what is wrong with the coyotes this year?

annieoakley · 09-28-2004, 10:15 PM

I have reciently seen quite a few coyotes. They are smaller than normal and look sick. They dont even run away like they normally do. My husband and I had our blue heelers in the back of the truck and were going to our deer camp. As we came into the camp there was one in the ditch and it just stood there as we drove by. We drove within 3 feet of it and it never ran. Then my heeler jumped out of the truck and started chasing it. Then it ran. Has anyone heard of anything being wrong with them? We saw 12 in one afternoon. This isnt normal for our area. We have alot of them but we very seldom see them in the daylight.

Hiawatha · 09-28-2004, 10:25 PM

I am just going to guess at the cause. You say that usually there are not that many yotes in the area however now there are. Might it be that the animals have reproduced beyond their carrying capacity. There may now be more coyotes than their food chain can support. Causing disease, and reduced growth because there is no longer a plentiful food source for all. Also mange is a bad one, can make a coyote look like it was run over with a truck. Sounds like they will probably starve themselves out then reduce in numbers again.

annieoakley · 09-29-2004, 10:11 PM

hiawatha, ty for the response. no we have alot of them but we rarely see them in the day time. we hear them at night. the food sorce is still there. maybe it is mange but why would they not be afraid of us? that is what was so weird.

MA Jay · 09-30-2004, 06:07 AM

I have found with coyotes if the population gets high in an area, and they do not get hunted or trapped at all, they quickly learn not to be afraid of people. They are very smart, and after a couple dozen run ins with people and nothing at all happens, they start losing their fear.

Start predator hunting and calling them in and you'll be amazed at how quickly they start becoming a rarer sight.

Hiawatha · 09-30-2004, 10:41 AM

I agree with Jay, if they feel no threat from humans they will be out and about in daylight. Rarely do you ever see a yote during deer season here becasue they get alot of lead thrown at them by hunters. Also i have noticed when the food supply is down, they will be around more frequent in search of food. The rabbit population declined here a few years back, suddenly we had a big problem with yotes coming into our cattle pasture and taking calves in broad daylight. Now the rabbit population is back up and we no longer have that problem.

BrutalAttack · 10-01-2004, 09:35 PM

there has probably been a large spike in the population and you could be seeing the effects of a disease or parasite. Since there is a higher density of yotes they are likely having to spend more time and effort foraging which include daytime hunting. I'm sure the any surplus yotes will die or disperse within the next couple of years.