Very interesting article on coyotes.

[desidog]

For those of you who don't read the Science Times, here is a link to an article that i find very interesting. It verifies why i've been seeing some German Shepard-sized yotes around CT....wolf DNA.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/science/28coyotes.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=coyotes&st=cse

"“Killing coyotes is kind of like mowing the lawn,” said Dr. Prugh. “It stimulates vigorous new growth.”"

/apparently, I've been stimulating vigorous new growth...but darn, when the two local packs get to yipping in the woods on either side of the house, none of us are sleeping.

 

[Art Eatman]

Locally in the Terlingua area, we occasionally have some female dog have a litter of pups which were sired by a coyote. They make great watchdogs and hunting dogs.

Coyotes aren't much of a problem for cattle ranchers, beyond maybe the occasional calf. But they're pure burning hell on sheep and goats at the time of new births. Many fawn kills, as well.

FWIW, add salty leather to the list of coyote comestibles. They'll chew on belts, boots, bridles and saddles if given the opportunity during "hard times".

There's an old joke about the probable survivors after a nuclear holocaust: Cockroaches and coyotes. Me, I'll for-sure bet on the coyote...

 

[wankerjake]

"“Killing coyotes is kind of like mowing the lawn,” said Dr. Prugh. “It stimulates vigorous new growth.”"

/apparently, I've been stimulating vigorous new growth...

Yeah me too. I'm gonna keep trying though

Interesting that all Canis species can interbreed. Years back I was hiking insouthern Utah on the Navajo reservation and we stopped to camp at a spot near the trailhead. This was a semi-developed spot for hikers, no structures but oviously a frequent camping spot near a stream. Anyway around dusk a stray pup wanders into camp that was obviously part coyote. It had that coyote snarl when it yawned and was a pretty neat little dog, if only because of the novelty. It wasn't cute by any means, half rez-dog and half coyote is not an attractive breed I assure you!

 

[desidog]

We think my dog is part coyote. I had to get her fixed because they'd all hang out on the lawn when she went in heat.

Normally she wears a bandanna, so i can tell her apart while she's getting chased across the field. She's 50#, and near-identical to most yotes except they have some more silver in their coat. A genetic test revealed she does have some Siberian Husky and Border Collie in her, but i haven't found a place that will test for 'yote or redwolf DNA.

She's also a big fan of hunting. Anyone else have a coydog?