Rancher has coyotes (4) around calving pens and wants them gone. Advice?

Hellgate

Hellgate

Active member
1 foot of Snow on the ground. Unoccupied ranch buildings (couple of sheds, implement barn, corral, farmhouse) with cattle calving in feeding area with coyotes after twin calves. The coyotes have been seen in the barnyard. What would be the most effective way to shoot the most of them? The coyotes are getting brazen due to the prolonged snow.

Would it be best to put 1 or 2 guys in the buildings and wait and watch for them to show? Try to call nearby a ways from the ranch? Call from the buildings? We have snow camo. Best sounds (fawn bleat)? I want to help the rancher out and not screw up an opportunity. I have friends. Should I call just one or a second as well?
 
I would not over think it to much . last time I shot coyotes coming around coral area and barn and sheds . I just chose the best angle for view and taking a clear shot . then drove the truck out in the pasture and parked next to the tractor and put the rifle in a window bag and waited them out . They will pay little to no attention at all to a cold quiet parked truck or equipment in an AG or farm area . I have shot many coyote setup and waiting next to parked farm equipment, especially at night.
. Shooting them easy part . The hardest part was the area and the right angles with knowing what behind the coyote . I just picked the fastest fastest shooter I had, and that paid off because I threaded the bullet thew the pipe-fence coral for one kill .
.
 
Last edited:
Well the antifreeze idea would land you in prison if caught so don’t listen to that. It’s also pretty messed up because a lot more random animals would drink it. Remember last year or year before the rancher getting hammered for the antifreeze incident because he was getting eagles, coons, coyotes, deer, hawks, rabbits, fox just everything.

I’ve had the same situation and called them in with fawn bleat, doe in distress, and invite howls announcing another coyote on their turf. Set up in the open with the cows lying down on a rise, sat against the fence/ corrals, and I’ve sat in the cover along one of their routes down to the fields.
 
SHOOT EM !SHOOT EM! Set up facing the way they usually come. Can check the tracks going to cover etc. Cows usually stay in a common area when calving. Clear back stop. Start calling, I bet they are very hungry with the weather the way it is. Good luck, will look forward to the pictures.

Rudy
 
Calling around cows, especially ones calving, will get you an immediate audience. Around cow/calf pairs on frozen ground best load the shotguns.
I would play the wind and call just over the "hill" from the cows. I have called coyotes up with calving heifers in the corrals and just set in the pickup in the dark and called them towards a "street light."
I think yote vocals will get you the best results, using distress vocals, especially anything that sounds like a bawling calf and you may have the cows crawling the fences to "come to the rescue."
Another thought is back track them and carpet bomb their approach with snares. That would have to be well away from the cows as well. Foot traps are a no-go, unless you have lots have snow trapping experience.
And to reinforce the antifreeze idea, most of the commercial brands are "embittered" now and animals won't touch it. No coyote would willing drink any type of antifreeze, IMHO. Poisoning is a last resort in any situation, and you bring up poisoning and that ranchers cattle pens and you'll likely be out a hunting spot with a bad report floating around about you.
Finally, while I'm sure the coyotes are very disturbing to the rancher, but in all my years cowboying in WY I have seen numerous coyotes around calving pens. Not once did I witness them chase a calf, they were only after the "cleanings/afterbirth" and avoided the pairs with much caution. I have seen them get a calf out in the pasture that had misplaced his momma.
Good luck and Hope it was some help.
 
If they are getting used to having a food source around, try a coyote Popsicle. Freeze old meat scraps in a five gallon bucket. Make sure they are good and ripe. Then put the popsicle out, making sure to spread some juice around. Wait. You might throw out a call or two. When the coyotes show up, drop them. Repeat as necessary. Won't take long to kill or drive them away. When you leave, take the popsicle with you. Get them used to the popsicle being there during certain times and you will probably find them waiting for you to show up.
 
Some great ideas. Not one method will work to your advantage in every situation or every person.
You have to choose which will work best for you at that site.
Chances are you probably won't get more than two chances right off.
I wouldn't overdo any calling. A good light or thermal about 10 at night would be promising.
Of course I like the meatsicle idea because that can override their cautious nature even more than the cover of darkness.
 
About What Call To Use ??? ...LOL... from past experience lesson learned . NOT using 'calf distress calls ' out in immediate area where there is a lot of calves bedding.

Was out one night in fenced pasture, same area where a calf was ate in the briars, and I did get several coyote over-watching then . Went back weeks latter and setup on quiet night in same fenced pasture on far lower end, and there were a lot of calves bedded in there.
Got the bright idea to hit Calf distress on the call to get some coyotes interested . Hit the call and I immediately feeling the ground rumbling and hooves pounding running down to my area I was set-up . I was scarred pretty good by those PissedOff BIG Calf Heifers pounding ground and coming in, there nothing to screw with at night .
.
 
Throw out a howl, and while waiting, run some rodent squeaks. If no response after 4-5 minutes, try another howl, then into some prey distress calls.
 
I’ll post a hunting report here after all is said and done.
We’ll scout out where the dogs are coming from before trying anything. Thermal is illegal in Orygun for hunting. Any light cast must be 500 ft away from any motorized vehicle. I do have a red light I can mount above the scope on my riflefor night calling.
I appreciate all the hunting tips.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: SoftpointThermal Scope..

Exactly, if you really want to make a Rancher happy and impress him with the results, and if you have the money, invest in Thermal.
 
Originally Posted By: skinneyOriginally Posted By: SoftpointThermal Scope..

Exactly, if you really want to make a Rancher happy and impress him with the results, and if you have the money, invest in Thermal.

If you don't have that kind of jack, might be worth looking into the rental of a thermal scope. I've heard they can be rented for little $$.
 
I wish I could use thermal or other night vision but as I said, unfortunately it is illegal to use for hunting in Orygun. This state is pretty paranoid about spotlighting/poaching which is prevalent.
 
With a foot of snow I doubt if they are venturing too far from their home area. If there are consistently 4, I also doubt that they are 2 pairs, which would lead me to think they are a group of non mating or subordinates. They tend to hang out together this time of year. Assuming those things, I would try and find where their home area is. I would probably sit and listen just before dark or just before sunup for them to howl and if they didn't, I would try to provoke one with a female lone howl. If you can locate where they are staying, you can make a plan to get as close to them as you can without bumping them.
If all this happens to work out and they don't respond to your calls you might try ending with a challenge howl and then fight sounds. They feel strength in numbers.
I wouldn't call anywhere close to cows with newborns, as the negatives far out weigh the positives.
There are a lot of ways to try this, this is just one mans opinion. Good Luck!
 
I appreciate all the advice and afterthoughts. Even if it is a bust it is awelcome change since last deer season we were told to not shoot any coyotes because they had a vole problem and wanted them mousing but now they’re telling us to get the yotes.
 
If a coyote is coming to a specific area regularly, set up and wait for them. Set up in one of the buildings at night, use a red light to locate them and shoot them with a gun mounted red or green light. If they have not played the game before, the green will not bother them. If they have never been spot lighted white light even works.
It is not very hard to get the first one, or even two, after that it gets a bit tougher.

Antifreeze that is sold these days is non-toxic. Not sure when it changed, but it was quite some time ago.
 
Back
Top