I have hunted coyotes in Idaho and in Western NY - definately a size difference. I do see the similarity to a wolf in the eastern coyote but I have seen more evidence of coyotes breeding with the local beagle more that evidence of them breeding with a wolf.

There a a couple of packs of coydogs around that seem to be very agressive, just looking at them you can see that they are pretty much just wild dogs. They have all types of strange color patterns. They are starting to get them under control over the last couple of years though - I am seeing more and more coyote when out hunting though.

I used to just see one every once in a great while. Now I see one just about everytime I am in the woods. There is a big population of them where I hunt. I have a 60 lbs mounted that I took in deer season in 2003.