As deer seasons come to an end in some regions, hunters are left wondering what to do next. May we suggest hunting coyotes. In many states and regions you can hunt coyotes with the license you may already have in your pocket, or by purchasing an inexpensive license—or possibly without a license being required. And if you need more reasons to end the singing of a song dog, most states have an open season year-round and no limits. Plus, you help many wildlife species when you remove a coyote from the area. Finally, rumor has it that coyote fur prices will be up this winter when compared to past year.
Coyote hunting is a growing area of interest with hunters, and many manufacturers have created new ammunitions, rifles, calls and clothing just to aid coyote hunters in their quests. There are also guides-for-hire to help you find the action and to assist with calling. From Texas to South Dakota and from the Carolinas to California, there’s a coyote behind nearly every bush. The one thing that excites most hunters about this type of hunting is that when you start calling, you become the “hunted.”
As you search for sites to hunt coyotes, don’t overlook state forests and parks that may permit hunting. One such location is the Pere Marquette State Park near Grafton, Illinois. There hunters will find 2,000 acres to explore and hunt. More details are at: http://dnr.state.il.us/Lands/landmgt/parks/R4/Peremarq.htm
If you really like to take on the coyotes, consider becoming a Wildlife Damage Control Agent. North Carolina has certification courses set for March 2013, but you must pre-register. More details are at:
http://www.ncwildlife.org/ProblemWildlife/WildlifeDamageControl/WDCAProgramWorkshop.aspx
The fact is that if the land you currently hunt has deer and turkeys, you can do both species a favor by reducing the local coyote population. And finding another reason to use your camouflage, rifle or shotgun, and other hunting gear just makes great investment sense.