Michigan Hunting Regulations
Night hunting laws vary widely. Please check your state and local hunting laws before hunting at night.
Hunting coyotes at night can be very effective and stimulating at the same time.
Some advantages to night hunting coyotes include:
- The coyotes and other predators are more active at night. They are generally moving in search of prey for their next meal. This can be an advantage when using a distress call.
- The activity human is low and the coyotes are more confident and less cautious and can answer the call with less fear.
- Often the wind is lower in the night what is less likely that a coyote will detect your scent. While still need to address the wind direction.
Now the disadvantages:
- You can not look up at night and the purpose of identification can be difficult.
- There is always a safety issue at night especially if hunting partners.
- Usually, you have to carry more gear such as batteries and lamps to make his move a little more difficult.
- If the light goes out, or the batteries go dead is more than hunting.
- You'll have to call coyotes in much closer because the safety distances are long shot less compared to hunting during the day.
The gear box:
Most hunters will use some type of red light reflected in the retina of the coyote.
While some hunters do not agree, the white light tends to scare off coyotes. The lights can vary from outbreaks of hand and flashlight to the gun and scope mounted light projectors mounted on large vehicles.
If hunting with a rifle I prefer to use a scope mounted light. A light mounted on a rifle in this way allows you to explore the area with light and ready to fire when the time is right. When using a shotgun I prefer to use a head mounted light so that when you look down the barrel I see the coyote and strands of view simultaneously.
The technique:
I prefer to call and shoot from a standing position using a monopod extended. No need to be concerned with positioning itself against a backdrop such as hunting during the day. The Coyotes can not see beyond the source of light.
Remember that your photos have to be pretty close to the target identification and security the position of your stand with that in mind. You still have to use all his skills to hunt during the day when hunting at night.
You want to scan area quickly and keep the beam moves in an effort to catch the eyes of a coyote close as soon as possible. Keep the light during the call. If the eyes are bright spots, Direct the outer edge of the beam or glow in her eyes. You want to give enough light to keep eyes bright. Do not focus the beam in the coyote until it reached when confirming the target and shoot. When the eyes are close enough to identify and shoot the main beam fall on the coyote and shoot. Before moving to his position to take some time and concentrate on the injection site and get a good mental image before attempting to retrieve the coyote. The terrain can be very different at night. If you have a partner, passing back the coyote while the objective of the light at the point of injection.
Night hunting coyotes may be very exciting and productive as long as you do not mind losing a little TV and sleep.
Todd Sullivan (dogbreath) is a diehard coyote hunter and author with over 12 years of coyote hunting experience. He is also the author of a free beginner’s guide to coyote hunting. If you would like to learn more about coyote hunting please visit http://www.FreeCoyoteHuntingGuide.com
Michigan Deer Hunting Season