How close have you been to wild coyotes? We were about 12 feet from 6 of them. LOL I found a den yesterday and my wife and I snuck up on the back side of it and watched the little guys playing in the grass. They look to be about 4 weeks old. Don't know where mom was.

I've been 3 feet away from a pair of them. I was hunting in Kansas and travelling to my stand on an atv before daylight in the morning. I could see their eyes up ahead and when they saw the headlights they started right towards me. I grabbed my bow and shot at one literally three feet in front of me. I shot over it...don't know how I missed at that distance. lol. Pretty neat experience.

The last hunt of the season this past year I was actually hunted by them. As I walked in from my stand I had a pack following me and circling, a little hairy. Had a machete but my pistol was in the car, that was close enough when it's dark.

Close enough to spit on him.

2 years ago I shot one with my bow that was strait under my treestand . I was only 12 foot up. But this year while sitting on the ground I had a mom and 4 little red foxes come within 5 feet of me. I thought that was cool!

was gun hunting several years ago with my 44 pistol. Had hearing muffs on and heard something. Turned around and a huge one ran past me at 2 yards Not sure it even seen me. He was truckin

I have hand fed them from my lunch on the golf course.. Other than that I have stumbled across a few in my life but they took off as soon as they were aware of me.

i took our dogs out do take care of their final business one night and had one in my backyard about 20' from the dogs. it was dark so the dogs were leashed and I had seen the coyote in the neighborhoon earlier in the week. Saw the yotes eyes light up with the flashlight. The dogs didn't even notice!

Had one about run over me once. It was during our muzzleloader season and I was doing a little mid-day scouting. I stopped to get a drink of water and I heard something running through the leaves at a very fast pace. At first I thought it was deer. I'd leaned my gun against a tree and I grabbed it. I looked up and there is this coyote running right at me. He looked up, saw me and skidded to a stop about 3' in front of me. He turned so quick he made Barry Sanders look slow. I never got my gun on him. Crazy stuff happens in the woods sometimes.

About 10 feet. Killed everyone I ever could. Including pups. I'm a heartless, cold blooded, piece of white trash natural born killer as far as coyotes are concerned. Just returning the favor they'd grant me if they ever find me in a compromising situation. God Bless

About ten yards. Saw this one while walking to a stand. By the time he saw me it was too late.

So close, I shot over one once with a rifle.

Had one under my tree stand while deer hunting in Nebraska. I shot one with my recurve about 15 yards away. I had a rug made out of it and my wife's cat tore the tail off while it was hanging on the wall. Arghhhhh!

I used to live trap them , grabbed most of them behind the head and tossed them in the dog box.

Best Wisconsin firearm deer season I ever had, my last also, was about 10 years ago. In a treestand well before first light, waaay back in my favorite swamp/heavy cover spot. Shortly after good light I heard the nieghbors behind me crack off 3 shots, followed by sumpin' crashing my way...long story short, I shot 3 yotes in less than a minute. Then added a 4th later in the week.

Never saw a single deer all season.

I'll gladly pass a buck to kill a yote...we're crawling with them. Kinda gotta agree with W. VA on this one.

Had one about 2 feet away when I was doing a belly crawl on some ducks once. He was a little mad I think when I shot at the ducks with my shotgun. He still took a swipe at them though. I got one, he didn't, LOL!

Inside of 10' on several occasions.

Real close on many occasions, got this one to howl. Caught this pair in the same morning. Bob

Shot one directly below me from about 8' in a tree.

I had one jump at my boot when I was calling. It came around a bush and pounced at my tan boot. My foot at that time became quicker than the coyote. I missed two shots at it going away . It did not run straight but was weaving in and out of sagebrush. Pretty exciting stuff.

God bless, Steve

I also found a den of 4-5 pups once, even picked one up by the scruff. I contemplated taking them out.....4 or 5 pups will grow up to take out lots of deer fawns and turkey one day. I couldn't do it though.

