How do I locate Coyotes?
I am in AZ. A new hunter. There's a area that's about 25 miles from any main roads, houses ect. It's a desert with many washes, with hills and cliffs and cactus. One area I found has a nice cliff about 30 feet up over looking a large area; that spot or not. How do I know if coyotes go to that area? There are rabbits and prairie dogs. Water is with in 2 miles on a small river thats flowing and many cow ponds. I looked for tracks, and not really any. But area is so large, couldn't tell. Any ideas, or tips?
Comments
There are several ways to go about locating coyotes. Scouting and locating tracks is a good, sure method, but can often be time consuming.
Often, it is best to use bait to lure and draw coyotes in. Killing a deer or some sort of small game will most always produce results. Coyotes have a very accute sense of smell, and are always looking for an easy meal. Leaving meat or a pile of entrails from a fresh kill will lure the coyotes in. Listen during the dusky/evening/night hours for coyote pack yips, alerting the pack that they have found food. Often times, you can harvest coyotes quite easily right off of a pile of bait, using an amber spot light.
Another method would be to use species specific lure. You can usually buy coyote urine from your local sporting goods dealer. If not, check places like Cabelas, I am sure they sell species specific urine. Or check the internet for an online trapping supply store.
Concerning lures: Coyotes are quite territorial, anytime they detect urine from a strange or new coyote, they will most always check the site and begin to mark their territory with their own urine.
Electronic Calls: You can purchase electronic devices that produce small game distress sounds. Coyotes are opportunistic, as stated above, if and when they hear the distress call of small game, they are quick to capitalize on whatever is injured for an easy meal.
Hope this info helps.
***NOTE: CHECK LOCAL GAME LAWS TO DETERMINE IF IT IS LEGAL TO BAIT/LURE/SPOT-LIGHT/OR USE ELECTRONIC LURING DEVICES FOR COYOTES IN YOUR AREA.***
If you are having a problem with coyotes it may be necessary, in your area, to contact local game officials to help you with the problem. And I am sure they would be more than willing to help.
You can check for tracks around the water holes but unless there is soft mud it will be hard to see them. Best thing though is to be there around dusk and right when it gets dark and listen for any coyotes howling. If there isn't any wind you will hear them for long distances. The other thing is to take a predator call with you, it takes a bit of practice to get good with a call but once you have it down you will learn fast if there are coyotes in the area when you start calling them.
If there's rabbits and prairie dogs, there's probably coyotes. Here in East TX, these coyotes eat the **** out of rabbits. The coyote is on the rise in numbers. Pretty much anywhere rural in America, the coyote resides. Check into some coyote calls and call some up. I'd be willing to bet you'd call some up.
Look for tracks. Best way is to set up a tree stand and just observe the wildlife in the area for a good amount of time.
scouting and looking for dens, tracks, and poop is a well known way. another way it to play a locator siren
http://www.varmintal.com/ahunt.htm#Calling
scroll down and listen to the two called "locator" play that and any coyotes in hearing distance will howl back to it... its not meant to call them in its just meant to show any coyotes in the area
Lay out an Acme Roadrunner decoy and wait.
(sorry, somebody had to say it)