What do some of you consider the “off season”?
- Thread starter R. Toker
- Start date
Softpoint
Active member
I was a fur hunter but now plan on hunting year around. I will not hunt some areas but my bobcat trapping, turkey and deer hunting areas will be hit.
Due to my current physical limitations hunting in warmer conditions will allow me more access to coyotes off the beaten path.
Due to my current physical limitations hunting in warmer conditions will allow me more access to coyotes off the beaten path.
This question always seems to come up about once a year, usually in the spring or summer months and it always brings debates.
I personally don't hunt during the pup raising period from late March when they are picking their dens and getting ready to have pups until fall when the pups are self sufficient and the crops are picked. I actually love coyote hunting and want as many pups that's born to make it to maturity. Calling and tricking mature coyotes is very challenging, killing dumb immature pups is not very sporting IMO. I enjoy the challenge of smart mature coyotes. Unless there is a VERY particular circumstance of legitimate problem coyotes to livestock or pets or obvious overpopulation I let them be until fall. People can debate that all coyotes are "problems" because they do eat livestock, fawns, rabbits, turkeys, upland birds but the reality is about 80% of a coyotes diet is mice and voles in the midwest so people can form their own opinions in multiple ways.
Admittedly there is just something that really bothers me about killing a mother coyote knowing the pups will die an agonizing death without her from dehydration and starvation. Even though I live in a state where its legal all year I just don't hunt them all year because of my personal moral beliefs. That doesn't make me right or a person who hunts all year long for sport wrong.
It gets STUPID hot, humid and mosquito infested here as well in the late spring, summer, early fall and thats enough to make me tap!
I personally don't hunt during the pup raising period from late March when they are picking their dens and getting ready to have pups until fall when the pups are self sufficient and the crops are picked. I actually love coyote hunting and want as many pups that's born to make it to maturity. Calling and tricking mature coyotes is very challenging, killing dumb immature pups is not very sporting IMO. I enjoy the challenge of smart mature coyotes. Unless there is a VERY particular circumstance of legitimate problem coyotes to livestock or pets or obvious overpopulation I let them be until fall. People can debate that all coyotes are "problems" because they do eat livestock, fawns, rabbits, turkeys, upland birds but the reality is about 80% of a coyotes diet is mice and voles in the midwest so people can form their own opinions in multiple ways.
Admittedly there is just something that really bothers me about killing a mother coyote knowing the pups will die an agonizing death without her from dehydration and starvation. Even though I live in a state where its legal all year I just don't hunt them all year because of my personal moral beliefs. That doesn't make me right or a person who hunts all year long for sport wrong.
It gets STUPID hot, humid and mosquito infested here as well in the late spring, summer, early fall and thats enough to make me tap!
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I dick with them most of the year. Don’t hunt often from June through early August but do go out. I had a quest to kill one each month of the year in 22 and did. Only killed one in both April and May which are months l normally leave them alone except when a farmer calls with a problem.
6mm06
Well-known member
Originally Posted By: Kino MI personally don't hunt during the pup raising period from late March when they are picking their dens and getting ready to have pups until fall when the pups are self sufficient…….Admittedly there is just something that really bothers me about killing a mother coyote knowing the pups will die an agonizing death without her from dehydration and starvation. Even though I live in a state where its legal all year I just don't hunt them all year because of my personal moral beliefs. That doesn't make me right or a person who hunts all year long for sport wrong.
Those thoughts express mine exactly. That’s the way I do it too. Again, not saying I am right and others wrong. Just saying.
Softpoint
Active member
What about the mice and vole's babies when the coyote kills them? Same fate?
The closer wild creatures resemble us in size, behaviors and looks the more compassion and empathy we show them. If you show more compassion towards a coyote than a mouse it has to do with your fear of pain and death not theirs.
They did psych tests years ago on unknowing people and found a direct correlation to this.
Coyotes have no moral compass only hungry stomachs. The wilds show no mercy.
In the Cascades and shrub-step areas coyotes couldn't survive on mice and voles. With high coyote prices small game flourished including turkeys from what I've seen.
