Putting in my time

[1snafu]

I turned 69 not long ago. I got to thinking about my time hunting Red Fox & the coyotes. I'm a long time spot stalker of both canines. My hunt terrain is mostly rolling hill cropland. I hunted with our dad. We would spot/stalk Red fox & coyotes that were bedded down amongst the hills. This season will be my 59th year doing that.

Some years back I estimated roughly how many coyotes I've observed or stalked in on. Back then I estimated 2500+ coyotes. Most of which were alone. Otherwise they were paired up & or with their yearlings. I observed their behaviors while they were alone & or with their mate & family group. Years ago I I.D'd 3 territorial pairs two years in a row in my old hunt area. I viewed them from a distance with my binocs or spotting scope. The latter 1/2 of my hunt years. It became more important to me. To learn their behaviors vs just kill them. They taught me quit a bit by observing.

Some things I learned from the coyotes. When a pair is on the move. Most often it is the alpha female that takes or is in the lead. The male is almost always the lag coyote. When she pauses, he will come up near her & pause also. As they scan the area up ahead. Sometimes he will then be the lead coyote when they go on the move again. But she will soon take over the lead again. ( Wherever she goes, the he follows).

When they decide to bed down. She is most often the last of the two to lay her head down. imo from what I have observed countless times. It is the alpha female who is most wary. Even when they are curled up in a ball. She will often raise her head to pan around.

Territorial coyotes have preferred bedding areas. The wind direction dictates any given day. Which hillside they decide to bed down on for the day. Most all coyotes I have observed. Will either be bedded down prior to Sunrise. Otherwise still be on the move up until around 9-10am. Few coyotes will be on the move after 10am during the Winter months.

When they bed down they typically will bed down right below a ridgeline. Otherwise down that hillside about 1/2 way. 99.9% of the time. They will have the wind, even a slight wind at their backside. When bedded down with the wind at their backside. They can hear & scent to their up-wind. Then visually scan to their cross & down wind areas.

[1snafu]

Excuse my typo's. I reckon I haven't been a member on her long enough. In order to edit my posts.

[bambam]

Awesome info.

[Okanagan]

Awesome info.

Yes!  Thanks for posting a bit of your many years experience.

[MI VHNTR]

Excellent info. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[1snafu]

I subscribe to the theory. "A dead coyote teaches me nothing" Thus things I have learned about them was through countless hours of observation. In my younger hunting years. I had the kill them all mentality. Which to me in my latter years. Was time wasted.

In my old hunt area. Which consisted of numerous adjoining mile sections. I eventually I.D'd various alpha pairs. My recall is not what it once was. But if I recall correctly. I focused much of my latter years. I focused on 3 alpha pairs. I often seen the pairs together any given hunt day. I realized they had specific bedding areas. When the wind was from a specific direction. I would seen them bedded down out of the wind. the prevailing wind was always at their back side. depending on the speed of that wind. Their muzzles & front cone area of their ears. Where facing down-wind. The higher the wind, the more in alignment their muzzles faced to THEIR down-wind. I found that most interesting. I utilized what I learned from them, to my advantage. As I stalked in on them. I have more to share about their behaviors, sometime today. Currently I'm tired & need more coffee at the present moment. :)

[1snafu]

Everyone has their own idea or tactics. Which way the wind should is blowing. When they walk into an area to call coyotes. Walk in cross-wind. Or wind in their face, is the most preferred direction. From what all I have read on that matter.

What many do not realize on hilly terrain. Wind in my face would not be ideal. Because most coyotes when bedded down. Will choose to be elevated up near the ridgeline or slightly below it. Putting that caller/stalker in that coyotes field of view. Chances of getting busted is very high. Game over, before it even starts.

I've called with a few other young callers. They walked into our call stand area. Like a cow wearing a neck bell. Crunching loudly on the frozen soil/snow below foot. They also wanted to talk on our way in. Another idiot idea. On hilly terrain when I do call (which is not much). I stealth in on the coyote's angled up & cross-wind. Same goes for when I believe a coyote may be bedded down in a cover area. Ideally, I stealth in like a cat regardless. Walking slowly & watching where I plant each foot. As I listen & feel underfoot of any noise I may cast...Slow & methodical if you will.

