I need some help with identifying a hole
- Thread starter Chris111
- Start date
GirlsLoveGuns2
.30-06
I saw it!!!! Looks like Oli made it his avatar photo! Lol
All I gotta say is that this thread was like a good book, I couldn't stop reading! Lots of good info and even my most favorite smartass chimed in
... You know who you are.
Learned a lot about coyotes though, pretty interesting! I don't think I'd want one in my backyard!
Over and out... Good luck!
All I gotta say is that this thread was like a good book, I couldn't stop reading! Lots of good info and even my most favorite smartass chimed in
... You know who you are. Learned a lot about coyotes though, pretty interesting! I don't think I'd want one in my backyard!
Over and out... Good luck!
He is 12 weeks old and already 43 lbs
Expat_PM
.270 WIN
Popeye hit it right on the nail head,
I agree. Whatever you decide Chris we're here to encourage and support (and maybe just a wee bit of Monday morning quarterback after the fact).
Just let us know what you do and how it works out - pics of coyotes in the back yard would be cool to see too
LAZY EYED SNIPER said:
I agree. Whatever you decide Chris we're here to encourage and support (and maybe just a wee bit of Monday morning quarterback after the fact).
Just let us know what you do and how it works out - pics of coyotes in the back yard would be cool to see too
I understand both sides here...
Oli's point that they have a job is valid.
What we most commonly see around here is though is the opportunistic kind that has become comfortable seeing people and homes.
In fact, I've been listening to them sing tonight, quite a few of them too. I've also heard gunfire already tonight.
I'm havin to watch for them here too again.
Believe me when I say I prefer to let em be. But they have become a fairly serious issue here. They kill livestock and can decimate a chicken coop in a night. They dont have to kill all the chickens, but the chickens get worked up and end up dying sometimes of accidental self inflicted injuries from whiggin out. Farmers will kill them every chance they get, and even so, the population doesnt seem to be affected.
Oli's point that they have a job is valid.
What we most commonly see around here is though is the opportunistic kind that has become comfortable seeing people and homes.
In fact, I've been listening to them sing tonight, quite a few of them too. I've also heard gunfire already tonight.
I'm havin to watch for them here too again.
Believe me when I say I prefer to let em be. But they have become a fairly serious issue here. They kill livestock and can decimate a chicken coop in a night. They dont have to kill all the chickens, but the chickens get worked up and end up dying sometimes of accidental self inflicted injuries from whiggin out. Farmers will kill them every chance they get, and even so, the population doesnt seem to be affected.
I can agree with all points as well.
I've had the camera ready when I've gone out the last two times but no luck. There's a lot of shrub so it's probably not oing to happen as far as photos go unless I get lucky.
BUT.....I made a nice mix of some fruits tonight. It was raining and dark by the time I had a chance to get out there so I drove the car down the main trail. I place the food in one pile in the middle of a dirt spot hoping to see tracks and a direction. I realize that I'll get other varmints as well but I should definitely get something to work with.
I also did get a sighting again tonight. This is three days on a row! I drove down the trail looking into the tree and bam, maybe 25 feet from the passenger side light caught eyes. Put the flash light on it and it trotted off. The majority of the body was out of sight because of the shrub but it must have been feeding on the snacks I threw out yesterday along the tree line. I drove in more and sure enough I saw it again or perhaps another in the tree line about the same distance away. It casually trotted off behind the car and out of sight. Parallel with the car, not towards the rear of the car. When I turned around I saw it again but it stayed back this time. I could only see the eyes, head and ears.
It sure seems like its not afraid of the car and is very curious. This seems weird because there aren't any lights or people out there and I'm in a car with high beams on making noise. I don't know if it's multiples or the same animal either. Thoughts on this?
I've had the camera ready when I've gone out the last two times but no luck. There's a lot of shrub so it's probably not oing to happen as far as photos go unless I get lucky.
BUT.....I made a nice mix of some fruits tonight. It was raining and dark by the time I had a chance to get out there so I drove the car down the main trail. I place the food in one pile in the middle of a dirt spot hoping to see tracks and a direction. I realize that I'll get other varmints as well but I should definitely get something to work with.
I also did get a sighting again tonight. This is three days on a row! I drove down the trail looking into the tree and bam, maybe 25 feet from the passenger side light caught eyes. Put the flash light on it and it trotted off. The majority of the body was out of sight because of the shrub but it must have been feeding on the snacks I threw out yesterday along the tree line. I drove in more and sure enough I saw it again or perhaps another in the tree line about the same distance away. It casually trotted off behind the car and out of sight. Parallel with the car, not towards the rear of the car. When I turned around I saw it again but it stayed back this time. I could only see the eyes, head and ears.
