The Benefits of Hunting Coyotes in Mississippi
The coyotes are winning. The cagey predators once limited their territory to the western states, but now they’ve expanded to all 49 on the continent. They haven’t conquered Hawaii yet, but make no mistake—they have plans.
They kill our pets, spread diseases, and outwit us at every turn. That’s no reason, though, to stop trying. Mississippi believes in the benefits of hunting coyotes and has mandated that we can hunt them all year round, day or night, and with large-caliber rifles equipped with scopes. Do you still need a reason? Here are a few.
It Thins the Herd
It’s no exaggeration: Coyotes are supervillains. They’re smart, they’re adaptable, they have a superior sense of smell and hearing, and they can survive by eating just about anything. The average coyote lives 10 years, which means that a female can potentially give birth to 120 coyotes. This explains why it feels like they’re our opponents in a game of whack-a-mole. They just keep expanding their territory, eating anything from insects to full-grown deer, and reproducing. It’s up to hunters and trappers to chip away at their population.
To Save the Fawns
Coyotes devastate deer populations. Fawns aren’t strong, fast, or experienced, and they’re easy pickings for coyotes. A fawn a day will feed coyote pups, so it’s not your imagination; they’re disappearing. Some estimate that up to 70 percent of fawns fall victim to coyote attacks.
It’s Great Practice
Because coyotes are so formidable, they’re an outstanding way for hunters to keep their skills sharp in the off-season. To nab a coyote, you need to be on top of every aspect of the hunt—what you wear, every movement, every sound, and even which way the wind is blowing. Coyotes teach us one of the biggest lessons of the wild: To catch a predator, you have to be a predator.
It’s Open Season
Most limits on hunting coyotes have loosened as the problem has gotten worse. We can stalk them 365 days a year, with our weapons of choice, even at night. Coyotes are nocturnal, and with some caffeine and a red or green light, we’ve never had a better chance to show them who’s boss, once and for all.
Two Words: Coyote Calls
Pay no attention to what the hunter in your life tells you; the main reason to hunt a coyote is to master their calls. Practice with your hands, and you can give a fair imitation of an ailing rabbit. Electric callers have much more variety, mimicking the sounds of anxious chickens, panicked kittens, and heartbroken puppies. Technology has even given us the ability to adjust the calls’ volume and project them on loudspeakers.
Hunting predators is a real test of your skills, and more outdoor enthusiasts are taking on the challenge. It’s invigorating to face a worthy foe, and that’s only one of the benefits of hunting coyotes. There’s nearly universal agreement that it serves a higher purpose, so grab your varmint rifle, and get to it.
