Hunting roads, power lines, and trails in thick cover

Atchman2

Atchman2

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TeamRoper and I went to a new farm this morning. The guy raises Alpacas for their wool. The only real clear spots are near his house. The other areas are mostly roads, trails, and powerlines in some of the thickest cover I've ever experienced anywhere! The bad thing is the cover is mostly blackberry bushes so you can't just bust through it unless you want to get cut to ribbons.
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The guy is pretty sure he has a large coyote population and I'm guessing he may be right. So can you call those super thick areas? I was pondering placing my electronic caller and mojo critter down on the bushog trail that runs around the place. Is it even worth it or should I just stick to the few clear areas?
 
Its perdy thick here in south Arkansas too. One thing about it, if you can't see them runnin in, you sure as heck can't shoot em. I'd try to find a long, wide trail.

-Dave
 
We hunt bush hog trails like that all the time, sit close to your caller and get the scatter gun out. Start calling super quiet be cause I assure they are much closer than you think.
 
I wish I had taken some pictures this morning. The next time I go ever there I'll get some footage.

I haven't tried my "gun camera" on a "real" gun yet. It is a small HD video camera that I normally mount on my air guns to get footage. I'll give it a try when I'm shooting later today. I doubt my .223 recoils any more than my air guns do. Now I'm guessing it would get destroyed on my shotgun!
 
Coyotes will use those trails through that kind of prickly cover to travel just like people do. It shouldn't be hard to find tracks, scent pee post, and scat to determine if he has a good population of coyotes. If you can find a trail that has tracks going both ways and scat of different ages, some old, some fresher, that is your trail to set up on. Think about where the trail goes and comes from and what is in between – critical to knowing where the coyote will be WHEN YOU WILL BE THERE.

Once you figure out where the coyotes are most likely to be when you will be there to hunt them, get quietly within a couple hundred yards, get the wind direction right, and set up about 30- 35 yards from a bend or hump that an oncoming coyote can’t see around or over to view the caller. That way the coyote will certainly be in range before he can check up to look things over or start to swing downwind. Bring a well patterned shotgun, if you can sit a few yards off the trail that is an advantage, if not you must be absolutely motionless. Be prepared with gun up on knee and gun butt to the shoulder in a shooting position and mentally ready to see a coyote pop into view at any second.

I begin calling at low-medium volume and call steadily and excitedly. I want that coyote jazzed up and running into the call. When he bust around the bend or over the hump lay the bead on his head, flick off the safety and follow him with the barrel, then press the trigger. Look immediately behind that one for another one peeking around/over the bend or hump that may check up at the shot. Coyotes are social, don’t be surprised if another is there or comes within the next couple of minutes. Keep calling until you’ve finished the stand – 20 minutes or so. It is a recipe that flat out works…
 
We came upon one this morning caught in a snare. It wasn't very big likely a pup. Since there are pups around I can only assume mommy and daddy are around too.
 
It's thick around here also, not much room for stretchin out a rifle at all, if you have access to a farm you mite have room to use a rifle.

I'm thinkin on buy'n a good shotgun for just this reason, I'm kinda wantin a turkey gun that shoots 3 1/2 inch shells anyway, something for double duty rite. (any excuse for a new gun )
 
You should try GC`s method . If the trails run together or the roads come together might be a good place to start. How does the land look? Is it flat or rolling.
 
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It is hilly! My old body was huffing and puffing after walking it! However it was over 80 degrees and the humidity was horrible.

I'm going to give it a rest for a week down there. We walked most of the property but didn't really call it.
 
BTW I was hunting with a shotgun. I didn't even bring my rifle! It is a Berreta Silver Mallard with the Full Choke insert shooting HeviShot Dead Coyote.
 
Setup with the wind on your back and put the caller 50 to 75 yards behind you.Try to setup off to the side of the rosd where theres a curve in the road
 
I'm not sure wind is an issue here in TN. Early in the morning here it is usually dead calm. That is why the heat and humidity are so oppresive.

Thanks for the hints guys! I'll be armed with that information the next time I go back there. I'm going to scout some other areas nearby too that are a little more open. Maybe I can call them out of this cover and into them where I can see them a bit better.

Last night I went near a place where my wife saw one at night. It is has an almost sheer bluff on one side and is heavily wooded down the hill to the lake. I climbed along the bluff as high as I could but it is so overgrown with briar and ever species of spikey tree and bush you can find. I sat the call near where a couple of game trails meet and called for awhile. I didn't see anything, but I was happy with the approach and where I setup.

There are lots of big rock outcroppings near the top of that hill and I was hoping that the coyotes were using them for cover. I tried a low volume cottontail distress for awhile before switching over to pup distress.

I may go out to hunt my friend Jim's 50 acres tonight. They just cut the hay out there and I've spotted coyotes on my game camera out there. It IS Father's Day so I should get to do what I want right? Right? Oh well.
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Originally Posted By: NightfoxSetup with the wind on your back and put the caller 50 to 75 yards behind you.Try to setup off to the side of the rosd where theres a curve in the road

That is absolutely the WRONG thing to do!!!...NEVER setup with the wind on your back especially in a thicket....If the wind is blowing from your backside in that particular area then go somewhere else and hunt and hit that place when the wind is right...Power lines are some of the best hunting that there is to hunt...Do what GC said and you will have no problems scoring on a coyote...

Chad
 
I also hunt thick woods ... it tough.. at night some spots you cant see more then 10-15 yards.. you can see some of the terrain on google earth ..
 
I'm with you John, but this is a predator control hunt. The farmer has asked us to come in and try and get rid of the coyotes because of his livestock.

I found this hunting place by posting predator control on Craig's List in the farm and ranch section.
 
Originally Posted By: Chad WalkOriginally Posted By: NightfoxSetup with the wind on your back and put the caller 50 to 75 yards behind you.Try to setup off to the side of the rosd where theres a curve in the road

That is absolutely the WRONG thing to do!!!...NEVER setup with the wind on your back especially in a thicket....If the wind is blowing from your backside in that particular area then go somewhere else and hunt and hit that place when the wind is right...Power lines are some of the best hunting that there is to hunt...Do what GC said and you will have no problems scoring on a coyote...

Chad

Ever try it?
 
I have tried with a crosswind thinking that with the caller behind me perhaps a yote will come down the road wit hopes he would be in range before I lost sight of him. It may work with the wind at your face.
 
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