Coyote Hunting - Medicine Hat (SUCCESS)

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Glock4ever

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Being newly posted in, I haven't had much time to go scouting for good hunting ground but I finally made time this weekend. I got some permissions to the NE side of CFB Suffield, so I drove N on hwy 41 and went as far as Empress and crossed two rivers. I was told by many of the hunters out here that there are "tons" of game. I did see a great deal of what looked like partridge chicks flying off the road, 2x small Elk herds (~3-4 animals/herd), 1x Antelope herd, and what looked like 2x Mule deer but the ground really didn't look like it supports any coyotes. The herds were very spaced out and with all the open ground I can't even see how a coyote could get near them. Not being used to open terrain (I hunt boreal regions North/South of Edmonton) am I in the prime hunting area??? For the life of me I could not see how anyone hunts here (except maybe with a .338 LM which I do have) because there is no cover. I guess I have two questions:

1.) Did I not go far enough? over 100km one way seemed excessive to me but maybe I need to keep going...

2.) How are the coyote hunters around here setting up their stands? I have never had any success in N. Alberta in open fields probably because coyotes like to stick to the trees. Do the coyotes here just run in the open following the truck tracks, paths of least resistance?

To be honest, I was pretty disappointed this morning - I drove over 300km and really couldn't find areas I found suitable to hunt in - I guess I had hoped that the N/E side of Med Hat was more scrubby/treed but maybe I need to adapt to this environment. If anyone has recommended areas I am all ears. When I stopped by the S Sask river at the bridge, the terrain looked alright but kicking a cactus really didn't inspire me enough to even consider setting up a stand.
 
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I guess I was wrong. I went out this morning and got this fellow.

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Not too different from how I normally hunt.
 
It is a CZ 527 .223 Remington M1 American. I really love the short throw and the flush mag system compared to the traditional models. It has factory rings which I am currently switching out right now to Millett one piece lightweights. The scope is a Swarovski Habict 4-12x50mm TDS reticle. I really like it as it has a big objective but hardly any weight. The whole rig shoots so/so, I get about 1-2" at 100m and to be honest I am not overly happy with the accuracy, I am planning on sending it in to my gunsmith to be pillar bedded and accurized. If he declares it hopeless I may re-barrel to a little bit heavier weight barrel - currently it has a 0/1 contour. I am hoping that switching the rings will fix the issues with the accuracy (the factory rings seem a bit flaky).
 
My uncle shot one of the biggest whitetails I have ever seen just north of Suffield years ago. My mom is from Suffield and I know there is plenty of game in that area, not sure where as I have never hunted out west, but I've seen some of the animals my uncles have shot over the years and there are some dandys.

EDIT: BTW nice looking 'yote
 
It took me a couple of trips out to find the coulees. There are some really great ones in the center of the city but somehow I don't think the golfers and local police would like it too much if I thinned out the coyotes in there. It is tricky to find the right kind of terrain here for coyotes but I think I found some primo hunting ground.
 
I was east of brooks yesterday and saw well over a dozen ''yotes. The landscape seems pancake flat (and some small areas actually are) but as you drive along you will notice how distant hills keep going in and out of sight. Find a low area and do some calling and you should have lots of dogs running you over.
 
Glock4ever said:
East of Brooks is the base. I can't hunt on the base but the surrounding properties seem pretty good. But that is a long drive to get out there from the Hat.
Click to expand...

There is a lot of ground between Brooks and the base, but my comment was more about the terrain in general in southern Alberta. The coulees are great for hunting, but there is also a suprizing amount of game out on the "flats", despite what looks to be an absence of cover.
 
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