Probably thirty yards or so. I pushed one out of a multiflora patch one day when I was stump shooting. We have quite a few in our area, matter of fact I love to hear them at night when they are on the prowl. Folks tend to hate them because they are competition. They are great predators for sure, but in all the time they have been here the deer and small game have done very well themselves.

Close enough to stab and pin it to the ground,with a pitchfork,while feedin cows.It was after my dog on the feed wagon,because it was Rabid.

I missed a pick up point with my guide on a Montana elk hunt, and spent the night alone in black timber. I made a star fire, and just prior to daybreak a pack of yotes came to see me. They yipped and circled around me, about 20-30 yards away. I had my bow at the ready, and a large piece of sapling. They decided to leave after about one half hour. They never made any close charges, or threats, and it turned out to be an experience only meant for those of us who enjoy the outdoors. I was picked up that morning by the guide with horses, and after a good sleep, continued my hunt, which turned out with a 4X4 bull the following day. Jim

I missed a pick up point with my guide on a Montana elk hunt, and spent the night alone in black timber. I made a star fire, and just prior to daybreak a pack of yotes came to see me. They yipped and circled around me, about 20-30 yards away. I had my bow at the ready, and a large piece of sapling. They decided to leave after about one half hour. They never made any close charges, or threats, and it turned out to be an experience only meant for those of us who enjoy the outdoors. I was picked up that morning by the guide with horses, and after a good sleep, continued my hunt, which turned out with a 4X4 bull the following day. Jim

That top ones a beauty outback.

Was deer hunting several years ago. Just sitten under a cedar tree and two them were crossing the wheat field coming towards me. I stayed real still to see how close they would get. At 5 foot I moved. Close enough! Sometimes at night the pack will get to howling, sends chills up your spine. Randy

I used to nail them 10-20 yards away but now that they Know Me And The Property they stay further than 100yds or more but they Howl every time the Train Whistle blows sometimes they Course it too . When I moved in My Pup Oni got in a few tussles and dragged them up on the porch not a fun time .

Feet away on the ground with my setter on point in heavy brush. Big Jet black one wanted to gun him but dog to close then when they broke I was more interested in my dog getting her to whoe up and that yotte stood out from us on about 50 yards and to far for bird shot and have dog go off as to say screw you. Had a defiant look to it. Yotte was on a fresh kill as my dog came up on it I herd her bell stop and was prepaired for birds as I got around on her what a surprize. It was a real windy day and it was hard to hear but knew she was locked up and it was show time.LOL

I never expected that from my setter. These NJ yottes have no fear what so ever of man.

Don't like being around them in the dark either.

I had one jump over my legs once while calling. I killed that one with a shotgun as it ran off about 18 yards out. I've probably killed over a hundred of them over the years, but never got one with a bow. - John

Called one in elk hunting and by the time he figured out something was up and he got his brakes on it was next to my pack which was on the ground next to my feet. Put an arrow through him at two paces or less

Bob cats usually get a free pass, but we get after the coyotes pretty hard on our ranch. Occasionally, they'll kill a first calf. Fish and game reports that a healthy coyote population will predate 28-32% of the local fawn drop. We used to have red foxes until the coyotes arrived in our part of central FL. about 15 years ago. We had so many deer that the state would provide us with 40 doe tags each year. No more of that. Our deer population does seem to be stable, however.

About 8', I was on the ground last fall and the hole pack darn near run me over. I think they were attracted to the deer dander I use. It was still dark in the morning. I was sitting on a down tree covered in some animals poop. FREAKY. JF

15 feet. Main Street, downtown Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania, at 5:50 AM 2 Julys ago. Marathon gal and I were getting ready for some miles on the Yough River Trail. We'd parked the Steeler Mobile, used the portajohns, and were heading to the trail. Up the street where the train crosses over the road, about 2/10 of a mile, in the early morning light, I noticed a "dog" trotting a good clip down the middle of the lane towards us. Seeing a dog at that distance, and time of day, made me a bit suspicious, so I told Marathon gal to wait with me on the street's edge. The "dog" got closer, and bigger. When I realized it was a fully grown coyote, Marathon gal was ready to drag me back to the safety of the portajohn! But, we just stood there, motionless except for our little LED flashlights, which we shined on the critter. It simply turned its head towards us, still at full trot, eyes glowing as it kept going down the middle of the street. Those glowing eyes looking at us were one of the eeriest things we've seen to this day! I personally hope for a revisit. Marathon gal thinks otherwise...