The closer wild creatures resemble us in size, behaviors and looks the more compassion and empathy we show them. If you show more compassion towards a coyote than a mouse it has to do with your fear of pain and death not theirs.
They did psych tests years ago on unknowing people and found a direct correlation to this.
Coyotes have no moral compass only hungry stomachs. The wilds show no mercy.
In the Cascades and shrub-step areas coyotes couldn't survive on mice and voles. With high coyote prices small game flourished including turkeys from what I've seen.
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weekender
Well-known member
Originally Posted By: Kino MThis question always seems to come up about once a year, usually in the spring or summer months and it always brings debates.
I personally don't hunt during the pup raising period from late March when they are picking their dens and getting ready to have pups until fall when the pups are self sufficient and the crops are picked. I actually love coyote hunting and want as many pups that's born to make it to maturity. Calling and tricking mature coyotes is very challenging, killing dumb immature pups is not very sporting IMO. I enjoy the challenge of smart mature coyotes. Unless there is a VERY particular circumstance of legitimate problem coyotes to livestock or pets or obvious overpopulation I let them be until fall. People can debate that all coyotes are "problems" because they do eat livestock, fawns, rabbits, turkeys, upland birds but the reality is about 80% of a coyotes diet is mice and voles in the midwest so people can form their own opinions in multiple ways.
Admittedly there is just something that really bothers me about killing a mother coyote knowing the pups will die an agonizing death without her from dehydration and starvation. Even though I live in a state where its legal all year I just don't hunt them all year because of my personal moral beliefs. That doesn't make me right or a person who hunts all year long for sport wrong.
It gets STUPID hot, humid and mosquito infested here as well in the late spring, summer, early fall and thats enough to make me tap!
The SCDNR has stated that coyotes kill up to 80% of the fawns in some areas of SC.
I usually stop late March when turkey season comes in and don't start back until about November.
I personally don't hunt during the pup raising period from late March when they are picking their dens and getting ready to have pups until fall when the pups are self sufficient and the crops are picked. I actually love coyote hunting and want as many pups that's born to make it to maturity. Calling and tricking mature coyotes is very challenging, killing dumb immature pups is not very sporting IMO. I enjoy the challenge of smart mature coyotes. Unless there is a VERY particular circumstance of legitimate problem coyotes to livestock or pets or obvious overpopulation I let them be until fall. People can debate that all coyotes are "problems" because they do eat livestock, fawns, rabbits, turkeys, upland birds but the reality is about 80% of a coyotes diet is mice and voles in the midwest so people can form their own opinions in multiple ways.
Admittedly there is just something that really bothers me about killing a mother coyote knowing the pups will die an agonizing death without her from dehydration and starvation. Even though I live in a state where its legal all year I just don't hunt them all year because of my personal moral beliefs. That doesn't make me right or a person who hunts all year long for sport wrong.
It gets STUPID hot, humid and mosquito infested here as well in the late spring, summer, early fall and thats enough to make me tap!
The SCDNR has stated that coyotes kill up to 80% of the fawns in some areas of SC.
I usually stop late March when turkey season comes in and don't start back until about November.
DoubleUp
Well-known member
We hunt all year because we do a lot of control work for deer clubs and duck clubs and they want coyotes dead. The weather is so hot here that we hardly ever go in June, July, and August but we normally go a few times during those months if we get some cooling weather which is most likely after mid-August.
Maybe we're just fortunate but in 12 years I think we've only shot two nursing females, and yes I felt bad about both of those. Truth is out there in nature it's an eat or be eaten situation most of the time.
Maybe we're just fortunate but in 12 years I think we've only shot two nursing females, and yes I felt bad about both of those. Truth is out there in nature it's an eat or be eaten situation most of the time.
Weekender I would believe thats true, especially in swampy areas that flood regularly, and big timber, those areas don't typically have an abundance of mice, and they don't usually have high numbers of coyotes either. Those areas they are forced to find alternate food.
Here in the midwest the vast majority is crop ground with fencerows and small woodlots. That holds tons of mice and the majority of our coyotes, contrary to our big wooded areas, ground thats flooded or sections of fields thats been plowed under by farmers (which kills most of the mice). By the time spring rolls around, the mice have replenished so the coyotes have plenty to eat other than fawns.
