Finding the best coyote decoys can be a difficult task. But if you have a basic understanding of what they are and the purpose of them, the search process may not be as tough.
As a coyote hunter, you want to achieve the most success possible, if and when legal. While it is allowable to use decoys, for the most part, you can use them to your advantage to ensure you are protecting your livestock or property by any legal means necessary.
To help you find the best coyote decoy for your own use, we’ve taken the liberty of putting together a list of six of the best options currently on the market. Before we get to the list, we’ll talk about when you should use a decoy and whether or not they are all the same. Additionally, we’ll talk about how you can choose one for your own personal use.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Coyote Decoys
- OUR TOP PICK: MOJO Outdoors Critter Predator Decoy
- RUNNER-UP: Lucky Duck "Yote" Coyote Decoy
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Primos Sit-N-Spin Predator Decoy
Comparison Chart of the Best Coyote Decoys
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When to Use a Coyote Decoy
Decoys can be useful while you’re hunting for coyotes. But it’s often hard to tell when to use them. This brief section will serve as a guide to help you understand the right time to use a coyote decoy. Here are a few instances when you should use them:
Use Them When You’re in a Certain Location
Knowing the lay of the land when it comes to hunting is essential. Since you’ll be using decoys, location will matter most. If you’re near an open field, place a coyote decoy in the area. This way, you’ll know when and where coyotes pop out. Typically, coyotes hang around in open fields. So you’ll need to be familiar with some of the open fields in your area.
Know Your Timing
Typically, late fall to mid-winter (November to January) are the best times of the year to put out a coyote decoy. Likewise, you’ll also need to know when it is legal to hunt coyotes. A decoy can be a lot more effective during peak season. A well-placed and well-timed placement of a decoy will definitely put you at an advantage. As far as the time of day goes, that’s entirely up to you. Day or night, it doesn’t matter.
Use Them When You’re "All Clear"
It’s common sense to not roam around in an open field when a pack of coyotes is present, so you need to make sure your target placement area is all clear prior to placing it. You should be well aware of your surroundings before you consider placing the decoy in your target spot.
Are All Coyote Decoys the Same?
Short answer: no. To give you a more detailed answer, most decoys are different in terms of looks, design, and other features and characteristics. Some coyote decoys may look lifelike, compared to others. While not all decoys are the same, they do indeed share the same intent and purpose.
How to Choose a Coyote Decoy
There are a few characteristics and features that will make a coyote decoy stand out, especially if you’re looking for one that will work effectively each and every time you hunt. You should also be able to distinguish a great coyote decoy from one that isn’t so great. Here are a few things to look for:
Price
If you are on a budget, the price will usually be a concern. However, don’t let it be the only thing that drives you to make a decision (or not). You’ll need to find one that is the best you can afford in terms of quality and performance. Never go for cheap and sacrifice quality in the process.
Size
Finding a decoy of the right size will be important. Yes, while one of the downsides may be transporting it and carrying it around, you’ll need to find one that will be perfect and able to stand out in the field. Coyotes won’t even know whether it’s real unless they are really close by.
Ease of Setup
The last thing you want to do is invest in a coyote decoy that will be hard to set up. So you’ll need to find one that is easy. In other words, set it up and forget it. Pay attention to the kind of equipment you’ll be working with before making a decision.
Review of the Best Coyote Decoys
Below is a list of the six best coyote decoys currently on the market. As you go through each one, take note of the features and characteristics of each one. This way, you’ll be able to find one that will closely match the description of the ideal coyote decoy you’re looking for.
Now, let’s unveil our first choice on the list-our best overall choice:
Best Overall:
MOJO Outdoors Critter Predator Decoy
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
A lot of recent buyers were impressed with the decoy. They said it moves fast enough to get the attention of coyotes. One user said he managed to get two coyotes out of the four that were drawn towards it. Overall, the decoy looks lifelike and is close enough to what might appear as prey for coyotes.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This is a simple and easy to use decoy that is battery-operated and easy to carry around. So in essence, it’s the easiest decoy you can use for coyote hunting. Not only does it give off the appearance of common prey for coyotes, but it can also move around as if it were a wild animal of some kind. This is a major plus if you’re using a decoy to distract predators away from their usual routine.
Who Will Use This Most
This is perfect for the coyote hunter looking for a simple, easy to use decoy. Plus, it can move around quite a bit and mimic the movements of most small animals. So, if you’re looking for a decoy that might be the closest you can get to the real deal, this might be your kind of decoy.
Bottom Line
If you want a decoy that is considered one of the best in the business, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything as close to the Mojo Outdoors Critter Predator Decoy. It’s simple to use, simply designed, and can easily draw in targets like crazy.
Runner-up:
Lucky Duck "Yote" Coyote Decoy
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Most new users were satisfied. They managed to draw in a lot more targets than expected. The assembly and setup were ridiculously easy and the decoy moved around quite a bit and made it enough to draw the attention of most coyotes. One user said that every time he has used this, his coyote hunts have been more successful.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This decoy is a lifelike coyote. So rather than have a decoy that will pose as prey, it would be easier to draw in coyotes with a decoy that looks like one of them. If you’re looking to draw in a good number to make your hit probability much better, this decoy will definitely stand out as one of the better options.
Who Will Use This Most
This would be great for coyote hunters who want a decoy that is a bit more effective. In other words, they would rather have a decoy that looks like a real coyote rather than common prey. So if you want a decoy that makes the intent obvious, you’ll love this decoy, in general.
