Adam Scepaniak 02.28.25
Coyote hunting is a pastime and winter season that many of us participate in because it can break up the doldrums of winter, get us outside, and it provides many benefits to the shooter as well as your local wild game populations. The only tricky part is that coyotes can be quite nocturnal. While they are not exclusively nocturnal, coyotes are most active at night during the winter months. So, how do we become “one with the night” to successfully hunt and tag them? That is the question we shall answer for you along with some field-tested tactics and wisdom we have collected over the years. Let’s dive in!
Coyote Hunting Coverage on AllOutdoor
A New Paradigm of Safety
When it comes to hunting coyotes at night this sparks a conversation about safety that is more important than ever. Firearm safety is always paramount, but when its dark outside you need to take even more considerations so the shooters, other hunters, and even your neighbors are safe as well. While if you own a firearm you should know the 4 Rules of Firearm Safety, they are always worth reiterating:
- Point the gun in a safe direction: Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, especially when loading or unloading the gun.
- Treat every gun as if it’s loaded: Always assume a gun is loaded, even if you think it isn’t.
- Keep your finger off the trigger: Don’t touch the trigger until you’re ready to shoot.
- Be sure of your target: Know what’s beyond your target and make sure you have an adequate backstop.
Positively identifying your target and knowing what’s beyond it are supremely important – and vastly more difficult – at night. You don’t want to mistake a coyote for the neighbor’s dog… or, shoot a cow behind your target… or, hit someone’s house while they’re sleeping. All of these examples sound silly (if it were daylight outside), but at night it is easy for these mistakes to happen if you are not vigilant in being careful and safe. An additional precaution you can take is to hunt, visit, or know a parcel during the day before you attempt to hunt it at night.
Equipment – Coyote Hunting at Night
If you want to own the night, one of the greatest cheat codes you can deploy is thermal. Whether that is a thermal riflescope, thermal monocular, or both. If you’re wondering: “What about night vision? Isn’t that just as good?” For hunting coyotes – or, any game animal legally at night – thermal is flatly better, and we’ll explain why.
Imagine a coyote sitting next to a similarly colored bush in the dark roughly 100 yards away. With our own vision at night, we wouldn’t be able to see that coyote. Now, if you could deploy night vision goggles or a riflescope, could you then see this coyote? Probably not. Night vision allows the night time to appear like day, but it doesn’t enhance the appearance of animals in any way. A naturally camouflaged coyote hiding by a bush will remain mostly hidden to you while using night vision. Now, in this scenario, let’s deploy a thermal riflescope or monocular. Can we see the coyote now? Yes! It will stick out like a sore thumb. No amount of God given camouflage can make the thermal signature of a coyote disappear. Even in heavy brush, a coyote will be “blazing” in appearance to a thermal and they cannot hide. THAT is why thermal is superior to night vision for the purpose of hunting.
Why Hunt at Night?
There are a lot of advantages to hunting at night. You have the advantage of being able to hide more easily from coyotes, they’re more active (thus, greater likelihood of harvesting coyotes), and there are a plethora of benefits to you.
Coyote Hunting Benefits to your Ranch
- Curb Predators – With less predators on your property, all of the other animals in your ecosystem thrive: better whitetail deer population, more wild turkeys, greater likelihood of small game like rabbits, squirrels, and grouse.
- Safer Livestock and Animals – One of the greatest nuisances and dilemmas for ranchers and farmers alike is maintaining a safe property for all of their livestock. If you can have firm coyote control, then everything is more safe and likely to thrive during some of the coldest months of the year (and it is more peace of mind for you as well).
- Better Knowledge of Animals and their Patterns – If you are hunting, coming and going, spending more hours on your property, and are outside during different seasons, you will gain a much richer understanding of the animal movements and patterns around. When game animals are active, when they’re quiet, and you might even spot a new species or two you didn’t realize were around.
Coyote Hunting Benefits to You
- Gear Check – You never fully know what your gear is made of unless you push it to the limits (the same can be said of ourselves). So, if you are going out hunting in some of the worst/most difficult weather of the year, you will be intimately aware of just where your gear stands in quality, durability, and reliability.
- Shooting Proficiency Stays Up – For the vast majority of gun owners, once the weather turns a tiny bit inclement, we are very fickle-like and run indoors to not come out again until spring. With our shooting abilities being a perishable skill, that means by the time spring arrives, we are rusty; we are behind where we could or should be. By hunting and shooting all winter, you are not only maintaining your shooting abilities, but also (potentially) improving them, too.
- More Active in Commonly Sedentary Months – When most people are adding a few extra, unnecessary pounds, you might be active enough where you’re maintaining your stellar physique or improving it (just like your shooting prowess).
Parting Shots
So, if you are looking to go coyote hunting at night for the very first time, remember to be safe, give thermal a try (or borrow some from a friend), and don’t fear the dark. It can help whitetail deer populations, protect your livestock, make you a better shooter, and a host of other benefits as well. You’re not only protecting “yours” – livestock, pets, etc – but your local wildlife will thank you as well. As always, let us know all of your thoughts about coyote hunting in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
Trending Products