Been awful close turkey hunting. I suppose they are harder to see in the spring, and a little more brave with babies to feed. Otherwise they're too smart for getting real close.

Had a den of 'em below my home on a sandbar just above the river bank, 3 pups and the bitch. Fun watching them grow, but didn't have the heart to kill 'em. They left at about 6 mos or so. Not too many here, but population is growing. Nice to hear them singin' now and then.

Close to them on several occasions. First one I called in using my lips to sound like a mouse while bowhunting on Grey back Mt. in WA. It came to about 10 yds. but I chose not to shoot it. They were bringing only $20.00 at the time. The next time I was walking down the road and across from the house in a field there was this lone tote, and very large male paralleling me at 20 yds. Totally unafraid. I hastened home. The same one led a pack of 5 into the back yard behind the dog kennel the following year and when I went out to get the dogs the stood their ground yipping and barking at me at 30 yds. and less. That big one I got on trail can feeding on the deer rib cage I out out. That was five years ago. Last fall I jumped a wounded one out of its bed 10 he's ahead. Shot it to put it out of misery since it was limping. It had a huge hole between its shoulder blades and was infected. Shot one in Montana years ago too. 7mm mag devalued it from $100 to $20 due to huge hole it made. Pack was yipping out back last night.

wait till there asleep and sneak up with a gun, shoot them all! or a bow. or a grenade

I was coming off the hill one afternoon and one started howling just below the trail. Sounded REALLY close, so I nocked one and started to put on a sneak. As I got closer, another joined in. Then another.

The closer I got, the more of them there seemed to be, and about the time I got close enough to FEEL the howls as much as I could hear them... I decided that I wasn't as much in the mood to shoot one as I had thought...

RULE OF THUMB: Any predator that acts fearless is a threat. They might back away from an adult male, but there was a woman who was killed by a pack of them up in Canada... They were used to being fed, I think.

So Badger gets a dope slap, in my book.

Love to hear there night time sounds while in deer camp. Don't like the fact that the deer population has dropped since they got here. I like all wildlife but I hunt deer so I wish for more. I don't think we are much of a tool for population control anymore so we are not as valuable to the DNR as we used to be. They yotes are not going anywhere while our usefulness to the DNR diminishes. I hate yotes. Close enough to kick a couple times. Never had an opp. to kill one. Hope to fix that.

Here's a pic of one I killed last year. It was about mid-October and I was in my treestand. About 9:00am or so I hear critters running through the woods. I grab my bow, look up and see 3 coyotes coming toward me. They are moving pretty fast but not an all out run. They are spaced out about 30 yards apart. I try to stop the first one with a lip squeak but he kept going. The second stepped behind a cluster of oaks and I drew. When he cleared the trees I loosed my arrow. I heard a mushy thump (best way I can describe it) and the coyote kicked it into high gear. I heard him running and then all was quiet. The 3rd coyote changed directions and hauled @$$. I waited an hour, got down, found my bloody arrow and followed an easy trail. I actually smelled him before I saw him. He smelled like a skunk. Shot placement was "a little far back", but not bad for a running shot. Must have got the femoral arteries because he only went about 40 yards.

Not one of my smarter moves, but after hounds had bayed one in a brush pile, I reached in a caught him by hand. Looked him over, took pictures and let him go for another day.

Had 6 suround me in a pasture one night leaving a bow stand.they stayed about 15 yards out and paced me for a few hundred yards,2 of whitch were plainly wild dogs.the bunch had been killing livestock in the area and became such a problem an organized hunt was under taken and all were killed in a block and drive a week later.walked out of that field with a knife in one hand and a broad head arrow in the other that night.

