Straight Shooter
Well-Known Member
Dave, I was just wondering about any coyote studies being done with ear tags. Kind of like banded ducks and geese. Do you know of any?
Ramblings and Such From Hunting Coyote
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The only studies done on coyote using ear tags that I know of were done in Montana , Texas and California in the 60's and 70's . But that doesn't mean much as I haven't kept up with the research being done on coyote very well in the last few years . I do know that there are several studies from back east in Illinois , Ohio and a few of the eastern sea board states . They have been doing a lot of DNA testing back there and the results depend on which study you read so for me it will be that I read most of them and decide from there what the results are . The study done in Montana showed a coyote pup that had traveled to Kansas from Montana . One that was only a couple of miles from where it was tagged as a pup and one that lived for 10 or 12 years before it was killed . One of the studies done in Southern California had a female that was completely blind and raised a litter of pups on her own not in a pen . One of the studies done in Illinois says that there is around 3% of the coyote with dog genes but that nearly all have some wolf genes . One of the studies from Ohio said as much as 20% had Red wolf genes . I didn't think that was surprising to me as the DNR turned red wolves loose in the Carolinas . In almost all of the studies very few of the eastern coyote are full blood coyote a few have dog blood but most have wolf blood in them ranging from red wolf to northern timber wolf . A couple of the studies from Illinois and Ohio have tested from 20,000 to 30,000 coyote taken by trappers in those states so they have a pretty good base of coyote for their data and DNA research .
A good on going research project is Urban Coyote Research Project ( program ) . It's being done in the Chicago Metropolitan area of Cook County Ill . I had heard of this study and read some of it a few years back but didn't know that they were still collaring coyote and doing their research till Straight Shooter ask me if I knew of any tagging programs being done at this time . They are indeed still at it with this research project and have a fine web site with some good info for those who may be interested in reading it . Pennsylvania , Illinois and Ohio also have some good research studies that they have done in recent years . Their studies contain quite a lot on DNA research . I haven't been very diligent at keeping up on what all studies are being done at this time since I no longer am hanging out with Mike the state biologist with the USDA . The USDA has done some interesting studies on a lot of different subjects all over the U.S. . Mange , rabies and other wildlife diseases humans can contract and those that we can't .
A good book for anyone that is interested in zoonotic diseases is Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases in the Southeastern United States by William R. Davidson Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study . I don't know if there is a newer version then the third edition . Wildlife Services used to issue one to all of their new hires and volunteer workers at one time . I got mine probably 15 years ago when I worked with them doing some coyote and bird control work . At that time they were doing a study on rabies and skunks in Wyoming . It's interesting how you collect the heads to be sent in to the lab for testing . the head can't be damaged so they are shot in the body . You get your disposable gloves on open a gallon zip lock bag turn it inside out put the skunks head in it then cut it off . turn the bag right side out seal it then pull your gloves off from the wrists turning them inside out and use them to store them in each other in that way . I used a good hand sanitizer then as well . When I worked with bats I used a chlorine bleach solution to sanitize the area and it was poured not sprayed so as not to make any viruses air borne . There was an article in the news yesterday about a guy in Illinois that refused vaccinations after being bitten by a bat and died of rabies just recently . I had to stand in a line and get vaccinations in both arms , If I remember right it was around 20 of them all so they could send me to Southeast Asia back in the early 70's . At that time I got experimental rabies vaccines , as rabies was common over seas . Then when I worked with the USDA I could have , and they recommended that I get the series of 5 rabies shots as a preventive course . When you get to working with wildlife you would be surprised at how many times you are really exposed to rabies and other diseases and the animals aren't showing any signs or symptoms at the time . I was walking between two large electrical transformers one day early in the afternoon when a bat hit me in the chest bit and flew off . First off bats normally aren't out in the day like that often . Secondly they normally don't want to be around people and to hit a person bite and fly off something isn't right with them . Now if I picked one up from where it was sleeping and got bitten then it's my fault but I still would get my shots butt cheek , butt cheek , shoulder , shoulder then cheek again . Then you can have a blood test to see if you still have antibodies now and then . They aren't cheep but then hospitals and funerals aren't either . I had to get the small pox vaccine 3 times before it reacted as my Mom had small pox as a kid they said she may have passed on some of her immunity to me who knows for sure how that works I don't I'm not a Dr. that studies virus's and their transmission or treatments .
