Coyote bedding areas.
This is what I think I know about coyote bedding areas, the areas I key in on to hunt coyotes morning, evening and the first few hours just after dark. IMO there are 5 main variables which I assign different values to when it comes to locating coyotes. Please add your thoughts and if there are any variables I may be over looking add them. I welcome the comments on this subject.
Low foot traffic.
Value assigned: 6
This variable I see as holds the most value. From what I know of coyotes they seem to avoid human as much as possible and it's logical to think that they will let there guard down and sleep only in areas where they are fairly sure they won't be disturbed.
Shelter.
Value assigned: 3-5
Facing the elements by any wild animal that spend its 24/7/365 outdoors always plays a role in how and where that particular animal decides to take its rest.
Cover.
Value assigned: 4-5
Coyotes in PA seem to stick to cover during daytime hours (that is the time that coyotes most likely bed down). They are not IMO an animal that feels comfortable sleeping just anywhere. I'm not saying coyotes in heavily wooded areas won't bed in open hardwoods but if there is cover readily available, I believe they would chose to sleep in the cover.
Seclusion.
Value assigned: 3
Seclusion also may be an aspect of low foot traffic but I decided to include it as its own variable because I believe if a coyote has a choice to bed in a low foot traffic area with cover, vs a low foot traffic area that's more secluded, (farther away from roads, houses, ect) they will chose the more secluded area.
Easy access to food sources.
Value assigned: 3-4
No animal beds very far from its main food sources. Coyotes can travel 10-40 miles in night but that may be a 10 miles zig zag/ loop around its main area of residence. Coyotes use calories just like people use money IMO. We work to pay our bills and survive, and coyotes work to get calories to survive. So I'd bet that a coyote won't be far from a meal while he beds down.
With this system I can scout an area and roughly judge what the probability a particular piece of property has to hold coyotes. If there are areas that have low foot traffic, are secluded, have shelter from wind, rain and snow, are brushy, near a food source such as a swamp, or CRP field and I see coyote sign such as tracks scat and coyote hair on barbed wire fences, then I would assume that this is a very good area that could hold one or more coyotes with frequency.
What are your thoughts? Please comment.