When the den is in danger of being discovered coyotes act in a nervous manner. Some will circle about it at a distance when the hunter is near; the old female may be seen in one direction and, after disappearing, may later be seen peering over a hill in another quarter. When a female with a den first sees a person, she looks first at him for a moment, then almost invariably toward the den, sometimes turning completely around to do so. A den is usually located within a radius of approximately a mile of freshly cleaned out holes. An experienced hunter can tell by the appearance of a den and by signs nearby whether it is occupied, without dismounting from his horse. When a den is located, if the whelps are roaming a considerable distance away, the searcher should circle it, making plenty of noise to stimulate their return. They should not be rushed, however, as they will then scatter and run into any accessible hole, where extra effort in digging them out will be required. As a rule, one will not find many living rabbits near a den, so that in a rabbit-infested district a scarcity of rabbits may be a clue to a nearby den. Activities of Whelps Inexperienced hunters often dig out dens that contain no young. If the searcher listens at the mouth of the den he can usually hear any whelps inside, especially when they are quite young, as they are then seldom quiet. If a nursing whelp loses hold of a teat, it is rather noisy until it regains its hold. The whelps emerge when about 3 weeks old, and then their tracks and other sign are easily noted. At this age, they do not whine as young pups do but can be heard moving around when in the den, where, if crowded, they sometimes growl. Curiosity to see what is going on outside will drive some to the entrance. When the burrow is steep they are unable to clamber out at as early an age as when it is nearly level. Little scratches made in their attempt to crawl out will often be noted on the side walls and floor of the den. When the whelps are about 8 to 10 weeks old the dens are abandoned and the entire family roves about, remaining together until early fall. Removing Whelps from Dens