Coyotes

[Happy]

Agree coyotes are more detrimental to fawn and small game. Have been suprised that no one has mentioned the increase in hawks and eagles. At least in my area. Heck we even have bald eagles around here. Maybe it's just my area but we definitely have more birds of prey now than I can ever remember. I think they are harder on most pults than many realize.

[wvmntnhick]

Agree coyotes are more detrimental to fawn and small game. Have been suprised that no one has mentioned the increase in hawks and eagles. At least in my area. Heck we even have bald eagles around here. Maybe it's just my area but we definitely have more birds of prey now than I can ever remember. I think they are harder on most pults than many realize.

That's a fact that I've never really thought about. There's enough of them (bald eagles) here now that we see them perched on top of road killed deer. Never took the time to really consider them.

[TURKEYWHACKER]

My buddy and I went scouting last Sunday morning on a central Florida WMA. In the spot we found a bunch of turkey tracks on the dirt roads and muddy spots, there was coyote scat everywhere. Second spot saw a bobcat run off when we pulled up, Roads were criss crossed with cat tracks and not a single turkey track could be found.

[Farmboy27]

Here in central PA we have some coyotes and I'm sure they take their share of turkeys.  As far as the coyotes keeping the raccoon population down, not sure I buy that.  The average coyote around here might go 35-40 pounds.  A big old male might go 50.  I have seen boar coons whip a single coon dog on several occasions.  A coyote is going to go for the easiest meal they can find.  Mice, voles, young rabbits, poults and fawns are a lot easier than a coon! 

[wvmntnhick]

While coyotes and coon hounds aren't the same by any means, I'll agree with this somewhat. They'll definitely take the easy meal. Coyotes will kill some coons for sure but I can say one thing for sure. Two years ago I caught a coon in a trap. Easy pickings for any coyote coming across it you'd think. The set was completely littered with coyote tracks in the surrounding snow and inside the catch circle. The coon was still there. If he can fight off a coyote while being tied down, I'm betting they're not eating as many as some would like to believe.

[wmn2]

We have them all over South Carolina. I've seen at least 8-10 in daylight since I moved here 18 months ago. I have yet to see any while deer hunting, but I have them all over my trail cameras. I've never seen this many until I moved here. I'll shoot all that I see though.

[beagler]

We killed three last weekend in front of the hounds.

[tomstopper]

We killed three last weekend in front of the hounds.

Very nice. Congrats....

[bangbird]

I don't think coyotes hurt turkey populations. If anything they may help (by preying upon other predators of turkeys).

I have walked a lot of miles in the turkey woods and can only recall two times were I came across turkey remains in coyote droppings.  I've never seen a coyote catch a turkey or even attempt to catch a turkey.  I've even got a trail cam pic off turkeys feeding in a field literally within feet of a coyote that is laying down and paying no attention to the turkeys.  They may stumble upon a hen with poults every once in a while and get a few, or find a hen nesting, but I think it's not the norm.

We have had sequential bad hatches for 3-4 years now in the South East.  There's just been too much wet weather and wet conditions, and everyone wants to blame the coyote on declining turkey populations but I'm not buying it.   I do trap coyotes on my property bad that's to help with fawn recruitment.

[Neill_Prater]

Three or four years ago, I was walking the edge of a field shortly after daylight. I had heard a gobbler, and was creeping along as close to the edge as I could. Suddenly, I heard alarm putts and excited clucking in the edge of the timber just ahead of me. I immediately assumed I had been spotted by some hens, and froze. In a few seconds, a coyote popped out of the brush, saw me, and started trotting away, down the edge of the field.

I relaxed, figuring the birds had reacted to the coyote, not me. A few seconds later, a gobbler came flying down and landed maybe 30 yards away and immediately started hoofing it straight across the field to the brushy border of the creek maybe 100 yards away. My brain still had not processed the information to the point that said "SHOOT!", so I stood there slack jawed like an idiot. Within seconds, I realized the coyote had spun around upon seeing the turkey and was giving chase!

The turkey had a good head start, but the coyote almost caught him before he reached the other side of the field. I still remember the dust flying from the coyotes feet as he was laying them down trying to close the deal. For some reason, the bird never went airborne, but just kept running wide open. After they hit the brush, I could no longer see, but assume the bird was able to cross the creek, because I heard brief wingbeats. I never saw the coyote again.

I have absolutely no doubt the coyote would have caught the gobbler if he had been afforded only a few yards more to give chase. I learned then that adult birds, not only poults, are definitely at risk of being rendered into coyote feed.

[OldSchool]

Agree coyotes are more detrimental to fawn and small game. Have been suprised that no one has mentioned the increase in hawks and eagles. At least in my area. Heck we even have bald eagles around here. Maybe it's just my area but we definitely have more birds of prey now than I can ever remember. I think they are harder on most pults than many realize.

I started seeing bald eagles around my house for the first time 6-8 years ago. They're beautiful, amazing birds and I enjoy seeing them, but I always wonder how many poults and hens they eat. I don't know if they'd pick on an adult gobbler or not.

Bob

[Farmboy27]

Nice going!  We also hunt coyotes (and fox) with hounds but we use black and tans and redbones.  Any coyote you put some shot into is a good one!!

[Dearhunter3450]

I called a coyote into my turkey setup last May. Has anyone else had this happen? When I told the farmer about it he asked if I killed it. I said nope, not in season. He just laughed and said so. I guess that sums up how people view Yates here. We have way too many

[owlhoot]

Have seen coyotes chase turkeys and deer.
Have had many come to call looking for a meal.
Quite a few hunts halted by a yote going after the birds i was calling.
Saw a jake caught by a coyote once.
Now Missouri lets you kill them in the spring again, so now when they come  they are going to get some heavy-weight!

[OldSchool]

We killed three last weekend in front of the hounds.

Great picture, thanks.

Bob