I hunted coyotes with a red light in Michigan for 3ish years and I was never able to call one in. I heard them every once in a while but the only thing I saw were deer. Once I moved to a thermal I not only started hearing them way more but I actually have seen them. Now whether I'm able to close the deal is a whole other story...lol. I don't see coyotes in the open very often. I've seen them on paths with tall grass where they have decent cover; not sure what it is but they hardly break cover. I know very few successful coyote hunters in person. Most I've ever seen have been here.
Advantages of lights vs. night vision or thermal.
- Thread starter OKRattler
- Start date
Not everywhere has the same coyote density. If they're not coming to a call I would wait them out. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Time to bait them. Gotta do something.
Spurchaser
Well-known member
Ok now I’m curious, are coyote contests for how many coyotes you can bring in or how many you say you called in? Never really looked into the ins and outs of one. Doubt I’d ever enter one due to trapping and thermal hunting on all my properties.
Sorta also curious about lights and shadows on coyotes. Killed a pile of pigs with a Wicked Light, but never hunted/called coyotes with lights. Shadows don’t seem to bother the hogs, but I could also control the intensity and color of the light.
Sorta also curious about lights and shadows on coyotes. Killed a pile of pigs with a Wicked Light, but never hunted/called coyotes with lights. Shadows don’t seem to bother the hogs, but I could also control the intensity and color of the light.
hunt0168
Well-known member
Never participated in contest hunts. Illegal now in NY anyway. Nothing of interest to me in the least. From reading and listening to podcasts, there are different formats. Most coyotes. First to a certain number of coyotes. Then there’s heaviest, lightest, combined weight, most teeth missing, least amount of legs, etc. 
Joking about a couple of those obviously, but contests can be run in a bunch of different ways.
Coyotes in my area are really light shy. At least they were a few years ago. Maybe now that most guys have switched to thermals and NV, they may have calmed down a little? I’m not going back to lights for any serious coyote hunting. I may do it every now and again just to see what happens? For fun or a little friendly competition between friends. But I don’t ever see me going back to lights to prove it makes me more or less of a coyote caller.
In reality, I think I probably called up just as many with lights as I do with thermal. I just never saw them, or they bolted when they saw the lights. I saw many that turned and burned in my light days. Thermal changed that for me. If that makes me less of a coyote caller somehow, then so be it.
Use what makes you happy, and lets all just get along!
Joking about a couple of those obviously, but contests can be run in a bunch of different ways.
Coyotes in my area are really light shy. At least they were a few years ago. Maybe now that most guys have switched to thermals and NV, they may have calmed down a little? I’m not going back to lights for any serious coyote hunting. I may do it every now and again just to see what happens? For fun or a little friendly competition between friends. But I don’t ever see me going back to lights to prove it makes me more or less of a coyote caller.
In reality, I think I probably called up just as many with lights as I do with thermal. I just never saw them, or they bolted when they saw the lights. I saw many that turned and burned in my light days. Thermal changed that for me. If that makes me less of a coyote caller somehow, then so be it.
Use what makes you happy, and lets all just get along!
As was mentioned there are a few different ways they are done. Either most coyotes or it goes by weight. 3 coyote stringer most commonly. Side pots for heaviest, most, mangiest, smallest,ect. Every one I've entered the animals had to be called in except jackrabbits if they were on the list.
I've seen coyotes start getting really nervous if the lights were bouncing or if they were on the edge of the light. The reason being the more light that's in their eyes they cannot see you at all. If the light is moving around especially on the edge of the beam that's less light in their eyes. Which means they have more ability to see which can cause them to turn and run. That's just my personal take on it and what I've seen happen. You want that light on them from the moment you see their eyes until they're close enough to shoot.
Not to rehash anything but I wasn't trying to sound negative when I talked about killing vs. hunting. I never said I haven't taken targets of opportunity or paid close attention to carcasses of animals in hopes of an easy kill. That wasn't meant to be a slam on anyone because I would be talking trash on myself at the same time. Just so we're clear on that. I wasn't trying to say anyone sucks or bash you or your way of doing things.
But I will say this there is a clear difference or at least in my mind between killing and hunting. I've heard the term "prairie dog hunting" my whole life. Folks......it's prairie dog shooting. I've done more than my fair share of it as well. Maybe I'm just splitting hairs but there is definitely a difference. One is no better than the other I was just stating that. It was never meant as an attack on anyone. I apologize if it seems as though it was. I'm not slamming anyone for how they shoot a coyote.
I only have a problem with it when I'm in a calling contest and there is more killing going on than calling. If it was a free for all and it was a killing contest I ain't gonna lie I'd be dropping coyotes off dead cows. Hell I ain't no angel I'd be stacking them up any way possible. I wasn't trying to sound like goodie two shoes over here. I can assure you I ain't.