Bottom Line
The Lucky Duck “Yote” Coyote Decoy will probably be the product you want if you’re looking for something that looks exactly like one of the targets. It’s proven to be quite effective and can give you plenty of chances to hit the coyote you want. Don’t be shocked if you draw in a little more than you expect.
Best for the Money:
Primos Sit-N-Spin Predator Decoy
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Most new users were pretty impressed with the decoy. They said the set up was easy and did its job drawing in a number of targets. One user even said he was able to land a couple of them on the same day in the same spot. He added that the movement was intermittent and didn’t make a ton of noise.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This might be one of the best budget options when it comes to coyote decoys. Not to mention, this might be the perfect decoy if you’re looking to bag a couple of predators that will otherwise stock prey (like the livestock on your property). The “critter” looks lifelike and will definitely look like common prey from a distance.
Who Will Use This Most
This would be a great starter decoy for those who have never used one before. And best of all, it’s affordable for most budgets. So if you need a decoy to start out with, this might be exactly what you’re looking for.
Bottom Line
The Primos Sit-N-Spin Predator Decoy is the best possible option to go with if you’re looking for a simple to use decoy that won’t suck the life out of your bank account. It will likely give you the best possible advantage over any other decoy on the market (even those considered “budget” decoys).
4. MOJO Outdoors Super Critter Predator Decoy with Sound
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Most new users were pretty impressed with the decoy. They were quick to report that it was the perfect decoy for those who prefer common prey decoys over those that resemble coyotes. The movements were fluid and the sound was so real that it drew in a lot of coyotes. One user said that each time he’s used this decoy, he’s achieved a lot of success.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This might be one of the few decoys that is equipped with real sounds of a distressed animal. A coyote loves it when their prey is easy to capture and kill. So it stands out as one of the most perfect decoys you can work with in order to make your coyote hunts more successful. So in a sense, it’s innovative and just might be the textbook example of how a decoy should work.
Who Will Use This Most
This would be the best decoy for the coyote hunter that wants something close to the real deal (sans the coyote look-alike). So if that’s something you’re interested in, this could be the exact decoy that will fit your personal needs and preferences. Once you set this up, you’ll be able to land coyotes no problem.
Bottom Line
The Mojo Outdoors Super Critter Predator Decoy with Sound might be exactly the kind of decoy to start out with if you want something with real sound. You’ll smirk slyly as you draw in coyotes to what they think is an easy dinner. They don’t realize that it’s you and your rifle they’ll meet at the other end.
5. Flambeau Master Series Lone Howler Coyote Decoy
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This decoy was a hit with most users. They loved working with a decoy that looked exactly like a coyote to simply hang around an open field and look for food. Many users found a lot of success with meeting their coyote bag limits. One said it might be the closest coyote decoy to the real thing.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Once again, this coyote decoy might stand out as the perfect decoy for those that prefer using coyotes over common prey. Either way you slice it, a well-designed decoy will work effectively if it looks like one or the other. Since this looks real, right down to the fur, you can bet this sucker can draw in quite the pack. And for you, it’s easy pickings from there.
Who Will Use This Most
This is perfect if you’re one of those coyote hunters that’s picky about decoys. So if you want something that looks similar to a real live coyote, right down to the smallest of details, this just might be your cup of coffee. It’s the kind of decoy that will really stand out and draw in your targets each time.
Bottom Line
The Flambeau Master Series Lone Howler Coyote Decoy is a decoy that looks like the real deal. So don’t be surprised if you touch it at first. You’ll swear that it’s taxidermy. But rest assured, it isn’t. That’s how real and authentic this product is.
Pros and Cons of Coyote Decoys
Below are the main pros and cons of using coyote decoys:
Pros
There are certain advantages you’ll enjoy with coyote decoys. You will definitely get a lot of common positives out of these decoys if you use them right. Here are some examples:
Most of Them Are Lifelike
Ever wondered why most of these decoys are so effective? Because they are reasonably lifelike. From a good distance, they look exactly like the real deal. So you’ll love using these decoys for the purpose of increasing your ability to hit your targets at the right time.
They Are Successful at Grabbing Attention
Decoys serve a purpose: to distract and draw in your hunting targets. As most of them move around, it might be enough for curious targets to move in and get a closer look. They assume it’s dinnertime or it’s another coyote looking for food and leading the way.
Easy Set-Up
The good news is that a lot of decoys don’t require much effort to set up. Most of the time, they are usually “set it and forget it” models. So if you plant them into the ground, they can stay put and not give you the hassle of falling down, regardless of how hard and fast the wind blows.
Cons
Of course, where there are upsides, there are downsides. So if you want to know where decoys fall short, this is the place to find out. Here are a few flaws and shortfalls you may have to deal with:
Portability Might be a Challenge
Depending on the size of the decoy, you may struggle with carrying it around. Thankfully, they are lightweight. But it’s the bulkiness that makes it a pain in the butt. However, it does come with the territory for some of them. Just deal with it and your success with coyotes will be assured.
Some Have Limited Movement
Not every decoy will move around like injured or distressed animals. Some may not even move at all. While coyote-like decoys are effective, there’s a good chance they might not be as successful due to their lack of movement. So keep this in mind when choosing a decoy of your own.
Conclusion
The best coyote decoy is out there. Be sure to find one that will draw in your desired amount of coyotes. You’ll rack up all kinds of predators to ensure your property is safe from them and they are no longer a problem. Use these ethically and your coyote hunting success will be much greater than ever.
