What is the best coyote cartridge?

.223 Remington for most people — cheap, accurate and enough inside 300 yards. Step up to .22-250 or 6.5 Grendel for open, windy country.

Can I hunt coyotes at night?

Many states allow it, but the rules on artificial light, thermal and night vision vary sharply and change often. Confirm with your state agency every season.

How long should I sit on a stand?

Twenty minutes in farm country, thirty in open western terrain. If nothing shows, move at least half a mile before calling again.

Buying guide

Predator hunting gear buyer's guide: calls, lights, rifles and optics

Predator hunting is a calling and seeing problem: an electronic or mouth call that sounds like food, a way to see at night or first light, and a flat-shooting rifle that doesn't destroy a pelt.

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By Wild10 Editors · Fieldcraft desk · Updated 9/12/2026

What we mean by this category

Predator hunting is a calling and seeing problem: an electronic or mouth call that sounds like food, a way to see at night or first light, and a flat-shooting rifle that doesn't destroy a pelt.

Who this equipment is for

Coyote, fox and bobcat hunters, ranchers managing predators, and shooters adding a night rig.

Important buying criteria

Call type and remote
An e-caller with a remote lets you place the sound away from your position. Mouth calls are silent to carry and never fail on batteries.
Night capability
Red or green scanning lights are legal in many states; thermal and night vision are not. Check first, buy second.
Cartridge and pelt damage
.22-250 and .223 are the working standard. .17 Hornet and .22 Hornet save pelts; 6.5 Grendel reaches farther in wind.
Sitting still and warm
Most stands are twenty minutes in cold wind. A cushion, a shooting stick and a windproof layer keep you from moving.

Use-case decision table

Setup	Call	Optic / light	Cartridge	Stand length
Daylight farm coyotes	Hand call + decoy	3-9x riflescope	.223 Rem	20 min
Open western country	E-caller, remote	4-16x with dialing turret	.22-250	25–30 min
Night, light-legal state	E-caller	Red or green scan light	.223 Rem	20 min
Fox and bobcat, pelt primary	Mouth call, soft	3-9x	.17 Hornet	30 min
Windy plains, long shots	E-caller	Tripod + spotter	6.5 Grendel	30 min

Material or technology comparison

Call	Volume	Realism	Fails when	Cost
Electronic caller	High	High	Batteries die in cold	High
Open-reed hand call	Moderate	High with practice	Reed freezes	Low
Closed-reed hand call	Moderate	Good	Limited range of sounds	Lowest
Decoy (motion)	n/a	Holds attention	Wind tangles it	Low

Climate and season considerations

Open reeds freeze; keep a spare inside your coat. E-caller batteries lose half their life below 20 °F, so carry a second pack and start each morning topped off.

Size, fit, or capacity guidance

Set stands so the wind is in your face and the sun at your back, and expect coyotes to circle downwind — place the caller 40 to 70 yards out and watch that side.

Editorial picks

Best electronic caller