Bobcat or Coyote?




	Predator Album


	\| Home \| 2003, the Revolution \| Bobcat or Coyote? \| My Calls \| Evolution of Calling \| Predator Page 1 \| Predator Page 2 \| Predator Page 3 \| Predator Page 4 \| Build Ed's Kaller \| More Pictures

Bobcat or Coyote?

They are similar in size and weight but very different creatures

Bobcat tracks appear round and the pad is over 40% of the track size. The toes are small and look like jelly beans. Note the pronounced "W" on the heel of the pad. This bobcat is a mature female that weighed 21 pounds.

Bobcats are not so numerous as coyotes in Eastern Arizona. We have some but they require some patience and work to get. This one came from a boulder strewn canyon on Thanksgiving Day. Bobcats eat cottontail rabbits but I've had my best success calling them using woodpecker and flicker sounds. I look for rimrock, boulders and other thick stuff that would allow careful stalks cats make to catch their food. They don't like coyotes so if the area you have selected is covered in coyote tracks and scat don't expect these felines to come in.

Coyote tracks show toe nails almost all the time. The pad is only 25-30% of the total track and note how the toes are large in comparison to the pad with a round appearance. This coyote is a mature female of about 25 pounds.

Coyotes can and do live just about everywhere. Callable coyotes live in areas seldom traveled by humans. I love this time of year, me and the ranchers have the wide open spaces all to ourselves. Look for coyote scat along dirt roads along with tracks. Tell tale signs of heavy coyote population will be piles of crap with juniper berries or just little cigars marking their territory. I choose semi-open areas giving me visibility and them cover. It's always a race to see if I can plug them before they smell me.

Bobcats sneak in to the call. Leave a travel route with some cover to your calling location. This one came through 18" high sage brush across the bottom of the canyon for 200 yards before I caught a glimpse of her.

Coyotes are more deliberate but in areas called they will put a sneak on just like the bobcat. They almost always circle downwind so leave plenty of area for shooting downwind of your stand. One out of every five will come on the charge and try to eat the speaker or get right in the bush with you. Keeping your wits and not messing your pants is mighty tough.

My Calls