Coyote Yipps

Hello Janet.

Recently I stopped by a spot to take a break with dogs. It’s country but by no means quiet. An isolated factory on one side, a major highway on other. Sandwiched between them is a strip of forest and a small swampy area.

I was literally eating lunch standing there dogs around when a blactailed doe came pronking towards us. Tongue hanging and sides heaving…she had obviously been running hard. 

She blasted away and I put my pack in a stay. These kind of things happen often out here. I thought little more. Finished lunch and walked a little. We were in a rise overseeing swampy spot when I saw her again moving strangely.

I realized..2 coyote were working her. She sought water but it wasn’t deep enough. We didn’t interfere. My pics are terrible..very far. But within a few short minutes they took her down.

Many people get mad at scenes like this. But coyote are predators. And they will rise to the occasion and hunt deer.

Terrible pics very far with phone…but..you get this gist.

Not all coyote. Many coyote are chased off and turn tail from healthy adult deer. However….

There are certain coyote that develop skills or are gifted in detecting weaknesses. Being hit by cars, being wounded by hunters and lost, being ill from various diseases or old age…many deer fall into this category regularly. 

And bring attention from these unique coyte.

A 40lb coyote isn’t a powerhouse. But they are very enduring. And some develop great hunting and fighting abilities.

I think it ironic that many people revile them..because truly…they are the most adaptable wild canid on earth.

On the other end, a farmer I used to know back east is irate with a local pack…because they enjoy his handouts.

He has been feeding deer years damaged apples from his orchard. They have food plots and apple piles off and on ensuring deer are growing to very large size. 

But they also have noticed a local pack of coyote has grown very large and healthy.

They do not bother livestock or pets.

But they sure love apple piles, clover plots, berry batches and deer offal or lost deer in Fall.

If someone wants to feed deer, (even where it’s legal) just know you are feeding and growing more coyote too.

I may have tested our acquaintance. I told him….you are growing very big coyote. Good job! 

And finally…my dogs and I remove nutria from ranches. This invasive giant rodent ruins ecological wetlands..and property. They can grow enormous and reproduce explosively. 

One spot we used to dispatch them..has seen them go down in number. Beyond our work. I was surprised to learn local coyotes have sorted them out..and harvest them now.

These are not easy prey. They send dogs to vets all the time. Yet the local coyote have added them to the prey list. We’re very grateful.

Local coyote learning to handle nutria. This is a young nutria.

Whether it’s preying on invasive giant rodents, flourishing on discarded apples or taking down compromised deer, the coyote continues to adapt and thrive in the lands we humans influence. They respond to the situations we created. And flourish.

I tell people..remember…they saw and dealt with megafauna. No problems. And We’re alot easier then a sabre cat or dire wolf. 

Lou