Teach me: what do you look for?

[JakeL]

I want to get out and find some more good places to hunt. I also want to be productive when I'm out looking for new places. What do you look for when finding new coyote (and other predators) habitat? What types of water sources are best? How far from water? Close to roads? Far back in? Certain vegetation or terrain? Do you hike around and look for sign? Drive around calling and listening at night?

 

Now that you have found good habitat, what do you look for when choosing locations to make stands?

 

I'm based out of Mesa, so most of the time I'm chasing predators in Sonoran desert type terrain on day trips. I'm not asking where you hunt, I'm asking for tips on the best way for me to find places to hunt.

[lancetkenyon]

Within 1 mile of any water source.

Coyote poop on roads, means they are marking their territory, and that means there are a few coyotes around for them to need to mark territory.

Prey animals/food sources. Rabbits, squirrels, javelina, deer in the area mean food sources. They also eat cacti fruit, and mesquite beans.

Cover/travel routes. Brushy washes, rocky outcroppings, hills.

Close to outlying homes. They love little fluffy cat and small dogs. Easier to catch than wild food sources.

Farmland/ranches. Again, farmland means rodents/small game. Ranches mean sheep or cattle, which have calves or lambs. Easy pickings.

Areas more commonly overlooked or seldom hunted.

[ThomC]

All of your tips are good. Or just drive down roads and call every mile. Predator masters.com will give you more tips. You will have more success the farther you get away from Mesa.

[trphyhntr]

I just go anywhere at least 400 yards from a home and where I can see a little bit to a lot of an area in front of me. Not a lot to it

[Couzer]

I look for dead coyotes on the highway, and scat on the dirt roads, if I see either I will call around there

[PRDATR]

I like more open terrain with scrub for coyotes like what you see on the Gila Rez out by Firebird. For foxes I like shallow canyons and rocky out croppings like what you see on the Beeline just past Four Peaks turnoff.

[JakeL]

Thanks for the advice so far. Great tips.

[BeardownAZ]

Everything mentioned is dead on. To me it's trying to go find a place were others haven't called and educated them more then anything

[Nobody]

Coyotes will often leave there calling card on a road. However it's a good Idea to do a little legwork find the true toilet if you can, lots of dung in one place. Coyotes are predictable in a way. They follow the game. If you can learn the migration of an area you will surely find coyotes. Look for paw pads in washes and fingers feeding washes study water holes the tracks tell the story(old or new). Coyotes don't always drink the same water everyday and can go several without it. Know and study your area and then you will get to know the coyote. There very smart and are quick learners. Trap one coyote and his budy smells him in the trap, trap another coyote a little ways away and the same coyote smells it and an eduacated coyote is born. There Smart.

[HEADACHE]

And I find them often mixed up into cattle herds.

[C.S.Davis]

There is coyotes in every square inch of AZ. Just get out and call. You will soon learn what terrain appeals to you to call in. Put some noise in the air and pay attention. You have coyotes come to the call more than you think!