Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to run off, esp. in a clandestine manner.

1855		‘See the Elephant’ in Lingenfelter et al. Songs of the Amer. West (1968) 88: [I] then fetched up in Hangtown Jail [...] I did as I had done before, / Coyoted out from ’neath the floor.
1859		Calif. Police Gazette 27 Mar. 1: [...] nine thieves and burglars ‘coyoted’ out underneath the prison, and vanished to parts unknown.
1936		R.F. Adams Cowboy Lingo 233: Coyotin’ ’round was sneaking.
1964		in DARE.

2. to hoax, to deceive.

1948

New Mexico Quarterly Rev. Summer 199: At the same time, to ‘out-coyote’ another man means little more than to out-smart, to excel at the trickster’s own game [DA].

3. to wander about.

1928		R. Santee Cowboy 19: Now, don’t go a-layin’ out [...] an’ coyote along the way, but stop at some farmhouse an’ spend the night.
1948		New Mexico Quarterly Rev. Sum. 199: Nowadays in the Southwest, ‘coyoting around’ means drifting loosely from one place or occupation to another, without anchor or responsibility [DA].
1968		R.F. Adams Western Words (2nd edn) 81/2: Coyotin’ round. Sneaking; drifting aimlessly from one place to another.