# The Coyote Connection



## Bonemann (Jan 28, 2008)

Pretty good article I found:


 The Coyote Connection



As coyotes increased in the East during recent decades, whitetail numbers declined in some areas. These shifts are prompting more researchers at universities and wildlife agencies to assess the connection.

Three recent University of Georgia research projects examined properties in Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. All three studies found coyotes can be tough on fawns, especially during the fawns' first six weeks.

In southwestern Georgia, researchers used trail cameras to survey fawn-to-doe ratios in two study areas 2.5 miles apart. They removed 23 coyotes and three bobcats from January to August in an 11,000-acre area, but removed no predators from a nearby 7,000-acre block.

Shortly before hunting season, their camera census estimated 0.72 fawns per doe where predators were killed, and 0.07 fawns per doe where no predators were killed. Translation: Two fawns were present for every three does in the predator-removal area, and two fawns were present for every 28 does where no predators were killed.

In South Carolina, a 3-year study at the U.S. Forest Service's Southern Research Station on the 300-square-mile Savannah River Site found only 16 of 60 radio-collared fawns lived past nine weeks, a 27 percent survival rate. Most deaths occurred within five to six weeks of birth. Specifically, 16 (36 percent) died the first week; 26 (59 percent) died between week two and week six; one died in week seven; and one died in week nine. In other words, if two does gave birth to twins, by Labor Day they had one fawn between them.

Researchers attributed only 13 percent (five) of those 44 deaths to bobcats. They confirmed coyotes as the predator in 65 percent of the deaths, the probable predator in 15 percent of the deaths and the most likely predator in 5 percent of the deaths. Therefore, coyotes were likely responsible for about 38 (85 percent) of the 44 dead fawns.

Using swabs to collect DNA samples at kill sites, the researchers also concluded all coyotes kill fawns, not just dominant, experienced breeders. Of 15 kill sites used to identify individual coyotes and bobcats, researchers recorded only two individual coyotes at more than one site.

In northeastern Alabama, a two-year study on 2,000 acres convinced researchers that coyotes were a limiting factor in the number of fawns "recruited" into the herd. Two findings guided their conclusion: First, laboratory analysis of coyote scat and stomach contents showed fawns made up 27.3 percent of the coyotes' July-to-September diet, the region's peak fawning months. Although small mammals (rabbits and rodents) also formed 27.3 percent of the summer diet, fawn meat was found more important because of its higher nutritional value. Second, the researchers documented a staggering jump in fawn abundance after trappers removed 22 coyotes and 10 bobcats between February and July 2007.

Data from experienced-hunter observations showed a fawn/doe ratio of 0.52 before the trapping program, and 1.1 after the removals. Similarly, a network of Web-equipped cameras showed 0.52 fawns per doe before removal and 1.33 afterward. Combined, that's a 190 percent increase in fawn-to-doe ratios.

Coyote predation is as natural as human predation on deer. And, as such, it's not necessarily bad thing when deer herds are at or exceeding habitat limits; after all, when deer herds overpopulate they can be destructive to ecosystems. It is time to pay attention, however, if deer herds crash in your local area.

Something to think about for sure.


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## skerr (Oct 25, 2008)

A friend of a friend set up a trail cam overlooking a coyote den over the summer. They recorded 15 deer being brought back to the den in two months! No idea how many adults / pups lived in the den, but I did hear that these were not all fawns. 


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## wildman (Sep 3, 2008)

Something else to think about is the coyote population... They live to be 9 yr's old and have an avg or 6 per litter a yr. Like deer the coyote population needs to be kept in check.. Nothing hunts them..


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

skerr said:


> A friend of a friend set up a trail cam overlooking a coyote den over the summer. They recorded 15 deer being brought back to the den in two months! No idea how many adults / pups lived in the den, but I did hear that these were not all fawns.
> http://www.outdoorhub.com/mobile/


I don't dount that the coyotes are killing fawns (in fact I strongly agree that they do) but I don't see them killing many adult deer. An adult deer, if healthy would be strong enough to fight off several coyotes. Weakened by something else of course could be a different story. I don't see how coyotes would be dragging a 150# or more deer around and back to a den. I have seen several mature deer eaten by coyotes but they were always left where they laid and just eaten there. I guess I would have to see the pictures and/or videos to believe that they were dragging big deer around the woods.


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## wildman (Sep 3, 2008)

I had a problem with that also but a buddy that I went to school with now lives in West Virginia had done something similar and had similar results.. Not all were full carcass but many parts were drug in..


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## AEFISHING (Apr 25, 2004)

I bet some trappers could make some money ridding people's property of these yotes. I hear them to often at my house.


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## skerr (Oct 25, 2008)

To clarify, they were adult deer parts. 
Mostly legs. Not whole deer. Just telling what was told to me. Might be an interesting experiment for anyone with a trail cam. 


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## wildman (Sep 3, 2008)

AEFISHING said:


> I bet some trappers could make some money ridding people's property of these yotes. I hear them to often at my house.


No kidding... I hear them all the time... I am on the east side of Cincy also...


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Deer parts makes sense but I still would say that it is doubtful that they are killing those adult deer unless they are weakened in some way.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

And if you know where the den is why wouldn't you take them out?


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## Bonemann (Jan 28, 2008)

Coyotes use several dens throughout their range if you stumble across one and leave too much sent (or what ever the reason) they abandon that den and move to another.

I heard a report form East Springfield,Ohio (area) that a den was found (abandoned) and inside were 19 deer skulls and quite a few bones. 