Can a spot/stalker or caller. Get close or within ear-shot of a coyote on hilly terrain. With the wind in that caller or stalkers face? Yes they can, but it is on a rare occasion they pull that off.

MY ideal angle vs wind. Is the 10:00 or 2:00 angle from a bedded coyote or calling cover. The center of the clock dial is the coyote or ground cover I plan to call. I stealth in angled up & cross-wind. That puts me not only out of that coyote's line of sight. But also it can not scent me. So I've over come all of it's senses. As long as I'm quiet enough on the way in. I've also overcome it's hearing ability.

On flat terrain with tall ground cover(taller than a standing coyote can see you). A hunter can get away much more easily. With the ole wind in the face plan. As for walking into a call area.

[FinsnFur]

The pics!
The pics you've acquired over the years is what gets me. Some dang nice photos

[1snafu]

My hunt are is north central plains. Rolling hill cropland for the most part. The land is divided in 1 square mile sections for the most part. some land masses are larger than one square mile. Each total land "mile section". Is surrounded/divided by gravel roads. Which makes it ideal for spotting game from the road. I can often look into those miles sections from multiple angles.

When I do see a bedded canine. They are most often easy to triangulate their exact position amongst the hills. Which makes it ideal for stalking. It also makes it ideal for observing their behaviors. When they are up milling around or otherwise on the move.

One thing I would do. Is go prone & view them up close via my zoomed in rifle scope. Sometimes I would just lay there prone & watch how they would react to a distant noise. While they were curled up sleeping. Et heard a distant noise. One of their ears would pivot towards that noise. If further interested both ears would pivot towards that noise. Yet further interest, they would wake up & look towards that noise. Then sit up & or otherwise. Get up & move away from it.

Their hearing is exceptional. I rank their ability to hear the slightest noise from a great distance. Is top shelf.

One day I took an older man(new guy) spot stalking coyotes. I spotted a bedded down pair roughly 3/8 mile away. As we viewed them & the surrounding terrain. I formed a stalk plan for him. I pointed out the route he should take, what to do & not do. I told him if you are quite enough. On the way in. You should be able to get within easy rifle range & go prone for the shot. Et take you pick of either coyote. He said he understood. But after I dropped him off on the road in a hidden area from those coyotes view. He didn't do a damn thing I told him to do. Dumbass never got close before those coyotes busted him. He remained clueless on his way in & never seen them leave. Because they heard him walking in.

[1snafu]

As for understanding coyote behaviors. What I have done & still do is during my observations is. Average out or theorize their behaviors. For example when I've seen them traveling. Some degree of wind(even a slight puff of wind). Was almost always present.

I watched them as to how they would utilize that wind. Very rare they would travel in a straight line (for very far). Before they would "cut" that wind or angle to it. Coyotes routinely do not like "any" wind blowing on their face or into the front cone area of their ears. to me, it is the front cone of their ears. Which is most sensitive to wind. Also by angling/cutting a wind. They are able to scent more area in any given distance.

For example; A coyote traveling 100' directly into a wind. That same coyote can scent more "area" up ahead. When it angles/cuts into that wind. Or otherwise zig-zags into that wind.

I also believe through observations(theorizing mind you). All coyotes have the same inherent behaviors. However, all coyotes do vary somewhat in other behaviors. I believe those varied behaviors are in their DNA wiring. Otherwise they are learned behaviors from past experiences in their individual lives.

I had one new guy coyote hunter. Try to make me believe. Coyotes are incapable of reasoning. Because according to him. Only humans can reason. I thought him a natural born idiot. lol!

[1snafu]

I don't recall if I ever mentioned it prior. Anyway some coyote hunters & or Biologists. Have shared their views, on when & why an alpha pair of coyotes. Disperses/scatters their yearlings.

