cannot have on you in possession or on guns
 
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