Coyotes in bedding area

[jmaas07]

Just thinking here and seeing what others thoughts are. last week early in the week coyotes were heavy in a bedding area, they just went wild at last light. A few days later the bedding was filled back up with deer. Last night i sat the area again and a doe ran by me in the same bedding area with something behind her but it stopped and I never saw or heard it after that, then once again the coyotes went wild at last light. Both evenings the air was thick, it was damp and fog as it approached darkness. I'm thinking they target known bedding areas when the scenting conditions are optimal for them like that. Also it was interesting that the deer moved right back in a few days later after I heard them in there the first time. Wondering if thats the norm to have coyotes bust the bedding out and the deer just move back in shortly after

[johndeere506]

I see the same deer and the same local coyotes all the time on camera and also in person. They know where the deer are bedded, but it seems like an unlikely meal. The fawns are always hidden in the open fields/brush during summer before they learn to use the normal doe bedding area with the doe. Maybe the coyotes enjoy harassing the deer, just like my dog likes to harass the cat, or any animal really. I havent seen it directly in bedding like you mentioned, but the deer ive seen in SE MI will come back within minutes after a yote spooks them from an area at times.

[Brandonkinchen]

They bed in areas that help protect them. If they were able to smell, hear, and see the coyotes and get out.......then the bedding worked. If it serves its purpose then why wouldn't they come back.

[Tennhunter3]

I would think coyotes would target bedding areas alot since those areas have the highest amount of scent in the woods.

[headgear]

I see the same deer and the same local coyotes all the time on camera and also in person. They know where the deer are bedded, but it seems like an unlikely meal.

Ya I don't think yotes are as much of a threat to deer as we might think, sure a large group of them can take down anything but they are likely targeting fawns. The does probably don't feel as threatened and move right back to their normal bedding. Wolves on the other hand will chase them away for several days, huge difference between the two, I even think I saw a video of a mama deer chasing off two yotes after her fawn in a field. Kind of tells you what the older deer think of them.

[Double Draw]

I think every location is different. One piece of public I hunt in PA has a bunch of coyotes. They often cause enough chaos in the bedding areas they just targeted to make it unhuntable (the deer leave) for about 2 weeks. I think this goes on to some level year round but the best evidence is during rifle and late archery when the snow reveals what has been where. Sometimes the coyote tracks are so dense you can barely track a deer's tracks.
I also know they get some deer (3 firsthand kills/mortal injuries I have observed in the last 3 years). My first deer taken was a yearling doe that coyotes got into, breaking her back leg at the knee. The leg was hanging at a 90 degree angle. I shot her with a flintlock bc I thought it was the ethical thing to do. Not the way I dreamed of tagging my first deer but it's the way things went.
Sum: I think every spot is different. This area has so much good bedding it may make the deer more prone to pull up stakes. Just my thoughts.

[jmaas07]

For the conversation sake this is a cattail marsh

[<DK>]

Iv actually found alot of coyotes around buck bedding areas. Not sure why but its a trend iv seen. I actually jumped a coyote out of a grassy bed one time, he was dead asleep. Was very odd...