Don't take anything I said as a personal insult. I don't have a problem with anyone. I have no reason to. You don't know me and I don't know you so why would I judge you? I'm not a dickhead in real life. Although this post may have made it seem as though I am. And I don't aim to have people on the other side of the United States or other side of the world for that matter thinking I am. I just ain't like that.
But I will say this there is a clear difference or at least in my mind between killing and hunting. I've heard the term "prairie dog hunting" my whole life. Folks......it's prairie dog shooting. I've done more than my fair share of it as well. Maybe I'm just splitting hairs but there is definitely a difference. One is no better than the other I was just stating that. It was never meant as an attack on anyone. I apologize if it seems as though it was. I'm not slamming anyone for how they shoot a coyote.
I only have a problem with it when I'm in a calling contest and there is more killing going on than calling. If it was a free for all and it was a killing contest I ain't gonna lie I'd be dropping coyotes off dead cows. Hell I ain't no angel I'd be stacking them up any way possible. I wasn't trying to sound like goodie two shoes over here. I can assure you I ain't.
Don't take anything I said as a personal insult. I don't have a problem with anyone. I have no reason to. You don't know me and I don't know you so why would I judge you? I'm not a dickhead in real life. Although this post may have made it seem as though I am. And I don't aim to have people on the other side of the United States or other side of the world for that matter thinking I am. I just ain't like that.
Last edited:
bohunr
Well-known member
here in PA using red lights in some fields close to roads just lets everybody driving by that someone is out there shining a light around. they usually slow down and try to see what you see. this often spooks coyotes and ruins your set up. with NV or thermal, that doesnt happen.
no one knows where you are as you are not announcing your presence by using a light.
not only that but using a thermal has allowed me to spot coyotes coming to the call when i'm almost ready to leave. that alone has allowed for more kills. i have also spotted coyotes that were coming in but for reasons known only to them, they stopped and waited for awhile before deciding to come to the call. i wouldnt even know they were there with a red light.
no one knows where you are as you are not announcing your presence by using a light.
not only that but using a thermal has allowed me to spot coyotes coming to the call when i'm almost ready to leave. that alone has allowed for more kills. i have also spotted coyotes that were coming in but for reasons known only to them, they stopped and waited for awhile before deciding to come to the call. i wouldnt even know they were there with a red light.
That does make sense to me for sure. Definitely a positive for the thermal. Or even Night Vision if that's the route someone chooses.
Predator hunters are much like fisherman. They don't want people knowing their spots. So if you can slip in and slip out undetected by animals and humans alike, that's probably for the best. I can't blame a person for that. I have those spots as well. People may know about 'em but if I don't know that they know I feel better about it.
On a different note lets go back to hogs. I haven't had but maybe a few instances where I was successful using a light to shoot feral pigs. There have been a few instances where they seemed confused by a light and other times they saw a light come on and scattered in every direction immediately.
That's where I would take thermal over lights. A lot of the feral hogs I've seen just really didn't like lights for some reason whether it was the color of the light or what I honestly couldn't tell you.
I haven't used night vision for anything other than spotting them in fields and that worked just fine. So I'm in favor of thermal and night vision for killing hogs. But there's certainly guys on here that have had way more experience with shining lights on hogs than I have got so my opinion doesn't hold a lot of weight on that subject. I did it a few times and sort of stopped after having negative results.
I have heard green lights are the best thing for shining on hogs. For some reason it's supposedly less likely to scare them. I never tested that theory so maybe someone will come along and confirm this or tell us it's not true. I would be interested to know. I don't recall ever seeing a green light on a group of pigs.
That's where I would take thermal over lights. A lot of the feral hogs I've seen just really didn't like lights for some reason whether it was the color of the light or what I honestly couldn't tell you.
I haven't used night vision for anything other than spotting them in fields and that worked just fine. So I'm in favor of thermal and night vision for killing hogs. But there's certainly guys on here that have had way more experience with shining lights on hogs than I have got so my opinion doesn't hold a lot of weight on that subject. I did it a few times and sort of stopped after having negative results.
I have heard green lights are the best thing for shining on hogs. For some reason it's supposedly less likely to scare them. I never tested that theory so maybe someone will come along and confirm this or tell us it's not true. I would be interested to know. I don't recall ever seeing a green light on a group of pigs.
Last edited:
You know the main problem is that I don't own any land. I would have to get permission from the land owner and get a blind. I figure I would need to wait them out. There was a buddy of mine that tried bating, before he left the state and he was never able to get coyotes to hit his road kill bait. Maybe just did it wrong. No idea.
