Coyote quizz

Here's the scenario. Deer got tangled in fence 8 days ago in the ditch. Sheriff deputy came out and shot it. Next morning boss spend some time trying to get out of fence but couldn't. Later I came along with a saw and cut it out. No coyote has touched it . Birds ate on it a little bit. This on low maintenance road no one lives on and is lighty traveled. Great coyote cover both sides of road. In the 9 years I've worked on this ranch never have I not seen fresh tracks on this road after a snow and most times multiple sets. Right between two pastures we winter cows in with big tall grass. Just a lot of coyotes here. We are out in pastures everyday feeding and leaving human scent out there on the ground. Oh and I've never treated this deer with antibiotics. Lol
So for those of you who say
1 Kansas coyotes are not cautious and are abnormally bold because of competition why hasn't it been touched
2 for those that say human scent doesn't affect coyotes especially in areas where they are use to it why hasn't it been touched

I believe it hasn't been touched solely because 3 different people have been around it in about an 18 hour period and it's very likely it will lay there and rot down and never be touched which makes me believe coyotes can mark the area in a manner that warns other coyotes of danger because around here it quite possible 10 or 15 coyotes can pass by that dead deer in 2 weeks and none will touch it even after the human scent is gone. This isn't always the norm around here but it happens enough for me to have real questions about how spooky and paranoid coyotes can be even though some are rather easy to catch. Just some food for thought I find interesting and thought others might too. Could have posted under the dead cow thread but thought more might read it under a new thread.

Haha, I guess I could say the same reasons for coyotes not touching our hogs. And other folks could say the same about their cows. I guess we have caught all the dumb coyotes and only smart ones left.

Probably so. Though hogs rarely get touched here no matter what

How do we know that = The cop did not secretly inject that deer with poison?? LOL!

I bet the deer had his c-19 jab so the coyotes don't wanna touch him

Interesting situation. Can coyotes communicate danger or avoidance to others? I believe so, either by marking or vocally. It seems to happen way to often to be coincidence. I also think it matters which coyotes are sending the message. Some coyotes opinion carries more weight amongst their peers.

I won't be surprised if what u suggest has so real merrit.

I hate when a caught coyote goes to barking and howling at me when I pull up to him/her. I dont have detailed records but when that happens the catch slows or stops in that general area.

I believe this theory. You will sometimes be in area with coyotes but most of them seem to avoid everything. Take out an individual coyote by calling or catching it in a snare and then the rest seem to start to fall because they don't have the leadership to follow .

I have no idea but would not be surprised if they can communicate

Every coyote I ever saw when I was within 60 miles of Bazine KS would leave faster than a top fuel dragster if you slowed down very much. My landowner said they got shot at a lot from the unimproved (non-paved) roads.

1. Not hungry enough. 2. If they were mangy and cold they would be there gorging themselves................... my take ............................. the mike

I would probably agree with the human scent idea…. Maybe. I’ll present another situation if you don’t mind me hopping in your thread. I process deer for some buddies as well as my critters. A small property where I’ve dumped carcasses a couple years is very often my choice dumping ground. It sees human scent very often as my mom and daughter walk it several times a week and I’m out there with them a good bit. I killed a deer in bow season and dumped it where it was decimated in a day or two. Opening day of rifle season I did a hog and deer for the other guys. Both carcasses dumped, both tore up and dragged a short distance in a day or two. Shot a little buck a week or two later, dumped it, and never got touched or moved. Still sitting there and everything has rotted off of it. what Caused the one not to be touched?

Always open to ideas. I think coyotes can just be weirdly paranoid sometimes.....????? Something trips their trigger the wrong way and they just check out....????

Have noticed here in mich where we have dead deer everywhere from huntin and road kill that yotes do not eat on em unless we have deep snow and extreme cold. Amazed we catch any w/ the food available.
When pups r born they do take advantage of Caron. Good call lure goes long way.
I think cop injected deer w/ ?

Yes sir I’ve spent a lot of hours thinking about this over the years and I’m not sure I’ll ever figure it out. I don’t believe it’s because of the human handling factor. Maybe the first day or so but after that they should hammer it. Now the question is why are they not eating it? I think it has to do more with the location and how the animal died. Hanging in that fence is stressful and all kinds of chemicals are being released and that has a real effect on the meat. Like a fat steer that is stressed too much before slaughter. Too much stress and he’s a PSE with meat that’s not fit for anything.