One older alpha pair. Which I have identified some of their territory. I often seen them & or their yearlings two seasons in a row in two specific/adjoining 1 sq. mile sections. During those two years. The female had 5 pups. Sometimes I would see them altogether(I believe 2 or 3? times. I noted when I did see all 7 of them together. It was during the 3rd wk in December. After the 3rd wk, I never seen them all together again.

It was the last time I seen them altogether. I witnessed a behavior from the alpha pair. I had only seen that specific behavior 1x. That day they had crossed the gravel road I was on. Two hills before I crested the last hill. As I'm driving due North scanning both sides of the road looking for a coyote. when I topped the last hill, I panned to my left. There I watched them traveling due West in a loose linear formation. So I stopped, then backed up to hide most of my truck behind a high roadside snow drift. I parked my truck mostly behind that snowdrift. Just far enough so I could still keep them all in view.

Now they are just past 3/8 mile away from where I'm parked. They all stopped then milled around. Sniffing looking around. Shortly afterwards, one by one. They all bedded down. Near & around some large roll cornstalk bales out on that field. The alpha female was the last one to bed down & lower her head. I continued watching them. Maybe 15 minutes went by. Then one by one they all got up & milled around a little more.

The male then walked up to each yearling. Grabbed them them slowly by the back of the neck. Then pushed their head & upper shoulder area down onto the snow & held them there. For maybe 10-15 seconds or so. Then he would let that yearling up & walked over to another yearling & did the same thing. The alpha female remained bedded down but she watching him do this to all of them. Finally the male walked up to the last yearling. That is when the alpha female. Also walked up to that yearling. They "both" took that yearling by the back of the neck. Et pushed it's head & upper shoulders down onto the snow & held it there for maybe 10-15 seconds. Witnessing that behavior. Was most interesting but confusing to me as to what it all meant. I wonder why the female did not assist the male on all of her yearling. but did on the last one. I suspect the last one was the only "female" in her litter of 5. That is why she got involved it making it submit.

Of course I can't prove what that behavior really meant. Or why did the alpha female get involved on the last yearling's submission. But over consecutive hunt days. I never seen their litter again. Mulling over what that behavior meant? I concluded, I believe that was the actual event of dispersal/scattering of their yearlings. I'm further convinced on what it all it meant. Because after the 3rd wk in December. Their yearlings where gone.

Some (idiots) believe a person can not 100% I.D. An individual coyote from another. Because they all look the same pretty much. Well the fact is most do. However, IF you put in the time it takes & have the optics. Anyone can do just that. By seeing & noting each coyotes coloration difference, size & any other physical differences. Some of those ID markers which might be slight. So a hunter would need to zoom in on them. To see 1st hand the slightest or obvious variations. in color, body mass & any other physical anomoly. 

I hope this all makes sense. After all it is my own theory. Because I do not speak coyote & can not ask them personally. 

[1snafu]

I believe "dispersal/scattering" of the yearlings. Is soley based upon. When the alpha female is coming into heat.

[Okanagan]

Absolutely excellent stuff, especially that you got to see the senior pair push the heads of the yearlings into the snow.  Your assessment of what was going on sounds likely.

I haven't spent the time after coyotes that you have, and especially not in open country where I could watch them travel much.  But I've sure seen some interesting behaviours! 

One time on a huge sage flat above the Columbia River in central WAshington State,  my son and I watched a trio of coyotes travel a mile or so in a few inches of snow, late Feb. as I recall, so mating season.  A medium sized mature adult coyote walked or trotted in the lead, followed maybe 10-20 yards behind by a larger and darker colored coyote. We assumed the lead was a female and the follower a male.  About 50 or more yards behind this pair followed yet a third coyote.  Every 300 or 400 yards the biggest coyote, the one second in line, would turn around, charge back toward the third coyote and seem to threaten it.  The third coyote would whirl and run away for a short distance till the bigger coyote stopped and reversed direction to follow after the lead coyote again.  The third coyote would turn and follow them, gradually closing the distance a bit from a position now 100 yards or more behind the lead pair. 

