Coyotes altering Deer habits?

[Bowhunter57]

I can tell when the deer in my section are altering their movements...or just not showing up in a "normal" pattern. When I see this behavior, it's the same time when I see/hear coyotes. In My Opinion... I think these coyotes are causing the deer to alter their travel patterns. The only time I'm seeing 1.5 year old and older deer, is on trail cameras, at 4 a.m. or mid day....and it's been like this for 3 months or so. I have seen several button bucks and a couple of does, in person. However, the larger racked bucks that I was seeing in a bachelor group during the summer, have become scarce. I'm sure the rut is influencing the bucks to travel, but not enough for me to not see them at one time or another...and I'm basing this off of previous years experiences.

I'm about to put my bow on the rack for a while and take my Night Vision scoped rifle out and kill a few, to see if that makes a difference.

Do you believe or think that too many coyotes in an area present a "threat" or create an uncomfortable situation for the deer?

Your experience and opinions are appreciated.
Bowhunter57

 

[jagermeister]

Personally, I don't really believe it... at least not in my area. I've seen, on multiple occasions, deer out in a field or woods with a coyote within 100 yards, and the deer without much of a care as to the coyote's presence. There may be an altered behavior during certains times of the year (spring/fawning) but I haven't personally seen it during the fall.

 

[hickslawns]

Enjoy your coyote hunting. I have a series pics of a coyote, then a deer walking up on coyote. Deer bolted. Coyote sort of jumped up from it's bed to look. Then trotted off. I'm seeing more coyotes on camera. I am still seeing 8-10 deer regularly. I don't think they make as big an impact as people believe.

 

[Gern186]

Bachelor groups have long since split up. I would not blame coyotes for not seeing mature bucks.

 

[Lucky]

Probly like my area. More human hunting pressure making them nocturnal or non existent than coyote pressure

 

[MoonLab]

I hadn't seen anything last friday and Saturday. Coyotes messing up the deer patterns....maybe or maybe not. I dont think so. I quit worrying about that. Often times when i don't see any deer not going their pattern way like I'd normally see and think maybe something to do with coyote. I would check the trail cam and the deer have been coming the same patterns when I'm not there or after I'd leave the stand. I had few pics off trail cam of coyotes going after the deer. The deer would come back the next day. Got few more people hunting around the property....I dont know if they smell or what. I smoke up so I know I'm good.

 

[Chass]

I only see a change in movement when I see packs of coyote that camp out in an area for a long time, 4+ dogs. That will make an area and camera slow for a few days after and then it will go back to normal.
Change in habitat through the change of seasons and pressure on the ground itself would be much more likely causes.

 

[Redhunter1012]

I hadn't seen anything last friday and Saturday. Coyotes messing up the deer patterns....maybe or maybe not. I dont think so. I quit worrying about that. Often times when i don't see any deer not going their pattern way like I'd normally see and think maybe something to do with coyote. I would check the trail cam and the deer have been coming the same patterns when I'm not there or after I'd leave the stand. I had few pics off trail cam of coyotes going after the deer. The deer would come back the next day. Got few more people hunting around the property....I dont know if they smell or what. I smoke up so I know I'm good.

This is the main culprit. We've seen a monumental uptick in deer numbers/sightings on our best section this year just due to a couple less people. The only negative to our situation may be that one of those people were a dedicated coyote killer. I just don't think there's a noticeable effect on full grown healthy deer. Mostly a fawn/sick deer numbers game

 

[MoonLab]

I have seen more deer last year than this year. Less coyote than last year. Less people last year than this year. After finding out somebody hunting on new property next to me...now 3-4 properties around me everybody hunting. Gets me thinking putting more pressure on deer. Seeing more deer coming in dark or early in morning. All them deer beds down not too from far me they're comfortable there. Then they would head to one property that has 3 feeders full of B & J feeds instead of coming out to cornfield to feed. Try using the evercalm. I had a doe that followed my trail to the stand by smelling the evercalm.

 

[BlueSpruceOutfitters]

In my opinion, I'm with the other guys. I don't blame the coyotes. They just aren't a threat to healthy deer and it sure won't changed their patterns permanently otherwise deer would never stay in the same place. I am seeing the same kind of theme on my farm in Medina county. And I know the reason. The only reason deer change their patterns and you don't see mature deer is

1. Lack of food on your property holding them to eat
2. Lack of safe, non pressured bedding for them to sleep
3. Most importantly, human pressure or the increase of that.

We started having sloppy, non caring hunters on our east and I think west side this year. And our mature deer sightings on the cam and hoof have plummeted to very very few this year for that reason. Humans suck. Lol. Just my two cents.

 

[JOHNROHIO]

I agree, I see deer on a pretty regular basis running a line even with dogs in traps, those deer will still be close by unbothered by it. I will see fresh track from both animals in snow and mud during this time that will be made from the last time I had been through making rounds from the day before. Non issue on healthy deer.

 

[Jackalope]

Probably the only thing I ever agreed with Mike Rex on was a statement he made on this very subject. "If deer ran away from every area with coyotes they wouldn't have anywhere to live"

 

[giles]

Us hunters change deer patterns much more than coyotes.

 

[Joel]

Us hunters change deer patterns much more than coyotes.

I think this is what’s going on there. I’m guilty of burning out my own spots before I knew better. Even if you’re not screwing up your spot, your neighbor might be.

 

[giles]

I think this is what’s going on there. I’m guilty of burning out my own spots before I knew better. Even if you’re not screwing up your spot, your neighbor might be.

So have I. Going in at night to coyote hunt will likely only make it worse.

 

[NWOHhunter]

It could be if the Coyotes are aggressive?? But calling the last two nights and having deer within 100yds of my caller, that was howling and yipping, It only brought the deer in closer! I have also had deer continue to feed the entire set and bed down within the danger zone of my calls. I would guess there is another reason for deer pattern change. I have seen woods in our area go from a goldmine to a wasteland within a year, not sure why? Maybe just a natural change in flow in the deers travel patterns??

 

[giles]

It could be if the Coyotes are aggressive?? But calling the last two nights and having deer within 100yds of my caller, that was howling and yipping, It only brought the deer in closer! I have also had deer continue to feed the entire set and bed down within the danger zone of my calls. I would guess there is another reason for deer pattern change. I have seen woods in our area go from a goldmine to a wasteland within a year, not sure why? Maybe just a natural change in flow in the deers travel patterns??

Corn piles

 

[NWOHhunter]

I would say corn piles but I live and hunt in a sea of corn! A corn pile don’t mean much to a buck around here when they can walk 70 yds in any direction and get fresh corn in a cut field. Or cut bean fields


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[giles]

They don’t have thumbs to open the husk. Would it make you feel better if I changed it to “bait piles”?

 

[NWOHhunter]

They don’t have thumbs to open the husk. Would it make you feel better if I changed it to “bait piles”? [emoji23]

You ever walk a cut cornfield lol ??

Walk the end rows where combined make turns, gold everywhere!


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