jimmy the foot

what is the affects of yotes on the deer pop. in your opinion? how many fawns on average do you think a yote den takes in the spring? do yotes even go after full size does/bucks late in the winter or are they two big for these predator? what is the largest pack you've seen together.? what is the average size pack you've seen? i'm hunting for yotesfor the first time in NY AND JUST WANT TO GET A LITTLE UNDERSTANDING HOW THESE FURRY LITTLE PREDATORS REACT WITH THE DEER (sorry).

Rammer

Just last week a buddy and I were out deer hunting and we were watching a herd of 25 deer from about a half mile away, when all the sudden they started running. I was like, what the heck spooked them? Then I looked behind them and a medium sized coyote was trotting behind them. I have personally never seen a coyote take down a deer, but I'd imagine that there was a wounded deer or something in that herd that the coyote was after. The most I have seen together in my area is 3 coyotes in the winter, and a half dozen or so in the spring. I made a trip to Nebraska last year hunting coyotes, and we'd see them in packs of 4-6 all day long, and there were not many deer in the area.

jimmy the foot

interesting, thanks for the info.

krub6b

I had a pack of six run in front of my stand in central Missouri and less than ten minutes later a single coyote chased a doe ( 1 1/2 -2 1/2 yrs.) back in front of me the doe didn't seem to be woundedat all. Once the doe hit the woods a little six point buck came running out and tried to chase the coyote off. I helped him remove the 'yotewith a 30-06 load to the head.

Howler

The most damage the coyotes will do is on the fawns in the spring. I have a friend in Neb. that found a den that had several fawn skulls around it. If and when snow gets deep and crusty, that is when full grown deer will be in danger most. Even a small pack of coyotes will have enough advantage to take down a deer then.
Arounnd here, I seldom see more than 3 coyotes together, but I have called in as many as 7 at one stand!

North Texan

Coyotes are opportunists. When they are out hunting, they after an easy meal. They prefer deer that are either too small to put up much of a fight, or too sick or injured to put up much of a fight. Remember that for a coyote, an injury such a asa broken jaw or leg can be fatal, and it just takes one kick from an adult deer to deliver such an injury. Fawns and weak or injured deer are much less likely to injure them, so they are taken first.

Snow here is very rare, so winter is notas big a problem here as it is elsewhere. The large wheat fields scattered across the countryside normally provide plenty of forage to get them through the winter in good condition. This year, though, conditions are very dry and the wheat is not going to provide for the deer like it has in the past. This will cause the herds to lose some conditioning, and be more susceptible to disease and depredation.

I have seen 8 coyotes in a pack once, coming across a wheat field on my way to town. Usually, I see singles or doubles, with the occasional pack of three to four. Of course, the smaller the pack size, the less likely they are to try and take on a large animal.

I've seen coyotes chase adult deer on a couple of occasions. I don't think they were serious, just testing the water. Looking to see if the deer showed any signs of fatigue or weakness. Or maybe to see if a fawn would get up and try to run with it.