The third coyote did not look like a leggy skinny young of the year, but it was smaller and could have been a more developed youngster.  We assumed the third coyote was a young male and the lead male wanted to run it off but not put much time or effort into it, rather staying close to the lead female.  Guessing here!

[Okanagan]

You are absolutlely correct than observant humans can tell one coyote from another and recognize a particular coyote even a year or so later.  That's especially easy if the coyote has a deformity or unusual color or mark on him or her.  We watched a three legged male coyote all through spring and early summer one year in the field by our house.  He moused and brought food to his mate, and as spring went on we began to see them with the young pups.  Watched a coyote female raise one pup in a big vacant lot a half mile from our house, from a little pup to a skinny adolescent.  When in college I saw an unusually large and dark brown colored coyote in the hills above our dorm and recognized him several times over a two year period, whether he was alone or with other coyotes.  Etc.!

You have lots more knowledge and observations.  I'd like to hear more!

[1snafu]

I agree on your observations of those 3 coyotes. Most likely your hunch is what was occurring before your eyes. As hunters & observers. We can only theorize/speculate as to what might be happening. One winter I killed & weighed 40 lb male. I laid his body on my truck's tailgate. Then put his body in an anatomical position as if he were standing. Then using a tape measure, I measured all aspects of his body in a standing anatomical position.   

I did all of his anatomical measurements. My interest was 2 fold. His paw print length was 2 & 3/4" in length. So whenever I seen another coyote track. I could estimate his size(not necessarily weight). His chest total depth. From top of his shoulder to the bottom of his chest = 9". Height of his chest from top of his shoulder to bottom of his paw = 24". Body length from the front of his his chest to rump = 30". Legs from bottom of his chest to bottom of his paw = 14". I would use those calculations as a general rule of thumb. For aiming lead & shot holdover....(distance/bullet drop & wind drift/aiming lead)) on taking a shot.

[Okanagan]

I agree on your observations of those 3 coyotes. Most likely your hunch is what was occurring before your eyes. As hunters & observers. We can only theorize/speculate as to what might be happening. One winter I killed & weighed 40 lb male. I laid his body on my truck's tailgate. Then put his body in an anatomical position as if he were standing. Then using a tape measure, I measured all aspects of his body in a standing anatomical position. 

I did all of his anatomical measurements. My interest was 2 fold. His paw print length was 2 & 3/4" in length. So whenever I seen another coyote track. I could estimate his size(not necessarily weight). His chest total depth. From top of his shoulder to the bottom of his chest = 9". Height of his chest from top of his shoulder to bottom of his paw = 24". Body length from the front of his his chest to rump = 30". Legs from bottom of his chest to bottom of his paw = 14". I would use those calculations as a general rule of thumb. For aiming lead & shot holdover....(distance/bullet drop & wind drift/aiming lead)) on taking a shot.

Excellent info, especially the measurements.  A professional wolfer for a big ranch in southern British Columbia measured a number of coyotes the same way.  What surprised me was how small the vital area was on the average coyote, not extra big ones.  He would let them freeze after skinning and cut them in half lengthwise, etc.  With the hair gone there is not much to shoot at on a winter furred coyote.  From the spine to the inside of the sternum he said the average coyote in our area was 3 1/2 inches of sure kill vitals.  I'm pretty sure that includes the spine, measuring from the top of the backbone as vital, though we all wanted to stay away from spine and major bones when we were fur hunting. 

Not sure anymore but I think he told me that most larger ones would only go 4 1/2 inches of vitals just behind the shoulder, with a few huge ones bigger. Sure is a help when sighting in a coyote rifle and when shooting at the critters (if the shooter knows exactly where his bullet is going )

[1snafu]

Another visual aid in taking a long shot. 1 square mile sections/land mass in much of my hunt areas. Are intersected with numerous barbed fences. Typically 1/4 & 1/2 mile fence lines. The above ground protruding wood fence posts. Are right at 4' tall. So when I would take a shot at a coyote near the 1/4 mile fence line. I would use that exposed post for bullet drop/holdover. Along with my estimate as to coyote size. Another visual aid I've used many times. Is spacing between harvested bean & corn fields. Mainly using that spacing for bullet wind drift @ varying yardages & wind speeds.

