ranching coyotes | Coyote Yipps

Denning Challenges and Choices. And Good Moms. By Walkaboutlou

03 May 2023 1 Comment

by yipps:janetkessler in care for the young, coyote behavior, coyote parenting, coyote resilience, denning, dens, intelligence, mother coyote behavior, parenting, ranching coyotes, territorial changes

Hi Janet,

I wanted to share with you a student’s observations and leanings. Which lead to more questions.

Kinky Tail continues to raise her very active litter. There are 7 now..so either there was a miscount originally or 2 have disappeared. They think 2 pups have disappeared because there is a local golden eagle who for years has been seen with coyote pups, fox kits and feral cats. It seasonally comes to this area during lambing and calving times. It has been seen daily flying over den areas.

That well may have encouraged Kinky to move pups as well as..ticks. Locally we’ve seen plague level numbers of ticks. And Kinkys grooming times with pups seemed very long last week. Her last den area was absolutely infested with 3 species of ticks. Ugh.

Now however, Kinky moved pups to a rendezvous of log piles, poison oak bushes, and grazing cattle.

The student says she doesn’t believe the location was randomly picked.

The abundance of poison oak keeps people out except rarely riders of horse or quads passing thru. Ranch folk.

The grazed range grass is short and doesn’t hold high tick densities compared with long grasses or brush areas.

And finally, having an entire cow to scavenge 2 miles away after move means less animals near pups (scavengers galore) and Kinky doesn’t have to hunt the longer grass fields for voles. Which mean tick pick up. She has the cow or many dozens of caches. Also discovered was she visits an orchard and gleans old fallen Apple’s from last Fall.

This Student feels Kinky’s choice of den was premeditated and thought carefully out. It has minimal tick numbers. Humans rarely come and pass quickly. It’s open with vast vistas and hillsides yet has hiding places for pups. The Longhorns don’t encourage canine visitors. It’s close to dead cow but far enough pups don’t meet scavengers.

She also is study wild turkey brood site selections and says the studies lend to each other. Wild Turkey Hens need to sit on eggs around 28 days. The picked site is obviously paramount. A poorly picked site is disastrous. There are hens that pick poorly or lose patience or dedication and leave eggs too long as well. Then there are hens that cover eggs while minimally foraging for bugs and food and rush back fast. How a Hen Broods means Everything. And not all hens are good moms.

She says it’s same for Coyote. Some mothers are functional but rather minimal. Or make bad choices. Some..seem to be absolutely dedicated mothers. She feels most coyote are very dedicated Moms.

So how much is choice and thought when picking a site to hide and raise your kids? She feels Kinky Tail is neighborhood cognizant.

In her words “No wolf gang signs. No noisy dog parties. No bad nosy people. Riding thru people that she’s known since pup and plenty of longhorns and poison oak seem the latest mood and pic”

Kinky is doing well. She has 7 very active very fat pups. She’s busy busy busy. By day she stays at den. At night it’s cow scavenging, cow caches and long long drinks. And some nights old apples. She grooms her pups even as she comes home bedraggled. Growls briefly but playfully at Mate as he leaves for day shift.

Real Estate Realities are working out for Kinky.

Lou

Old Habits, by Walkaboutlou

27 Apr 2023 Leave a comment

by yipps:janetkessler in coyote behavior, intelligence, ranching coyotes

Hi Janet.

Kinky Tail moved her litter again and it reminded us of her Father’s moves and habits.

Her father in times of vulnerability and old age sought the company of a captive herd of bison. He not only found the stirred up voles easy meals..the bison seemed to keep canines away.

Kinky Tail’s observers feel she’s nervous more so with pups starting to dodder about. She moved them to a hilly area with cut wood piles…and smack dab in Longhorn pastures. These are range cattle held temporarily as they calve or get checked on. They aren’t afraid of wolves, bear, cougar…arent really fans of dogs but pretty much ignore coyote.

With such neighbors she can still easily go and scavenge her dead cow as live ones provide horned deterrents to any predators or dogs that pass close to her pup dens.

It could be coincidence. But it sure seems like her father’s moves. His last few vulnerable months were always with Bison.

2nd pic…white bull….pile of logs is one of the puppy dens.

Horns work!

Lou

Kinky and her Mate can move here and cattle won’t even look up. If a dog or wolf trotted thru, different story.

Training Coyotes and Dogs, by Walkaboutlou

19 Aug 2022 7 Comments

by yipps:janetkessler in coyotes and dogs, dog reactions to coyotes, ranching coyotes

Hi Janet.

We have started patrols on quail ranch and it’s been very productive so far. This is a new venture and we’re very hopeful .