It sure seems like its not afraid of the car and is very curious. This seems weird because there aren't any lights or people out there and I'm in a car with high beams on making noise. I don't know if it's multiples or the same animal either. Thoughts on this?
Update...
The rain was just to heavy. Everything was packed tight. I was barely getting shoe prints when I was walking on the dirt so no prints. They sure like apples and bananas though!
More disturbing, I did some more exploring and found a total of 10 dens. I've never seen anything like this. I just confused because they're all fairly close to each other.
I also had an encounter this morning while looking into one hole. I was looking at a hole that was just on the other side of the fence. Maybe ten feet from me. I couldn't see into but maybe a foot but then I remembered that I had my flashlight on me so I put it on the hole and guess what...I catch a head and eyes maybe 1 1/2-2 feet in. I about needed a clean pair of shorts as I didn't expect to see anything because I was making noise out there. Well after I got the light on it, whatever it was stepped back out of sight. I tried calling it out from about 15 yards away but no luck. If I was only 12 again and had a smoke bomb in my pocket lol!
My question is this,
What's with the holes being so close together?
Anyone know anything about fox dens? I looked and looked but I can't find anything that looks like what I'm seeing. They look just like coyote dens. They're very deep too. The ones that I could see in we're about 4-8 feet of slope around 45 degrees or so and the either turned or had a sudden drop.
Why am I not hearing calls? The dog next door barks randomly in the night though. Perhaps it hears something.
Last but not least, if it is a fox can I shoot it legally or should I just leave it/them alone?
I'm oing to upload photos of the dens.
The rain was just to heavy. Everything was packed tight. I was barely getting shoe prints when I was walking on the dirt so no prints. They sure like apples and bananas though!
More disturbing, I did some more exploring and found a total of 10 dens. I've never seen anything like this. I just confused because they're all fairly close to each other.
I also had an encounter this morning while looking into one hole. I was looking at a hole that was just on the other side of the fence. Maybe ten feet from me. I couldn't see into but maybe a foot but then I remembered that I had my flashlight on me so I put it on the hole and guess what...I catch a head and eyes maybe 1 1/2-2 feet in. I about needed a clean pair of shorts as I didn't expect to see anything because I was making noise out there. Well after I got the light on it, whatever it was stepped back out of sight. I tried calling it out from about 15 yards away but no luck. If I was only 12 again and had a smoke bomb in my pocket lol!
My question is this,
What's with the holes being so close together?
Anyone know anything about fox dens? I looked and looked but I can't find anything that looks like what I'm seeing. They look just like coyote dens. They're very deep too. The ones that I could see in we're about 4-8 feet of slope around 45 degrees or so and the either turned or had a sudden drop.
Why am I not hearing calls? The dog next door barks randomly in the night though. Perhaps it hears something.
Last but not least, if it is a fox can I shoot it legally or should I just leave it/them alone?
I'm oing to upload photos of the dens.
If it was a fox you'd likely have recognized it as one by now. Foxes stay together in small family groups of a male, a female, and kits, usually in only one den. They aren't pack animals, so with as many dens as you're seeing you likely have an entire pack of coyotes. The dens are packed close together because there are likely several animals living together in a group. Calls are normally made to find each other and co-ordinate over distances. With these animals living in close proximity to one another there may be no need to call out. Also living so close to humans they may have learned to keep quiet...
I'd check with your local game warden on legalites. However if it's on YOUR property and is a potential threat to you or your family, shoot first and ask questions later...
I'd check with your local game warden on legalites. However if it's on YOUR property and is a potential threat to you or your family, shoot first and ask questions later...
http://myfwc.com/
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http://myfwc.com/license/wildlife/nuisa ... gun-light/
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http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profi ... ls/coyote/
Coyotes den in hollow logs, brush piles and burrows. They will dig their own dens, but more commonly they enlarge burrows made by other animals, such as an armadillo or gopher tortoise. Pups emerge from dens when they are about 3 weeks old. Dens, used only when the pups are small, are abandoned when the young are 8-10 weeks old. Coyotes may re-use dens in subsequent years.
http://myfwc.com/hunting/season-dates/
Raccoon, opossum, coyote, beaver, skunk
Statewide Year-round by all legal rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, crossbows, bows and pistols (D)(F)
Hunting raccoons or opossums at night is allowed, but only .22-caliber rimfire firearms (other than .22-magnums) or single-shot .410-gauge shotguns (using shot not larger than size 6) may be used. Firearms may not be loaded until immediately prior to shooting raccoons or opossums. Hunting raccoons or opossums by displaying or using lights from moving vehicles, vessels or animals is prohibited. It is illegal to transport wild-trapped live raccoons within, into or from the state, except by FWC permit or as authorized under existing rules.
