Coyote Hunting With Dogs
Sage the Hunting Partner
We brought Sage home on a frigid February evening. She was an undocumented border collie from a nearby Montana ranch, but destined to become my coyote hunting partner.
Bred of working dog stock, little Sage immediately had a love for our horses and mule. She went with me everywhere, including in my backpack when she got tired. She showed a keen interest in my habit of picking up shed deer and elk antlers. The border collie personality was ideal for a family dog, but would she make good coyote hunting material?
Mark’s coyote dog, Sage, is a hard charger when it comes to confronting coyotes running to the call.Border collies are ranked at the top of their class for smarts. They adapt, learn, and are eager to please in many jobs. During my discussions with predator control pros and reading historical accounts of dogs used for coyote hunting, herding dogs were a recurring theme. Mountain curs get the most attention these days, but blue healers, border collies, Aussies and other herding breeds have been used as coyote dogs.
To bond with Sage and his new puppy Sully, Mark takes them everywhere, including in his backpack or on his shoulders when the going gets tough.With that knowledge, I put Sage on a fast track to learning commands and being comfortable around firearms. She quickly excelled. Unfortunately, by the time she was old enough to follow along, fur season was over. Nevertheless, her backcountry training continued with hopes for a coyote encounter the following winter.
Border collies are some of the smartest dogs on the planet and Sage even helps Mark find shed antlers. She does not bring them back, but more than once Kayser had to stroll through the brush to find Sage sitting beside a big antler.Dogs, wolves, and coyotes common ancestor
Dogs, wolves and coyotes have a common ancestor somewhere back in the family photo album. DNA research shows that domestic dogs did not descend directly from wolves. Instead, it appears as if a wolf-like ancestor was common to both species. Regardless where the family tree lost a limb, rest assured dogs, coyotes and wolves understand they are kissing cousins. They do crossbreed, so every dog/coyote meeting does not end in confrontation. Sometimes the canines simply want to sniff butts. That was what I hoped they’d want to do with Sage.
When calling coyotes I incorporate coyote vocalizations and use mouth calls to howl on nearly every setup. I mostly call at dusk and dawn so coyotes see Sage as a shadowy silhouette of just another canine. Ideally they feel safe and come closer for a sniff or challenge.
With Sage trained to stay near me as I called, we set out. After a few unsuccessful setups, we finally lured a big coyote that charged in hard. Sage performed perfectly. Instead of cowering by my side, she raced to intercept it, throwing snow like a furry plow. Before the two came to blows, I ended the playdate with a high velocity V-Max bullet.
That was the start of numerous encounters over the years where Sage went on the defense to protect our ground. Most encounters were with single coyotes, but on one occasion we were overrun by four! I missed a close shot as Sage charged through the pack. I followed her through the riflescope as she dogged a coyote deep into the sagebrush. Eventually the coyote stopped and stood its ground. My shot tipped it over at nearly 300 yards.
Coyotes at the sight of Sage
Sometimes coyotes circle curiously, watching Sage as she sits. Other times their straight-on approach inspires her to meet-and-greet, typically at 150 yards or less from our setup position. I can only recall one time when a coyote turned tail and ran from the sight of Sage.
My coyote harvest numbers have not risen while using my coyote dog, but the excitement of the hunt is off-the-charts. One time I fell asleep while on a stand only to wake up and see Sage dancing with a coyote in the sagebrush 200 yards away. I whistled her back and the coyote followed. Too bad for him.
Sage will be 12 later this year. Her deteriorating eyesight and hearing inspired us to bring home another border collie puppy this past spring. Naturally we introduced Sully to the mountains, shed antler hunting and coyote hunting. I rarely hunt coyotes in the summer, but for the new pup’s sake, we indulged a few trips with one ending successfully. This winter he’s been in on several hunts, an educational front-row seat to the action.
Sully now understands our “operation.” After my howls he scans for coyotes. He seems to gets a bit more irritated every time he hears the return of a coyote howl. I think we have a suitable successor to Sage. Our coyote dog tradition lives on.
IS YOUR DOG COYOTE TOUGH?
Before you snatch your family Pomeranian from the couch for a day of coyote hunting, make sure it is up to the task. As a rule, most medium-sized dogs will work if they have a confrontational and bold character. A dog that hides behind you may as well be left at home to watch reruns of “Scooby-Doo.” If the dog is too large, like a great Dane, it could intimidate and scare off approaching coyotes. 
Montana Decoy’s Kojo coyote is lightweight and realistic. Mark uses this when traveling and bringing along a dog is not possible.The dog must know its commands and obey. If the going gets rough or a pack of coyotes shows up, the dog needs to return to you at the first sound of “come.” And you must remain calm and in control, too, able to safely engage the coyote without jeopardizing the dog.
If all of this sounds too much like work, you could use a “stunt double” coyote dog instead. Stake a coyote decoy out in front of you. There are several coyote decoys on the market. I like Montana Decoy’s Kojo coyote. It’s lightweight and realistic. Hang a soaked wick of Wildlife Research Center’s Coyote Urine or Coyote Juice near your decoy to complete your illusion. BUY NOW
