“The wolf pack will die when scattered by man, lonesome coyote survives” – Kris Kristofferson

General Information

The North American coyote, sometimes referred to as the “brush dog”, “American jackal”, or “prairie wolf” is a close relative to the domesticated dog and even closer relative to the wolf (Canis lupis). They can be found in every state, province, and country from the uppermost reaches of Alaska all the way down to the Panama Canal. Throughout the various regions in which they inhabit, coyotes often travel in family units or in loosely connected groups/ “packs” of unrelated individuals.

Coyotes have also been known for being very successful solo hunters as the quote above highlights. They can adapt to both rural and urban environments making them very versatile which is a key ingredient in survival for any species. Being mostly carnivorous, their diets typically consist of rabbits, the occasional deer, birds, rodents, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates like insects. They have been known on occasion to eat fruits and vegetables as well as scavenge.

Coyotes | Sounds, Interacting, Fighting 🐾 – YouTube

Description

In general, coyotes will look very similar to a wolf, although they are often stalkier, smaller, and thinner looking. Males typically clock in at between 18-44lbs. in weight while females usually weigh 15-40lbs. It has also been noted that male coyotes will stand taller at the shoulder than the females making them easier to tell apart. All coyotes whether male or female contain the same similar color variations including light gray and brown with hints of black, white, and sometimes red in their coats.

This wide variety of fur colors and shades helps the coyote to blend in with its often “woody” surroundings and makes them successful hunters. Some common places you can find coyotes are plains, grasslands, forests, and even in our own backyards. In these places, it’s typical for them to make dens out of old animal burrows, their own dug out burrows, abandoned shacks, drainage pipes, brush piles, thickets, and so on.

In these places, coyotes can rear young with the breeding season beginning in January/ February. The gestation period for coyote pups is 63 days with an average litter count of 6. It’s important to note that during this time coyotes become a lot more active and aggressive. This especially true when females begin to give birth in the early spring. Even animals or people posing no threat to the coyotes, or their pups can face attacks by them.

Dog vs. Coyote vs. Wolf

Now, a big question I often receive and one that I see online a lot is “How do I tell the difference between a coyote and a dog, or a coyote and a wolf, or a coyote and a coydog?!” etc. The simple answer is this: as I said above, all coyotes look like a wolf, except that the coyote is built thinner with a narrower frame, face, and muzzle. The main difference I look for however is the thickness of the tail fur. Wolves do not live this far East in the wild and dogs are very unlikely to look exactly like a coyote.

Coyotes also have very different droppings than those of a dog. Coyote feces is almost always black and often contains animal hair, bones, berries, or seeds as they often scavenge off dead animals and whatever else they can find.

And finally, coyote footprints are always a good indication of what’s lurking around. They will often have slimmer and more narrow tracks than that of a dog.

Interesting Facts

• Coyotes can run up to 43 miles per hour while chasing prey!

• Coyotes were originally only native in the U.S. to the Great Plains region and Southwest in states like Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

• Coyotes can hear up to a quarter of a mile away.

• There are 19 different sub-species of coyote.

Coyote Inspection

While it may seem simple to inspect for coyotes, there’s a lot that can go into it. To begin with, it’s very important that we correctly identify the type of damage they’ve caused. This can include examining dead livestock for obvious signs of injury or mutilation as well seeing where they’ve burrowed or dug under structures. We must also look for and correctly identify physical evidence they’ve left behind such as scat, fur, tracks, and more. All things best left up to examine by the professionals.

Coyote Removal

Oftentimes, we’ll opt for habitat modification first in the case of coyotes unless they present a pressing and immediate threat to livestock, people, property, or pets. Habitat modification could include cleaning up scrap food, clearing out brush, and installing other deterrents.

If it ends up that the coyotes do have to be removed, we can employ foothold-style traps to catch the coyotes. These are one of the only styles of trap that can effectively work on them other than snares which we prefer not to use.

Now, if you find the coyote problem to be ongoing, or if they’ve managed to den under a structure such as a deck, shed, or even home, it’s recommended that you turn to a wildlife expert who can trap and remove them for you. Coyotes can be very vicious, so it’s never recommended that you attempt controlling them yourself. At S-Tier we’re here to help. Feel free to reach out anytime toll free at S-TierWildlifeControl@outlook.com or by calling us at 1-859-492-6284. Also reach out concerning any questions or comments on these animals or others.