Hunting & Fishing Do coyotes not drink water or something?

[TheGerman]

Decided to take a friend night time hunting as he's never done it let alone had any experience with nightvision.

I had run into a watering hole that was an old cow watering troff area in the middle of nowhere on BLM land. Even though its not used for cows anymore, the water still flows and makes a huge pool of water out in the middle of the desert. Figured this was an ideal bottleneck, especially at night time as animals will feel a bit more at ease in low light/darkness and come get a drink.

I planned out a route to drive out there, dismount and hike to one of a few FFPs I had designated ahead of time, depending on what the wind was doing. Wind was blowing directly south to north last night, so we started hiking in on the east side to our FFP where the wind was coming from our 9 o clock and always kept it there. We also stayed 'behind' the target, off to the side, so wind was not an issue as far as detection. Got there an hour before dark, set up on an elevated spot and showed my friend how to draw a range card as well as pre designate range markers. Were not using calls because we were 150-250 yards away (depending on where on the target area you were) and the water was actually the 'bait' and this time of year, the coyotes are well fed anyways.

Were both in position and waited for something to come wandering out. Had a Mk12Mod1 with suppressor, PVS30, PEQ2A, RAPTAR and both had nightvision with us as well.

Not a single thing; rabbit, pig, coyote, anything came out the entire time we were there from before sunset to about 1030pm. Nothing, yet it was 95+ degrees all day and stayed mid 80s even at 1030.

The only other natural water source I know of is a water hole about 2 miles away that is sometimes dry when there is no rain. Other than that there is no source of water to my knowledge anywhere nearby. When the hell do critters drink water when its 90+ out all day? I was thinking it would be a constant stream of things creeping in to get a drink, yet didn't see a single thing.

 

[RTH1800]

Swirling wind not discernible from your hide or bad water.
If you see tracks it was wind. No tracks water

 

[TheGerman]

Swirling wind not discernible from your hide or bad water.
If you see tracks it was wind. No tracks water

If I had to bet, I'd say the water. Not even things without as keen a sense as coyotes, like rabbits were out there.

The wind was a constant 10-15mph the entire time as we're currently have heavy winds in our area the last few days. Never shifted or stopped . For any wind scent to have gone towards the water site, it would have had to have done a total 180, into the wind for 150+ yards.

 

[Ravenworks]

Maybe unrelated
A scent cone will travel for miles on flat terrain with nothing to break it up.

 

[Rerun7]

I’ve hunted all my life but just started coyote and hog hunting the past couple years.

If you can figure out how to make either one of them do what you want them to then let me know. I can’t pattern them and they never end up where I think they should be.

 

[TACC]

Maybe it was called quits to early.

I know in the past when certain older animals who have learned won't start coming out until well after midnight.

I'm on the east coast and we hour from midnight until 3-4 am in order to see stuff

 

[RTH1800]

If coyotes are hunted A LOT in that spot at night, (unlikely) they might circle and come in downwind.
My experience is that coyotes are not shy at night. I still try to hunt crosswind.

 

[Huskydriver]

In my AO... The yotes are hunted so much those smart asses have learned to stay with the cattle heard or the horses.

I have literally watched them bed down with the cattle at night and move with the heard.

The horses won't tolerate them getting as close but they have np with them being 50-75 yards away

 

[lariat]

In my AO... The yotes are hunted so much those smart asses have learned to stay with the cattle heard or the horses.

I have literally watched them bed down with the cattle at night and move with the heard.

The horses won't tolerate them getting as close but they have np with them being 50-75 yards away

This. Or they know you are there and keep the cows between you and them.

Sometimes the only shot you have is to thread it between cows. Not good. Ill do it between my cows but its not the most desirable situation. I would be pissed if someone else was trying it on my land.

 

[ofelas]

Mine neither.
Additionally, I don't consider human logic & NV aids a guarantee when dealing with the instincts of a predator that's used to man.

My experience is that coyotes are not shy at night.