I've just found this fourm and have found it very useful. I am new to coyote and bobcat hunting and was just wondering what was ya'lls opinion on the best time of the year. I've only had about 5 stands this year but things are starting to slow down and will probably be going tomorrow and try my luck. I have a few places picked out that I want to try and we'll see how they turn out.

welcome to the best kept secret on the internet hunthard,

pull up a stump, grab a beer and join in the forums!

Dan

A few observations:

Coyotes and bobcats, like all of us, need to eat on a rather consistent basis. But, like us, the sex urge can get in the way, however, the cycle for the varmints is a little less constant than for humans. When the pups are born, the denning time, different things attract coyotes and our techniques modify.

For me, the best time of year is between September and January. I don't call during the denning period (Memorial Day to Labor Day, arbitrarily) and during the mating period I use male coyote challenge calls much more as I believe there is a strong territorial instinct.

Calling during the New Moon phase is more productive for me, too. Calling just before or after a storm is more productive. Overcast days seem better than sunny days and early or late better than mid-day. Night calling, where allowed by law, is fantastic most of the winter period.

But, there are coyotes that don't read this forum or, if they did, wouldn't agree with anything I have written.

Bobcats either come in fast or late. When we are targeting bobcats and we know they are in the area, we will stay on stand for up to an hour and make sure our coffee intake is less so we don't have to take a whizz during the stand.

Random thought: if you have a developing cough that you can't surpress, cough into the call rather than try to muffle it.

Thanks for all the info. Went out last weekend only got in 2 stands before the light rain/mist started soaking through the clothes. All I had respond was a chicken hawk about 1min into the first seq. stayed about 45 min on both stands. Then went sunday and made 3 stands with only another hawk on the third stand. The night hunting is illeagle here so I probably won't be trying that, although I have thought about going out and calling just to see if I could get any responses. I had one bobcat come out on me deer season walked out in the edge of the field, spotted me and set about 150 yards watching me, but I was deer hunting and didn't have any calls with me to see if I could coax him in. Again thanks for the info.

I'll agree with Sept-Jan as the best times. I don't bother with them during the spring as they are raising their young then. The bobcats are harder to see as they blend into the background and they sit motionless just watching. I have kicked them out leaving a stand and never saw them until they moved and they were all pretty close. I used to use a mouth call but now have electronic call, it works great.
Night hunting isn't allowed in AZ either, I have found that they will come in at anytime of the day but most likely early in the morning. I like late afternoon too. I've had other things come in to deer, javelina, and once a snake. It might have been coincidental but he came right to me.