Nature of Things: Coywolf

Back then rabbits and rodents were the food of choice now it is deer and even some say they are starting to hit moose.

They are responsible for a sizeable chunk (probably close to 40%) of the caribou calf predation here in Newfoundland, but do not seem to have had much impact on adults. I am sure there is some moose predation too (calves, sick and injured) but it is negligible.
 
Have to say I have seen some pretty large ones over your way also in the past few years when goose hunting, pretty much the same size as what has become the norm here
The packing up, size and the boldness is definately a change here since the 1st ones we would see in the 80's. Back then rabbits and rodents were the food of choice now it is deer and even some say they are starting to hit moose.

Ya the pack mentality has gotten to be a bit frightening really, around my place there are three separate packs all within a 5 mile radius the largest as far as I can figure is at least 12 strong depending on time of year, there's been many nights when I've been out walking and had then stock me just beyond road tree lines in pack formation. That's why I don't walk without a firearm at night.
 
Working in TO in the mid seventies, the Don Valley was wildlife central. I cannot remember if Coyotes were part of the game at that time or not.

They certainly were. The valleys of the Credit, Humber, Don & Rouge for example, all supported coyotes.
The first I remember eye-balling one was in 1966 or 1967 at Dufferin/Finch area of North York.

Saw many out in the Finch/Steeles/Woodbine/Victoria Park area before it was developed.
 
I have been hunting with my dad since I was 13 years old when we moved to the country from the city. Dad hunted when he was a kid back in the late 40s and 50s through to the late 60s, first to survive, then as he got older for recreation. He gave it up for a few years due to his career and family, but when we moved both of us caught the bug and we have hunted ever since we moved to the farm in '85. I rememebr then there was coyotes around, quite a few actually. But when we hunted for them and used calls, we would most often only get one and rarely two would respond. Now it is much more common for us to have a minimum of two animals respond and three is not uncommon at all. I have seen first hand many groups of coyotes or coywolf or whatever the hell they are in groups of up to ten animals acting more like wolves, ie:an alpha male and female pair, and then underlings and younger dogs. I do not profess to be an expert on this as I am just a hunter, but they do seem to be changing, getting bigger and bolder. I have no hate for them as they are just doing what comes naturally to them and there is no evilness involved, but I do think we are responsible to do what we can to help balance the equation as much as we can.
 
I have seen first hand many groups of coyotes or coywolf or whatever the hell they are in groups of up to ten animals acting more like wolves, ie:an alpha male and female pair, and then underlings and younger dogs.

Most often this is a function of the family group (monogamous mates and their pups) staying together longer than usual.
 
Most often this is a function of the family group (monogamous mates and their pups) staying together longer than usual.

That is what I figured, but I have also heard them at night when they were howling. I can usually identify the alpha male as he has a deeper howl, almost wolf like. Then there is usually anywhere from 4-6 more voices in there that can be picked out, the younger ones have a much higher pitched voice and can easily be identified as pups. There is also older voices in there too that are definitely adults.

I saw the show as well a few weeks ago, and while I think DS is a bit of an alarmist, I also found some of the footage very interesting. Especially the lady with the barking lap dog, she had no idea her yap master was barking at a coyote that was mere feet away. I know where I live, I have seen their tracks around my chicken pen and even right inside my wood shed, and my mother who lives with us has seen them right on the tile bed in the back yard. Kind of neat to see, but a little uncomforting too since I have young kids and dogs.
 
They started getting bold around here and one of the locals knocked a couple over. Amazing how quick they changed their behaviour. They still come around but only at night now and try getting close to them. Not a chance. My pup was on their menu for sure. Their adaptability when it comes to their behaviour is quite amazing.
 
Most often this is a function of the family group (monogamous mates and their pups) staying together longer than usual.

Might be but not what I have been watching here. An orginal group of 6 have been together and growing for a couple of years now, at least 4. They are not the normal color phases so real easy to ID. They are an in town pack behind my house so no pressure from hunting etc.
 
Might be but not what I have been watching here. An orginal group of 6 have been together and growing for a couple of years now, at least 4. They are not the normal color phases so real easy to ID. They are an in town pack behind my house so no pressure from hunting etc.

This may still be a family group. I'd be surprised if they were accepting non-offspring individuals into their 'group' (I hesitate to call it a pack), given the strong territoriality that you still typically see in eastern coyotes, but I suppose anything is possible if they perceive advantage in bringing down larger game. Which is the usual suggested reason for why the family groups are staying together longer than usual.
 
This may still be a family group. I'd be surprised if they were accepting non-offspring individuals into their 'group' (I hesitate to call it a pack), given the strong territoriality that you still typically see in eastern coyotes, but I suppose anything is possible if they perceive advantage in bringing down larger game. Which is the usual suggested reason for why the family groups are staying together longer than usual.

Don't know other than one of the the experts they hired here uses the "pack" reference in many reports. Regardless get 8 or so around you when out walking the dogs and it gets a bit interesting. take care

Gehrt, who has worked with Parks Canada to curb the Cape Breton coyote problem before, speculated that the aggressive behaviour of the Eastern Canadian coyotes stems from their genetic heritage – a mix between coyote and wolf. “It exhibits patterns like a wolf, like hunting together in a pack or group. Some people have speculated this has contributed to these animals considering humans as prey because they’re now learning to kill large animals,” he said.
 
