Coyotes

[Panzer1]

Since the breeding cycle of dogs and coyotes are not synchronized, there is probably not too much interbreading going on. The crossbreeds were probably coyotes or feral dogs.
Panzer

[weary]

Interesting lineage in Maine. In the Rocky Mountain west, coyotes and wolves do not get along. Coyote population drops where wolves move in. In Yellowstone wolves are close to being considered a predator of coyotes. That being said, cross breeding apparently has occured in the east. Some think the red wolf is a timber wolf/coyote (prairie wolf) cross.
One reason for a larger eastern coyote may be food availability. I would bet there's much denser prey population/more protein available in the east. Similar size differences for similar reasons are seen between grizzlies here in the Northern Rockies and those in Alaska.
FB

I have a book around here someplace with papers from biologists discussing the complications of reintroducing the grey wolf. It's been a while since I've looked at it, but I think I remember it saying that the crossing with coyotes tends to occur when there are only a few wolves and large established coyote populations, which would be the case if a reintroduction should be attempted, and was increasingly the case as humans began systematically eliminating the wolf in the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries.

Anyway, it says a pure wolf population is a pretty rare thing in the east these days, and that almost all eastern coyotes have a lot of wolf genes, and characteristics.

Weary

[Nearly Normal]

Coyotes have moved over the past fews years to all the southeastern states.
I have seen them on both I-16 and I-95 in the mediums.
I also saw one about 3 miles north of Nicholson Ford on the Foothills Trail.
They are known to interact and breed with dogs. They also can carry a tape worm that man can aquire.
People don't keep yard stock much anymore so do not kill off the "pest animals" as they once did.
Until recently we had not had armadillos here in the Sea Islands of South Carolina. They, like the fire ant have moved in.
I have always heard that "Possum on the half shell" or armadillos can carry leprosy.
pete56

[plodder]

Abol Bridge. First light. Me in the middle. Coyote in the road by the store. Now it scuttles/trots across the bridge. Had to be there, it made me smile.

[oldfivetango]

It was an unavoidable accident-ran over a coyote somewhere around
Cave Spring which is around the Ga/Ala line as i recall.Anyway,even though
it was 20 years ago-i still remember the sound the WINDSHIELD made as it
cracked when the bumper impacted MISTER COYOTE.Those lil buggars are
real solid and you dont want to mess with them.
Cheers,
Oldfivetango

[Two Speed]

I've seen a coyote on the Coosa Backcountry Trail a mile or so from Vogel State Park in Georgia. That would put this particular animal within two or three miles of the AT, not far from Blood Mountain. There's little doubt in my mind that we can safely add coyote to the list of wildlife that a hiker may see on the Appalachian Trail, along with bear, wild turkey, moose and deer.

[MOWGLI]

I was standing on the platform at the Mt Peter Hawk Watch which is in New York. There is a blue blazed trail about 75' north of Route 17A - which is the first road crossing south of the Wildcat Shelter.

Anyway, I'm standing on the platform watching for migrating raptors when a coyote with the mange comes out of the woods about 30' away. He was a real scruffy looking fella - about 35 pounds. I stood stock still and the coyote didn't seem to be able to locate me with his eyes. He knew I was there though. He repeatedly started to walk closer, but would stop. He must have caught my scent.

After about 5 minutes the coyote turned around and headed back into the woods.

I had another interesting encounter in December '04. On the AL Pinhoti Trail - about 15 miles from Cave Spring GA (see Oldfivetango's note above) someone had killed a coyote and propped it up behind the root ball of a blow down. It scared the bejesus out of me! Here's a photo from my trailjournal. http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=75678

The critter had been dead only a day or two.

[Happypappy]

Here in Pennsylvania, we have a rather healthy population of these critters. I live at the base of the Blue Mt., about 5 minutes from the Rte. 501 shelter. The valley to the north is where I live and hunt, and there is a large pack living within a mile or so of this shelter. I haven't heard of any with rabies in quite some time, but it is always a possibility. These animals usually shy away from people, though, so if you see one, count it as another thing to see.

[Critterman]

Since the breeding cycle of dogs and coyotes are not synchronized, there is probably not too much interbreading going on. The crossbreeds were probably coyotes or feral dogs.
Panzer

Female dogs come in heat twice yearly on average but aren't synchronized with each other. In other words there is no " mating season " for dogs. I suspect a male dog sensing a female coyote in heat could not care less what time of year it is.

[karo]

Since the breeding cycle of dogs and coyotes are not synchronized, there is probably not too much interbreading going on. The crossbreeds were probably coyotes or feral dogs.
Panzer

There is lots of interbreeding between coyotes and dogs going on in TN. Several Coydogs have been killed by hunters including me. We shot it several times before it died. Harder to kill than a deer for sure. Weighed over 50 pounds, and was identified by Tn Wildlife officer. They are quite dangerous if they loose their fear of humans.

[halibut15]

I haven't heard them on the AT, but close enough. The whole campground was freaked out @ Vogel State Park in GA earlier this winter (on the lower slopes of Blood Mtn.) by a weird yelping/howling noise. I thought at first it was some weird screech owl, but the more I think about it, it was probably a coyote.

[Youngblood]

We heard them routinely on the Pinhoti Trail in AL last december. From the scat distribution along the trail, I'm guessing there is some kind of coyote game where they divide up into teams and have a 'match this scat if you can' contest. Much of the trail was covered in leafs but the scat seemed to be on top of protruding rocks and such... at least no one complained that they stepped on any or uncovered any in the leafs.

Youngblood

[MOWGLI]

I haven't heard them on the AT, but close enough. The whole campground was freaked out @ Vogel State Park in GA earlier this winter (on the lower slopes of Blood Mtn.) by a weird yelping/howling noise. I thought at first it was some weird screech owl, but the more I think about it, it was probably a coyote.

