Nature of Things: Coywolf

[CV32]

Now a question: I do not see a lot of mange out west here but I do not hunt coyotes so not a lot of up close and personal looks. It seems to be that mange is common in eastern Canada. Is there a difference in incidence of this disease between eastern and western Canada? If the coyote population densities keep increasing a disease will get them at some point is my guess. The disease carrier might well be mange or something similar.

I haven't seen or heard of any evidence of mange here in Newfoundland

 

[souwest_ghillie]

Now a question: I do not see a lot of mange out west here but I do not hunt coyotes so not a lot of up close and personal looks. It seems to be that mange is common in eastern Canada. Is there a difference in incidence of this disease between eastern and western Canada? If the coyote population densities keep increasing a disease will get them at some point is my guess. The disease carrier might well be mange or something similar.

I haven't seen any sign of mange in my area yet this season.....but I remember a mild winter in the late '90's, maybe 1998, where almost every coyote I took had mange.

 

[3macs1]

I haven't seen any sign of mange in my area yet this season.....but I remember a mild winter in the late '90's, maybe 1998, where almost every coyote I took had mange.

It was bad here years ago also probally around the same time I cannot remember the exact years. There is some being seen in NS this year for sure but not real bad and there was a couple of pics posted but nothing I know of or seen 1st hand in my area.

 

[bearkilr]

Sorry, away from the computer for a bit. I am guessing you are in an area of heavy agriculture, where we are primarily wilderness here with clear cuts in varying stages of regrowth. Our populations of anything will be more stable given the ecosystem is more diverse here. The point I was driving at was the Eastern Coyote is a still developing its niche in Eastern Canada. A niche that does not have to accommodate wolves. Hard to say where things will settle out as far as population densities go, but it will be different than their behaviour and population levels out west. In many eastern areas they may be the apex predator (PEI?). What will be their population control? Food is limitless etc. Their birth rate and generation time make for exponential growth. As an aside predator #'s are up in our area right now as well but not abnormally so.

Now a question: I do not see a lot of mange out west here but I do not hunt coyotes so not a lot of up close and personal looks. It seems to be that mange is common in eastern Canada. Is there a difference in incidence of this disease between eastern and western Canada? If the coyote population densities keep increasing a disease will get them at some point is my guess. The disease carrier might well be mange or something similar.

Actually, I'm not in a heavy agricultural area. The farmers in my area have predominantly cattle, there's very little grain and subsequently a lot of heavy cover. In fact, immediately to the north, it's thousands of square miles of boreal forest with only a couple of roads intersecting that area before you reach the north pole. we have always had wolves and coyotes, though in the last 10 years or so both populations seem to have increased. I do believe it's partially due to the increase in the whitetail population and a decrease in the moose popualtion in northern areas. More wolves are moving further south.

There are always coyotes with mange around, some years it's worse than others. I would say currently a fair estimate would be that less than 5% of the population is affected. With wolves, it seems to affect about the same amount, perhaps a bit less. We do have fox as well, though not many, and in all the years I have never seen one with mange. My understanding is that they can't catch the strain coyotes and wolves carry.

 

[thumper1]

Suzuki is a tool.

We had/have coydogs in Gagetown... rumoured that when the Gov't booted entire villages off their land, some of the dogs stayed behind, turned wild, etc.

I spent alot of time in the feild out in good old gagetown i've never seen one but i'm not saying there couldn't be the odd one floating around

and I agree Suzuki is a total waste of baby batter.

 

[Bland]

Actually, I'm not in a heavy agricultural area. The farmers in my area have predominantly cattle, there's very little grain and subsequently a lot of heavy cover. In fact, immediately to the north, it's thousands of square miles of boreal forest with only a couple of roads intersecting that area before you reach the north pole. we have always had wolves and coyotes, though in the last 10 years or so both populations seem to have increased. I do believe it's partially due to the increase in the whitetail population and a decrease in the moose popualtion in northern areas. More wolves are moving further south.

There are always coyotes with mange around, some years it's worse than others. I would say currently a fair estimate would be that less than 5% of the population is affected. With wolves, it seems to affect about the same amount, perhaps a bit less. We do have fox as well, though not many, and in all the years I have never seen one with mange. My understanding is that they can't catch the strain coyotes and wolves carry.

There are a number of factors at play here right now. The moose numbers crashed this past season. Whitetail have moved into this area in the last 15/20 years, also elk. There are caribou here but they are hanging on by a thread. We are a mountain range north and deer are not as plentiful here as the Bulkley Valley but still a factor and it will be interesting to see how long it takes the whitetails to get established here. People speculate that they push the mulies out because they are more aggressive. Our winters are not as harsh and the bug kill has changed our landscape in the last decade. It shows you one thing, nothing is static, always a changing landscape. The local outfitter knocks over about 25/30 wolves a year in this area and every year the wolves seem to thrive. Looking from afar my main concern is the impact on the N.L. caribou. They seem the most vulnerable to the coyote invasion. While it has already been proven that it is impossible to eradicate or even control coyote populations would there be a way to protect more calves with aggressive hunting in these areas at calving times? I am not familiar with the territory so this may be a totally stupid suggestion. Any ideas?

