Coyote Hunting with an AR-15: The Essential Must Have Gear

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Packing the right gears for your coyote hunting is critical if you’re going to succeed. Coyote hunting has been on the rise over the past few years. Coyotes have continued to sprawl in farms and urban areas which make sense controlling their population.There are varied opinions on the best weapons to hunt coyotes, best calls, optics and much more. However, the semi-automatic AR-15 remains the best rifle for coyote hunting. It is lightweight and allows you to hide, shoot, stay on target and keep shooting no matter the position of your body.So, is the must have gear for coyote hunting with an AR-15?Gears for coyote hunting using the AR-15 might vary greatly depending on the region, hunter, habitat set up and much more. You will need to understand your gears, be agile and know the different coyote hunting scenarios that will offer you the best layout.In this post, we are going to look at some of the Must-Have gears when hunting coyotes with an AR-15 rifle.

Coyote Calls

This is the second most important item you will require for coyote hunting after choosing your AR-15 rifle. We’ve seen various debates on most social groups and Forums where people are torn between mouth calls and electronic calls. These debates are important in helping you decide the best call depending on your location, situation and time of year.However, electronic calls seem to have the edge over mouth calls. When choosing the best coyote electronic calls, you need to consider things like sound quality, volume, sound availability and much more. Make sure you know the best calls for the time of the year as coyotes operate on the instinct of feeding, mating, and fighting.

Optics

The optics on your AR-15 rifle will decide or break your hunt. I recommend this awesome post choosing the best ar 15 scope for your successful hunt: Top 10 Best AR-15 Optics & Scopes: From Red Dots to Magnified Review. The standpoint style of hunting will determine the best optic when hunting for coyotes. A quality piece of glass is an essential factor when choosing the best rifle scope for hunting. When hunting coyotes on properties and farms, the ideal shooting range is usually 0-200 yards. This greatly increases when hunting on an expansive country bush.If you prefer to hunt coyotes at night, then take time and find suitable locations during the day. It is pretty hard finding good locations at night. Scout during the day and get yourself a night vision scope. A night scope will help you do a quick scan. The objective is to see the eyes and not the full body. It even gets easier when hunting with a partner. Split the field area into two and let each partner scan their area without overlapping until you find something.

The optics on your AR-15 rifle will decide or break your hunt. I recommend this awesome post choosing the best ar 15 scope for your successful hunt: Top 10 Best AR-15 Optics & Scopes: From Red Dots to Magnified Review. The standpoint style of hunting will determine the best optic when hunting for coyotes. A quality piece of glass is an essential factor when choosing the best rifle scope for hunting. When hunting coyotes on properties and farms, the ideal shooting range is usually 0-200 yards. This greatly increases when hunting on an expansive country bush.If you prefer to hunt coyotes at night, then take time and find suitable locations during the day. It is pretty hard finding good locations at night. Scout during the day and get yourself a night vision scope. A night scope will help you do a quick scan. The objective is to see the eyes and not the full body. It even gets easier when hunting with a partner. Split the field area into two and let each partner scan their area without overlapping until you find something.

Coyote Decoys

Decoys are pretty essential as coyotes are very cautious when approaching calls. Most will walk away before they get to a shooting distance if they don’t see anything associated with the coyote calls. While these decoys are not needed most of the time, coyote hunting usually happens in some open field which makes it difficult to draw coyotes closer. Adding some realism in the form of a fur will convince coyotes a lot easier.

Spotting Scope

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Spotting scopes are exceptional at spotting the game at long distances. They are less portable than binoculars and require a tripod stand for easy use. However, they offer some of the best clarity and magnification which is ideal when spotting a coyote from long distances.I recommend you to read an expert guide from Ellettbrothers.com to get the best spotting scope for your hunting.

Shooting Stick

You require a stable rest for the gun since coyotes notice the slightest of movements.  A shooting stick is ideal in keeping your rifle shouldered, up and ready to shoot. Sticks are good especially when hunting on rolling hills where bipods cannot stand stably.

Shooting sticks allow for faster acquisition of the target with minimal movement.

The Suppressor

You will need to suppress the sound from your rifle by getting a quality suppressor. In most cases, you’re going to get at least two coyotes with one lurking behind. A good suppressor will muffle the sound and make it easier to get follow-up shots.

Tip: Pick up a wrap for the outside of your suppressor to make twisting a lot easier when it gets hot.

Hunter Seat and Support

These are not necessarily a must, but if you’re hunting in areas with snow, then you will soon realize the importance of a seat. Your legs will feel dead after 20 minutes of standing in the snow without any coyotes. A quality cushioned seat will ensure you don’t return to your truck so soon.

Final Verdict

Of course, there are several gears you can still add to the list above like the predator camouflage, hunting packs, proper clothing and much more. However, with the basics already covered, you can easily make your coyote hunting a success.

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