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Author
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Topic: Mystery coyote tracks
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RedRabbit
Knows what it's all about
Member # 796
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posted January 28, 2009 05:57 PM
The other day I went out over the hill to see if I could rouse and ol coyote up, but had no luck. There was a nice fresh powder that fallen the night before over the already two foot of frozen snow that was definitely welcome as it keeps the trekking quiet. In the interim of travel to the stand before crossing a barbwire fence I come across a set of fresh coyote tracks, or at least made that mourning, they came down from a hill to a somewhat isolated sagebrush at the bottom of this bowl they stopped at the sagebrush then continued at about a 45 degree angle toward the fence about 15 ft then just stopped. The snow was a bit broken at the lead foot and very slightly disturbed like thrown up on the surface no more than 2 to 3 inches around the front and side of the that last step I determined that he didn't jump since the fresh snow would have revealed tracks continuing some where else and I carefully inspected to see if he jumped and turned around and back tracked in the same tracks, but the tracks were of only one set and direction the coyote would of had to jump some twenty feet up hill to get back in the track he came from, but I ruled that as impossible and I talking virgin snow every where around this location the only thing I could come up with is he had to back track backward exactly in the same steps, or just vanished. Whats your thoughts on this?
I've only seen this one other time but found the tracks again, but this ones got me a bit bamboozled...
[ January 28, 2009, 06:02 PM: Message edited by: RedRabbit ]
Posts: 241 | From: SE IDAHO | Registered: Jan 2006
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RedRabbit
Knows what it's all about
Member # 796
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posted February 07, 2009 02:59 AM
Geezz! no take on this. With all the coyote hunters here someones had to have seen this phenomenon before.
I'm puzzled about it. Do coyotes actually back up in their tracks for some reason if so why do they do it? Its a very interesting display of intellect....
Posts: 241 | From: SE IDAHO | Registered: Jan 2006
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6mm284
Knows what it's all about
Member # 1129
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posted February 07, 2009 03:58 AM
Can't tell much without seeing ,, but you are missing something in these tracks. Coyotes don't back up and don't disappear.I spend much of the winter tracking coyotes when snow exists and rarely ever lose a set.There is almost always something one is missing when a set gets"vague"..Make a big circle , maybe even several hundred yards in diameter and see if anything is revealed.I have seen as many as 3 coyotes run in the same tracks and leave little indication in the right snow conditions.There are very subtle indications of this going on but can be hard to determine in certain conditions..They can set their pace to match the existing tracks. Saw a couple do this a week ago , had been a while since I last saw it but it is interesting.
Posts: 198 | From: N46 06 E91 11 | Registered: Feb 2007
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted February 07, 2009 06:48 AM
I seldom track a coyote, unless he's wounded.
But, you ask for an explanation so I will give you my opinion.
A coyote is quite an athlete, I have seen them jump a vertical distance I would not have believed, had I not seen it.
What I think, is that you missed something very significant in those tracks. There is not much more to say; they are not magicians and do not walk backwards in their tracks, so where does that leave us? Swooped up by a Golden eagle seems very unlikely, but at least that is something that is possible, depending on the size of the animal?
I have tracked cats in scattered snowcover and have been very frustrated by their preference in avoiding all snow, zigzagging all over the place....and, I believe it is intentional?
I have seen coyotes travel in sandy washes, even though it is not a straight line to where they are going, as in coming to a call. I tend to think, although I cannot prove it, that coyotes avoid cholla forests. I have seen several skid to a halt and chew on their foot pads. I think they learn what to avoid?
I mean, really! You don't think Scotty beamed him up, do you? ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32368 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Mert Bargenquast
Knows what it's all about
Member # 772
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posted February 07, 2009 07:24 AM
Some years ago when the fox population was higher, I was tracking a fox and when he got to a corner in the field there where two posts with a brace post at an angle in between and the fox walked up on the diagonal brace post and sat on top of the fence post. He probably had done the same thing before and liked the vantage point. I have also seen fox laying on well lids when the temps were extremely low.
