Why are there so many coyotes?

[PiNkPaNtHeR]

I've been doing a little research & trying to figure out what the real numbers are. It seems that the number of coyotes is increasing - even to the point of people seeing coyotes in the cities. Anyone know what the real numbers are? Is there really an increase? If so, why?

[jackelope]

I've been doing a little research & trying to figure out what the real numbers are. It seems that the number of coyotes is increasing - even to the point of people seeing coyotes in the cities. Anyone know what the real numbers are? Is there really an increase? If so, why?

People have been seeing coyotes in cities for a really, really long time.

[PolarBear]

Loss of habitat, fewer successful hunters, increasing numbers of coyotes are becoming "call shy", etc.  Coyotes have always been in the cities but with more restrictive ordinances, they can thrive there more easily.  I have noticed a huge increase over the past few years as well.  I live on and am surrounded by farm land, shoot on average 20+ coyotes per year and that still does not seem to make much of a dent in the population.   

[Special T]

I saw one on NE 8th in Bellview 12 years ago  Down the middle of the 4 lane fat and sassy from all the cats... we wernt but a mile off 405

[boblmc]

Mostly in or near Edmonds all early morning hours. 9 months ago I saw a yote run across Hwy 99 near Burlington Coat Factory, 6 months ago spotted one a block from my house, 1 month ago saw one standing in the middle of Aurora Ave near Woodland Park Zoo, this morning saw one in Woodway.

[PiNkPaNtHeR]

Maybe increased food supply? Garbage or rodents?

[jackelope]

Maybe increased food supply? Garbage or rodents?

All of the above.

Not sure you'd ever find a source with the "real numbers" on coyotes.

I find it hilarious that on the Duvall, WA Facebook page, people get alarmed and post warnings to all the residents when someone sees a coyote. In Duvall. In the country. In dairy farm central. Mind boggling to me  that people don't realize that they live in the country where stuff like that happens. It's only sort of out in the country relatively speaking.
 

[257 Wby Mag]

Trappers don't get after em anymore, fur market for west side and maybe all cohorts is in t he tank.

[PiNkPaNtHeR]

Maybe increased food supply? Garbage or rodents?

All of the above.

Not sure you'd ever find a source with the "real numbers" on coyotes.

I find it hilarious that on the Duvall, WA Facebook page, people get alarmed and post warnings to all the residents when someone sees a coyote. In Duvall. In the country. In dairy farm central. Mind boggling to me  that people don't realize that they live in the country where stuff like that happens. It's only sort of out in the country relatively speaking.

Here in Roy/McKenna/Yelm I think people pretty much expect it. I've noticed a lot of small brown rabbits around the past couple of years and it's fairly common to hear a couple dozen yotes making noises at night & getting the dogs riled up. I know we have skunks, possum, raccoon, rats & mice around because I've seen them. Also found bear scat a couple of times within a hundred yards of the house. Lots of coyotes around this area - just trying to figure out why. Also - if they are feeding on rodents due to the increase in garbage/rats and not deer, what will happen to the rodent population if I take too many coyotes? Just thinking.....

[Bofire]

  interesting bit of info about coyotes breeding habits. The harder they are hunted the more they breed. Kill all you can you'll never make a dent.
Carl

[Skyvalhunter]

The Duvall FB pasting is more of a warning to pet owners as cats and small dogs are an easy meal for coyotes

[PiNkPaNtHeR]

Trappers don't get after em anymore, fur market for west side and maybe all cohorts is in t he tank.

Are west side furs that bad (quality)? I was kinda hoping to do something constructive with them. Also thought about having one stuffed for a conversation piece. Any idea what that would cost and what I need to do to prep it?

[jackelope]

Same here. Listen to the coyotes sing every night.

I don't think you personally could kill too many, or even enough to make a significant dent in the population, unless you're a paid coyote exterminator. I wouldn't worry about your impact on the population.

[jackelope]

The Duvall FB pasting is more of a warning to pet owners as cats and small dogs are an easy meal for coyotes

Well, the way they're worded you'd think Bigfoot and El Chupacabra themselves were running around wild raping and pillaging.

[PiNkPaNtHeR]

interesting bit of info about coyotes breeding habits. The harder they are hunted the more they breed. Kill all you can you'll never make a dent.
Carl

I thought they only breed at certain times of the year (January-February) & breed/have litters based on food availability? Do they breed year around?

[pianoman9701]

I don't think Coyotes really experience loss of habitat because they're highly adaptable, unlike a lot of other wildlife. They're prolific in almost any environment regardless of the condition or existence of what we normally think of as good habitat. We see them in cities more and more because they've figured it out and go where the food is easy to access - fido, fluffy, rats, and garbage. Coy wolves back east are doing quite well in Toronto and now into cities along the border, like Buffalo. NYC has a pretty fair population of coyotes. I'm not sure there are more. I think we just notice them in more places.

[Gringo31]

interesting bit of info about coyotes breeding habits. The harder they are hunted the more they breed. Kill all you can you'll never make a dent.

It not as much about breeding habits as it has to do with litter size.  It is true populations in the fall may be close to the prior year or similar but IMO the education factor is much different.  You might shoot the same number of dogs but you shoot way more pups/yearlings.  This is good as the younger dogs are not as skilled making the impact on local wildlife (and livestock) less.   

[JJD]

I know the size of coyote liters is directly related to the calories they take in during gestation.
They are eating well these days. 

I don't believe habitat has all that much to do with it, they are pretty adaptable.

