I had 2 birds gobblin good on Thursday and Friday and even watched one fly down off the roost Friday mornin only to go the opposite way from my setup. But I got to play the game for a short while. These gobblers went the same way both mornings so on Saturday I setup in a small flat on the opposite side of the ridge. I was expecting to hear birds and nothing. didn't hear a single bird. they were gone. I decided to just sit and call every 20 - 30 minutes and see what would happen. About 8:00am I heard a hen flush just over the edge of the ridge and I felt like something wasn't right. Then I see him about 100 yards up the side of the ridge above me. Big coyote. I had my mouth call in and let out a couple of yelps and he stopped and started looking. I called again and he made a bee line straight for me. I hammered him at 10 yards with a load of number 4's. Big 35 lb. Male. Now I know why the birds were not there So now I'm not sure what to do. Are the birds probably gone? Could they still be in the area but just not gobbling because of the coyote? Anyone have any experience with this kind of situation? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Buddy of mine had a big coyote approach his calling sat came in behind in the wind and he didnt get a chance on him though. Its definitely a new problem for us.

Hey GG I bet they are still close by. I think the turkeys have to put up with yotes a lot more than we think, and they will return to normal after a day or so. Show uis some pics of that yote.

Good job on that Coyote. It is a matter of time before we all find ourselves in that same situation.

Saturday there were very few gobbles anywhere. Yotes are just another problem that won't go away soon, but cold a.m. temps will. Then they'll gobble.

Coyotes aren't the only canines that are chasing and killing the tukeys. Papoult and I were hunting turkeys in Va. last week. Papoult saw a fox stalking three turkeys which they were trying to set up on. Congratulations on getting the coyote.

Good job taking that 'yote down!!

I hunt in Bedford and Amherst Co's, and I haven't SEEN any coyotes, but I've talked to other hunters who have. Last season, I called in a bobcat, so I know they're out there and actively pursuing our beloved birds too.

QUESTION: Does anyone know how to tell the difference between coyote scat and bobcat? I frequently see what is obviously carnivore scat in several spots I hunt-full of fur. But, I can't tell which predator left it. Bear is usually pretty easy - it's huge, looks like it's human, and has plant AND animal material in it. But, bobcat & coyote -- anyone?

AND ANOTHER QUESTION: What are the reg's on coyote hunting in the National Forest? The VA hunting reg's book mentions that there are specific restrictions in the NF, but never says what they are.

You can kill yotes in the National Forest when ever a game season is in, i.e., spring turkey season. The same hours that apply to the season that is in applies to the yote killing also.

Here is picture of coyote scat and tracks......

http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/dnr/fur/tracks/coytracks.html

More coyote scat....

http://www.bear-tracker.com/coy1scat.html

Bobcat scat....

http://www.bear-tracker.com/bobscat.html

Bobcat scat and scrape

http://www.bear-tracker.com/bobscrape.html

Thanks Guys! I was a little worried about the area after the yote but there were 4 gobblin good this am. 2 were right back in the same roosting spot. I will try to post a pic this afternoon. Called 2 in this morning and both had about 3-4 inch beards. Youngsters. I just watched the show (1 bird struted for about 10 minutes) and then let em walk.

I learned my lesson about coyotes a couple of years ago at Gathright. Had 2 run up on me from behind and I thought it was a couple of does that I had seen 20mins prior. When I turned to look they were within 5 yards of me and I literally scared the poop out of them. I was so caught off guard that I didn't shoot. By early that evening everyone on the camp new that I was the guy that didn't shoot the coyotes. Any way they ran off on to a small point overlooking a deep hollow and started yipping and hollering and the hunting was shot for two days. On the third day I heard that bird gobble again from the same stand of trees that I had roosted him in 4 nights before. Never did get him though.