Originally Posted By: GCI'll bet ya, those coyotes have staked out a larger territory than you imagine. Now, that 1,000 acres could very likely be a core area within their overall territory. That's a comfort zone for them. Problem is, even on 1,000 acres you can only make so many stands before you burn it out. Especially so if it's not hunted intelligently. Those guys in the truck blaring calls out of the window is a good example of screwing a spot up. Too much interference and pressure could cause that core area to shift somewhere else within their territory.
Yeah, that makes perfect sense. But, I guess what I'm interested in is how large is a core area? I'm sure it varies, but any general idea?
My neighbors are old and retired, so they keep me up to date on noises they hear throughout the day, and things they see. The one day they told me they could hear a rabbit call blaring from the corner of the field, and another evening I saw the same guy out there...set up with the wind blowing right to them! The field is prime with a SSW or W wind. Anything else is comprimsing the stand. It was at that point I had pretty much given up hope, but try when I don't feel like driving far.
My stands are solely dictated by the wind, and I almost got one of them this past winter, near the end of the snow season. Had that coyote come in just ten minutes sooner, it would've been mine. I made a stand one night with a kid who just wanted to drop one coyote for a mount. Wind was perfect, set up was great, nothing. We were thick in the timber, next to the impassable area, and stayed until dark. A couple days later I went out, and there were coyote tracks all over where we had set up. So, I set up again and just challenge howled with kiyis intermixed. I heard a sharp bark, and thought it was a domestic. Getting close to dark, I packed it up. When I stepped into my yard the coyote was behind me, challenging me! Too dark and thick to go in, I had to let him think he'd run me off. That was the last time I hunted them until recently.
They'll cool down and get sloppy during breeding season, I'm sure. At least if people keep calling the field, it allows me to hit them from an odd, unexpected area later in the season with a different tactic.