Horseback Coyote Hunting Stuart M. McCall
for something fun and productive. I’m talking about using a horse to access the best coyote habitat, especially on public land. I imagine there are lots of folks out there, like me, who usually don’t ride much during the winter months. You may discover that there are a lot of coyote hunting opportunities out there waiting for you to explore when the snow is on the ground and there aren’t many hikers and mountain bikers on the public lands of the West. A horse will increase your mobility by at least a factor of ten compared with walking. I have not yet encountered anyone else hunting coyotes from horseback except my friends and family. Certainly, some others must do it but so far I haven’t met them. It is my experience that if I can get 2 miles from a road then there is nobody else there. Calling coyotes is, of course, done all over the country but is done mostly by hunters using vehicles and walking. In New Mexico, there are more and more public lands which are becoming off limits to motorized vehicles. I prefer to hunt with a horse anyway but it takes some preparation and practice to do this safely and effi ciently. Over the last 20-odd years I have streamlined my horse-
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back hunting strategy and I think it’s time to share some of my discoveries. My basic strategy is to set the alarm for 4:00 a.m. I feed my horse a bait of equine senior type feed while I’m saddling. Then I drink coffee and read the paper for a few minutes while my fi ngers stop hurting from the cold. It helps to have electric lights in the barn — otherwise use a head lamp. Then I trailer to a trail head or access point. I hope to arrive just when there is enough light to see a little. Generally, I like to ride at least a mile to let the horse warm up and to gain some high ground. Then I attempt to fi nd a setup where I can ap- proach from behind a ridge or some cover and tie the horse to a tree. Note that it is important for the horse to be broke to tie very well as he will be repeating this scenario multiple times in the next few hours. I have learned to ride close to my setup. If I fi nd I’m go-
ing to walk more than a couple of hundred yards it is better to go back and ride. Remember, the horse is much better at traveling than a human, so use it to your advantage. Coyotes don’t seem to mind a horse in their proximity. Also, it is easy to forget where you tied your horse. My point is, don’t get very far from your horse. If I have a choice, I ride a horse with some white markings as they are easier to fi nd. In unfamiliar country, I also put the horse on my GPS. I’m not joking! It will surprise you how diffi cult it can be to fi nd the exact tree after you’ve tracked a wounded coyote for a half mile, concentrat- ing on the blood trail. This will save some anxiety when the sun goes down! Below are some of my tips for setting up your equipment to safely use a horse for this type of hunting. It is all very simple but takes a lot of painful trial and effort to discover on your own. First, a tip for you nimrods out there. NEVER PUT A
Page 148 Spring 2012
o, I’m not talking about “tally ho” and pinks. I’m talk- ing about using that nag that’s burning hay all winter
FIREARM ON YOUR HORSE WITH THE CHAMBER LOAD- ED! I have worn out the magazine box on my Remington 700 by loading and unloading the chamber. Crazy things can hap- pen while riding and I promise you don’t want an accidental discharge through the bottom of your scabbard! I insist on riding with western boots which have a heel
and will slip off. This is an often overlooked safety feature which would be extremely important in the event of hanging up in a stirrup. I also like to wear spurs, which can be diffi cult to attach to other types of footwear. I also like to wear shotgun chaps which are OK for walking a few yards, but get tiresome with any distance. My clothing is primarily for riding, not walking. You must be able to walk some distance but hiking boots and sweat pants don’t cut it. When you embark on such an adventure you will at fi rst
want to be prepared for anything, like a tenderfoot Boy Scout with an 80-pound backpack. It is true that you must be dressed for the temperature as you won’t be able to get back in the truck for warm-up between stands. However, too much gear is a terrible impediment to mobility and fun. First, forget the picnic. A bottle of water is plenty and if you are in to dining, take a couple of candy bars. You don’t need to pack a meal. However, the basics must be covered. My saying is “rifl e, calls, ammo, and camo.” If that’s all you have, it will be enough. However, when you mount up on Old Paint you will want some more equipment. I try to have enough equipment in my pockets and on my
belt to survive reasonably comfortably over night if necessary. I carry a GPS, a sidearm and some extra ammunition, a pocket knife, gloves, if I’m not wearing them, a good hat, a Bic lighter, and a fl ashlight … all on my body all the time. I try not to be separated from my horse, but I want to be self-suffi cient in the event of an unplanned separation. Of course you need a saddle. My comments reference a
western saddle. Any saddle you are used to riding can work but you have to be able to put some stuff on it. The fi rst ac- cessory is a scabbard. Get one which fi ts your fi rearm. In my opinion, there is no place for slinging a rifl e or shotgun across your back. It interferes with your riding and if you should hit the ground it would be extremely unpleasant. In a pinch, carry the fi rearm in your hand. At least you can let it go in a bad situation. Don’t skimp on the scabbard. I prefer leather, though there are some functional synthetic versions. There is no good way to hang a long arm on a horse, only less bad ways. I have never been able to fi nd a satisfactory way of put- ting the scabbard under my leg. I know John Wayne did it all the time but for the life of me I don’t know how. It makes me crazy and claustrophobic to have a fi rearm between me and the horse. I hang it from the pommel by only the strap closest to the butt with the rifl e hanging vertically, muzzle down. There is no need to fasten the strap nearest the muzzle at all. If you fasten it to the cinch it will only break the strap when it snags on a tree. The gun will hang just fi ne this way with
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