This is topic Coyotes at bear/cougar stands..... in forum Predator forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
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Posted by Curt2u (Member # 74) on August 15, 2004, 08:04 AM:
I know this has been discussed before but thought I'd get a fresh opinion. What do you fellas do when you have coyotes show up at your bear/cougar stands? Last weekend I had a pair of adult coyotes show up at one of my stands. I had just started calling and it was a good spot for bear so I let them walk.
Yesterday after the rain quit I went out and made 3 stands in the late afternoon. First stand had a young coyote show up. Third stand had an adult show up. Again being early in the stand and in a good bear/cougar spot, I let them walk rather than let the .308 AR-10 roar.
BTW, on that last stand after 45 mins of deer distress mixed with some bear cub distress, I had something large milling around in the woods to the right of my stand snapping and popping branches. Don't know what it was but did not sound like any deer I've heard. I would think a cougar would make more of an effort at being quiet. No cattle in the area. The wind was swirling around in the thick woods so whatever it was it could have busted me. It never did show itself though. The ground debris made it impossible to make out tracks but I could see where good size branches were broke.
Anyway, do you guys just shoot these non-target (coyotes) arrivals or let them go? I hate educating them but I also hate wasting my time getting into a good bear cougar spot and possibly ruining it with unnecessary shooting. Your thoughts?
Good hunting
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on August 15, 2004, 10:48 AM:
Curt,
Darn good question, and one I struggle with a lot, out there in the woods.
I try not to feel bad about educating coyotes, if I did I'd have had to turn the gun on myself a long time ago. LOL
It's especially hard for me, because I am still trying to get that first coyote...
Passing on the one at bear camp was tough, but like you say we'd spent a couple days queuing to get that spot, an hour or more stalking our way in, a long drizzling cold morning glassing, and it had some serious potential for providing Red with his bear (he was the shooter and I was calling).
But if I do the math, it's easier to have let that coyote walk.
Coyote season is 365 days long (as far as the law is written ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
), cougar season is about 150 days, and bear season around 100...
There will always be another day to go call coyotes, but not bears and/or lions.
I also have to wonder about the "level of education"...
I know I fully "professorized" the one I called at bear camp.
He showed up out of nowhere, his front feet on top of a stump, about 20 yds away across the gravel road.
I did not have a facemask on, as I was sitting "inside" a big stump, facing the way we had come in, watching the back door so to speak and expecting a 100-200yd shot in the clearcut we were sitting over.
When I spotted him, he spotted me (I don't think he saw Red though), and he was immediately going as fast as he could out of there (if his feet stayed on the stump 1/2 second I'd be suprised).
He knew I was blowing a call, I was "mid toot" when he popped up onto the stump and looked me face to face.
But in real life, how often does a coyote respond to a distress sound, only to find some bigger badass has whatever is making the noise?
I would think sometimes they come to a "distress scene", get scared, and have to run away.
If they never saw you, even if they winded you, and you never fired a shot how strongly could they have been educated?
Krusty 
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on August 15, 2004, 11:23 AM:
Curt2u,
If it is with in the first few stands of the day, I tend to let them go. But after that, I feel the need to check the zero on the rifle and ease a few frustrations.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on August 15, 2004, 12:32 PM:
It is my opinion that you can take these coyotes with minimal risk to upsetting your intended quarry. I have seen way too many animals approach after killing the first one, to believe that I am queering a stand by taking a shot. Deer, after opening day fireworks, they tend to get a little spooky, at a shot, but understandable.
The only caviat would be; don't let them see you do it. Actually, statistically, it is rare that your bear watches you dispatch a coyote....just a guess, don't have the figures, EP.
Just do it...swoosh! LB
Posted by Bofire (Member # 221) on August 16, 2004, 06:12 PM:
Curt,
It all depends! LOL
I decided a long time ago that the next bear I shoot will be either larger than 7'2"or a nice one that was "called".
So I ask going into the morning, "first legal hair dies?" or Bear? cougar? I even try to ask before even going.
I have let yotes go on bear stands.
Right now, I am in a "first hair" mode, unless Rick or Jeff/Red wants a bear.
Is there any other way I cant answer yer question?
LOL
Carl
I would think you had one coming Curt! Bears can make alot of noise and make none at all.
[ August 16, 2004, 06:24 PM: Message edited by: Bofire ]
Posted by Curt2u (Member # 74) on August 16, 2004, 08:23 PM:
Thanks much fellas. I think what I'll do is start counting to 100 when I see them. If the coyote is still there at 100, he gets a Partition. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Good hunting
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