Turkey hunting in my part of Wisconsin seems to be the best coyote calling method available. I've had countless hunts halted by their appearance...always consider toting a rifle along to rectify that. When my son was 13...we had a big tom on the ground heading in when 2 yotes split up in a circling approach. I was about 30 yards behind the lad...unarmed...calling for him. One dog got to 5 feet behind the kid, and the other was just to my left when they spooked out. My son never saw him til he spooked...which spooked him too.

We had no yotes when I was a kid...overrun now. Not all agree...God's creatures, live and let live, what have you...but I'll NEVER hesitate to take em out. Folks around here losing dogs, fawns get hammered. A co-worker's neighbor put a trailcam by a den a couple years ago...said mom brought in over 20 fawns.

Ohma- at 15 yards, the yotes should have been eating dog that night.

Not sure why you'd wait for them to come into hand-to-hand combat range when you could reach out and touch a couple.

I don't hate 'em, but they're plentiful, their pelts are usable, and they can become dangerous if we fail to remind them of their rightful place in the food chain.

The ones I backed away from weren't causing any trouble in that area, but when they get too brave... My mother in law actually got knocked down by a Tom turkey that had grown accustomed to handouts.... So they don't have to be predators to CAUSE trouble, but predators really ARE trouble just waiting to happen...

5yds. in my backyard. He was coming for my Blue Healer. He thought it over and backed off. Did not have my bow.

Calling turkeys for my dad last spring I had one inches way from my foot. I'm talking less than a foot. Surprised the heck out of me as I was looking to my left and it came sneak running in from the right. I caught a glimpse out of my peripherals, moved me head to look and it flipped back end over heels.

Outbackbob48, that's a good sized yote right there!

JMartin, I trapped them in NW Penna. area. 40 to 45# range is common once and awhile a 50# plus. They are fun to trap and can be extremly aware of the best laid plans. Better learn to live with them because we are not going to eliminate them. Bob

I've had them directly under my treestand, but I've never had them extremely close at eye level. We have loads of them around my farm...to go with the loads of deer here too. They've been here for decades and my local deer population is none the worse for them as far as I can tell. Fascinating animal and very entertaining to observe. I can't shoot them for simply being what nature intended, but then I'm the same way with snakes, bats, skunks and such. If they achieve pest status I'll take a few out, but I don't begrudge them their venison. I believe they eat 50+ pounds of mice for every pound of deer around my farm.

Saw one today along the road, at noon time, across from the local fire station. It ran up the embankment as I drove by.

Had a young one on the front porch a few years ago. I think that they thinned out the local feral cat population.

Also, had one run down the road ahead of me one winter morning. It finally jumped over into the creek bed. bvd

I have snuck up on a sleeping coyote twice in my deer hunting while sneaking thru the woods.

Jumped one up a foot away while stalking, knew he was there and still suprised me when he cut loose, I thought he was dead just napping though. That taught me a good lesson, watch for them to breath and shoot them if they are. This past deer season had one run by me close enough to hear him breathe about 3ft away, only thing I saw with fur except for squirrels.

10 to 15 yds a number of times .

I ran over one once. That's pretty close. The wheels missed him but he rolled several times. Then he shook his head and took off at high speed. - lbg

Here's one for ya. At my shabin in SE KS last fall I was standing about 30 feet from the shabin and next to the outhouse on a little outdoor shower platform. Welp....there I was nekid' as a jay bird having just rinsed off. I picked up my razor and started to shave my neck. (no wise cracks about shaving while at hunting camp). The shower platform is next to a steep drop to a creek. Anyway....just as I was ready to lay the razor on my neck....I heard a stick snap. I looked up and about 6 feet from me was a big yote coming along the ledge right at me. Now that's uneasy! I looked at him...then he looked a me...and after a brief but what seemed like a long stare off...he decided to head back the other direction. Needless to say....I could have shaved the back of my neck pretty easy cause the hair on it was standing straight up.

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Point blank and they where still to fast in retreating to get a arrow off. I could here something coming up over the river hill and they just "popped" in on the deer trail. Couldn't believe their reaction time.