That's a big part of the battle bubba. Start knocking on farmers and ranchers doors, introduce yourself and ask if they'd care if you can hunt coyotes. The worst thing they can say is no. If they say no just say okay no problem. Have a nice day. Keep hitting those doors and get some yes answers. Gotta have that ground to hunt on. That's a big part of this whole deal we got going on here.
You can't lose anything from askin. Just a few minutes is all. But you might gain you some good huntin ground. Then it's up to you to show off the kills to the landowner. It's smooth sailing from there.
The way I see it is if you don't ask, someone else will. If anyone's gonna get to hunt that ground I figure it may as well be you. Coyote huntin to me is kind of a numbers game. The more spots you got to hunt, the higher probability that you'll get one.
Last edited:
hunt0168
Well-known member
I think this might be where your initial post ruffled some feathers OKR. I really don’t think it’s a big deal personally. I also know the written word is easily misinterpreted at times.
Pretty common knowledge there. Problem is, here, in my neck of the woods, the first time you see a coyote, they’re usually well within shooting range. They have a bead on you before you scan onto them with the lights when you light them up at close range, they tend to turn inside out! Lol… Best success with lights were always the larger fields where you could track them all the way in.
DoubleLungRage
Well-known member
I think that a lot of people don't realize just how different the terrain here in the US varies. Just here in SC it goes from low flooded swamps to rolling hills, to mountains. The soil goes from hard red clay to sand to no soil at all. You may have a 100ac flat field then as soon as you step into the wood line it drops 40ft.
With that said...
Not everyone is going to hunt the same. As long as it's legal and not something that puts a bad eye on the sport in a whole..... Just go out, have fun, and let our neighbors do the same.
wolverines
Active member
This is definitely the trend in MI. Farmers have keyed in on making money off hunting leases on their property. Problem is, these guys aren't shooting many deer, if any at all, waiting on a "big" buck. Farmers want deer dead (turkeys too for that matter) bottom line. So the next step is to stop allowing coyote hunting. If the hunter won't kill the deer, then the coyote will. It sucks. I just learned that the owners of several spots I've hunted in the past has stopped allowing coyote hunting on their ground.
DoubleLungRage
Well-known member
A lot of farmers here. If they see you let a doe walk they will take the lease from you.
It's kinda getting that way in Oklahoma as well. My brother lives down by Oklahoma City and he loves coyote huntin. Runs into a lot of guys that have really good ground but they don't let him hunt on it. The reason being is people pay to hunt deer on their land. Even though he tells him he shoots suppressed they still won't have it. They don't want anything scaring the deer.
Which doesn't make sense to me because coyotes eat fawns. I'm not sure what the thought process is there.
Spurchaser
Well-known member
Thanks for clarifying your post.
Yeah, I understand where you’re coming from. I “hunt” a particular buck when deer hunting. I “shoot” does for meat and management purposes. I’m quick to tell folks that too. If I invite someone, it’s to come “shoot” does, no hunting involved, lol.
As far as lights and hogs, I had bait sites with cell cameras. When the camera goes off I show up. I’d HAVE to approach from downwind of course, and ease in until I could smell them or hear them crunching corn. I had a rheostat switch for my Wicked Light and would use red or green, mainly green. I would start dim and slowly increase the intensity. I have actually gotten way too close by just listening. I mean close enough I could’ve probably used a knife after clicking the light on. A single hog is ok, but if you have a good sized sounder those pigs are scattering like crazy at the first shot. Pigs running into you at night is not exactly something you want happening. Most of my areas were thicker areas where I was baiting too. I now bait more open areas with my approach giving me the “high ground” for multiple shot opportunities with thermal.
Yeah, I understand where you’re coming from. I “hunt” a particular buck when deer hunting. I “shoot” does for meat and management purposes. I’m quick to tell folks that too. If I invite someone, it’s to come “shoot” does, no hunting involved, lol.
As far as lights and hogs, I had bait sites with cell cameras. When the camera goes off I show up. I’d HAVE to approach from downwind of course, and ease in until I could smell them or hear them crunching corn. I had a rheostat switch for my Wicked Light and would use red or green, mainly green. I would start dim and slowly increase the intensity. I have actually gotten way too close by just listening. I mean close enough I could’ve probably used a knife after clicking the light on. A single hog is ok, but if you have a good sized sounder those pigs are scattering like crazy at the first shot. Pigs running into you at night is not exactly something you want happening. Most of my areas were thicker areas where I was baiting too. I now bait more open areas with my approach giving me the “high ground” for multiple shot opportunities with thermal.
DoubleLungRage
Well-known member
Flicking the light off and on really fast works for me when I am bow hunting hogs at night. At first they will be jumpy, but usually after 5-6 times they will settle. So then I draw, get anchored and as soon as I flick the light on I release the arrow.