This is topic Do they know...or not? in forum Predator forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
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Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on December 28, 2003, 05:18 PM:
[ February 20, 2004, 02:42 PM: Message edited by: Cdog911 ]
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on December 28, 2003, 05:44 PM:
I absolutely believe that predators (including us) have to learn to hunt from the downwind side to avoid being detected by prey. I think that is the reason that they habitually go for the downwind. It isn't to smell us, it's to avoid being smelled.
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on December 28, 2003, 06:22 PM:
So smelling us from the downwind just happens to be an accidental fringe benefit of trying to hide there own scent? Hmmm??? Naaa!!!
I might be misremembering but.. I think it was Gerry Blair that said of coyotes coming to the call, "Just because it sounds good, doesn't mean it is good; It has to smell good too!"
I buy that kind of thinking.
Posted by Rich Higgins (Member # 3) on December 28, 2003, 06:34 PM:
I've seen way too many coyotes making their way downwind with their nose working overtime to believe that picking up my scent is just a fringe benefit in an effort to hide theirs. There is a definite reason why some canids olefactory receptors are 200 times more efficient than humans.
Posted by Norm (Member # 240) on December 28, 2003, 06:34 PM:
Of the coyotes I called in Saturday, not one came from down wind. All came cross wind or some came with the wind... Now after they passed the call, a couple did circle down wind...
I think at night, this may be a very different situation, Danny and Leonard are the night time experts that I know...
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on December 28, 2003, 06:43 PM:
Okay, I was watching a video with the kids but all I can think about is Lance's question. I'd believe coyotes go downwind for all of the above reasons. And in fact, I agree Lance. I suppose those critters are much smarter than anyone thinks.
I would wager that coyotes will make the most of all their senses in everything they do.
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on December 28, 2003, 06:51 PM:
If any predator didn't hunt from downwind most of the time they wouldn't catch much it seems to me. I'm pretty sure that deer could smell a coyote or lion that was upwind of them. I'm sure that it becomes dual purpose when they are suspicious like when hearing a predator call. But just look at a dog hunting rabbits or such, they have to get downwind to find them. I still stay with my original thoughts.
Posted by Locohead (Member # 15) on December 28, 2003, 06:55 PM:
posted by Norm,
"Of the coyotes I called in Saturday, not one came from down wind. All came cross wind or some came with the wind... "
Then again, God did not make all coyotes equal. Some are a bit more stupider than utters.
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on December 28, 2003, 08:32 PM:
Absolutely there are no hard and fast rules about where a coyote will come from. Hungry coyotes and young coyotes will do things no others will. But the vast majority will try to get downwind. As most of you know even if they come from the upwind and are in plain sight they are usually circling to get the down wind side. Alot of them never get the chance to get that far. But also as most of you know, most of us try to set up to make the downwind side the most unaproachable, many times giving the coyotes no choice but to come from the upwind.
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on December 29, 2003, 05:55 PM:
How can a coyote have an established territory to hunt in, and always hunt into the wind? Seems to me they'd be a long ways from home by the time they got full, and then hungry again by the time they turned around and got home?
I'm thinking coyotes only hunt into the wind, when they can't see or hear their prey. Give them something constant to look at or listen to, and they come straight in from what ever direction they discovered the sight or sound.
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on December 29, 2003, 06:59 PM:
Tim,
I know you have smelled a coyote or two. They stink. So I think it would be hard to get to something from the upwind, except maybe birds, I don't know if they smell other critters or not. To listen to a turkey hunter, you would think that they can smell you at 1000 yds and see you farther, but I don't put much stock into what turkey hunters say.
Posted by onecoyote (Member # 129) on December 31, 2003, 09:04 AM:
Rich, I'm with you, I have seen that nose working many times myself. I believe a coyote wants to make sure of everything it can, if it can. Hearing, smelling and the last thing ( we hope ) is going in to take a look.
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