Don't know other than one of the the experts they hired here uses the "pack" reference in many reports. Regardless get 8 or so around you when out walking the dogs and it gets a bit interesting. take care

Gehrt, who has worked with Parks Canada to curb the Cape Breton coyote problem before, speculated that the aggressive behaviour of the Eastern Canadian coyotes stems from their genetic heritage – a mix between coyote and wolf. “It exhibits patterns like a wolf, like hunting together in a pack or group. Some people have speculated this has contributed to these animals considering humans as prey because they’re now learning to kill large animals,” he said.

This appears to be the story that you're referring to: Expert stumped by recent coyote attacks on humans

To me, the most glaring piece of evidence is the "habituation" to human activity (and dangerously, mostly to the coyote itself, by feeding). Because most folks will agree that even wolves go out of their way to avoid humans. I've seen nothing different from the majority of eastern coyotes. To see otherwise is an exception to the rule, and there are usually reasons to be found, whether it is habituation, starvation, disease, etc.
 
This appears to be the story that you're referring to: Expert stumped by recent coyote attacks on humans

To me, the most glaring piece of evidence is the "habituation" to human activity (and dangerously, mostly to the coyote itself, by feeding). Because most folks will agree that even wolves go out of their way to avoid humans. I've seen nothing different from the majority of eastern coyotes. To see otherwise is an exception to the rule, and there are usually reasons to be found, whether it is habituation, starvation, disease, etc.

Around my place they don't have any fear of people mind you for a rural area the population is fairly dense and with them living so close to people it could cause them to quickly loose fear. For example the other day my grandfathers neighbor came home to find one stretched out on her doorstep and she lives in a multi-unit seniors housing place and this was mid day.
 
This appears to be the story that you're referring to: Expert stumped by recent coyote attacks on humans

To me, the most glaring piece of evidence is the "habituation" to human activity (and dangerously, mostly to the coyote itself, by feeding). Because most folks will agree that even wolves go out of their way to avoid humans. I've seen nothing different from the majority of eastern coyotes. To see otherwise is an exception to the rule, and there are usually reasons to be found, whether it is habituation, starvation, disease, etc.

No that is not it but doesn't matter. All I know is the 1st coyotes I seen here in the 80's are not the bad boys we have now by a long stretch and they will not run or stay clear of man like they did any more. In fact total opposite.
Doesn't matter to me how they have behaved in the past or what rules they have followed in other settings over the years. They have changed in this next of the woods big time. If I told you a few years ago they would kill someone noone would believe it but they did and others have attacked people after. The old trappers here in the last two years have hit them hard taking 24 just from behind my house as a small example when I spoke to a trapper last december, so yes maybe what is left are starting to fear man again I don't know.
To me they sure look like they run in a pack over your way. The pack I like seeing them in the back of a truck ;);)
NLcoyotes-1_zpsf97a3319.jpg
 
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To me they sure look like they run in a pack over your way. The pack I like seeing them in the back of a truck ;);)
NLcoyotes-1_zpsf97a3319.jpg

Yeah, I'm going from memory, but iirc, these were collected over the course of a couple of weekends back in March 2007. Mostly by chasing em down on snowmobile. :(
 
Look at the colours, head shapes and sizes! Those are not from purebred coyotes that is for sure. The one looks like it is part German Shepherd!! I have a buddy that gets quite a few like these down around Fort Erie, Ont. They were calling them Coy-Dogs or Coy-Pups and townships had trappers hired to take care of the problem many years before anyone ever mentioned the existence of these hybridized coyotes. I say whack and stack away...our wildlife will be better off for it!
 
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Yeah, I'm going from memory, but iirc, these were collected over the course of a couple of weekends back in March 2007. Mostly by chasing em down on snowmobile. :(

I just saved the pic as I do many since I hate them for what they did to the deer here. Snowmobile, car, gun doesn't matter to me as long as they are dead. Some good sized dogs in that pile not like the western ones ;) ;) OK you guys can toss me under the bus now.:)

coyote-1_zps4c20754a.jpg



The more pics I see like this the happier I am :)

Coyote2-1_zps5de7b0d4.jpg
 
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I just saved the pic as I do many since I hate them for what they did to the deer here. Snowmobile, car, gun doesn't matter to me as long as they are dead. Some good sized dogs in that pile not like the western ones ;) ;) OK you guys can toss me under the bus now.:) The more pics I see like this the happier I am :)

I'm all for controlling their populations, and if it were possible, I'd be happy enough to treat them as an invasive species here in Newfoundland. 30 years later, its much too late for that.

They are wildlife too, have their place in the ecosystem, and deserve to be treated with some modicum of respect. So shoot them, trap them, use the pelts if they're salvageable, but running em down on skidoo doesn't do it for me. The hunting community has enough problems with being viewed as bloodthirsty maniacs. We don't need to make it worse. My own opinion, of course.
 
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