A retired biologist purchased an enormous sheep ranch and transformed it to a quail ranch of sorts and Bird Dog Center.

Sheep out. Quail in. Both native and introduced quail call this home. It wasn’t easy. Raccoon, possums, and an enormous feral cat population as well as rats, hindered quail nesting in some sections.

Then coyote came in.

Attracted to now natural grasslands, several coyote packs established themselves.

And quail number exploded.

The coyote keep racoon, possum and rat numbers very low. The feral cats are gone. And the coyote don’t seem to hardly interact with quail much.

With quail numbers steady, now Bird Dogs are being trained here, as well as limited hunts will be allowed.

Some coyote challenge dogs. And this isnt what clients want or expect.

Back to drawing board.

The biologist knew, and with several discussions with locals confirmed, if you hunt territorial local coyote they will immediately be replaced by nomadic coyote and your issues will likely increase. These coyote keep out other coyote. And quail benefit from their hunting. They are wanted…but can’t also harass bird dogs.

*It’s tenuous. And needs reinforcing both sides. But coyote and dogs can live and work and share ranges. This pack lives and works among coyote weekly. And both sides are fine.*

This is where we come in.

This pack of mostly older dogs have patrolled vast properties many years. We engage and teach coyote..back up. Don’t come in. Yes..its tough love, but also natural. Wolves, coyote and Range Dogs all coexist out here. And all usually dislike each other. What I can do here is teach coyote to use the land to their advantage. And timing.

The hills and woods and treelines of this 4,000 acre ranch..can be for coyote. The open fields, the dogs flushing quail in Fall, are to be avoided.

We travel throughout the property sticking to trails and fields. When coyote approach, the pack is more then ready to counter. But we remain together. And the coyote inevitably (and vocally) retire to woods and hills. They are learning not to rush dogs, and clients are instructed what areas the bird dogs are allowed to train and hunt in..and what is risky.

Can coyote and bird dogs coexist? Yes. With instructions and non lethal (but sometimes rough) behavioural influences on both sides. Coyote absolutely can learn to stick to hills and woods. And bird dogs can stick to birds. Our pack introduces the idea to coyote that dog packs move through but go and DONT EVEN COME IN TO US. DONT ENGAGE THESE GUYS. They have thousands of acres to choose from.

We just encourage wise choices. And they almost inevitably do.

We will be busy this next few weeks. But its working.

Take care,

Lou

Slim Jim Update, by Walkaboutlou

30 Jun 2022 5 Comments

by yipps:janetkessler in coyote behavior, ranching coyotes, Slim Jim

Hello Janet,

These are just a portion of the nursery herd cows and calves on a local ranch. They have been moved to summer ranges and the grass is still lush, green and thick from record spring rains. This not only means rich grazing…but thousands upon thousands of mice, voles, moles and grasshoppers are literally everywhere. You feel and see scurrying or hopping with every step.

I can describe all this as I patrol these ranges. But Slim Jim the elderly male coyote..must simply have felt it. And returned.

For the past few weeks…Slim Jim has pup-sat and lived here with daughter and her mate. He then left them as the 2 pups started foraging with parents. Kinky Tail daughter rules this area and Slim obviously doesn’t feel tied here.

Last update [Slim Jim’s Bigger Picture] he had somehow amazingly joined his yearling daughter, her mate and two pups. The bison he walked with had newborns. New Moms perhaps made it risky for old blind Slim. How he joined his daughter 8 miles away we don’t know.

*We joke that Slim Jim can read. He went to land off limits to hunting or public access.*

We thought this was his last move. He was a very tired pup sitter. The pups have been moved several times by Kinky Tail mom. And are now hunting grasshoppers and mice themselves. This move…seemed to allow Slim to make his own choice.

Ancient Slim Jim. He’s actually a Big Fella. We thought he was smaller — he was always so tattered and slinky. But..he now seems to have lost the slink, and meanders slowly and stately near or among bison especially at night. He’s safe. And shocking us all with his choices and endurance.

He left the rocky (but hot) sanctuary to return to bison herds. The calves are bigger and the cows pay Slim no heed as he noses about and munches the rodents and grasshoppers they flush up while grazing. They graze. He feeds. Side by side. You can’t really even see him at times among the bulky bison.

Mostly blind. Tattered. Very very worn. But quite happy. Slim Jim is very full. Sleeps long among cottonwoods. And slowly walks among bison.

He made the choice and must have known…old haunts and bison and grasslands and feeding, were better for him then rocky hot haunts his family are at for now.

I thought the rocks were his last move. But sweet grass and bison herds..obviously are his preference. He was tossing sticks and mice today. Still playful and enjoying life.

Take care.

Lou