 

[CV32]

Looking from afar my main concern is the impact on the N.L. caribou. They seem the most vulnerable to the coyote invasion. While it has already been proven that it is impossible to eradicate or even control coyote populations would there be a way to protect more calves with aggressive hunting in these areas at calving times? I am not familiar with the territory so this may be a totally stupid suggestion. Any ideas?

I sit on the committee put together by government to examine the decline of the insular woodland caribou here in Newfoundland, as part of a 5 year strategy from 2008-13. Last spring there was an experimental predator reduction program aimed at coyotes in a particular caribou calving ground. (The year previous there was a similar effort aimed at black bear diversion). More than 1,000 snares were put out in that area just prior to calving, and only 16 coyotes were taken. There was a small improvement in the extremely high calf mortality rates in the area following this effort. Still kinda early to tell if there could be long term benefits, and further research will depend on whether the program gets extended.

 

[bearkilr]

While it has already been proven that it is impossible to eradicate or even control coyote populations would there be a way to protect more calves with aggressive hunting in these areas at calving times? I am not familiar with the territory so this may be a totally stupid suggestion. Any ideas?

Strychnine and cyanide were very effective, but the use is illegal now in most or all of Canada. I can remember the 80's and early 90's when it was used. It was the method of choice by game departments to wipe out a problem pack of wolves and was generally only done when they targeted livestock as prey. Cyanide guns were used as were liver chunks laced with strychnine crystals. I'm not generally an advocate of poisons, but sometimes there is no other way and if it's done in a closely monitored fashion, it is an effective means. However, I highly doubt this method of predator control will ever be revisited.
I don't know if the Newfoundland coyotes have any fur value, but ones from my area have been averaging $120-$140 on the fur auction this winter so that may bring in a resurgence of trapping. My guess is the eastern ones don't sell as high due to their coloration.

 

[Adrian J Hare]

Here in Southern Ontario Mange is common. Not that I know anything about it but I did notice that in one area I hunt I shot a number of yotes in good shape this year and last year there was mange on most of them in that area and now in a area the other way 25 minutes this year there is mange on near every yote I have taken...

 

[CV32]

I don't know if the Newfoundland coyotes have any fur value, but ones from my area have been averaging $120-$140 on the fur auction this winter so that may bring in a resurgence of trapping. My guess is the eastern ones don't sell as high due to their coloration.

They generally don't sell as well (with some exceptions, such as size), and the fur tends to be coarser than out west.

 

[3macs1]

Strychnine and cyanide were very effective, but the use is illegal now in most or all of Canada. I can remember the 80's and early 90's when it was used. It was the method of choice by game departments to wipe out a problem pack of wolves and was generally only done when they targeted livestock as prey. Cyanide guns were used as were liver chunks laced with strychnine crystals. I'm not generally an advocate of poisons, but sometimes there is no other way and if it's done in a closely monitored fashion, it is an effective means. However, I highly doubt this method of predator control will ever be revisited.
I don't know if the Newfoundland coyotes have any fur value, but ones from my area have been averaging $120-$140 on the fur auction this winter so that may bring in a resurgence of trapping. My guess is the eastern ones don't sell as high due to their coloration.

I just shoot now and give away when I fluke one and have not trapped in years so not up on prices but I will ask my bud . For some reason I thought he said average $26.00 in Feb. At 100 there would not be a coyote left in the woods down here.

 

[Bland]

I realise this is old news and the memories are a bit faded but various cattlemen's associations in the cattle producing states like Texas had a massive eradication programme in the 60's and 70's. This wasn't a haphazard affair but huge co-ordinated efforts. Baiting(10-80??) and cyanide guns were used. The cyanide guns were discontinued but not before a couple cowboys were unfortunately killed. At the end of the day the 'trickster' was still alive and well and populating his normal range. Baiting programmes could perhaps work in a localised and temporary way but not long term and of course the collateral damage has to be managed. When coyotes come under pressure their fecundity rate increases which is a characteristic which is key to their longterm success. When these programmes reached an end it was decided the more you killed the more they made sort of thing. Using the snaring programme in NL as an example. Perhaps this is the way to go. A management tool to help the caribou for a specific time in their cycle.
Question: besides the snaring was shooting them also a consideration as a tool to give the calves a chance to get on the move? Perhaps that would spook the caribou at the wrong time?