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Mert Bargenquast
Posts: 40 | From: Iowa | Registered: Jan 2006
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted February 07, 2009 08:12 AM
This has nothing to do with the question at hand, but, when it comes to agility; I'm thinking that a gray fox is the best. They do amazing things that a coyote cannot follow and I have never seen a bobcat come even close to their level of dexterity. What comes to mind is the movie Crouching Tiger, something or other, the way those ninjas tripped along the treetops and the roofs. No doubt in my mind that a gray is the most nimble predator I have ever seen; honest to god, they almost seem to fly, at night. Not often, but when you see it, you must marvel at the agility displayed.
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32368 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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RedRabbit
Knows what it's all about
Member # 796
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posted February 07, 2009 12:31 PM
Thanks for the replies guys. Like you said 6mm I had to have missed where they picked up again the disturbed snow on the lead paw indicates a jump, but from where I was standing I could only see fresh snow all around me and the end of the trail.
I didn't give it a full investigation its possible that it jumped to a area of hard frozen pack I've seen tracks on that look very faint if it wasn't for the dirt on the paw print you would not detect them.
Leonard, I swear If you were there the thought would cross your mind that aliens were abducting our coyotes, then logic would take over and you would simply scratch your head.
This was a bowled out draw with very little vegetation sticking out above the snow pack and most there was none at all. In all my hunting travels in this area in the bowls the snow always falls straight down even in high wind snow storms.
But your right I had to have missed something there. I was anxious to get to my stand and felt like I stood out like a sore thumb, so a thorough investigation was out of the question.
Heres a thought that crosses my mind is it possible that they will lay down and slide like an otter on top of the snow as it might feel good to them, or maybe just for play.
Posts: 241 | From: SE IDAHO | Registered: Jan 2006
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Burger
PAKMAN
Member # 1486
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posted February 07, 2009 12:44 PM
This also has nothing to do with the question at hand, but has to do with coyote agility. I was howling back and forth with one of three coyotes about 300 yards from my back porch, while watching them through binoculars. I believe I was watching the three siblings born last spring in the same area.
When they tired of the howling, I watched two of them raise up on their hind legs and chest bump each other while flailing at each other with their front legs. This was repeated four or five times while the third coyote was very submissive on its back. They raised up with nothing but their legs, just stood up and took two or three steps and make contact with each other.
Is this behavior common knowledge? I have hesitated to post about it expecting my sobriety (or worse) to be questioned.
Posts: 9 | From: High Desert of California | Registered: Jul 2007
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Rich
2,000th post PAKMAN
Member # 112
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posted February 07, 2009 04:58 PM
Burger,
I have never seen a coyote WALK on his hind legs, but here is something that I DID see. I was doing some calling with a friend in north-central nebraska. It was spring or early summer, and we knew that coyotes would be guarding their young. I set my butt down and rested my back against a 12" thick tree, and my friend walked on to my right about 100 yards where he began giving out some threat/bark howls on a small cow horn howler. Pretty soon I see the head of a coyote as it walked up a shallow valley toward my friend. I saw the coyote stand up on it's hind legs and look in the direction of the howls it was hearing. He walked a little further and stood up on his hind legs for another look. I didn't give the coyote a chance to do that a third time. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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If you call the coyotes in close, you won't NEED a high dollar range finder.
Posts: 2854 | From: Iowa | Registered: Feb 2003
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Locohead
World Famous Smoke Dancer
Member # 15
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posted February 07, 2009 08:48 PM
I've seen cow elk also rear up on their hind legs and box too. I used to have wolf hybrids that would run and jump up, spin parallel to each other at the same time and collide mid-air; they always did it.
Once when I was a kid I can remember it rained profusely in my best-friend-next-door's yard but was dry as a bone in my yard. We had fun running back and forth. It only lasted a min. or so. Who knows, maybe RedRabbit's snow powder stopped at that point and the coyote was now walking on frozen stuff. I mean, the snow has to stop and start at some point, no? Who knows?
