February marks good times for outdoorsmen

A coyote checking out the winter scene.

February, with its cold and dreary days, can cause outdoorsmen and women to get cabin fever, but it doesn't have to be that way. There are many ways to enjoy the month while waiting for the trout parks to open and the crappie and walleye runs that spring brings.

Quail, pheasant and duck season are over, but the rabbit, squirrel and coyote seasons are still going. Fishing never stops in the state -- including trout fishing at Taneycomo -- and some of the largest bass of the year are taken from Table Rock and Bull Shoals during the month.

Jack Hughes, a Lebanon hunter, has hunted coyotes for nearly 30 years and said, "There has always been coyotes to hunt, but this year, there seems to be even more. I have had several farmers ask me to come out and hunt coyotes because they think they are hurting the quail and turkey populations."

Even with hunting and trapping, Missouri coyotes survive just as the old Indian folk tales relate.

In these folk tales, Old Man Coyote, both a mythical hero and a sacred fool, has the power to come back to life after he has died.

At the beginning and ending of these stories, Coyote is always traveling, making tracks. He travels like this because this is the way the story shows that he is everywhere and his spirit is in each of us. You just can't get rid of Old Man Coyote.

Starting in January, the coyotes have been heard howling on cold and dreary nights as they gather in small groups. The coyote is often referred to as a "trotting gourmet" because trotting is its favorite way to travel and at a trot, they can usually average 20 miles per hour, with food usually on their minds.

Hughes said, "When two coyotes get to howling, it can sound like a hundred. On one opening morning of the spring turkey season, I was waiting to hear a gobbler sound off, but instead, I heard what sounded like a dozen coyotes.

"Later, I saw a pair yipping and howling that sounded like many more of them. I guess they have a lot to howl about with all the food that is available. One thing I have learned is that coyote hunting is similar to hunting turkeys in that just when you think you have everything worked out, they will do something you don't expect."

Coyotes are not fussy eaters. They eat practically anything from rabbits to rodents, insects and even fish. They have been known to eat watermelons.

Talk about a balanced diet!

The coyote is only native to North America. They are fast runners, going as fast as 40 miles per hour. They can jump an 8-foot fence and are one of the most adaptable animals in the outdoors.

Hughes said, "Seeing a coyote closing in near you in response to the sound of your rabbit distress call can make you have an adrenaline rush. To be a successful coyote hunter, you have to have a lot of patience and practice. It takes time to learn the tricks to be an efficient coyote hunter."

Using a mouth-operated predator call -- which mimics the squeals of a frightened, injured rabbit -- can be used to attract coyotes. A coyote may respond to a call from a mile away and its final approach may be a headlong run.

The Missouri hunting season for coyotes runs through March.