Dec 24, 2010: Coyote on Ice

[Gravdigr]

Saw two coyotes running through a snowy field on my way home from Baby's house. They appeared to be quite healthy, if I had to guess, I'd say they were right around 75-80 lbs. They cleared a woven wire fence and didn't miss a step. I stopped in the road and watched them til they were out of site.

It was a beautiful scene.

[SPUCK]

Here's a shot I took of some doggies.. They wanted to visit Mr. Beaver but he wasn't having any of it.

I thought they were actually wolves. But that one on the mound looks sort of coyotish.

[Gravdigr]

Definitely 'yotes. Songdogs, some calls 'em.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Saw two coyotes running through a snowy field on my way home from Baby's house. They appeared to be quite healthy, if I had to guess, I'd say they were right around 75-80 lbs.

Holy shit, that's huge for your neck of the woods. PA coyotes came across the heartland and run about 50 lbs. Further north, they came across Canada and interbred with wolves, so they run up to 75 lbs.

Coyotes have been displacing Red Foxes around here, since they like the same habitat. The Coyotes are bigger/tougher, plus the Red Foxes have been decimated by rabies.

[Griff]

Here is an article on last year's Trapper's Association hunt in NEPA-

http://thedailyreview.com/sports/coy...rvest-1.603760

The biggest taken that weekend was 47.25 pounds.

[Sundae]

I've often read stories of foxes running off with full-grown cats.
I challenged a woman who posted one-such (very politely) and she responded with major vitriol. The fox was apparently the size of a Labrador, they were common in her part of the country and obviously a townie like me had never seen a fox before.

I backed off after that. Despite thinking she protested too much.

Length: The Red fox is the largest fox in the Vulpes genus. Globally, 45 – 90cm (1.5ft – 3ft) head & body length; foxes can reach 1.5m (5ft) TL (including tail). In the UK, adult male foxes typically range between 67cm and 72cm (26 - 28in.), while females fall between 62cm to 68cm. The tail, or brush, makes up roughly one-third of the total body length; the longest record for a brush I have come across is 55.5cm (almost 2ft!).
The adult fox weight is from 6 to 15 pounds (2.7-6.8 kg)

Labrador: Size Category Medium
Weight Height Range
Bitches measure 54 to 56cms at the withers, dogs between 56 to 57cms.
Bitches weigh around 28kgs and dogs around 30kgs. Back Length (from base of neck to base of tail) 61-64cm

Not saying Grav is deluded, just that I am aware of people's perspectives being skewed, perhaps by distance.

[Carruthers]

Well this one one didn't run off with a cat, Sundae.
However I did see it make a rapid exit from under a bush in the back garden hotly pursued by next door's moggie!

[Big Sarge]

They should have shot it rather than wasting money/resources on a coyote.

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Holy shit, that's huge for your neck of the woods. PA coyotes came across the heartland and run about 50 lbs. Further north, they came across Canada and interbred with wolves, so they run up to 75 lbs.

Coyotes have been displacing Red Foxes around here, since they like the same habitat. The Coyotes are bigger/tougher, plus the Red Foxes have been decimated by rabies.

I learned something new. I didn't know that was happening. I didn't know it could! holey moley

Originally Posted by SPUCK

Here's a shot I took of some doggies.. They wanted to visit Mr. Beaver but he wasn't having any of it.

I thought they were actually wolves. But that one on the mound looks sort of coyotish.

Interesting bit of evolution. Thanks for posting that picture.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32976657...ience-science/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coywolf

[xoxoxoBruce]

Hey those northern New England/Canadian nights are cold... and dark... and lonely.

Coyotes and foxes are like long haired cats, their size and weight are tough to judge, especially at a distance. They're not as big boned and muscular as dogs and wolves.

[SPUCK]

Originally Posted by skysidhe

I learned something new. I didn't know that was happening. I didn't know it could! holey moley




Interesting bit of evolution. Thanks for posting that picture.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32976657...ience-science/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coywolf

Interesting links there..

I suspect that wolf males only ever mate with female coyotes. In cases where a wolf runs into a coyote the wolf would normally attack the competition. But, if it's a female in heat, hostilities are suspended.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

Not saying Grav is deluded, just that I am aware of people's perspectives being skewed, perhaps by distance.

I'm deluded by the FACT that we have some goddamned big coyotes in my neck of the woods. I know what coyotes look like. I know what little spindly, malnourished coyotes look like. I know what big, husky, well-fed coyotes look like.

We don't got no skinny coyotes.

We got Double Coyote, though.

[Sundae]

Fair enough - I was deliberately not saying you were wrong.
I have no idea what is right in your part of the world.

[Lamplighter]

Do you live near Jefferson City, Missouri ?

This link includes small pic of the dead coyote shot by a hunter in Nov 2010

Missouri Dept of Conservation
Published on: Dec. 13, 2010
Posted by Jim Low

JEFFERSON CITY Mo – DNA tests show that a 104-pound canine shot by a hunter
in Carroll County Nov. 13 was an unusually large coyote.

[wolf]

Great. Now we have to worry about giant mutant coyotes taking over.