I don't know why everyone keeps up the argument of how coyotes got here - wether released by DEC or just gradually moved into the area from PA and from Canada. I remember a story that was told to me when I first strated trapping by a good friend of my fathers who nuccience traps for the state about Coyotes moving in the the area. He said that there was one year not sure of dates but he was trapping for some racoons up on Grand Island that were causing some problems and ended up catching a coyote - He said it just baffled him at the time because there weren't many coyotes anywhere back then let alone out on an Island - but the river had froze solid that winter and figure that they crossed over on the ice and when everything thawed out there they were stuck on the island -

It was my second year trapping - I set a trail set for coon on the edge of a corn field and came to check the trap before school the next day and had caught a 58lbs Beaver - there was no creeks, ponds, swamps, not any water at all within about 15 miles of the spot I caught the beaver. Things just happen - unfortunately the animals are probably the only ones that realy have any idea why they do half the stuff they do.

Mountain Lions, Coyotes, Bobcats, Lynx, Wolves, whatever - It is always going to be a topic of discussion as to wether or not they are here and if so how they got here. I am just waiting to have to opportunity to see these animals in the wild without having to go out west to do so. Although I was born about 150 year too late.