Are Coyotes Wimps

[Larry R]

Went coyote hunting last night. I have posted many times that a coyote will not go to the bait pile if there is another animal on the bait pile. Many times I have gotten video clips where coyotes would approach, see a skunk or possum on the bait pile and would leave. Last night I witnessed it first hand. I watched a dozen times as the video posted below was being filmed. On three different occasions I saw "coyote eyes" just peep over the ridge, see the fox at the bait pile then leave. Each time I could tell the coyote was approaching because the fox would raise it's head and stare in the direction where the coyote appeared. Neither time did the coyote give me enough target or time for a shot before it ducked back down behind the ridge and left.

It was always my understanding that a coyote would not tolerate any animal which might compete with them for food. I've heard that the coyote will kill whatever it is that competes with them for food such as cats, any small dog they can kill or any other competing animal. Well from what I have seen on videos and now observed it live I don't believe that is the true story. What convinces me most is that I have seen videos of at least a half dozen different coyotes that came in but would not actually go to the bait pile nor would any of them challenge the competition.

Anyway here is one of a dozen videos my game camera made last night. Unfortunately the coyote was off to the side and way out of range for the camera.

 

[DRS]

They are waiting over the ridge for some unsuspecting fat and happy fresh meat.

All joking aside that is some interesting observations. Could it be that with a constant food supply the coyotes would not want to risk injury? I know I have found dead gray foxes in the pastures I hunt, I thought maybe the coyotes had ran them down in the wide open and no trees. I do know we have not lost any hunting dogs that were by themselves in places there are plenty of yotes. I do remember Teckle(I believe that's right, have not seen this member on here in a while) saying that they have had some dogs attacked while rabbit hunting.

 

[Shanerc]

I have always heard that foxes and coyotes are enemies, and the coyote would not tolerate the fox around his grocery stores.

 

[nc rabbit hunter]

I know of several beagles killed by yotes.My neighbor watched 3 chasing a big black dog few weeks ago,he shot at them when they crossed back still behind her. Grays can climb trees to avoid them,reds not that lucky!! I think it depends on the situation as to how they act.

 

[Briargoat]

Natures odd at times. I'm sure it varies by animal and situation. I saw a red and grey fox playing in a field about a month ago. Chasing each other and wrestling like you see puppies do. I've always heard a red would just assume kill a grey rather than look at it but it didn't seem that way.

 

[Larry R]

NC Rabbit: Your post brings up a good point. It is very possible that the continuous availability of bait has a bearing. I have seen a coyote "tackle" a ground hog on two separate occasions. In both cases the groundhogs were full grown and it was nip and tuck for awhile. In the first case the groundhog gave that coyote all he could handle and made it safely into the den. In the second instance the coyote finally killed the groundhog then I messed up the coyotes day. LOL. I also have a video taken shortly after I first began the coyote bait pile. The camera showed the coyote crouched down as the rather small possum came waddling up the hill. The coyote grabbed the possum and killed it and carried it away.

About a month ago I went to check on a game camera. I also have an automatic corn feeder located there. I found a dead red fox about 20 yards below the camera. It was to far gone to even think about trying to determine how it died. As far as the grey fox in the video. I have hundreds of videos of this one and what I assume is it's mate at my coyote bait pile. At one time there was also a red fox that was visiting the coyote bait pile pretty regularly but I have not seen it while hunting at night in awhile nor have I had it on the game camera in probably over a month. Incidentally these two cameras are located close to a half mile apart. Not a great distance for a fox but in reality I have no way of knowing if the one I found dead was the one that I had on the bait pile camera.

As far as coyotes being wimps it could be that they don't want to risk injury in a fight (I can understand them not wanting to tackle a skunk LOL) but an opossum or a fox in my opinion ought to be afraid of a coyote. In fact several times I have witnessed a bobcat come by the coyote bait pile and keep going if there was a skunk or possum on the bait pile. I also have lots of videos of that also. But I also have videos of a skunk, a possum, two coons and a fox all eating at the bait pile at the same time. Just doesn't seem to make sense to me.

Wish it were legal to bust the skunks, possums, coons and foxes. I'm sure I would get more shot opportunities at coyotes if these little pests were not there scaring the wimpy coyotes away. LOL.

 

[nccatfisher]

I have a couple friends that run them down with dogs and kill them, I have posted pics on here. He has bred a special strain of dogs for this task. They are stag/wolfhound/trig mix. Trust me a 'yote won't usually be the first animal to initiate a confrontation with another animal but one on one when they are cornered and they have to they are formidable and are pound for pound tougher than most dogs.

 

[oldest school]

are coyotes wimps?
saw two jakes run one off one morning.

i have never told anyone this that believed it and i understand.

it is counter intuitive but it did happen.

 

[Larry R]

NCCatfisher: No doubt they WILL fight if cornered or forced to and from the looks of the teeth on those I have smacked they have a formidable set of dentures. I too have seen videos of people who use special breeds of dogs to lure in coyotes to the gun. These were smaller breeds but they didn't fight the yotes, just tole'd them in to the gun. I would say it would take a good sized dog with plenty of grit to actually attack and kill coyotes.

 

[DRS]

I know it seems like a yote's mouth opens wider than domestic canines.

 

[bryguy]

wish it were legal to bust the skunks, possums, coons and foxes. I'm sure i would get more shot opportunities at coyotes if these little pests were not there scaring the wimpy coyotes away. Lol.

sss............lol

 

[robertfurr530]

Well to be frankly honest with you from a personal opinion i do not think so. Last saturday, opening day for turkey, me and a buddy were walking down to this tree line at about 4:40 AM that cuts through a field. We decided that was the treeline we wanted to sit in and wait for the gobblers. So we walk into the field without flashlights because I'm familiar with the land and knew where we were headed and then we hear a stick snap in the woods that the tree line is adjacently attached to. So my buddy, as big as he is, starts to freak out and is whispering and panicking a little at this point. So i told him to relax and i put my stuff on the ground (we did not have our guns at this point we were going back to retrieve them after we set up) and i grab my flashlight. I turned on the flashlight and started scanning, low and behold not fifteen yards away a pair of eyes are staring us down. My body immediately seems to defecate himself and starts panicking. This coyote didn't back off either and i hollered at him a couple of times and he still would not budge. This coyote was between us and the truck which had the guns and so i took out my knife and started slowly walking towards him. As i approach within about ten yards of the coyote he breaks off and tears down through the woods breaking every possible branch it seems. The rest of that morning we could hear them running through the woods and howling. Pretty eerie feeling honestly. So from what i have gathered is that they are not really cowards. I do hunt coyotes and it just seems to me it all depends on how motivated they are to come into the field. If they are hungry not much will stop them from running to the call; however, if they are fat and happy they may just be peering through the treeline at you trying to figure out what you are doing in their territory.

 

[TravisLH]

individually yotes are cowards, however when they group up they have little to no fear and will do some insane damage.