I didn't hunt much of the summer to give the area a rest and I have been going out the past two weeks and only heard two coyotes. Here is the situation. We usually have a ton of feral cats which the coyotes eat but the cats are almost gone because they are really sick, skin and bones but no loss of fur just really skinny. Second a road that usually has tons of coyote scat on it has none I do see a few tracks but looks like one coyote. Third I have been hunting near a dead deer which is probably a week old and was not touched by the coyotes as of yet. A month ago a deer carcass was gone in a few days only thing left was the spine. Just been really quite around here and I was wondering if they could have got sick from the cats /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
any idea where the coyote went?
- Thread starter rjh
- Start date
rjh,
My opinion, on coyotes & their relationship with other predator's [cats, coon, farm dogs, ect] in their territory. Coyotes don't like other predators in their territory. They'll kill whatever they can, to diminish that competition. Mostly, when their [packed or paired] up.
They will also try to kill or @ a minimum "run off" farm dogs. Coyotes will eat almost anything, but prefer meat. Over other food source's generally.
There are many factors, when trying to figure out as to why/where the coyotes have gone. I suspect one reason, the prey or other food source is diminished in that area as being one of them. To rule-out lack of prey. Put in some field time to see. "Skinny feral cat's" is a good clue.
A couple Winter's ago. I killed a female, that was paired. This pr held this 1-2 mile section for two previous Winter's[I know, because I tried to kill them]. The male was a brute.
It took two more yrs. After I killed that female, before that section "held" coyotes again. That section had plenty of cover, prey source & water. I was alittle surprised, other coyotes didn't move in sooner. As there are plenty around here.
My opinion, on coyotes & their relationship with other predator's [cats, coon, farm dogs, ect] in their territory. Coyotes don't like other predators in their territory. They'll kill whatever they can, to diminish that competition. Mostly, when their [packed or paired] up.
They will also try to kill or @ a minimum "run off" farm dogs. Coyotes will eat almost anything, but prefer meat. Over other food source's generally.
There are many factors, when trying to figure out as to why/where the coyotes have gone. I suspect one reason, the prey or other food source is diminished in that area as being one of them. To rule-out lack of prey. Put in some field time to see. "Skinny feral cat's" is a good clue.
A couple Winter's ago. I killed a female, that was paired. This pr held this 1-2 mile section for two previous Winter's[I know, because I tried to kill them]. The male was a brute.
It took two more yrs. After I killed that female, before that section "held" coyotes again. That section had plenty of cover, prey source & water. I was alittle surprised, other coyotes didn't move in sooner. As there are plenty around here.
Last edited:
striker
New member
I agree with Kirby. It seems quite interesting that the ferral cats are so skinny. Do some home work and go to the area mentioned and see how many rodents rabbits, etc that you see around and determine if the area is still capable of holding dogs. Like any other predator, even though territorial, coyotes will follow their source of food.
I hunt right next to my house and there are a ton of rabbit and deer around the cats seem to have a disease. I had to put one down because it couldn't move me and the neighbors thought it had feline leukema or feline aids or some other disease. Just if a disease could jump species and kill coyotes and cats.