Bag Limit: No limits on any species
=============================================================
http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profi ... s/red-fox/
Behavior:
The red fox is essentially a nocturnal animal, but occasionally feeds during the day, and more at dawn and dusk.
Breeding takes place in late fall or early winter. A pair usually mates for life. An average of 5 pups are born after a gestation period of about 53 days. At birth the pups are blind, helpless, and brownish-black. They nurse for about two months and stay with their parents for about 6 months. The den site is usually a dug out underground burrow, through they sometimes may enlarge the burrow of gopher tortoise or armadillo. The dens are usually 20-40 feet long and 3-4 deep, with multiple entrances.
Red foxes mainly eat small mammals such as rabbits, rats, and mice. If food is plentiful, they may kill more than they immediately need, and cache the extra in the ground.
The fox, both gray and red, are subject to epizootics of rabies, but this has not been a serious problem in Florida.
===========================================================
Interesting read...there is now confusion as to what it is :shock: ....my job here is done.
=======================================================
http://myfwc.com/license/wildlife/nuisa ... gun-light/
=======================================================
http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profi ... ls/coyote/
Coyotes den in hollow logs, brush piles and burrows. They will dig their own dens, but more commonly they enlarge burrows made by other animals, such as an armadillo or gopher tortoise. Pups emerge from dens when they are about 3 weeks old. Dens, used only when the pups are small, are abandoned when the young are 8-10 weeks old. Coyotes may re-use dens in subsequent years.
http://myfwc.com/hunting/season-dates/
Raccoon, opossum, coyote, beaver, skunk
Statewide Year-round by all legal rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, crossbows, bows and pistols (D)(F)
Hunting raccoons or opossums at night is allowed, but only .22-caliber rimfire firearms (other than .22-magnums) or single-shot .410-gauge shotguns (using shot not larger than size 6) may be used. Firearms may not be loaded until immediately prior to shooting raccoons or opossums. Hunting raccoons or opossums by displaying or using lights from moving vehicles, vessels or animals is prohibited. It is illegal to transport wild-trapped live raccoons within, into or from the state, except by FWC permit or as authorized under existing rules.
Bag Limit: No limits on any species
=============================================================
http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profi ... s/red-fox/
Behavior:
The red fox is essentially a nocturnal animal, but occasionally feeds during the day, and more at dawn and dusk.
Breeding takes place in late fall or early winter. A pair usually mates for life. An average of 5 pups are born after a gestation period of about 53 days. At birth the pups are blind, helpless, and brownish-black. They nurse for about two months and stay with their parents for about 6 months. The den site is usually a dug out underground burrow, through they sometimes may enlarge the burrow of gopher tortoise or armadillo. The dens are usually 20-40 feet long and 3-4 deep, with multiple entrances.
Red foxes mainly eat small mammals such as rabbits, rats, and mice. If food is plentiful, they may kill more than they immediately need, and cache the extra in the ground.
The fox, both gray and red, are subject to epizootics of rabies, but this has not been a serious problem in Florida.
===========================================================
Interesting read...there is now confusion as to what it is :shock: ....my job here is done.
Fox dens will be constructed the same way but with MUCH smaller entrances, as small as four inches...
Photo time kids
Some photos didn't come out so I'll post what was worthy. Input is welcome!
Main tree line by the house.
Another look into the tree line
This one I surprisingly found about 100 feet from my front door off to the side. Look at the mouth on this thing.
The hole is going into the right but this is the mound. (not the same hole as above)
Another
This one has some nice shrub. The sand caught my eye in the distance.
The area where I saw the animal the other day stalking me.
This is the hold that I saw the eyes and head for a split second when I got the light on it. That's an old oak laying there for a size comparison.
A den with a shot of the clearing on the other side of the fence.
Another spot passed the fence.
Ok guys let's discuss this.
Some photos didn't come out so I'll post what was worthy. Input is welcome!
Main tree line by the house.
Another look into the tree line
This one I surprisingly found about 100 feet from my front door off to the side. Look at the mouth on this thing.
The hole is going into the right but this is the mound. (not the same hole as above)
Another
This one has some nice shrub. The sand caught my eye in the distance.
The area where I saw the animal the other day stalking me.
This is the hold that I saw the eyes and head for a split second when I got the light on it. That's an old oak laying there for a size comparison.
A den with a shot of the clearing on the other side of the fence.
Another spot passed the fence.
Ok guys let's discuss this.
I'm still thinking coyote. These dens look far too large to be anything else. Also, the number of den sites in such a small area suggests a pack animal which fox are not. Looking at a hole is one thing, but when you look at all the factors involed I feel like there's only one logical culprit...
Chris111 said:
This is the defining photo to me. You can make out the animal's shadow on the mound. I was wrong, you have a sasquatch! Oh wait, you guys call 'em skunk apes down there...