My memory is not what it once was in my youth. So I tend to use terrain features as estimated measurements. When figuring wind drift & bullet drop. All of which play a part in my shots. On the side of my rifle stock. I have a small laminated cheat sheet. For my rifle's bullet as for yardage & wind speed & direction.

[1snafu]

40 lb coyote I measured, still had his fur on. So actual measurement would be somewhat less. I would guess no more than an 1-inch. Out of all the coyotes I've ever seen. Best I can recall; 7 black ones, 1 solid red & 1 sold yellow. The red one was apple red(like a "cherry" Red Fox). Which are very rare around my area. The yellow coyote was banana yellow. Both the red & yellow coyotes were very large.

[1snafu]

Most coyotes I've seen bedded down or milling around at ease. Typically were seen 3/8 to 1/2 mile from a roadway. 1/2 mile from a roadway was most often observed. However, some coyotes will bed down in grassy or timbered sloughs. Within a 1/4 mile from a roadway.

One winter day a snow storm was drawing near. But I went road hunting anyway. Winds picked up quite a bit. Then I was caught in a blizzard miles from home. Visibility was greatly reduced. As I headed for home. Shortly into that blizzard I topped a hill. As I panned to my left. I seen what appeared to be a crumpled medium sized carboard box. Laying on a hillside of picked corn, between the rows. As I slowed down & kept looking at it. I thought that looks like a balled up coyote. It was less than 100 yrds off of the road. I kept driving but then stopped.

Then backed up for a final view of that box? In between the blowing snow squalls. I finally realized it was a coyote. I then backed up a good city block until I drove back over a previous hill. From that coyote. I got out & slinked into that field. Finally as I peeked over the ridgeline. That coyote happened to look up & seen me. Then bolted fast away as I swung on it for a shot. That was the closest to the road I ever seen one bed down.

During another hunt prior to a blizzard. I seen a lone fresh track leading into a ditch culvert. culvert was roughly 2' in dimeter. I knew that coyote was still in there. Because no tracks found coming back out. Wind picked up & starting making the snow drift, blizzard was almost upon me. So I headed home right quick. The next day the blizzard was in full form. WC factor dropped to well below zero. The following 2 days the blizzard had past. But the wind still howled & the WC remained well below zero. That didn't matter I kept hunting those following days. I also kept checking on that culvert. That coyote remained in that culvert tube for 3 days. It exited on the 4th day.

Another thing I've noticed about coyote travel. During blizzards out on the open hilly areas. They typically will hole up & movement comes to a halt. Or otherwise they seek a wind block area on the down-wind side of hills. However, along timbered creeks & rivers. Some coyotes are still on the move during a blizzard.

By the way both coyotes & Red Fox WILL use an old abandoned den site now & then. Regardless of what some anointed expert may claim. 

[Okanagan]

Interesting stuff.  I have seen several coyotes bed right beside a road, so wonder if that is partly due to the terrain in different parts of the country. 

When driving a route in a high rig every day in Southern California I noticed a coyote bedded right at the bottom of the freeway embankment, under a scrawny bush.  It was there every day for several days, then gone for a week or two, then back once in awhile over several months.  No one in a passenger car or anything but a tall cab could see the coyote at the bottom of the road embankment.

Several years ago when driving east on an eastern Montana highway I saw a coyote bedded right at the lip of the road cutbank on the right.  It was blowing snow sideways, probably about 10 degrees, and the critter had his back to the wind, facing the road with his fluffy tail wrapped around his nose.  Snow was building a drift pile against his back, building up a snow nest with protection from the wind. 

Have seen a number of coyotes, some in packs of 4 or more, bedded in timber within 50 yards of a road. 

A few times I've tracked a coyote or a fox in Fall snow when they went into an old den in the ground.  Seemed odd.  One time I think the fox saw me coming and ducked into the old den to get out of sight.