Coyotes

[meadowlarkponds]

That may explain something that has puzzled me lately. Over the past 2 months I have seen a single coyote 3 or 4 times but it is HUGE. It is about twice the size of a normal coyote.

Frank,

I've been seeing one also in my part of East Texas...much larger than I ever thought coyotes would get. It seems to be a single, never with a pack, and has little fear of humans....not good characteristics to my way of thinking. We have a house on piers/timbers and a crawl space under it. Two days ago I heard such a clamor I knew something had to be under there....turned the dogs loose and they barked up a storm. Out walked this huge coyote, only slightly paying attention to the dogs, just ambling off. By the time I got my rifle from the gun safe he was gone....and the dogs happy to be back in the house!!!

 

[LBrown59]

Just curious about your hunting regulations. Is it legal to hunt after dark in Texas?

I don't think it's going to come back in the morning just so he can shoot it.

 

[ScottOkla]

In late February and early March we had a VERY large, single coyote in the open area behind our house (about 80 yds to house) about every other morning. This lasted for about 3 weeks and it pretty much ignored our dog's barking and approaching to within 100 ft. It would run just fast enought to "escape" our dog whenever the dog heard me come outside and got brave.

This happened between 7 and 10 in the morning, and I noticed that the coyote was often marking territory. A little research revealed that this may have been the breeding season for them and that would explain why I rarely saw it before and have not since. I attributed the VERY large appearance to its healthy coat and body which was due to the spike in prey which was due to the favorable rainfall all of last year.

Any of you more knowledgeable guys able to confirm or correct about breeding season behavior?

 

[Tom_H]

I know that pack behavior varies from place to place. The packs around here have never bothered any kids or dogs at all. I did see three nosing around a newborn calf next door one moring about 9 years ago. I sometimes hear them walking on the bed of small cobble that goes around the house, just outside my open bedroom window.

Our packs roam widely and come and go periodically. I can tell when they've been gone for awhile because the jackrabbits start eating up the plants and the pocket gophers start making the lawn look like it's been shelled with a howitzer. Sure enough, a few days after I start hearing those yips again the destruction drops off drastically. Vermin population control at its finest.

If I lived in a place where I thought they were a threat to my daughter or pets, I would not be so eager to coexist with them, but as things are, I am very happy with the way these coyotes behave.

 

[Jimmyp5]

That wasn't a hunter, it was a poacher...

Big difference.

I don't know about Texas, but here in Illinois, deer eyes in the headlights or a spotlight are always green.

Yep even here in the Great State of Texas...spotlighting deer is illegal, hunting after dusk is just a no-no for most game animals (that is poaching bit time). Now the two legged kind...on my property in the middle of the night will feel a little sting of the 12ga no matter what... the land is posted... and I always have a spare set of wire cutter laying around...

 

[CR172]

...... I fired into the air and they disappeared.......

I know this is an old thread but, NEVER, NEVER, EVER shoot into the air.... It has to come down somewhere. If you feel a warning shot is necessary, shoot into the ground.

 

[westcliffe01]

How coyotes react to any light source is dependent on the experience of the coyote. I hunted them with a red light and could light them up once and take 1 shot. After that, if they saw a red light they were running. They learn fast. So remember, never miss !

You may want to check, I think on your own property here, you can hunt after dark. Let me suggest getting a big red spotlight. You will see everything in a red glow, but they won't be affected by it if I am correct. That way you should be able to tell what is out there without buying nightvision. The other thing you could do is try a video camera if you have one. A lot of them have nightvision now. Good luck.

 

[westcliffe01]

It was a 20 ga shotgun. OP did not say, but it is assumed he was shooting some variety of shot and not a slug. I have never heard of anyone being injured by falling shot from a shotgun shell. OP could also state the size of his lot.

 

[Clay45]

Something different about today's LED lights. In the 70's we could hunt fur bearers at night with rimfire in Texas. The lights we used then always showed cats eyes as bright yellow, deer & dogs red, rabbits red, raccoon red, skunk yellow.

Last night I shone my LED flashlight at 9 deer in my backyard - all eyes Bright Yellow!

Can't trust the light and eye color anymore. Better get some glass and bright light on your target to be certain what you are shooting.

Best thing I ever had for coyotes was a 6mm Remington or 243 Winchester.

Regards,

Clay

 

[Ed of all trades]

i see deer fairly often when I walk the dog. In Va we have deer with white or silver color eyes. I guess it depends on the light. Had a neighbor calling coyotes and shot our border collie. He saw eyes and ....... enough said about people who shoot at eyes. Ed