I’m not saying they can’t vocalize or communicate danger but I just haven’t seen it. I’m trapping one of our yards now and have taken around 90 in 9 traps. 4 of those traps are close to a dead and the other 5 and the most productive 5 are just dirts hole sets about 300 yards from it. If the can mark fear why do they keep coming? I have to go now and get a tractor started but I’ll check back in later. Good thread thanks

I haven’t been at this as long as most on here, but I remember reading somewhere about how they used to kill coyotes and hang them on fence posts to keep other coyotes out of the area. Could it be a learned trait passed down?

Brad
Interesting thought, and can have some validity. My first thought is that deer probably would have same release of chemicals when pursued and killed by coyotes. Seen a couple videos of coyotes killing deer it doesn't look like a quick process. I'd also wonder in a situation where you can catch 90 coyotes within 300 yds of each other if some dynamics change in that kind of situation. But considering we can't communicate with coyotes we really may never know. It's just theories we base of experiences. To me this is the challenge an interesting thing about coyotes

I’d put my money on the initial human intrusion levels boogering them up. Especially if it’s an area that normally doesn’t have a lot of human activity.

If they’re pressured coyotes (and good luck finding un-pressured coyotes this time of year) that could be a big turn off.

Spank a few in the area, shake things up, get some new blood moved in and I bet things change.

Jan/Feb coyotes are not the same beasts they were in Oct/Nov. Not these days anymore what with everybody and their dog out harassing them day and night with fox pros and thermals.

Seth I’m definitely in a different situation in that location but I think when it comes to the micro location that being where the trap is. After that many catches they would have communicated the danger in that small area. I won’t throw cold water on your human interaction thoughts. I’m convinced that coyotes can smell non confidence (for the lack of a better term) at the set. I believe being absolutely confident while making the set is more important than wearing gloves or any scent control. I maybe nuts

My wife is convinced I'm nuts (I'm thinking more in line with special) but either way you are in good company here

This is just a little over a mile from my house and I'm positive any coyote in the neighborhood as seen my sets and ran from a four wheeler and likely been shot at by the mail lady. Lol

There might be something to that. When I first started trapping in the 1970's I couldn't catch a fox. I tried and tried and finally on New Years Day I had one!! I was pumped! After that I started catching them regularly and the following year I probably caught 20. I was definitely more confident although I was also probably becoming more skilled as well.

i've seen where they readily eat dead deer and other times wont touch it also. just few common things that i sorta think are patterns that ill ramble about

we've got a pile of deer in this country; farm fields bordered by cover. 50-100 in many sections is common. coyotes on the other hand are few and far between. so food is plentiful and competition not high for it.

but when dead deer are really hit hard by coyotes tends to be early fall here. they flock to them at that point. and by they i mean the families we have with pups. they gorge themselves putting on that final weight towards adulthood in my thoughts. and theres still alot of crop cover at that point which makes it harder for humans to find them. after that things start to change. they tend to not hit any particular one dead carcass over and over or for any length of time and more will go untouched than touched. the weather can tweak that response but its not a given as even then they are very selective in what they hit , where, and when. once early spring rolls around you will see them start to actively hit the carcasses again also

many of those early season deer carcasses are archery related and lost. i think there is something to freshness maybe even somewhat still alive and that has not been disturbed by humans or is secluded. same goes for the first couple days of our gun season.

we know they communicate vocally and im fairly sure ive heard them call in others to freshly found deer in the early fall. and i have no doubt certain coyotes are great teachers about what to avoid. i wouldnt be shocked if they can communicate avoidance areas in some manner, maybe vocally. around here i dont think they have many others to call out to though but they sure know where to avoid.

Human odor concentrations may play a role. I have found in many cases that dead deer that are located in what coyotes consider a non comfortable location can cause refusal to feed. Too close to a road, bad experiences for them when they visit some areas. They learn to avoid some places at all costs due to a learned behavior.

X 2 on this. Good example. I have caught 9 coyotes with in = 15 yards from a Texas county road. Plenty of road and farm traffic. I run it first and early. BUT dont the same road. Is a dead 3 pt mule deer. UNTOUCHED for last 10 days. Ranchers in area are saying = deer untouched because I have caught so many coyotes! I appreciate the compliment. But it not true I tell them. Cause in still catching them other places. Coyotes are funny aniamals. IF you ever think you have them figured out. They will do something to make you think other wise! LOL! 35 years of catching coyotes. And they still are teaching me new things on a daily basis

Lots of dead dr here in mich. Road kill and hunter woundin. Have noticed yotes not hittin um till real cold weather. They have lots to eat. Got to b spot on with sets. Took month for um to start on doe in fence line 50 yds from rd. Keep um set.