This video showcases an exciting night hunt filmed in late August by Marlin Borntrager, a passionate coyote hunter and caller.
While it’s an expensive hobby, Borntrager enjoys it most because it allows him to communicate with the animal.
He uses a thermal scope — a Pulsar Thermion XG50 (3-24×42) mounted on his 5.56 NATO FN 15 Guardian and stabilized on a tripod. He also carries a handheld thermal scanner — a Pulsar Helion 2 XP50 Pro — and a FoxPro X24 electronic caller, which comes preprogrammed with 100 different sounds.
Night hunting coyotes is a challenging and effective way to pursue these elusive predators. Other methods include trapping, baiting or using hounds. With night-hunting, concealment isn’t necessary — hunters can even stand in the middle of a field while calling. Coyotes are also less wary at night than during the day.
Calling coyotes at night isn’t just about having the right gear — it’s about technique. Wind direction is the number one factor that determines success. Set up too far away and coyotes may never commit, but if you’re close, they often respond quickly. Borntrager says most will answer an electronic call within the first five minutes.
In Maine, the season for night hunting coyotes runs from Dec. 16 through Aug. 31, plenty of opportunity to try out techniques like the ones demonstrated in his video.