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Interesting. With my wife being a vet tech for almost 20yrs, we know all about the rabies thing as well as many, many more most wouldn't even have a clue over. The USDA sends out alerts to them whenever ANYTHING out of the ordinary no matter where in the country it occurs. Plus we know one of the head USDA vets that's sent all over and even overseas when something is found or even suspect. You are exactly right about the head thing. My wife Heather says people really flip out whenever they have to legally report and do it with a pet or even a cow.
Also find the wolf/ dog/ coyote DNA info very interesting. Since you mentioned IL. Back in the 80's there were several red wolves killed around my area by very accomplished coyote hunters that knew they weren't a coyote. When the DNR was brought in to see them all they did was deny any knowledge of such. Shocker! They now do the same crap when people get pics of mountain lions. That's just how this state is...with everything for that matter. It really explains why we have so much red in most of our coyotes now.
As for the Chicago area, when goose hunting that part of the state we are mostly in suburbia. It's very common for us to crack a few while they try to sneak into our decoy spreads. Urban coyotes are getting to be a real problem in alot of places. Small dogs and cats get grabbed out of yards in front of their owners watching it happen.
Also find the wolf/ dog/ coyote DNA info very interesting. Since you mentioned IL. Back in the 80's there were several red wolves killed around my area by very accomplished coyote hunters that knew they weren't a coyote. When the DNR was brought in to see them all they did was deny any knowledge of such. Shocker! They now do the same crap when people get pics of mountain lions. That's just how this state is...with everything for that matter. It really explains why we have so much red in most of our coyotes now.
As for the Chicago area, when goose hunting that part of the state we are mostly in suburbia. It's very common for us to crack a few while they try to sneak into our decoy spreads. Urban coyotes are getting to be a real problem in alot of places. Small dogs and cats get grabbed out of yards in front of their owners watching it happen.
It's not just your state I reported a young wolf being killed here in the late 90's and was told it was a dog coyote cross . It was a pretty silver color with white legs and ears and huge for still having it's puppy teeth . Yes there is a lot that isn't public knowledge .
I caught 2 coyotes last yr didnt have mange. I thought about stop trapping them but i didn't. 2 of them come from behind my house. I went ahead and trapped them. I was trying to thin them out around my house. U can tell how bad it is.
A few years ago I had one of Gov. trappers out with me . I was calling for him as he had been been trying to get a pair that was killing lambs . We got to the pasture with the sheep in it before sun up and I howled one long lone howl . We waited a few minutes and they answered the howl from a long ways off in another pasture . He was a young guy but had quite a bit of experience with coyote but not with howling the way that I do it for the hard to get ones so I was trying to teach him some of my tactics . I told him we could walk over to them or go back to the truck and go around to the other pasture and then walk in closer to them . It took over an hour to get driven around closer to them . We hid the truck behind a hill walked about a quarter mile , through a small saddle in a ridge then over the top of the ridge to a place on the hill side where there was a small juniper to set up under as cover and shade to conceal us . We set up and waited several minutes before I howled twice barked twice and howled again . They answered almost immediately out about a 1/2 mile and were on the rim of a draw showing them selves well . We could watch them start our way the bigger one in the lead got with in range while the smaller one hung back in some buck brush . He made the shot and I got on the hurt coyote yipes . The female then came charging in . As she got close enough for the shot I barked at her as soon as she stopped he shot . When we got down to them the both had the mange pretty bad but she showed that there were pups involved . I put my disposable gloves on ( I carry them in my hip pocket just for this in the spring especially ) opened her and counted that she had given birth to 8 pups . He didn't think that the pups needed to be taken , so many people have a hard time taking puppies but if you think about it letting them starve isn't very kind to them but often another coyote will adopt them . So I took him back to his truck then went to take the pups myself . Having watched where the adults had been when they answered I had a good idea where they were . When I found them and pulled them out of the den hole they all had mange as well so then it was most likely a favor to put them down . By the way he told his supervisor that he took a double and the den . I didn't take him or show him any more of my tactics after that . His supervisor ask me if it had been me and not him that had done the calling on that job .
I have no respect for a person that takes the credit when someone else did the job……ZERO. Thanks for another interesting remembrance Dave, we are all sharing in the gifts you are giving, well done!
Well guys, it's dam near show time on keeping coyotes for fur. My skinner buddy asked me to wait till closer to the 20th but may pop a few sooner, listen to my skinner complain
plan on doing a little more big game hunting but gonna start putting the hurt on coyotes so I will be updating you at times 
plan on doing a little more big game hunting but gonna start putting the hurt on coyotes so I will be updating you at times 
