BUILD YOUR OWN COYOTE HUNTING RIG

I wanted to own a dedicated predator hunting rig but any expendable cash I had would always be vectored in another direction.  That is, until one day when something very unusual happened.  I actually sold a boat and made money on it.

I’ll try and keep the story short and to the point.  I got a great deal on this neglected, classic boat, bought it and worked hard to refurbish it.  We used it as a family boat on lake trips for five years until my wife and son got tired of going to the lake.  Since they were no longer interested, I put it up for sale and make a tidy profit on the deal.   Yes, strange but true.

Certainly, the only logical thing to do was to buy an old full-sized Jeep Cherokee Chief and transform it into my concept of a California/Nevada coyote hunting rig.  Keep in mind that “bling” was not a consideration here.  The project focus was to achieve multiple goals.  When completed, I wanted a coyote hunting vehicle that was reliable, utilitarian, economical, comfortable and stealthy.  I am happy to report that old “Jezebel” does the job.  As they say, “This old dog can hunt.”

  

The photo below shows the added lighting. The driving lights for dark back roads and below the bumper are my "creeper" lights. The creepers are pointed down and give just enough light to run trails without spooking nearby coyotes, bobcats, fox or other predators.

The photo below shows some added backup lighting. There are two tractor lights pointing down and a rectangular quartz lamp in the middle. They come in handy when backing up in rough country.

The engine in the photo below is a straight six (258 cu. in.). It's not a powerhouse but it keeps the rig light and has a bunch of low-end torque. I ditched the old carb, smog pump and a bunch of vacuum lines when I yanked it all and installed a Mopar multi-port fuel injection system. I was forced to buy the fuel injection kit because the old gal would not pass the strict California smog test with the old electronic carb. Then, after beginning the fuel injection installation, the new intake manifold was hitting the brake booster.   So that meant I had to go for a Hydra-Boost braking system. The sucker will stop on a dime though and the increased performance from the fuel injection is worth the effort.  I also purchased a 3-core radiator and some other goodies to increase performance and MPG.  Right after I bought the jeep I had a rebuilt engine installed and most of the drive train rebuilt or replaced.

Below is a photo of the cab. It shows a gadget bag on the passenger side for my hunt partner’s coyote hunting odds & ends, a home-made center console for predator hunting stuff and some extra instrumentation, including vehicle attitude gauges and a dedicated charging indicator for the rear battery that feeds power to all of the coyote hunting related lighting and electronics.

Below, the photo of the roof shows the Nevada hatch, my spare fuel containers (8) and the rifle rest surrounding the roof area. Sandbags (6) are set all around for easy access when calling coyotes, bobcats, fox and other predators.  The rifle rest surrounding the hatch is made from lightweight, inexpensive plastic sewer pipe and attached securely to the old roof rack with stainless hose clamps.

This interior photo below shows the underside of the coyote hunting hatch, some of the rifle racks on the driver's side, a plywood roof console I made that holds the CD player & MP3 amplifier for the under-body coyote calling speakers, the top of the hydraulic predator hunting chair for the hatch (on a portable base so it can be removed for sleeping in the rear of the rig), easy access attractant and cover scent spray bottles, cow horn coyote howlers, red & white interior lighting and you can barely see the top of the auxiliary battery by the seat back.

Below, another interior view shows the spare water, cook box, cooler, and a better view of the battery behind the driver's seat. The underside of the roof console also has two 12-volt cigar lighter receptacles for coyote hunting lights.

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Below is a rear photo of the passenger side. It shows the shooting seat base, rifle racks, a couple of coyote decoy sets hanging on the overhead, fire extinguisher, shovel, hatchet, and some Home Depot carpenter's aprons that I affixed to the side of the rig to hold small items like coyote tail cutters, rubber gloves, laser pointer, etc.  You’ll also notice an inexpensive laser pointer on a tripod and a white strobe light (used to find the rig again after walking away from it to find critters…yes, that’s another story). 

Below is a complete rear view. When hunting, the coyote lighting hatch is pulled off and bungeed to the bar that holds the cooler and cook box in place. All loose gear is stowed on top of the cooler and cook box and held there by the hatch. Everything is removed for sleeping. The rear is floored with 3/4" plywood, padding and carpeting.   It is very comfortable for two guys to sleep in.

There is a bunch of other stuff I didn’t mention such as under floor storage, a 4” Skyjacker chassis lift, coyote calling speakers under the front and rear of the rig; CD player, MP3 player, 50-watt amp for any predator calling input source, under-vehicle speaker controls, 110-volt AC inverter, gas stove and more.  Also, the only component that wasn’t replaced or rebuilt is the ash tray…LOL   I hope you new predator/coyote hunters will benefit from this overview of a California/Nevada style hunt rig. It’s not the Ritz but I love the old girl.  She takes me way out there into the Mojave Desert and beyond and always brings us home.

NOTE:  Night hunting coyotes and lighting predators from your vehicle is legal in designated areas in California; however, shooting out of a vehicle is not.  Also, the vehicle may not be in motion while lighting.  Nevada is a free state and it is legal to shoot from a vehicle in remote areas.  You can also light and call while rolling in Nevada.   

Check your local laws before attempting to night hunt.  Even where night hunting is legal, restrictions may apply.  Know your facts and be prepared to politely defend the legality of your actions. Sometimes local police and fish & game officials may be in error.   No matter what the situation, always remain polite, courteous and cooperative when dealing with any law enforcement officials or land owners.  Don’t ever argue or raise your voice.  Also, most importantly, never volunteer information.  When in doubt, keep your mouth closed and don’t make a “statement” to any peace officer.