Sunny and bright coyote calling
My favorite weather for calling coyotes is cool and overcast with a light but steady wind. Unfortunately, the perfect weather is usually the exception rather than the rule. I’ll talk about other weather conditions in future posts, for now, I’ll address bright sunshine.
Sunny days offer some benefits and some challenges. One challenge is the heat. In my experience, most wildlife is more tolerant of cold than heat. Once temperatures approach 70 degrees, coyotes seem to be less willing to travel longer distances. I usually start coyote hunting in August, a very warm month in southern Utah. This time of the year I hit it hard for the first three or four hours in the morning and then use the warmer hours for scouting or just chilling around camp. If the opportunity is there, I might break out a fishing rod. If it’s cool enough I will do a couple of stands in the evening, but if often doesn’t cool down until well after sunset.
On the flip-side, nice warm sunshine in the winter can make hunting, even in zub-zero temperatures, tolerable, even pleasant. When hunting in the snow, be sure to take your sunglasses.
Another challenge of bright sunlight is increased visibility. Although coyote vision is different than ours and studies indicate that it’s more difficult for them to see in bright light than it is for humans, there are still some things to consider.
First of all, try to sit in the shade in front of cover. Camouflage works well in bright light, but looking from the light into a shaded area makes it very hard to see what’s in the shadows. Keep in mind that sitting in the shade with a lighter background will offer a very definite human silhouette, something that will almost certainly warn off any approaching coyotes.
Another advantage of sitting in the shade is the elimination of sunlight reflections. Any bright reflection will be a warning signal to coyotes. If you need to set up in the sun, go prepared with non-reflective camo on yourself and your equipment.
If at all possible, set up with the sun at your back. The structure of a Coyote’s eye makes it so they can’t constrict their pupils as much as humans. Being set up so any approaching coyote is looking toward the sun makes it very difficult for them to see. Wind direction can make it inadvisable to have the sun at your back. If you need to choose between a favorable wind or being back-lit by the sun, always choose a favorable wind. A coyotes sense of smell is better than it’s vision.
Having coyotes approach your stand into the sun also makes it easier to spot them. The lighter chest of a coyote shows up really well in the bright sunlight.
Setting up so you are looking into the sun can make it harder for you to see and shoot. Anybody who has tried looking toward the sun through a scope knows it’s very hard to get a good sight picture and get off a shot.
Don’t let having to sit in the sun stop you from hunting. Modern camouflage clothing can be very effective even in the brightest light. Just be careful to minimize movement and reflections.