Kevin -

Your experience is a lot like Larry Hatfield's, in that he allows one pair to hang out at his place where they eat a lot of rodents and do a good job of running off any other coyotes that wander through the area. Seems to be working just fine for all concerned!

Funny thing when you get to talking about population densities… I was at a function last weekend and one of the neighbors mentioned that he belongs to the hunt club in the northwest corner of the state and there is a guy up there who must be the manager of it or something who claims to have shot 75 coyotes last year and 72 so far this year. According to the Science I was able to locate, that is a population sufficient for 150 to 300 mi.². Call me crazy but I think the guy is exaggerating just a touch!

But it all gets me to thinking… If one coyote can pick off 20 funds, that suggests to me that the deer herd is out of whack and that area is having one of those prolonged rut cycles where the deer are breeding off and on for about three months, and that leaves a much higher percentage of the fawns vulnerable to predation, rather than the normal survival-by-saturation that you get with a well- synchronized fawn drop. I don't Think you have to have a serious overpopulation of deer to have the so-called trickle rut, but if the buck-doe ratio is substantially too low, I think that is the natural consequence. And the worst part about that is that the over predation does not do anything to fix the balance- it just crushes the overall population number and leaves everybody unhappy.

Gotta have some around, but if you're deer hunting and you see more coyotes than deer, you likely have a problem!

Spitting distance.

I bought my first doe bleat call and wanted to test it during lunch break at my work site. The place was loaded with deer. I walked across a ball field, and into the nearby woods, then set on a big rock and threw a net like camo sheet over me. I let out a couple of bleats and waited, maybe half a minute, when a coyote popped out of the bushes twenty yards in front of me. It walked up to me till about two feet, then ran off like it's tail was on fire. A minute later, another coyote pops out from the same bush. It looks towards me, then in the direction the other one ran. It did that two way look a couple more times then decides to follow the other coyote.

I had never seen them before in the woods and felt lucky wasn't bitten.

Somebody wanted hunting stories...

Late 90's, opening day of VT rifle season. Bitter cold, so I'm bundled up in layers. Made it about 250 yards from camp when I - had to - 'answer the call of nature.'

Got all unbundled, shivered through the 'paperwork' and stood up. All of a sudden I hear something coming towards me. Grab the rifle which was leaning on a tree. The critter comes over the lip, I'm looking for antlers when the light goes on - coyote!

He's already heading away at a trot, so I go to step into a suitable shooting position. Pants are still around ankles!

Let's just say the bullet didn't do anything useful...

I've had them for a pet..

I used to hunt coyotes with a passion. Don't hunt them as much anymore. Mostly when I was calling yotes I used a rifle. but occasionally I would take my bow. I was hunting in an open field that had a thin strip of black jack timber running across the field out of a large patch of woods. I set up in that strip of timber about a hundred yards from the woods. I had open field in front of me. I made a few series of calls and had a coyote come out of the timber and trotted by at about 30 yards. I took a shot at the moving coyote and missed. It never really ran like normal, but trotted off. I set there thinking I needed to move and make another set when a coyote came from the same direction as the first one, but he was coming up that same strip of timber I was set up in! This yote stopped on the opposite side of the tree I was set up by! Just a few feet away broadside! I don't know how I got away with it. But I drew my bow and leaned around the tree. I shot very fast and shot the yote a couple of inches behind the rib cage. He went down and started growling and spinning in circles biting the aluminum arrow shaft into little pieces. It was very exciting to say the least! then it jumped up and ran about 50 yards and laid down. I got a finishing shot on it. I've called a lot of coyotes in close over the years. But that one was the most exciting!

my resident coyotes follow all my farm equipment and snag voles, mice, and kill any gophers they see. when i'm changing twine in the baler both will sit a few feet away and watch me, impatient to get back to work. never have lost any farm animal to a coyote, but i don't let any new ones live longer than a day. the old timers know the rules just like my cow dogs.

I was varmint calling while laying on the top of a sand dune under some shin oak, and had one come in from behind. He circled and looked me in the eye at about three feet.

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