If you are a fox and/or coyote hunter, this winter has provided quite a bit of opportunity. The ample snow cover is ideal for driving and spotting your game. Now that we are this far into winter the chances are that you can spot two rather than one as they are now in the breeding season, late January into February. My trips up to the office lately have included keeping an eye out across the fields for either, coyotes in particular.

The coyote (Canis latrans), means "barking dog." I've heard them called prairie wolf, as well. The coyote is a member of the dog family and a close relative of my yellow lab at home. (Not just him but any domestic dog). When I went looking, I found that there are 19 recognized subspecies of coyotes. They are native to North America and are found from Alaska to as far south as Panama.

The hunting season for coyote is a continuous open season. No bag limits. No hour limits. That pretty much tells you what we humans think of coyotes.

And that is what I find amazing is that despite being extensively hunted, the coyote is one of the few medium-to-large-sized animals that has enlarged its range since human encroachment began. In the past 200 years, it has steadily extended its range east and north until it has reached the range mentioned earlier. Sightings now commonly occur in Florida, New England, and eastern Canada. Coyotes have probably moved into most of the areas of North America formerly occupied by wolves. There are many places where they can be observed foraging in a suburban trash cans.

They may occasionally assemble in small packs, but naturally hunt alone or in a pair. Coyotes live an average of about 6 to 10 years.

Coyotes are essentially diurnal (active in day and night) but they've adapted to more nocturnal behavior with pressure from humans. They are highly adaptable and live in a variety of different niches. Their food consists of small mammals including rabbits, mice, shrews, voles, squirrels, carrion, insects, and fish. Did you know that they commonly eat deer excrement during winter months in northern climates? In areas where coyotes and deer co-exist, an adult coyote will typically prey on one fawn per year (Voigt and Berg, 1999).

Coyotes breed in late January or early February and gestation lasts on average 63 days. Litters of four to six pups are then born in late April or early May. Both parents help to feed the pups as they grow older and at eight to twelve weeks old they are taught to hunt. Families stay together through the summer and it is during that time that I enjoy hearing the young pups on a summer night.

Hearing a coyote is much more common than seeing one. The calls a coyote makes are high-pitched and variously described as howls, yips, yelps and barks. These calls may be a long rising and falling note (a howl) or a series of short notes (yips). These calls are most often heard at dusk or night, less often during the day.

So keep an eye out for a coyote sighting this winter and keep an ear out next summer on a hot summer night. Hot summer nights, don't those seem far off right now!

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