I've been getting up a little before daylight every morning (almost) and watching for the local coyotes. One thing I've noticed the last few mornings, the moon has been full to about 3/4 this morning and I haven't seen any coyotes after a light night. No rabbits either, there are usually a lot of rabbits out on the golf course early in the morning. Not the last few. I've always had better luck hunting early on dark nights, but never had a chance to study it. Think I'll start a journal and see what I can learn from it.
Swamprat
7 comments:
Interesting. I have been experiencing just the opposite here. Since my pup is still in the stage of needing to potty at least once in the middle of the night, I take him out around 3 or 4 in the morning. I almost always see several rabbits in the yard and very often hear coyotes calling fairly close by. Ever since I was challenged by a pack yelling at me from just across the road about two weeks ago, we go out with all floodlights blazing and well armed. No incidents so far, but I'm not taking chances. Interesting how patterns change from area to area.
I still hear them at night, I think they are bedding down just before daylight instead of cruising the area at first light. I'm sure at the time you are out, they are too. Watch that pup, they'll eat him. I lost the best beagle I ever had to coyotes, she was in the yard when the coyotes started howling. She was a little too aggressive, I found what was left less than 50 yds from the house.
Swamprat
That's my fear. He's not afraid of anything and not bright enough to run and the coyotes seem awfully bold. Our first "field trip" had him cheerfully busting brush and falling into the creek. Didn't faze him...proceeded to bounce in and out of the creek the rest of the trip. Gunfire he either ignores or gets excited depending on his mood. It certainly doesn't scare him. Weighs 26 pounds now at just over 3 months. All legs and paws. Fast as a snake and then falls all over himself. Not sure if he's keeping me young or making me old!
Has he heard them howling up close yet? I had an Australian Shepherd pup once, he wasn't scared of much either. Took him with me camping when he was about 2 months old, he was running around playing, getting too far from me till the coyotes howled nearby. Then he ran in the tent. That pup had never had an experience with them but knew what they were. When I lost the beagle, there were 2 of them out in the yard that night. The male came to the porch by the door and the female got eaten. Funny how they differ.
Swamprat
I heard a pack howling outside this morning about 3 am. Sounded like 5 or 6, saw nothing at daylight.
A hunting buddy of mine used to own a Mastiff / Mutt cross. Almost as big as a horse, but the ugliest dog you ever did see. He lived in the country, a cotton farmer. The Coyotes used to come up in his yard, not afraid of anything. He'd shoot one once in awhile. He got this dog thinking they'd stay away. One night I guess they lured that big old mutt out away from the house. Ron noticed him gone the next morning and went looking. Couldn't find him.
About 3 days later, that dog came limping back home. Covered in blood and fur. We never could guess how many were in the pack he took on, but they never came back into Ron's yard again.
Doug
I the coyotes looked worse than he did. That's what my Dad always said mattered. I came home with a black eye, he asked what the other guy looked like. I said worse, he said that's what matters. lol
Swamprat
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