If the coyotes aren't bothering your cats now you may want to leave them be. If you shoot a few coyotes then more will move in to take their place. The new ones may like cats more than the old ones.

Here is what I have learned after 40+ years of calling/trapping coyotes.

They are the smartest wild animal in Texas so remember that when you are hunting them.

Lights work but are also one of the fastest ways of blowing a setup unless you know exactly how to use them and are using the proper lights.

Thermal is the best option with a thermal scope on the kill gun a thermal scanner to spot them.

They use the wind to their advantage better than any other wild animal in Texas. You have to use it too. Make your setup to be where you are calling into the wind. They may try to circle around downwind of you to identify what's going on before coming in.

When using thermal, they can see you too. Camo head to toe and if there's a moon, stand/sit in the shadow of something. Keep movement minimal as much as you can.

Have a good rest. A good tripod is the best.

Use a remote caller and put the speaker at least 50 yards away but I prefer about 75 yards. You want their attention focused on a location other than yours. Use a decoy if you have one and have it next to the speaker. Cottontail rabbit in distress is my default call selection and I prefer the higher pitched sounds rather than the lower variety. Play it on about 3/4 volume unless the wind is blowing bad.

Have the kill gun up and ready to go the entire time. The movement of shouldering a rifle may blow your setup.

They live there and know the area like the back of their paw. I wouldn't try to use a popup blind. It will look like a big new blob to them and they likely will turn tail at the first sight of it. I wouldn't put out bait (the chicken meat). It's not needed and you will get the odor of it on you and just complicate things.

Be ready for foxes and deer and who knows what else to come in, so make sure to get target ID before pulling the trigger.

Popup needs to be there a while for them to get used to it. Best to have it back up to the trees. They might get attracted to whatever else comes to bait. And keep any bait away from your cats. Maybe just shoot from the barn?

**Update**

Went out last night and setup at sunset. Had my decoy and my speaker setup, ready to go by the time light was almoat gone.
Turned on my cottontail baby noise and within 30 SECONDS i had yotes in the distance howling away!! Coincidence? Maybe.

I really dont want to type the entire story so let me say I played the decoy for 15 minutes…only saw deer. Instead of moving, i went silent for 15 minutes and then played it again. Went silent one more time and during this time…2 yotes showed up. 2 yotes down! The grass is really tall out here so i only found the 1st yote i hit with 1st shot. Took me 3 more shots to hit the second yote on the run but he tumbled on 3rd shot.

I tried to upload the pic but its too big and i dont know how to shrink it.

Thanks to everyone that offered their advice…it made these kills possible!

Cheers!

PS Do the yotes ever get smart enough to know my call is BS and they ignore it? Or can i just keep rotating on my property in different spots and slaying yotes until there are no more to be concerned about?

Question. Are you song dog hunters shooting suppressed?