Illinois Coyote Hunt

Posted At : February 5, 2013 10:30 AM | Posted By : Mike Hanback
Related Categories: Big Deer Blog

Longtime blogger Scott Geurink just returned from his annual winter hunt in Illinois and filed this report:

Mike: This year was a special hunt for me as it probably was for the other guys as well. After 12 years this was likely going to be our last trip down there. The property is being sold, and our buddy Mark found out that he was going to lose his hunting lease after 25 years.

We headed out from Michigan Thursday afternoon and made our way to the Mississippi River area, just south of Wisconsin. Along for the hunt were my dad, Russ, and buddies John, Jason, Ryan and Mike.

Friday morning it was about 18 degrees, nice and crisp. I was with my dad and Mike while John, Jason and Ryan hunted together. We made a couple calls with no luck. For our third call we headed up a steep ridge to a spot where we have called coyotes in before. Mike set up his Fox Pro call in the center; I sat on one side about 40 yards away and dad on the other.

About 22 minutes into the DSG Rabbit distress call Mike spotted a yote scaling the ridge across from us. He came in slow and cautious. Just as he was slipping away, Mike had an opening and gave a couple mouth barks. The coyote slowed down just enough for Mike to take him with his Smith & Wesson MP-15 in .223, using 75-grain match hollow points. About a 140 yard shot. Big old male, about 40 pounds, with most of his teeth broken or ground down. We congratulated Mike on his kill and set out to get another one.

The rest of the day was windy, and we didn't get anything going. Neither did the other guys, it was a pretty slow day. On our second morning it was 5 degrees when we headed out. Twenty minutes into our second call with the Fox Pro DSG rabbit distress, a coyote popped up over the ridge about 50 yards from Mike. He took the shot with his MP-15 and put him right down. Another nice male. Who says ARs aren't hunting guns!

We made more calls that day but nothing else came in. Pretty slow this year, but we were still fortunate to put 2 down and, like always, we had a great time. After our last call of the hunt on top of one of my favorite ridges, I turned to take one last look at the farm and property below. I took a picture of the land with my iPhone to remind me of all the good times and memories we've had there over the years.---Scott

Anybody else predator hunting right now? We're heading out end of the month to hopefully get some coyote/bobcat action on film.

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I'm always amazed by how much smaller the coyotes are in the midwest.
I have killed 3 coyotes here in Maryland and the smallest was 63 lbs. The others were 72 and 74. All males.
It just seems weird that the deer are typically bigger out there, but the coyotes are smaller.
I read an article one time that they were doing some research as to why they are so much bigger on the east coast. Does anyone have any explanation? (other than their diets)
I believe they were doing DNA testing to see if they had possibly cross-bred with wolves.

# Posted By Danny | 2/5/13 1:10 PM

Have been hitting my brother up to go. Hopefully we'll get out soon to hammer down on a few dogs. Will report in if and when we get to go.

Love that scenery Scott. The midwest is a beautiful place to be.

# Posted By Dean Weimer | 2/5/13 1:18 PM

I think I read the eastern 'yotes have wolf blood in their DNA. Anyone else confirm my thought?

But heck, you are correct, an AR-15, MP-15 can't be used for sporting, right!? People are crazy. Quote me.

# Posted By Mack | 2/5/13 2:13 PM

I'm sure it was tough to walk away for the last time.....Years ago I had access to 250 acres of the best deer habitat in Southern Indiana. The
guy who owned it passed away and his wife sold it.

I still miss the place..........

# Posted By jjas | 2/5/13 2:21 PM

Sounds fun, but a shame it might be your last year! Hopefully something will come up and you'll be able to return.

Interesting about the Eastern Coyotes...never knew that!

I shot a coyote while elk hunting in NM a few years back. Surprisingly, have never seen one deer hunting (though hear them regularly).

# Posted By Matt | 2/5/13 4:05 PM

Thanks for the post Mike. Look forward to seeing what you get on video! Yeah going to miss hunting there. A lot of different ground there than we have back home. Hope something works out and we can make it back.
70 lb coyote! that's huge. You hear of guys getting 50 pounders once in awhile around here but not that big. Ive heard they are bigger that way, pretty cool!

# Posted By Scott from MI | 2/5/13 10:58 PM

Mid-Atlantic coyotes are larger than Midwest Canis latrans. More studies are being conducted on the Northern VA / surrounding region coyote population. As the Nat Geo article below points out, VA hybrids are probably a combination of northeastern coyote-wolf hybrids (bigger) and non-hybrid OH coyotes. Hybrid-hybrids.

I live in Chicago but have a place in NOVA, which is home. There are two noticeably different coyote populations at the VA property: one is smaller, similar in size and profile to those we shoot here in the Midwest; the other about 15-35% larger with more pronounced gray wolf features. It's not uncommon to get pictures and video of the smaller 'yotes in groups of 2 or 4 mature animals, and their color phase is very diverse. The larger coyote, however, appears to be a more solitary hunter and comes in few coat flavors. Bottom line: can't wait to get back to VA for some yote hunting.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/11/11...

# Posted By Tim | 2/6/13 12:28 PM

That article pretty much explains it. Thanks for posting Tim.
It's interesting that i have actually witnessed what they are saying. I have seen groups of several coyotes together that appear to be smaller.
But, the 3 that i have been able to kill were all loners. I guess maybe they were just the "hybrids" and not the "hybrid-hybrids".

# Posted By Danny | 2/6/13 1:01 PM

That's pretty cool, had no idea. Got ta get me one of those 70 lb hybrids!

# Posted By Scott from MI | 2/6/13 11:13 PM

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