Last two mamals on earth will be the rat and the coyote,  who the last mamal standing will be, will depend on circumstances.

[PiNkPaNtHeR]

I know the size of coyote liters is directly related to the calories they take in during gestation.
They are eating well these days. 

I don't believe habitat has all that much to do with it, they are pretty adaptable.

Last two mamals on earth will be the rat and the coyote,  who the last mamal standing will be, will depend on circumstances.

Are you saying that if they eat more, they will have more babies after they're pregnant? I'm not sure I'm understanding what you said. Please explain.....?

[b23]

I remember reading this a while back so I went back and found it then cut and pasted it here.  I don't know if it is 100% accurate or not but it seemed like a reasonable theory.

There is evidence to suggest that coyotes mate for life, and that new mates are accepted after the removal of one of the pair. Mated male coyotes attend the females who give birth to the annual litter in an underground den. A regular den is often used year after year, unless the coyotes feel threatened at the den site.
Breeding occurs in February in southern states, and March in northern states. The gestation period is 63 days, and the female coyote will stay underground with her young until their eyes open 11 or 12 days later. During this time the male will bring food for the female and then help bring food to the den for the coyote pups.
Litter sizes average 5 to 7 pups in many areas. Litter sizes seem to be dependent upon coyote population densities. Litters may average 8 or 9 pups where coyote populations are sparse, but on the other hand, this phenomenon may reflect healthier coyotes due to an abundance of food.
Crosses between coyotes and dogs do occur rarely, and these crosses are know as "coy-dogs". Coy-dog reproduction is very poor because the coyote dogs breed in November which culminates in mid-winter births. Also, the male coy-dogs do not bring food for the females after the birthing process, and neither do the males help the female feed or raise the young.
Some juvenile female coyotes accept mates at 9 or 10 months of age, but most coyotes do not pair up with mates until they are 20-22 months old.

[CAMPMEAT]

Seems like coyotes are on the decrease here. All the ranchers I know here aren't seeing any, along with me and others. We think it's because of the wolves. Nobody is seeing any coyotes even out of Republic, 20 miles from my house. I heard today about single wolves being seen off of Customs Rd, below Vulcan Mt. traveling up into the same draw. I was also told that there were 7 seen a couple months ago crossing in the same area.

[PolarBear]

There are a ton of coyotes still on the San Poil down towards McMann Creek and over in the Swan Lake area.

[CAMPMEAT]

There are a ton of coyotes still on the San Poil down towards McMann Creek and over in the Swan Lake area.

Still too much snow in those areas, isn't there ? I almost went down to Swan this morning because I think the 204 is still open for cougar and wanted to try my Rainshadow call out he gave me.

[BKMFR]

Fur prices have been hurting in years past, but now are starting to see a bit of a come back(least for coyotes), but...... we outlawed steel traps in our state, ever try catching coyotes in a live trap-Good Luck.   My

[ouchfoss]

Trappers don't get after em anymore, fur market for west side and maybe all cohorts is in t he tank.

Thats something I've wondered about. I've talked with people who used to trap dogs back in the foothold days and it sounds like the population was still high then but it was kept somewhat in check. I'm curious what the total harvest rates (trapping plus hunting) were for yotes then versus now. Willing to bet it was much higher then.

[PiNkPaNtHeR]

Y'all have helped me quite a bit learning about coyotes. I don't know why I never got into this before. It's kind of infectious & I can't stop thinking about all the things I need to learn. With deer & some other critters it's always been pretty simple - ya sit down and keep yer eyes open. They walk up and ya shoot 'em. Just that simple most of the time. Squirrels have always been a challenge 'cause they can move so quick & get out of sight or out of range - plus they're small. A long time ago I used to really enjoy squirrel hunting, but haven't done it in more than 15 years now.
So I'm reading everything I can find on coyotes. Not sure I'm ready to invest in an electronic predator call yet, but maybe one day.
Thanks again for all the help.

[JakeLand]

#1 reason is the ban foothold traps and snares when it was legal I personally took between 40 + dogs a year 4 out of 5 would be in snares and that was just trapping the west side I personally think it's every hunters duty to give every coyote a dirt nap and help save the deer and upland bird populations in this state and try andget our rights back to trap with footholds snares and conibears trapping helps keep everything in check from muskrats to bobcats and coyotes. My 2¢

[billythekidrock]

interesting bit of info about coyotes breeding habits. The harder they are hunted the more they breed. Kill all you can you'll never make a dent.

It not as much about breeding habits as it has to do with litter size.  It is true populations in the fall may be close to the prior year or similar but IMO the education factor is much different.  You might shoot the same number of dogs but you shoot way more pups/yearlings.  This is good as the younger dogs are not as skilled making the impact on local wildlife (and livestock) less.   

Another factor is the range of a dominant breeding pair. If you kill a dom it may allow two breeding pairs to split the range of the former pair. Twice as many dogs in a smaller area.

[T Pearce]

My take on this.
Urban sprawl........ Coyotes thrive in suburbia, as do other small game animals. Hunting these areas can be challenging.

Hunting the fringe areas using feline distress calls has brought me the biggest (dumbest) dogs ever.

Scout, look for "alot" of sign. Locate boundaries (they mark them) note the predominant wind direction and pick your blind location.

April is a better month for the shotgun and a howler as they will come for a fight. Left over goose loads work fine at these ranges.

Just my 2¢, Im not a pro nor have I recently visited a Holiday Inn.

Good luck
T

[Firedogg]

We have so many coyotes because my wife keeps leaving the cat food outside. 

g