Most coyotes I've seen.

medic joe

Well-known member
Over my hunt yrs. Numerous coyote behaviors I've seen. When I seen the same behaviors over those yrs. I would average those behaviors into percentages. Below is what I'm talking about.

North central plains region;
Most coyotes remain bedded down for the day. Before Sunrise up until 9-10am. After 11am, few coyotes will be on the move, hunting or traveling. When they are bedded down. They will remain bedded down until around Sunset. Most coyotes any given day. Will choose some sort of ground cover. To bed down on vs out on an open area 10:1 ratio. So out of 11days, give or take. 10 of those days. They will choose ground cover to bed down in. Whether that area be hilly or flatland. Most coyotes once on the hunt or just traveling during day light hrs. Will spend the vast majority of their time. On the down wind slopes of hills/ridgelines. As they use the windward or upwind side of those hills. Mainly as transitional areas. To get from one down wind area to the next.
 
About 5 years ago I was deer hunting. It was drizzling and I was sneaking through the woods. I walked up to this downed cottonwood and on the other side of it I saw a 6-8' round mass of fur. I didn't shoot because I didn't know what I was looking at. I studied it for about 10 seconds really confused. Suddenly about 5-6 coyotes exploded from this giant fur ball. Before I could even raise my rifle they were gone into the brush. Never seen anything like it since, if I see one again the rifle will be speaking!
 
About 5 years ago I was deer hunting. It was drizzling and I was sneaking through the woods. I walked up to this downed cottonwood and on the other side of it I saw a 6-8' round mass of fur. I didn't shoot because I didn't know what I was looking at. I studied it for about 10 seconds really confused. Suddenly about 5-6 coyotes exploded from this giant fur ball. Before I could even raise my rifle they were gone into the brush. Never seen anything like it since, if I see one again the rifle will be speaking!
orgy, playing poker, prayer meeting, sleep over, magic mushrooms, other?
 
MedicJoe said "Most coyotes remain bedded down for the day. Before Sunrise up until 9-10am. After 11am, few coyotes will be on the move, hunting or traveling".

When I first started to seriously hunt coyotes, back about 1992, or so, I always arrived at my hunt spot in the dark. I wanted to get set up before it got light. And then, I noticed that first light was my least productive time of day.

I figured that coyotes could see me walking in the dark to my stand, and therefore would not come to the call.

Once I started to get in the field after, say 8 or 9am, my results improved dramatically.

As MedicJoe points out, coyotes will bed down for most of the day. This allows me to sneak in, get set up and then wake them up with a 'come to breakfast/lunch' call.
 
MedicJoe said "Most coyotes remain bedded down for the day. Before Sunrise up until 9-10am. After 11am, few coyotes will be on the move, hunting or traveling".

When I first started to seriously hunt coyotes, back about 1992, or so, I always arrived at my hunt spot in the dark. I wanted to get set up before it got light. And then, I noticed that first light was my least productive time of day.

I figured that coyotes could see me walking in the dark to my stand, and therefore would not come to the call.

Once I started to get in the field after, say 8 or 9am, my results improved dramatically.

As MedicJoe points out, coyotes will bed down for most of the day. This allows me to sneak in, get set up and then wake them up with a 'come to breakfast/lunch' call.
The first stand in the morning, that one where you can just start to see fairly good, has always been the best one for us. I can usually judge how the rest of the day is going to go by that first one. Not always, but almost. lol
 
I bet 90% of my daybreak stands are a bust. We always get a good laugh when we actually call and kill one before the sun's up. It's so uncommon that our regular saying is "We never call one on the firs stand anyway..."
 
I believe some coyote hunters over look a coyotes abilities. Specifically, I'm talking about their hearing ability. Depending on terrain features, wind speed & wind direction. All plays a major part. In when or whether a hunter gets busted. Even busted from long range ie; 1/4 mile or more. I'm an old spot/stalker. With many decades of experience. Sneaking in on bedded down coyotes. Some with their head raised, others with their head tucked into their hindquarters.

When I sneak in on one. I walk very very slow. When I'm within a 1/4 mile give or take of a sleeper. Using the terrain features, ground cover & wind direction & speed. To hide me & diminish any sound. I may cast as I draw near that coyote for a shot. When I'm within a 1/4 mile or so. I take baby steps. As I watch where I plant each step & listen/feel for any sound under foot. I sneak in slowly like a cat stalking a bird.

Even with all of my experiences. I still have been busted from long range. One Winter early 80's. The coyote pop was very high. So during those hunts. I wanted to see how good of a stalker I was. So I decided to stalk 20 coyotes. Out of that 20, I killed 14. The rest (6 coyotes) either I missed on a long shot. Or they heard me sneaking in, regardless of my own skills.

Point being to my blabber is. Do not make any noise. If you do? Then pause awhile before moving forward again.
 
I see more daytime coyotes when it is cloudy, completely overcast, which is not a real common thing in W-central Wyoming. In any case I think the only coyotes we see in daylight are those that didn’t get a meal that night. This allows opportunity during those first few hours after daybreak.
 
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