If you’ve spent any time calling coyotes on Montana’s wind-swept prairie or along the timbered breaks of the Missouri River drainage, you already know that wary old dogs don’t always commit on a call alone. That’s exactly where a well-trained decoy dog changes everything. Levi Johnson, who runs the YouTube channel Doggin with Levi Johnson, recently dropped a deep-dive video on what breed he thinks is best suited for the job — and his reasoning is worth hearing out before you head afield this fall.

Why Decoy Dogs Work — Especially in Montana

Decoy dogs — typically small, energetic breeds that mimic a pup playing or distressed animal in the field — give incoming coyotes a visual target to lock onto. That pulls their attention away from the shooter and closes that final 50 yards that electronic callers alone can’t always seal. It’s a method that’s been used out West for decades, but it’s picking up real momentum among Montana hunters dealing with increasingly pressured coyotes, particularly in areas near agricultural operations in the Golden Triangle and the wide-open rangelands east of the Rockies.

Montana FWP has no closed season on coyotes and no bag limit statewide, which means serious predator hunters can — and do — put in serious time afield. The flip side of that opportunity is that coyotes in heavily hunted areas around the Milk River corridor, the Sun River breaks, and the Musselshell drainage have heard every howl and distress sound in the playbook. A decoy dog sidesteps the audio fatigue entirely. A coyote that hangs up at 200 yards on a jackrabbit distress call will frequently commit hard when it spots what looks like a lone pup bumbling around in the open.

Which Breeds Actually Hold Up in the Field

Johnson makes his case for a specific breed in the video, but it’s worth knowing the broader conversation among working decoy dog hunters. The most commonly used breeds fall into a few categories:

• Jack Russell Terriers — Fast, fearless, and naturally erratic in their movement, which reads as convincing prey behavior to an incoming coyote. Their small size keeps them low to the ground and visible. The downside is they can be difficult to control and have a prey drive that occasionally creates problems.
• Toy Fox Terriers — A popular choice for hunters who want the same energetic profile as a Jack Russell in an even smaller package. Easier to transport and generally more biddable.
• Mixed small breeds — Plenty of successful decoy dog hunters are running mutts with the right combination of energy and trainability. Breed purists aside, what matters most is prey-like movement, responsiveness to recall commands, and physical durability.

What all effective decoy dogs share is high energy, natural curiosity, and — critically — solid recall training. A dog that won’t return to you immediately when a coyote commits is a liability, not an asset.

Keeping a Working Dog Field-Ready Through a Montana Winter

Johnson also covers dog food, veterinary care, and day-to-day management in his video, which is the kind of practical information that’s easy to overlook when you’re focused on stand setup and calling sequences. Anyone who’s had a dog pick up a prickly pear spine in the Breaks or tangle with a coyote at close range knows the real cost of being unprepared.

Montana winters add another layer of consideration. If you’re running a decoy dog on the Hi-Line in January — think Havre, Malta, or out toward Plentywood — you’re dealing with temperatures that can drop to -20°F with wind chill. Small-breed dogs lose body heat fast. A quality insulated kennel in the truck, a dog jacket for between-stand walks, and a solid high-fat diet during the cold months aren’t optional extras for a serious predator hunter. They’re part of keeping your partner functional through a long season.

A Few Montana-Specific Tips Before You Start

Before you add a decoy dog to your setup, a few things worth knowing for hunting here specifically:

• Check public land access rules. Montana has millions of acres of BLM and state land open to predator hunting, but some Wildlife Management Areas have specific restrictions. Verify access at Montana FWP’s online mapping tool before you roll in with a dog.
• Rancher permission goes a long way. Most private landowners in coyote country are receptive to hunters helping with predator control, especially during calving season from February through April. A decoy dog setup is an easy sell — it’s low-impact and effective.
• Work the wind the same as any other stand. A decoy dog handles the visual, but coyotes will still wind you if you’re careless. Set up with thermals in mind, especially in the coulees and river breaks where air currents shift throughout the day.

Whether you’re a die-hard fur chaser running traplines through central Montana or a rancher trying to knock down predator pressure on a calving operation along the Yellowstone, this video gives you something concrete to work with. Watch it, then spend some time thinking about whether a decoy dog fits your hunting style — because once you’ve seen a coyote break from 200 yards out and sprint straight in on a bouncing terrier, it’s hard to go back to calling blind.