Bear impact on coyote population

[cdriver]

I hunt coyotes year round, mostly in Mason County, Tahuya area. I've gotten to know some areas real well by concentrating in one area. I have noticed a sharp decline this spring in the amount of coyote sign I see while at the same time I am seeing a lot more bear and bear sign. Have gotten good looks at bear three out of the last four trips. Coyote sign in one usually active spot has dropped off to almost nothing. The same area shows bear sign, lots of tree stumps ripped open. Several bear sightings.  My queston is whether the bears are pushing out the coyotes.

[boneaddict]

More likely wolves are impacting coyotes but have less effect on bear.   Not sure where your area is.  My 2 cents, no to limited effect.  There will be a limited amount of competition for available food sources. 

[Cougartail]

When a wolf pack shows up both black bears and coyote get scarce. Old time wolf trapper from Alaska told me this after our problem bears disappeared when a wolf pack came into the area.

I guess most black bears don't stand a chance when caught on the ground by multiple wolves and as we know, food is food with them.

[cdriver]

I'm in Western Washington, no wolves yet here.

[Lincoln4]

I'm in Western Washington, no wolves yet here.

Ummmm...

https://patch.com/washington/across-wa/first-wolf-pack-western-washington-seen-2018-wdfw

[Platensek-po]

Yeah the first wolf pack just crossed the cascades. He is talking about the tahuya state first on the OP. No wolves here yet. If you want tho I know some spots that are full of yote sign by Shelton.

[konradcountry]

It's entirely possible. Too many bears can mess up their hunting just like a guy walking into your blind.

They probably aren't far. Odds are they just went to another area they already know.

Or someone came in and shot them.

[nwwanderer]

I do not think a correlation exists.  Coyote numbers cycle up and down mostly with diseases like parvo and distemper and parasites like mange.  With reduced numbers they compensate quickly with much larger litters.  They will be back and may even follow bears around like they do a badger.  Master oppurtunists

[cdriver]

The area I am seeing bear and bear sign right now normally has lots of coyote sign. The last two months most of that coyote sign has vanished. We will see, I hunt this area all the time. Have taken several deer, I get about a coyote every month or so. There was lots of bear sign last year, hunted unsuccessfully. Will hunt for that bear come August. He/She gave me two long (20 seconds) looks at it. Probably wont be that lucky once bear season begins.

[Thermal Predator Control]

Why do you guys post this stuff.....? Lolx1000

[KFhunter]

Why do you guys post this stuff.....? Lolx1000

because they're trying to figure it out, nothing wrong with that is there?   
We know you wack a lot of coyotes, so how about you share your observations? 

Do you hunt coyotes where there is a high incidence of bear activity?

[Thermal Predator Control]

Dude, I’ve killed coyots where wolves live. Those are the smartest ones.  Bears don’t have anything to do with coyot populations.  Coyots will be here long after bears and wolves, cougars and bobcats go away. Coyot populations fluctuate depending on lots of variables.  If you really want my opinion, they still live there but you are not smart enough to call them in. 

[KFhunter]

Are you being intentionally condescending?

I run cameras, and in areas with lots of bears I rarely see a yote (not to say they aren't there, they're everywhere)
so why would I want to call yotes where they aren't thick? I'd prefer to call them where they are denser in population, which usually isn't around bears.  If I call in bear areas, I usually get bears to come in, not yotes.


So before you went thermal and started hunting over dead cattle carcasses and got to be an elite coyote slayer, where did you kill most of your daytime coyotes, and were they next to a large bear population?  I doubt it.


How about layoff the snark and condescending 'tude, or just move on to something you'd like to learn about, like how to skin and put up coyote fur.

[Thermal Predator Control]

I kill a hand full over carcasses every year.  Ya sorry for being a dick. I’d like to know the country you hunt in?   Yep, lot coyots I kill are in shrub step areas, but I see bears ever year....with my thermal.....,so I’m just trying to say bears are everywhere I hunt generally.  Why the post?  Get new spots and more property to hunt.  Bears are slow, coyots can live hand and hand with bears.

[KFhunter]

We try to encourage new hunters to ask questions, so we try to curtail any bashing or mockery, we all started out somewhere.   No such thing as a stupid question on HW