This is topic Grazing coyotes? in forum Member forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
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Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on May 30, 2014, 10:02 AM:
I've seen coyotes eat grass a couple times. In the same way my dogs at home would eat it occasionally. But this seemed a bit different?
Really not sure what they were up to. They milled around with their noses to the ground like that for 20 minutes though. Not like sniffing anything out, but like they were eating something.
Too far away, what you see was as good a view as I was able to get.
- DAA
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on May 30, 2014, 10:52 AM:
INTERESTING. REMINDS ME, IN A WAY, (oops) of coyotes in southern Arizona. Around this time of year, they seen to eat, exclusively, Mesquite beans. And, a little later, buckets of grasshoppers. No meat, no fur. Further east, still AZ, I have seen them eating the buds from a flowering bush. I don't know the name of it, but same thing, turds consisting of nothing but these buds.
And, I'm not talking isolated, I mean miles and miles of coyotes eating the same thing, exclusively.
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on May 30, 2014, 12:12 PM:
I have seen them eat grasshoppers by the bucketful before. Kind of fun to watch them catching them. And I've seen turds full of those nasty Mormon crickets a couple times too. Those things are NASTY. Coyotes will eat anything, for sure.
It's not too unusual, I'm sure you've seen it many times too Leonard, to see turds full of juniper berries too. I've even seen a couple with Russian olives.
No doubt, the above is something along these lines. Just don't know exactly what.
- DAA
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on May 30, 2014, 04:31 PM:
Yeah, forgot the juniper berries, although they are so bitter, you have to wonder the appeal? I pop one in my mouth when I'm close, meaning I won't go out of my way. But, I have been known to chew on those berries; don't ask me why?
Now, around here, it's grapes, wine grapes. And, of course, in lots of agricultural areas, they eat the hell out of cantaloupe although I don't recall seeing it rendered 100% into poop. But, they aren't much better than birds pecking at a cherry or a peach. Meaning, they don't eat the whole thing, which would understandably annoy the farmers.
Yup, they aren't strict meat eaters, or I should say MEAT + FUR because the fur don't bother them, like a cat.
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on May 30, 2014, 05:32 PM:
I have to say I was taken somewhat aback the first time I encountered a pile of poop consisting of nothing but prickly pear cactus. Went in one end bright pink and slimy. Came out the other end looking like a fruit smoothie.
Not at all unusual for them to eat the hell out of watermelon. Between coons and coyotes, that's a problem around here on large watermelon fields. Coyotes break them open. Coons bite a hole and scoop it out with the front feet.
Maybe those coyotes found an area where cattle calved or another animal was taken down and the area still smells of the battle. Interesting that all three were zoomed in on the same thing, though.
And, of course, another great pic. Always cool seeing candid pics of coyotes being coyotes.
Posted by Lone Howl (Member # 29) on May 30, 2014, 05:48 PM:
I dont have an answer for Dave but....One year one of our farmers here planted big field of watermelons and it was completely devistated by coyotes in 2 nights. We have a large producer of various melons (Merritt Farms Melons) and they lose a lot each year to coyotes. Drip lines in our orchards are not safe. Matter of fact coyotes around here do so much damage to drip line, I started selling it in the store I'm at lol.
Gotta love em.
Mark
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on May 30, 2014, 06:14 PM:
Question,.... what kinda soil are they on? That greyish ground behind them appears to be low ground with water supporting that green vegetation. What kind of vegetation is that? Could that low area where they're at be more saline than the surrounding area - like a big salt lick - and they're just there getting some mineral? I had this spot I used to dump all the salt I used on deer capes - like, 300# a year for about 8 years - and every deer and coyote track in that 100-acre+ field either came to it or went away from it. I was surprised that anything would grow there but it did. I don't know if the coyotes were imbibing in the salt or just stayed close to exploit any possible herbivorous or granivorous prey animals that might show up, i.e., lions hanging out around an isolated watering hole.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on May 30, 2014, 06:34 PM:
As to the photo. They could be licking up some type of insect. Could just as well be the green grass, but that's too easy.
