The Best Coyote Decoys for 2024 (and How to Use Them)

Not only is their fur in peak condition, but it's also their mating season, and they are more likely to slip up. Coyote hunting can help keep your hunting skills sharp during the offseason, while also giving next year's crop of fawns and turkey poults an increased likelihood of survival by removing a few predators' hungry mouths from the landscape. 

If you've never hunted coyotes before, it's a different experience than your typical deer hunt. Using decoys can help you lure in these tricky creatures for a successful hunt. So, today, we'll highlight some of the best coyote decoys to consider and how to use them.

They're Not Like That Wile E. Coyote Character

"Real-life" coyotes are not like what you see in cartoons where Wile E. Coyote is constantly outsmarted by the road runner. They can be one of the wiliest adversaries and most intelligent game for a hunter to pursue.

Paying extra attention to wind direction, scent control, camouflage, and hide setup is crucial to getting a chance at a shot. 

Predator-hunting tactics have come a long way from mouth calls or the giant cassette players my dad used when I was a kid. Those would always need the tape flipped over to the other side halfway through a stand and would run on at least ten pounds worth of D-size batteries.

Smaller and much more mobile digital game calls like Foxpro are now the gold standard, with the capability to download additional sounds that can be changed with a remote as easily as changing the show on your TV. 

Maybe it's because I'm a writer by trade, but I like to tell a story in my calling sequences. A remote-controlled caller and a decoy placed fifty or so yards away can help predators move their attention away from you. That decoy can be the key that adds another layer of realism to your calling sequence that keeps the song dog from hanging up out of range.

The Best Decoys for Coyote Hunting in 2024

So, what decoy do you choose, and with what setup? To help you get started, we've compiled our reviews of the top coyote-hunting decoys and which calls to pair with them. 

Note that using decoys for hunting coyotes is a little different than using deer or turkey decoys. Depending on your strategy, your "coyote" decoy may not be a coyote at all. Coyotes are predators, and the best way to lure them into range is often to mimic a smaller animal in distress.

1. Montana Decoy Co. Sitting Coyote

$69.99

The Montana Decoy Company has been well known by Western hunters for their lightweight and foldable silhouettes for their elk and mule deer decoys. The Sitting Coyote is a visual enticer made from an actual photograph of a coyote. The coyote decoy's natural sitting pose and fixed forward gaze suggest a calm and relaxed coyote that is curious and can help make even the weariest coyote close the distance and come into range. This coyote decoy works well year-round, but especially when paired with a location howl, female invitation call, followed by a male challenge during the mating season, mid-January through early March.

2. Montana Decoy Co. Miss Hoptober

$27.99

This decoy is small enough to fold up and fit in your pocket decoy is the ultimate run and gun accessory. Weighing in at under half a pound, including the stake, this rabbit decoy gives hungry coyotes a target to narrow in on as they come charging into your set for an easy meal. The Miss Hoptober decoy pairs well with a jackrabbit in distress or cottontail in distress call, depending on which area of the country you are hunting.

3. Montana Decoy Co. Fawnzy

$59.99

During the warmer months, this whitetail fawn decoy adds exceptional photorealism to your spring and summer coyote hunting set. Once the spotted new arrivals hit the ground, this lightweight and ultra-portable Fawnzy decoy works best when paired with lost fawn bleats, then transitioning to a fawn in distress call. But beware, I have, on more than one occasion, had a doe rush into my set, ready to kick in my head to defend a fake fawn.

4. Lucky Duck Lil' Critter 

$29.99

When calling, you may notice a coyote stops out of range and searches for the source of the sound before committing and charging all the way in. With the erratic motion of the Lil' Critter by Lucky Duck, cautious coyotes can hone in on the decoy in no time. The decoy's base can sit on the ground without stakes to hold it in place, making it ideal for rocky ground. Its telescoping height is adjustable from 10 to 18 inches, making it easily seen in tall grass or short scrub brush. This decoy works well with multiple calls ranging from high-frequency squeaks to raccoon fights or pup-in-distress calls.

Use HuntWise to Set Up Your Coyote Decoys for a Successful Hunt

Remember: Coyotes need to be able to see your decoy setup for the set to work. I like to use HuntWise's topographical maps to look for basins, canyons, or other open areas with a good field of view where both the coyote and I can see for a long way.

Additionally, HuntCast can give you peak times for coyotes to be on their feet hunting, and ScentDrift will show you which direction a coyote is most likely to try to slink into your set from downwind. The HuntWise hunting app is the best tool for scouting and hunting — whether it's deer season or you're ready to get out and hunt coyotes after the season ends.

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