Told Ya!

[Robert Egler]

I hunt (and fish) a lot at a fairy large state game lands not far from my house, but which is close to a large urban area. One of the things I like to do is examine tracks, follow sign and see what I can tell. About a year and a half ago I started noticing what looked to me to be coyote tracks. Sometimes they can be mistaken for large domestic dogs, so I wasn’t sure at first, but as I found more in various substrates over time I became convinced there were coyotes.

Mentioning this to the rangers and wildlife people I got the response no, you must be seeing dog tracks, there are no coyotes there.

So the other day I was squirrel hunting, and as I sat there what walks out the brush but a small coyote. I’m thinking that the same people who said I was seeing dog tracks would say this must have been a dog, but I’ve seen coyotes before elsewhere and it WAS a coyote, and he walked within 10 yards before he spotted me, so I had a good look.. I was loaded for squirrel at the time, so I have no way to shoot the thing for proof.

Then as luck would have it (if you put this in a movie plot it would be unbelievable, I know) later in the same day I’m walking through an area a mile or so out and find what sure looks like a coyote skeleton mostly covered in leaves. I dig it out and take the skull home, with the lower jaw and all but 2 teeth which I couldn’t find.

Get online and look up coyote skulls, exact match, including the notched teeth. Called my daughter (a zoologist) and sent her a picture: she says it’s definitely a coyote skull.

So unless someone is wandering around planting coyote skeletons there ARE coyotes there. And those WERE coyote tracks!

Told ya! :blah:

 

[Stumpkiller]

. . . and he walked within 10 yards before he spotted me, so I had a good look. I was loaded for squirrel at the time, so I have no way to shoot the thing for proof.

Anything that will stop a squirrel at 30 yards will drop a coyote at 10 yards. ;-)

 

[Robert Egler]

I had 3/4 oz of #6 shot over 65 gr 2F, didn't think that would do it and I really hate to wound something.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Commendable on your part.

I raise sheep, turkeys and chickens. If I see a coyote I shoot whether it's a bow, .22 LR pistol, shotgun or rifle. But then it's not sport - it's killing. (I killed a 200# animal with #6 from a 20 ga. once - in the first 20 feet it behaves much like a single projectile).

 

[MeatStick]

I believe a coyotes front feet are larger than their back ones if yer trackin.

 

[Stumpkiller]

So's my terrier.

They must be front wheel drive?

 

[Robert Egler]

Yep, that's true of most canines, and all felines too. Foxes pretty much all the time, and coyotes a lot of the time, have direct register when they're simply walking, where they put the rear foot on or very close to the track of the front foot. (So do all cats.) Domestic dogs rarely have direct register.

Still, the easiest way to know what animal made some tracks is to find the tracks with the animal still in them. :wink:

 

[rabjr]

Back years ago we had more than one deer brought in that were confiscated from idiots who put a load of 6's or 8's into the chest at close range during bird season. You'd be surprised what a load of shot can do at close range to the lungs of a deer. I'm sure it would have done the same to a coyote at close range as well.

 

[MeatStick]

I've killed many a coyote with #2 lead while fox hunting, and would not hesitate shootin one with 6's at 15 yards. That said I always use #4's for squacks cause ya just never know what might show up.

 

[roundball]

Wildlife guy who told you that was 100% completely out of touch with reality.
North Carolina has had coyotes for years and the population is expanding.
It's common place for guys I know to kill them while deer hunting...some also trap them...some others go after coyotes for off season hunting opportunities by calling them into gun range.

Right after first light in November I was already on stand deer hunting, and less than 100 yards from me a pack of them started off their day with their typical 30-45 second yapping/howling chorus they use to communicate/gather the pack and set off hunting.

 

[Robert Egler]

He was saying that there were no coyotes in Jordan Lake game land specifically, maybe because its right next to Raleigh and actually extends slightly into Durham, but I'm just guessing his reasoning. He was still wrong. :grin:

 

[roundball]

No question he's totally in the dark.

I live in the Raleigh area and in the past two years I myself have seen two road killed coyotes on the shoulder of 440 going around the west side of Raleigh where it crosses I40 west...they're everywhere and taking their toll on the turkey population for sure.

Now that I've retired, I've had thoughts about seeing if I could bring any into range of my .62cal smoothbore this year, loaded with #2's or something...have a caller and motion rabbit decoy, just need a tape...but I understand they're hard to bring in.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I belong to a traditional bowhunting forum and there is one guy who specializes in coyote. He gets them often and regularly with a stick bow from the ground. THAT is darned good hunting.

This past season I drew on one and the lower limb hit a branch and made the tinyest "tick" just before I released. The Coyote was three feet off the ground when my arrow got to where he had been 20 yards away.

I'm afraid we have many more coyotes than deer hereabouts. Within a few miles of the house one trapper took 42(!) in one year and a retired neighbor took 32 with a rifle the year before.

 

[roundball]

Prolific breeders and no natural enemies other than man

 

[Walks with fire]

Here in the northwest corner of PA we have lots of coyotes. The small game have really been affected a great deal. Rabbits, birds and even turkey and deer are reduced by these coyotes. A coyote hunts everyday unlike me.

 

[410-er]

Pa is being over run with yotes.I shot one 2yrs ago in an area that had none.After I shot I really questioned myself as what I shot.I was sure it was and after walking up,it was!GET RID OF EVERY ONE!Only thing they are good for is they eat cats.

 

[jatuttle]

Yes,coyotes are everywhere...seen several on my hunting ground/family farm in north central Mississippi. Not a good feeling to be on an evening hunt and hear a pack cut loose about 150 feet up the woodline about the time you get ready to come down and walk out about dark. Preacher friend of mine and I plan to thin them out this year using predator calls. I've hesitated too when presented with a shot at times...mostly in order to stay quiet on a deer hunt. Re-thinking that decision now as I hear more of them and see fewer deer. Planning to let em have it from here on out.
Jeff

 

[roundball]

Spring / summer they have a feeding frenzy on new born turkey poults for 3 weeks until they can fly up to roost...and young fawns for sure.

 

[Birdman]

guys those game people know full well there are yotes there. They deny it so the media doesn't jump all over it n have citified flatlanders who have no clue all up in arms about it. They denied it here in Pa for years until so many had been shot or trapped n been on the news they had no choice but to acknowledge it or look like complete fools.
there are photos of yotes in downtown areas of large cities , they just are so adaptable its amazing. In many places they are actually happy they have arrived as the deer herds have sort of gotten out of control because no one can hunt them(the deer) due to laws or tree huggers.People have tried to eradicate yotes for hundreds of years n there are probably more now then ever sooo I guess we will just have to deal with it n help out with population control when we can.--just some thoughts YMHS Birdman

 

[Twowithone]

Pa is loaded with them. Places that never had yotes have them now and their a pain. If I ever have a shot at 1 Im taking it.