Coyote pups,,, pics

[Ian johnson]

we have a pack of four to five coyotes around our area just outside of town in the suburbs according to my nieghbores, never seen one and did not believe the rumors until last night when one came in my yard, my labrador was going crazy at the window, I walked outside to put out the trash, and there it was, about 30 yards away on the side of the street, at first I thought that it was a dog, until it walked under the street light, it made yip!yip!yip! sound that I have not heard before, never thought that I would see a coyote in southeast Louisiana!!!

[Keefer]

Osagetree, Thanks for the pics of those pups and I myself couldn't kill those little fella's knowing my higher power created them for a reason.I can understand they can become a problem but I myself see a bigger problem in my home state of Maryland and that is those P.V.C. perk pipes just about on every farm here on the Eastern Shore and I would rather see a Yote anyday than a piece of P.V.C. Pipe growing out of the ground.I live near Steve K. and where I hunt I have heard we have Yotes in that area and to confirm that I know two fella's who each has shot one several years ago but I have never wittnessed one yet.Two years ago a friend of mine and I hunted on Thanksgiving morning and it began to storm that morning with lightning so we hightailed it back to the truck and took shelter.The storm passed quickly and as we drove down the mile long lane we spotted and video taped close to 100 turkeys and a nice one racked buck.The last few years the turkeys have declined to around a group of 20 to 30 and we haven't noticed them as much.This declined wasn't due to Yotes but the removal of timber on a farm next to us and a soon to be housing development on the other.I know they can become a problem if too many but we are also the problem ourselves with the decline of wildlife.I could remember when we had a one week only deer season with a gun and a one deer only and now we have a 12 deer with each weapon.I enjoyed it more when I was younger hunting with a gun opening day and now I prefer the stickbow because I like to give every animal a fair chase and a chance to live.Just this past fall a buck rubbed 4 of my three foot tall pine trees in my backyard in a small developement and at first I wanted revenge and then I thought this was their space and we pushed them out.I see more and more that we are the problem at times and not a yote.Great pics of those pups and I welcome them anyday over a perk pipe.God Bless! Keefers

[hs6181]

This is real nice, a delicate subject discussed with the most thought, heart and manners possible. It has been a pleasure to read and I learned a few things.  

[HNTN4ELK]

This is certainly an interesting thread.

Ok, since we as bowhunters often place ourselves as one of the apex predators in the system, as a predator your conditioned response would be to kill the pups and the bitch if she was found.

A bear would do this, a lone male coyote would do this, certainly a wolf would kill the pups. Other predators would not hesitate either.

If you were lost in the woods and a few little bouncing morsels of protein came out to say hi, your stomach would probably be the internal organ calling the shots.

No doubt those cubs are cute and adorable, and the coyote gets my respect for being so adaptable regardless of the environs it inhabits. He is certainly God's dog.

Ishi would have had the little guys on a spit for dinner. Any other aborginal people would be sitting around a fire in short order with tender pups roasting over the flames. Some had said they would kill the bitch if they saw her, I think most of us would, and when we discovered she was lactating we would know we doomed her pups, to a slow and certain demise.

Nature is not sentimental in how things work out.  

What if your kids or wife were with you? If your response is to kill the pups could you do it in front of them? Could you explain your actions in a manner that they could understand? Ah! There in lies the difference between civilized man and animals as predators.  

I for one would kill the pups, in a year, only one will likely be alive in most cases due to the trevails of nature.

If these were feral cats or rats, most would not hesitate.

I can appreciate the viewpoint some could not or would not kill the pups, to each their own.

Gary Carvajal

[Osagetree]

This 9" x 5" coyote skull was found yesterday within an 1/4 mile of the pups den.  I found no other parts with the skull. Another first for me, but I would have to guess it is from an adult. Compare to my 9 month old lab head;
 
 

  My goal now is to try and learn about the coyote's as I do intend to return for an observation from a distance. Then, once I feel sure they have vacated the den, I will fish around for signs of their kills brought into the den. That is if they are still there!

I am looking and learning to procure and set some snares for another return with different goals for next January. Between trying to take one with my selfbow, I'll have the snares to back me up. Sure would like to have a coyote skin quiver and a complete skull for my desk!

As it transpires, I'll update my findings on such!

Next spring if I find coyote pups, I'll still just walk right on by with the utmost appreciation for the species.

Any input on the skull?

The teeth were not all there, but what was there did not seem to be worn much. Mabye killed by parvo,,, heart worms,,, farmer,,, other yotes,,, but suley it did not starve to death. Too many deer and turkeys!
         

[Drew]

osage, excellent pics a rare opportunity to see the pups. if you are serious about learning about coyotes an excellent book is by gerry parker called "Eastern Coyote and the story of it's success" i've learned more about coyotes reading that book than in years of trapping and calling them.  the are amazing creatures, you'd be surprised at alot of the common myths about yotes.

I can't see the skull pic to see how wore down the teeth are but you said not much...i just hope the yote didn't die of mange.

interesting thread...i need to read the whole thing.

[Osagetree]

Thanks Drew, I'll try to get the book at the library.

I returned to the den this evening and on the way in I found a perfect coyote track in this mole hill. The track does not show up to well in the pic, but it's a coyote and not domestic dog as the toe in the track are slightly pointed. I mean the front of the track is more V shaped instead of round like a domestic dogs.
 

I sat for an hour and a half across the hollow with the bino's observing the den entrance. As I sat still as a mouse, 6 deer passed through on a trail 20yrds or so above the den. I watched the den entrance until it was too dark to film. Then I headed out for the house.

A piece down the trail I found some fairly fresh coyote scat. From the dried outer surface I estimated the scat to be from early this morning sometime. A poke with a stick told me it was still soft under the surface. the funny thing is no hair in it, but it sure smelled like coyote scat and not dog.

 

Two hills over from where I found the scat is the small village I live in. Could this yote be raiding the village for food? Scat had no hair in it and was found between the den and the village....

 

[vermonster13]

They very well could be, especially if anyone is leaving dogfood out. Coyotes are smart enough to work only as hard as they need to to eat.