Screech Owls whistle. They don't yelp or howl. http://www.cheekwood.org/nature/audi...ch/screech.wav

[Wyoming]

I live about 1/2 mile from the AT in Loudoun County, Va and we have lots of coyotes around here as well. My neighbor has a herd of sheep and they are always sniffing around looking for a free meal - lamb chops . But they have not yet figured out the electric fence

They do seem a little bigger than the ones I saw growing up in Wyoming, but I don't think I have seen one that would reach 50 lbs. People are generally not very good at estimating the weights of animals (or people for that matter). Generally they always pick a number that is way too high. Compare them to the size ofyour average Whitetail doe which seldom weighs in at more than 120 lbs, usually less. It would be a giant coyote that was half that size. I think that some of this is due to people thinking of coyotes like they do the pet dogs that they are used to. They base their weight guess on the height of the animal vice its body mass. And since almost all domestic dogs are obese (funny how they are just like their owners) an inaccurate estimate is arrived at. Almost all wild animals are extraordinarily fit.

I have spent some time with wolves (at a research facility) and at first glance you would think that they are huge animals (they are very tall), but in reality most wolves are not much more than 100 lbs, some to 120. After all they run all day long. But what a 100 lbs it is! Power and reflexes to burn! Anyway drifting off topic I guess.

Wyo

[walkin' wally]

I have had several experiences with coyotes during my time in the Maine woods. Just last year my wife and I saw the largest "coyote" I have ever seen alive crossing the road just above the Grafton Notch parking area. This animal was very tall and was just in front of our vehicle and not going very fast. We had a good look at it, and to me it looked like the pictures I have seen of wolves with the more large, rounded head and gangly legs. It was light to dark gray in color.
A few weeks ago we had a coyote run across the road very close to the front of our vehicle just outside of Greenville above Monson. It was moving like a bullet. This animal was much smaller than the one at Grafton Notch. It had the usual yellowish-gray color. I have seen their color range from almost white to almost black.
In the early 70's an animal was killed at Johnson Mountain a few miles above Caratunk that weighed 67 pounds. For those of you that live out west I believe that the western coyote does not come close to that weight. Maine coyotes are usually much lighter than 67 pounds too.
One Maine outdoor writer years ago used to refer to Maine coyotes as brush wolves and believed they came from Quebec.
On the deer killing ability of coyotes I have seen where they have taken down deer and killed them in the deep snow, or sometimes on glare ice on lakes or ponds where the deer's legs will splay out from under them. More than one coyote with involved and the were tracks of deer and coyote that covered a smallish, somewhat circular area as the deer tried to get away. I won't go into any more graphic detail but it isn't a pretty picture. They are very efficient at what they do.
We hear them yelping and snarling at night in the winter near our camp. It sounds like a moving dogfight but they are actually hunting or chasing something at that point. You can go out the next day and pick up their tracks and sometimes find out what they were up to.

[MOWGLI]

I have had several experiences with coyotes during my time in the Maine woods. Just last year my wife and I saw the largest "coyote" I have ever seen alive crossing the road just above the Grafton Notch parking area. This animal was very tall and was just in front of our vehicle and not going very fast. We had a good look at it, and to me it looked like the pictures I have seen of wolves with the more large, rounded head and gangly legs. It was light to dark gray in color.

Classic lupine behavior involves moving with the tail sticking straight out behind the animal. If you see that, you're probably on to a wolf. Coyotes don't generally do that.

[wren]

Ive seen and heard lots of coyotes all over the country, but the 'closest' encounter I had with a few happened in Joshua Tree NP. I was camped alone in the middle of nowhere, and had heard them all night long. It sounded like groups were calling to other groups, locating stray 'friends', etc.. At times they called from very nearby.. (I love it when that happens) I woke up just as the sun was rising, still laying there in my bag getting ready to enjoy another spectacular J-Tree sunrise.. I had a vague feeling something was nearby and when i looked towards the foot of my bag there was a coyote standing there.. When i moved, he jumped into that 'ready position' like a dog getting ready to chase a ball. I expected him to run right after that, but he just kinda stood there checking me out. So i just layed there, and we watched each other for a bit. His right ear twitched off to the side and one of his buddies came jogging into camp from the direction his ear pointed. Then they both trotted off and vanished.. After the sunrise 'show' was over, i went and checked out their tracks and found tons of them all around and thru my camp. What an excellent morning. Ive never felt threatened in the slightest by coyotes. They seem more curious than anything else..

Kangaroo rats on the other hand are bloodthirsty, vicious creatures, and should be feared by all. They are the only reason I carry golf clubs when i hike in the desert. Ah yes, Kangaroo-rat golf. Just one more joy to be found in desert camping...

[MicahDawgNC]

I had my first coyote experience in the Eastern US last night at Max Patch.

Around 9pm they began to howl incessantly for what seemed like several minutes. It was quite unnerving at the time, but still wonderful to hear.

[erichlf]

It is kinda funny I have lived in the west for 6 years now. I just saw my first coyote, and it had 3 legs.

[ferryman]

Although I have never been chased by coyotes, I have heard many a hiker story of close encounters with them while hiking through the big woods of Maine. One hiker relayed the event on a solo southbound in late June. He decided to pass up a shelter one late afternoon and found himself in darkness some 3 or 4 miles from the next shelter. The distant howl came closer with every step and having hiked a considerable distance, he started to stumble from the exertion. The sound of a wounded animal or hiker in this instance is all a coyote needs to hear. I asked him what happened next. "Well" he said "I finally made it to the shelter and fell asleep." It would be unusual not to hear coyotes here in Maine especially after dark. Generally speaking, coyotes, like most wild animals, want nothing to do with humans except escape with their food bag.