You need to get to the bottom of it, Dave! Don't do this to us!
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by Az-Hunter (Member # 17) on May 30, 2014, 07:48 PM:
To early for grass hoppers, at least in Arizona. They have a late hatch, see lots of them around sept-oct. Mesquite beans don't hit the ground until much later in the year also, about the same time actually. I would guess it is some kind of early weed or plant they must have a sweet tooth for?
Last winter, I was hunting far east, right on the New Mexico state line, literally miles from any agriculture fields. I was watching ahead on the two track we were riding down, and spotted this pile of scat an easy 50 yards ahead of us. Coyotes love that red chile, seen it many times in my local area. They don't pay it much attention when it is juicey, meaty and green, only when it dries up and turns red?
[URL=http://s145.photobucket.com/user/Az-Hunter_2006/media/P3160134_zpsc749a7cc.jpg.html] 
[ /URL]
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on May 30, 2014, 10:33 PM:
An old sourdough like yourself, I probably don't need to ask: did you taste it? You know, just to be sure it's not cranberries.
Good hunting. El Bee
edit: three coyotes, they lost their keys!
[ May 30, 2014, 10:35 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on May 31, 2014, 04:50 AM:
I thought about mineral, as the whole area is heavily mineralized soil - salt, alkali, who knows what. But, while not sure, I think it was something else.
Not sure what the vegetation there is, exactly. I was sitting in june grass, but I don't think that is what is growing where they were grazing.
Where I was sitting there were thousands of moths. Wonder if they were licking those up maybe. I know black bears in some of the places in southern Utah thrive on moths.
- DAA
Posted by Az-Hunter (Member # 17) on May 31, 2014, 08:21 AM:
Are you kidding me Leonard?, it's akin to that coffee; kopi, most expensive coffee in the world, civet cats eat the coffee beans, and the scat is collected, beans picked out and made into gourmet coffee. Same thing here.....that scat, when blended with garlic, finely chopped onions, cumin, salt and pepper, makes the finest chile con carne on the planet!...I thought everbody knew that?
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on May 31, 2014, 09:36 AM:
I did, indeed!
But, now your base of operations leaves you with only store bought condiments, and everybody knows, freshness is key. Nothing worse than reaching for your jar of coyote "salad" and finding it's gone bad on you! Now, what are you going to ladle on your tacos? Pass the Pace?
Ever hear coyotes in Florida? I sure as hell hope so, at least once in a while. Or, I forget, are you as deaf as I am?
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by Duckdog (Member # 3842) on May 31, 2014, 09:45 AM:
I don't do a lot of coyote hunting during the spring or summer, but if I get the itch, I head to a little truck farming operation where the coyotes reek havok on the watermelons.
I don't claim to really make any difference, because I surely don't, but that's why I got access to that particular area, and the farmer likes to see me "thin em down".
I see a lot of coyote scat with persimmon seeds in it around here.
Posted by Fur_n_Dirt (Member # 4467) on May 31, 2014, 04:42 PM:
One time, I drove over "gates pass" in Tucson and there was three coyotes 10 yards from the road. When my truck passed, a coyote proceeded to pick a pickly pear fruit and swallowed it whole.. That was impressive..
Posted by Randy Roede (Member # 1273) on June 20, 2014, 03:54 PM:
Dave, wondering if you have any pictures of coyotes with blue eyes?? I was going thru some pics and came across one I have where the coyote seems to have blue eyes?? Searching thru all my other ones to see how rare it is?
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on June 28, 2014, 04:10 PM:
Randy, that I do not have!
Wouldn't swear to it, but I don't think I've ever seen one with blue eyes.
- DAA
Posted by Randy Roede (Member # 1273) on June 28, 2014, 06:54 PM:
Ole blue eyes!!
[IMG]http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc199/coyotee-roede/20121216_9_zps1a3d2668.jpg[/IM G]
Posted by DAA (Member # 11) on June 29, 2014, 11:49 AM:
Oh yeah! I remember you posting that now. Very cool.
- DAA
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