Doc Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 When I was running a trapline, I used to know a lot about the habits of foxes. But, the one thing that I never really had to know was exactly where they were at a specific time of day. With traps, all I had to know was where they would show up sometime during a 24 hour period. Well, this predator calling stuff is a completely different matter. Our hill is laced with all kinds of fox and coyote tracks, and yet I am not able to call one in. I have been thinking that perhaps these are all night time tracks and perhaps they are not really in the vicinity when I am there calling. So here comes the question: Do foxes and coyotes bed up during the day? If so, what kind of locations would they most likely be located. I am hunting in NY and have steep hardwood hillsides with brushy and swampy valley bottoms. The hilltops are a mixture of hardwoods and some heavily overgrown, brushy, deserted fields. I suspect that during daylight hours, these critters are not just uniformly scattered all over the place, so I thought I should probably ask and see if there are particular types of terrain where I should be looking for them, rather than going just where I have seen "after-the-fact" sign. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Re: Habits I read a response to a post I had from Bret(sureshot) and he said that coyotes will sometimes bed around the same areas as deer. Seems like he also mentioned that he has had deer and coyotes come out the same swamp from bedding. Not sure if that means they bed during the day or not. Glad you posted this, had been wondering about this some myself too and look forward to seeing some better responses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sureshot Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 Re: Habits well I am far from a expert but have found that they will bed up usually during the day, when it is really cold, I mean -45 they will move alot to keep warm all day making calling good! Most of the area I hunt is either farmland or cattle land,I find that coyotes will usually be around the cattle in the early and late hours and head to bush for the day,like i said before not always but usually,in the farmland I do not see many till abotu 1-2 hours after daylight, they then seem to head back to bedding areas witch can be anyhtign from a slough bottom to old farmyard to rockpile to right in the middle of a field, hard to tell,I know the area good enough to have a idea were coyotes will be at certain times, I will call close to cattle in the early hours and if going after lunch will set up abotu a mile or so away and they can be on either side of me,in the farmland I set up were ever I can hide the truck and know there are coyotes in the area by tracks, scat, or previos sitings,lots of time if in a new area will talk to ranchers,or just call a area that looks good,for exampla a big slough with cattails around it, I wish i coudl help you more with calling in the area you are,What Iwoudl recommend is trying to get out before light or late at night and hear them howl,I do know that sirens will get them to howl but if anyone around kind of turns them off of coyote hunting !If you can find were they are spending nights or days then work from there,I do not expect them to be in the same area each day,they like to move in serch of food but are terratorial so should not venture to far! another thing I am wonderign is if thick area could they be spookign and you not seeing them for soem reason? biggest problem I used to have was gettign to the spot quiet, work the wind,call from a vantage point that will give you the best visability,also i woulkd recommend a cover scent that is natural to the area,also maybe try a different sound,maybe they are not used to the one youa re using or maybe it has been called there before, they get call shy easy!! If I missed anythign let me know I wish I coudl tell you go to a spot and call jsut does not work that way lol!! BTW I ahve seen deer bed nearly anywere,have seen them with deer 20 ft apart, in ditches in rockpiles under tree branches, they usually are were you do not expect them!! Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted January 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2005 Re: Habits I think you guys have helped quite a bit. I know the real answer would be to get on a track and see where they go. If these tired old legs would hold me up for a full days walk, that's exactly what I would do. I'm sure over time, I will be able to unravel some of these questions for myself, but basically, I am pretty much of a beginner. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.