Farming practices are much different in the west, they don't typically plow fields immediately after harvest like in the midwest. This practice combined with grassy areas and brushy coulees are PRIME for not just coyotes but also mice and other small rodents and birds. That allows for a constant food source year round other than fawns and livestock.
In the desert areas I hunt, there are tons of kangaroo mice that is a year round food source.
I'm going to through you new guys a huge bone, when your scanning for coyotes you also need to be looking for mice in your hunting areas, if your not seeing them regularly I'll bet money your not killing many coyotes in that area. I pay extremely close attention to that and specifically target those areas.
Here in the midwest the vast majority is crop ground with fencerows and small woodlots. That holds tons of mice and the majority of our coyotes, contrary to our big wooded areas, ground thats flooded or sections of fields thats been plowed under by farmers (which kills most of the mice). By the time spring rolls around, the mice have replenished so the coyotes have plenty to eat other than fawns.
Farming practices are much different in the west, they don't typically plow fields immediately after harvest like in the midwest. This practice combined with grassy areas and brushy coulees are PRIME for not just coyotes but also mice and other small rodents and birds. That allows for a constant food source year round other than fawns and livestock.
In the desert areas I hunt, there are tons of kangaroo mice that is a year round food source.
I'm going to through you new guys a huge bone, when your scanning for coyotes you also need to be looking for mice in your hunting areas, if your not seeing them regularly I'll bet money your not killing many coyotes in that area. I pay extremely close attention to that and specifically target those areas.
From now until November. I give them time to restock for next year. I ain't trying to eradicate them in areas I hunt. If I was a deer hunter or rancher I'd think differently probably but I ain't. I look at coyotes as a renewable resource and a way to make money. Less coyotes equals less money. Whether you're a contest hunter or a fur hunter.
DoubleUp
Well-known member
Kino, I agree with your "tip" on food sources. We also have a lot of farmland here and I have seen it repeatedly the fields which show large numbers of mice and rats running around have most of the coyotes. Farmers here are plowing most of those fields under right now and will be planting shortly.
OkRattler, also agree with you. When I first started I had no mercy on them and wanted to kill them all. I came to enjoy the "challenge" so much as I gained appreciation for their craftiness that I would never want to eradicate them. So, we try to kill enough to keep those who allow us to hunt their farms, and clubs "satisfied." Not all crop farmers want them killed here. Some think they help control the deer population in their fields, so they are willing to put up with the damage they do digging holes in the fields. I suspect they do considerable eating of fawns when they fall, but most of the adult deer they kill are either sick, injured, or roadkill I think.
OkRattler, also agree with you. When I first started I had no mercy on them and wanted to kill them all. I came to enjoy the "challenge" so much as I gained appreciation for their craftiness that I would never want to eradicate them. So, we try to kill enough to keep those who allow us to hunt their farms, and clubs "satisfied." Not all crop farmers want them killed here. Some think they help control the deer population in their fields, so they are willing to put up with the damage they do digging holes in the fields. I suspect they do considerable eating of fawns when they fall, but most of the adult deer they kill are either sick, injured, or roadkill I think.
I understand why some people do it, no judgement there. For me personally it's one of those deals where I get even less time to hunt now days. The way I see it is those pups being raised up in the Summer will be fresh ears come next season. Whether it's for a contest or calling them in for a fur check I want as many dumb ones as I can get. I want to stack them up when I can. It's rewarding to call in an old warrior coyote that's been out there forever. But I've had my struggles as a predator hunter, as we all have. And I still do. I want those son of a guns running over the call. And those youngins will do it. That makes winning 1st place in a contest more doable or putting a few more pelts on the pile to take to the fur buyer that much easier. I'm all about it.
There's plenty of hard to kill coyotes to go around. Give me them easy ones.
There's plenty of hard to kill coyotes to go around. Give me them easy ones.
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limbhanger10
Well-known member
We hunt and kill them year round...I hunt 2 states that allow year round hunting and 1 state that has a season.