I shot a coyote yesterday and tracked it for a long time. It was in a forested area. The coyote had stopped perpendicular to me, with a tree between us, covering its vitals. On the right side of the tree, his face was looking right at me. Left of the tree, I could see from his middle back to the tail. I made a poor decision and tried to hit the middle as close to the tree as possible. (Woulda, shoulda, couda the head shot.)I hit where I aimed but he ran off like a flying bullet. The blood trail was profuse but could only be seen on snowy patches. It happened just before dark and we tracked until no longer possible. I went back today and took up the trail again but only found blood on the snow another 30 yards further.
My point is...Man I suck as a tracker! Where the tracks and blood left the snow, I would get down on my hands and knees and search for blood. It simply wasn't visible on the forest floor (to my eye). I could only follow its direction of travel (straight down the hill) and search for more patches of snow with tracks and blood. Soon it was gone.
Poor dang coyote. It really makes me sick to know he's dead out there somewhere. I really wanted that super heavy 8-9,000 ft. elev. long guard haired coyote! Stupid dang gut shot! AAAARRRRRRRrrrrr! ![[Mad]](mad.gif) Stupid dang shooter! Makes me wish I had a Jack Russel Terrier!
[ February 07, 2009, 09:41 PM: Message edited by: Locohead ]
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I love my critters and chick!!!! :)
Posts: 2219 | From: CO | Registered: Jan 2003
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RedRabbit
Knows what it's all about
Member # 796
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posted February 08, 2009 03:41 AM
Locohead, the whole area is covered in snow over here except for the south facing sides of the hills and I was setting up on a north side.
Although its possible to have a patch area of snow stop and then resume elsewhere, or even be wind blown in patches. I know it takes place up on the flats but I don't believe that was the case here and giving the coyote a place to do his Houdini act, but I maybe wrong I should of done a sweep of the area in zig-zag fashion, but like you said coulda, woulda, shoulda....
Posts: 241 | From: SE IDAHO | Registered: Jan 2006
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6mm284
Knows what it's all about
Member # 1129
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posted February 08, 2009 03:53 AM
Tracked a coyote once that got on the rail of a train track and went half a mile on top of it. In fresh light snow there was no place to be but on the rail. I continued down the rail til I saw where he got off and shot him a couple hundred yds later.I could not beleive his balance was good enough to stay on the rail but the snow indicated he did and the exit track led directly to him..I think in order to stay on top he had to keep moving. I have also numerous times seen a coyote go up on his hind legs to look over a terrace of over a small rise.Even saw one last year take a few steps on his hind legs to get a better look.
Posts: 198 | From: N46 06 E91 11 | Registered: Feb 2007
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RedRabbit
Knows what it's all about
Member # 796
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posted February 08, 2009 03:58 AM
Burger,
Are you suggesting that the coyotes out there are doing "high fives and fist pumping." Thats just a little over the top you think?... LOL
Posts: 241 | From: SE IDAHO | Registered: Jan 2006
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Wiley E
Knows what it's all about
Member # 108
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posted February 08, 2009 04:56 PM
Red Rabbit: "....the only thing I could come up with is he had to back track backward exactly in the same steps, or just vanished. Whats your thoughts on this?
Levitating coyotes like David Blane?
How about "ET PHONE HOME
~SH~
Posts: 853 | From: Kadoka, S.D | Registered: Feb 2003
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csmithers
unknown comic
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posted February 13, 2009 07:09 PM
Tracks can be tricky. No doubt about it. Sometimes you may follow a track in one direction, especially in snow, come to the "end" and when you turn around to follow the track back a bit you figure out that the coyote turned, and their prints are nearly perfectly in step with one another except in the opposing direction. You expected them to keep traveling one way so that is what you see at the time. That's called looking at or following a track not "reading a track".
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