Coyotes and Elk

[Poser]

We don’t have many coyotes in the higher elevation around here, but occasionally I’ll see or hear sign. Scoped out a basin this summer that had a large calving group bedded above treeline and a pack of coyotes lighting up in the trees each evening. I didn’t think too much of it as the elk seemed indifferent. I’ve never seen a coyote above treeline. I have seen a porcupine at 13,000 feet though.

We went back to the same spot during first rifle, threw up our first bugle and a coyote immediately responds with barking. Almost sounded distressed, but kept responding to our bugling every single time. In retrospect, I suspect it was more territorial: “don’t want none of your kind around here,” type of response. Upon stalking through the timber, there were coyote tracks everywhere. Post calving season, I can’t imagine elk are very concerned with coyotes unless it’s a very large pack. At the same time, I don’t reckon they are keen on sharing living quarters with one another.

What’s the consensus on elk and coyotes? If you have an active pack in an immediate area, best fo move on or more situational? Coyotes more of a threat to a herd in the fall or a nuisance?

 

[Pgohil]

I don't think coyotes have any effect on the elk. In September when I shot my archery bull. As we were cleaning it up and dark approached coyotes were lighting up from several different areas. There were bulls bugling the entire time as well.

YMMV

PGohil
WV

 

[One-shot]

Coyotes will take down elk. You can find some footage by Googling, but in essence the coyotes will work together to surround the elk, and take turns lunging at it and taking chunks out of it’s flesh until it goes down. Of course bull elk will be the coyotes last choice, but a cow while calving is a great opportunity for coyote food.

 

[TxxAgg]

My brother and I watched 2 coyotes stir up a group of 30ish elk last year. The cows bird-dogged them at first and then got progressively nervous as time went on. After an hour of coyotes playing peekaboo the elk had enough and tore out of there.

 

[hobbes]

I was concerned about coyotes around a calving area in Colorado some years back and contacted a local biologist to ask about it. He said coyotes weren't too much of a problem and usually the cows in a calving area were hell on a coyote that strays too close.

I've never seen elk pay any attention to coyotes. Wolves are a different story altogether.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Interesting... I always run into a coyote or two above tree line when I hunt CO mule deer. I've also heard large packs howling in the same general area I heard elk bugling that morning.

 

[Dust Rider]

I have observed on farm and ranch land the coyotes use and work around the elk to catch small rodents, pocket gophers, field mice etc. When a herd of elk stampede it is loud and disturbs rodents in the vicinity. Coyote, fox and birds of prey take advantage of the disruption.

 

[Poser]

Anyone else ever experienced a coyote respond to bugling? That was a shock to me.

 

[HighUintas]

I have observed on farm and ranch land the coyotes use and work around the elk to catch small rodents, pocket gophers, field mice etc. When a herd of elk stampede it is loud and disturbs rodents in the vicinity. Coyote, fox and birds of prey take advantage of the disruption.

Interesting. Maybe this explains why I kept seeing coyote tracks following elk tracks in the snow when I was out first season in October. They were only single sets of tracks, no packs. I was thinking it's not very likely a lone yote would go after a herd of elk

 

[id_jon]

Anyone else ever experienced a coyote respond to bugling? That was a shock to me.

I did once a couple years ago.

 

[Wrench]

Elk are dangerous to a coyote. Coyotes are dangerous to a single elk. Yotes in calving areas can be bad news....but usually have bears, cats and wolves to keep them in check.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Plenty of studies showing coyotes killing healthy moose. No reason they cannot kill/hunt elk.

 

[Red33]

In 2001 I watched a pack of coyotes take down a cow elk in AZ unit 4A. They chased her for about 1/4 mile as I watched in the open northern part of that unit and finally got her down. Yotes all over that area, but never saw them try that crap on a herd, just that old solo cow.

 

[ndbuck09]

I wish we had first world problems of "dealing" with only coyotes here in Idaho.....

 

[Jn78]

I hear coyotes nearly every night when I am in elk country. This year I saw elk and a coyote in the same basin. Elk didn't seem to mind.

 

[3forks]

Anyone else ever experienced a coyote respond to bugling? That was a shock to me.

Yes.