There are times when the crop cycles(plowing, disking, planting, growth height and hay/oat/wheat cutting) work great and give us opportunities on a weekly basis...other times we may go a couple/few weeks waiting for a hayfield cut..but most landowners are in contact with us should they hear, see coyotes or when they are scheduling cuts.
Here...It comes down to the landowners wanting them killed... and they don't give a flying flip what is going on in the coyotes "personal" life...breeding..pups...taking scraps to den. They don't care. They want them dead and if we aren't up for the task....they'll look elsewhere. I personally won't give up the spots we have because of it...and I know my hunting partner won't either. Some owners have cows, cattle, sheep, goats, fowl or pets. If an owner calls me in May and says he has a yote harassing his small dogs every day I sure as heck not going to tell him to get a bigger dog and hang up...
I could hear some of the more candid landowners now if I said I won't hunt them during pup time if they called me and said I won't do it==" Hey coyote guy..next time your around stop in...I have a box for you...a box of tampons to stick in your....."
Well you get the picture.
..as far as pups and them being "dumb"...during the summer or early fall...... We've found that pups are more "cautious" than anything LOL.
Comes down to some coyotes are "smart"...and some are "dumb", and some just aren't interested....and do the things coyotes do.
To each his own and I respect others opinions on the matter. And in a way wouldn't mind a season issued break..but I love coyote hunting.
It's a very competitive environment this way and is getting more difficult not to be interrupted by others.
There are times when the crop cycles(plowing, disking, planting, growth height and hay/oat/wheat cutting) work great and give us opportunities on a weekly basis...other times we may go a couple/few weeks waiting for a hayfield cut..but most landowners are in contact with us should they hear, see coyotes or when they are scheduling cuts.
Here...It comes down to the landowners wanting them killed... and they don't give a flying flip what is going on in the coyotes "personal" life...breeding..pups...taking scraps to den. They don't care. They want them dead and if we aren't up for the task....they'll look elsewhere. I personally won't give up the spots we have because of it...and I know my hunting partner won't either. Some owners have cows, cattle, sheep, goats, fowl or pets. If an owner calls me in May and says he has a yote harassing his small dogs every day I sure as heck not going to tell him to get a bigger dog and hang up...
I could hear some of the more candid landowners now if I said I won't hunt them during pup time if they called me and said I won't do it==" Hey coyote guy..next time your around stop in...I have a box for you...a box of tampons to stick in your....."
Well you get the picture.
..as far as pups and them being "dumb"...during the summer or early fall...... We've found that pups are more "cautious" than anything LOL.
Comes down to some coyotes are "smart"...and some are "dumb", and some just aren't interested....and do the things coyotes do.
To each his own and I respect others opinions on the matter. And in a way wouldn't mind a season issued break..but I love coyote hunting.
It's a very competitive environment this way and is getting more difficult not to be interrupted by others.
TPC
New member
This is my take of “off season” My coyote hunting season is from April to April. I usually stop hunting coyotes around February do to work but that late winter early spring transition can be tough! I call it a transition period because they are usually done mating by end of February and thinking about the denning process. A female coyotes gestation period is 60 days or so. In my area I’ve seen pups running around in mid to end of April. I believe that the birthing period is like a reset for them. I consider end of February to mid April “off season”, just because they are tougher to call and they have there minds on other things. I’m not saying you can’t kill um, it’s just a period of time that I don’t bother with because I’d rether wait til spring when there easier to call, hints the reset I was talking about.
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Originally Posted By: TPCThis is my take of “off season” My coyote hunting season is from April to April. I usually stop hunting coyotes around February do to work but that late winter early spring transition can be tough! I call it a transition period because they are usually done mating by end of February and thinking about the denning process. A female coyotes gestation period is 60 days or so. In my area Ive seen pups running around in mid to end of April. I believe that the birthing period is like a reset for them. I consider end of February to mid April “off season”, just because they are tougher to call and they have there minds on other things. I’m not saying you can’t kill um, it’s just a period of time that I don’t bother with because I’d rether wait til spring when there easier to call, hints the reset I was talking about.
Welcome to the forum TPC!
Welcome to the forum TPC!