Scairce coyote tracks & scat...

[Whitefeather]

Have any of you seasoned coyote hunters been noticing a LACK of scat? I was in Tioga County last weekend. Specifically in the Arnot area. Thousands of acres of state forest. It was opening day for deer and my brother n law and I spent the day scouting primarily deer while I was looking for any signs of coyote. Tons and tons of deer scat and tracks. NO Coyote scat whatsoever, and I am pretty good at finding poop  No tracks anywhere either. Was in Monroe and Carbon yesterday morning scouting and again, I covered tons of ground and found one sign of predator scat and it may have been Bobcat. I talked to a veteran hunter who was lookin for deer and he stated the coyote have seemed to either wonder off or whatever, but hearing them and seeing them as tapered off in the past years. I am obviously becoming frustrated. I am going out tomorrow before firstlight to get set up in the area where I saw the possible coyote scat. The Bethlehem Water Authority has two reservoirs and a dam theyuse for a water source. (use to belong to Bethlehem Steel) Area is fenced in and you can see signs where animals are going under the fence. If I was a coyote that is where I would be. No pressure!!

[Lookn4Fur]

I have been saying that for two years now.  The sign in the Northern part of the State is seemingly less and less.

[foxpro51]

Got a better chance of getting hit by lightning than seeing a coyote in Pa.

[scott]

no shortage of coyotes in the areas I am hunting. 

[stickbow]

Got a better chance of getting hit by lightning than seeing a coyote in Pa.

There are plenty, turkey, and deer hunters kill plenty. They are just hard to call. You have to pat attention to the wind at all times. The best way to hunt them is by yourself.

[muttbuster]

I'm going out tonight to see if I can call one in. I may even experiment with my new bird call I bought from Jeremiah at the expo. I tried to bow hunt deer this evening but with quads, dirt bikes, people walking in the woods, kids playing in the woods, loud motorcycle pipes, and some one blasting ZZ Top on the highest volume they could find, I threw in the towel and went home. My area is growing so much there is no reason to even try to hunt during the warm weather.

[Whitefeather]

Got a better chance of getting hit by lightning than seeing a coyote in Pa.

There are plenty, turkey, and deer hunters kill plenty. They are just hard to call. You have to pat attention to the wind at all times. The best way to hunt them is by yourself.

The one time I saw a coyote I called it in and it was 10 yards from me.  I am talking about just while scouting I am not seeing signs of coyote, and these areas I was told by a PGC biologist coyotes are there.  Are they walking on water and crapping in the weeds?  Like I said, I havent seen any coyote tracks when there are tons of other tracks, coon, deer, turkey.  Not seeing the scat either.  Saw more scat in July than I have in Sep and this month.

[Buckwheat]

Well, either they are not there or you are looking at the wrong spots for tracks and scat

[edhunts5]

do you think the houndsman have anything to do with lack of visiable sign? they hunt alot and harvest a ton of coyotes up north.  Maybe try hunting closer to populated areas as they tend not to run their dogs where they will cross too many roads

[Whitefeather]

I was in a populated area all this morning.  Loads of strip mines and forest with a large town on one side and smaller towns throughout.  I did find fresh coyote tracks coming out of a wooded area into a large strip mine area.  No scat though unfortunately.  I was desperately looking for scat to verify it was coyote and not a dog.  The gait is close together which leads to believe its not a pet (not dog tracking).  I lost the trail when the ground turned real hard and allot of rock.  200 yards in the direction the tracks were facing is a residential area.  I can maybe guess he/her heads for the yards for pickins in the middle of the night.  Who knows, could of been heading anywhere.

I suspect in order for me to be successful in the places I go, I need to go deep into the woods, where visibility is low and I am at the least advantage compared to the coyote.  I am not sure at this time what else to do.  I don't have a partner so I am always alone.  Makes hunting at night all the more spooky.

Someone on one of these posts stated to hunt coyote during the day.  I don't know anyone who's seen a coyote during the day.

I do my best to educate myself and read responses from "veterans" on the forums but the contradictions are high.  One guy says this and another this.  I appreciate the responses though and take all the info I can.

[Buckwheat]

Whitefeather
Hunting thick stuff at night is not much fun for a person hunting alone.  I personally would hunt your more open spots tight to the thick stuff at night and go into the thick stuff in daytime. Sneak into these spots like you are hunting a nice buck. Keep the wind in your favor as much as possible and try and set up that you can see farther and better the he can in the thick stuff. Call the location right away, setting there being quietly thinking you should let things calm down just puts more sent into the thicket. Finding a lot of scat is proof that they are there in good numbers. Sounds like you know they are there but it sounds like there numbers are low.  Just call the location and hope for shot. If you are still in doubt you could try trying to get them to howl at night to give you more confidence in picking your stand location. When coyote numbers are low even the best callers have struck out so do not get discouraged. Makes getting one all the more sweater.
Ernie

[Whitefeather]

Thanks Ernie (Buckwheat)

[scott]

I have called in just as many during the day than at night, i think they are easier to call in the daylight you just have to understand where they want to be and why.   i use more coyote talk during the day and less at night.   i don't think i ever called in a coyote during the day using distress sounds only.  when hunting alone it is very important to use an electronic caller, i know people don't like them but imo they are a must for the daytime hunter. 

[uncle buck]

Look for scat where two logging trails intersect. Also.....look for scat on steep inclines or logging roads going up the side of a mountain..Did you ever climb a trail yourself and the exertion even makes you have to defecate...See we are all mammals.. If they strain a bit too to go up a step logging road... Look for the scat right at the top where it levels off... Also on the tops of large  bales of hay in fields..

Coyotes now have easy pickings on things like Grasshoppers...Once it gets colder....after deer season....find where the deer are coring up.. That's where the coyotes will be....

[Whitefeather]

I read a good book a while back titled 'Coyote Hunting' by Phil Simonski, he talks about driving out at dusk or right before dawn to locations and listening for coyote.  Only stopping for 5 minutes at any one locating and than moving on.  When you hear them, you know you have a place to set up when its light enough to see.  Buckwheat touched on that too.

He also talks about what to call when.  Playing on their senses, by turning the volume down during your calling. I recall Uncle Buck saying that to in one of his 'Playing with their Minds' posts.  Makes sense to me.  If a coyote is approaching, turning it down may make him come further cause he thinks the prey is farther.

He also says in late winter and early spring breeding territories are defended and blowing rabbit calls rarely brings them in.  Using a howler it this time you have more of a chance to bring in a young dog or an adult. He claims at dusk and dawn are the best times for coyotes to respond to distress calls.

Than you watch Randy Anderson vids and they seem to call em in whenever they want in broad daylight.