Coyotes

[ComeFromAway]

We have a paucity of mammal species where I live. However, coyotes walked across frozen ice sheets in the '80s and have established populations here, but are seldom seen. I had the opportunity to do some field work last week with a couple biologists and one told me of a coyote den he came across on a friend's property. He said the site has been active for the last six or so years and he's actually spotted red and black color morphs on the property. He checked the den today and found scat, lots of tracks, and grouse feathers so it still sounds active. (I hope to post a pic of the site on Friday or Saturday)

Anyone ever intentionally pursue camera trapping coyotes? From perusing this forum they seem extremely difficult to capture on camera. Any tips?

[-jeff]

I pick them up occasionally on a camera trap. Also see them walking around during the day.



This is in front of the shop a few weeks ago.

[ComeFromAway]

Neat photo, Jeff! They're a pretty animal. I annihilated one with my car by accident driving around 70 back in December. I will never forget how beautiful its coat looked right before my front bumper almost certainly pulverized its skull. I used to see them running around the highways in Chicago; I think Nat Geo recently featured some research by folks out of Ohio State on urban coyotes, showing some interesting footage of them strapped with cameras and navigating traffic... here's the link: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news ... an-nation/

[Woody Meristem]

Beaver castoreum has produced pretty good results for me; they stop and take a good long sniff often giving the camera time for several photos.

[ComeFromAway]

WM,

Great tip. Perusing trapping/scent sites now. Have you tried any of the products specifically marketed for coyotes?

[JonnyA]

I can get them real easily on trial cameras, but hardly ever on SLR rigs. It may not be so much the visual presence of the SLR rig as much as the time I spend setting it up and leaving scent in the area... not sure. I'd bet any old lure will get them to stop and sniff, not sure about calling them in or getting them off their route. I always see their scat on game trails and fire roads, so that's where I'd set as long as your camera is safe; that way you won't need to lure them in. I'd use a longer lens so you can keep your camera farther away, maybe 50-80 mm or so. I'd use a flash trigger that wake the flash for the first picture cause they'll probably be gone on the first shutter click, though the last one I had stuck around for two shots.

I feel bad setting on dens with SLR cams and white flash, but there's no shortage of coyotes in this world and I think they move dens a bit anyhow, not sure. I set a camera on a hyena den in Kenya and to my surprise I actually didn't get much, besides the $hit scared out of me thinking about the 10 beasts that were directly under me while I was setting the camera during the day.

You might try first setting on a route to/from the den, or maybe where they go for water.

I went after a coyote all last winter and got skunked. I even got a spray bottle of fox piss to cover my scent. Would get the yote on my trail cam but the second I put an SLR cam out, nothing.

Good Luck! Take a pic of the den if you find it, I'd love to see it.

[cameratrapcodger]

If the den is active, you may get a lot of photos. A friend set a cam at an active den and the playing pups filled the card in a day. A carcass set is also good way to get multiple pictures. Adult coyotes don't usually hang around after the first picture is taken. Good luck.

[ComeFromAway]

Here are a few shots of the coyote den (they aren't great, but hopefully you get the idea). It's been built into the side of an old dyke and borders a hay field. Visited it this morning and found scat and well-worn game trails around it. Lots of options for flash mounting and camera positioning. I put a small trail cam up to see if anything's using it and will check it next week.

[Woody Meristem]

Looks like you hit the jackpot in finding the den. Since you've left your scent there, they may abandon that den and relocate to another. But, if they're really used to human scent it may not bother them at all. You may get some great photos.

[JonnyA]

Cool shot of the den. Good idea with the trail cam. I wonder if you set on one of the game trails if you might get them bringing prey back to the den. In AK where I work we have a fox den ~1/2 mile down the lake shore from our field camp and the adult stroll through our camp daily with grouse and ground squirrels in their mouth. They like to follow one of our trails that leads to an outhouse--leads to some funny head-on encounters. Good luck.