I didn't see it but I believe it could be true.

Any time a non native species moves into an area it upsets the ecosystem.


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

Coyote is a native species in Ohio. 
We found 4 new coyote dens on the two farms I hunt deer from 1 for years to now 5 on the same area, about 1,000 acres in total.


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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

Weekender#1 said:


> We found 4 new coyote dens


How do you find/locate dens den-sites????


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

While I have no doubt that coyotes have some impact on the deer population, I have to wonder just how much. It would also seem to make sense that the higher the population of coyotes the more impact they would have.

We have coyotes here. How many? Who knows? We find their sign, their scat and tracks, and my buddy saw one in daylight when bowhunting. We know where 2 dens are, this on about 100 acres. The farmer, whose land we hunt, saw a big male shadowing his picker when he was taking off soybeans, looking for rats and mice being flushed from the field. And we occasionally hear them yipping at night. 

As far as the stats posted by the OP, we seem to be an outlier. The game cam revealed does accompanied by twin fawns, except for the one huge, old cow, who had triplets this Spring! We were able to follow them through the Summer and into Fall, and all fawns survived. It must have been a good growing season for deer food, because the fawns got big! No still spotted fawns on the opening day of archery season this year, unlike the last! 

So, for 3 identifiable does on our cam, we have 7 fawns. I notice the data from the OP was generated in South Carolina. I have to believe that the 'yote populations is absolutely out of control down there. I'd say it's time to being out the arsenic!


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## reo (May 22, 2004)

Weekender#1 said:


> *Coyote is a native species in Ohio*.
> We found 4 new coyote dens on the two farms I hunt deer from 1 for years to now 5 on the same area, about 1,000 acres in total.


Not according to the ODNR and THE Ohio State University

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/species_a_to_z/SpeciesGuideIndex/coyote/tabid/6598/Default.aspx

http://ohioline.osu.edu/w-fact/pdf/0004.pdf


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## Mad-Eye Moody (May 27, 2008)

reo said:


> Not according to the ODNR and THE Ohio State University
> 
> http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/species_a_to_z/SpeciesGuideIndex/coyote/tabid/6598/Default.aspx
> 
> http://ohioline.osu.edu/w-fact/pdf/0004.pdf


Correct, wolves were the native canine of Ohio. 

If they were re-introduced, they would carve down the coyotes, but something tells me it would lead to other issues. Lol.


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

Mad-Eye Moody said:


> Correct, wolves were the native canine of Ohio.
> 
> If they were re-introduced, they would carve down the coyotes, but something tells me it would lead to other issues. Lol.


oh brother dont start that rumor lol


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## Mad-Eye Moody (May 27, 2008)

jray said:


> oh brother dont start that rumor lol


Hey, you guys know what?

The state has been dropping wolves from helicopters at night in ohio to control the coyote and deer population.

I saw it myself....


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

Mad-Eye Moody said:


> Correct, wolves were the native canine of Ohio.
> 
> If they were re-introduced, they would carve down the coyotes, but something tells me it would lead to other issues. Lol.


Yup! Coyote were basically a western species before now. Wolves were just about everywhere. Wolves are pack hunters, whereas, the evidence suggests, that coyotes are basically lone hunters. I'll take 'yotes over wolves any day!


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## Rabbeye (Oct 28, 2013)

Bonemann said:


> Coyotes use several dens throughout their range if you stumble across one and leave too much sent (or what ever the reason) they abandon that den and move to another.
> 
> I heard a report form East Springfield,Ohio (area) that a den was found (abandoned) and inside were 19 deer skulls and quite a few bones.
> 
> ...


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Rabbeye said:


> Bonemann said:
> 
> 
> > Coyotes use several dens throughout their range if you stumble across one and leave too much sent (or what ever the reason) they abandon that den and move to another.
> ...


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## wildman (Sep 3, 2008)

Coyotes are opportunist.... They will eat soybeans or anything that is easy.. It just happens that in the spring the fawn is an easy kill.. I have found that in the urban areas and all the fences makes it a little easier for them.. They do kill the weak, wounded and the sick as nature had intended. as stated any time you introduce an invasive specie it is trouble.. but unlike most every other invasive specie the coyote has adapted well. They help control the rodent's and the deer.. They are far better than the Asian carp or the feral pig.. add in the bush honey suckle or the Asiatic bittersweet I would take the coyote any day.. Honestly I think they do more damage to the deer population that most give them credit for. But again as stated we as humans and our hunting and car crashes that the cake on this one..


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## Tritonman (Jul 4, 2004)

Ever own a hunting dog. Put a pheasant wing in front of a 10 week old pup and it's tail goes crazy. At best a bird dog that lives in Ohio and travels out west for a week each of its best 8 yrs has absolutely nothing on a yote that lives and survives daily. And that dog had a great nose. To equate this, imagine a yote that uses it's sniffer every second everyday for opportunities. Always on the move and hunting. Working that nose. And with a high population of them I can see why it can be a problem. And the fact that they have their pups right before the deer drop their fawns. I can see how a yote pup gets that first taste a deer blood, probably right down in the den. I would love to see those den cam pictures. I wonder just how many curled up fawns they find. In my tenure down at the cabin we have happened upon three.


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## C J Hughes (Jan 24, 2006)

The state of Ohio should hand out 5 snares to everyone that buys a deer permit . When you gut your deer set your snares .200,000 gut beds is a lot of yote food.
I caught 23 yotes from Nov to march on one 5 acre track last year. They would move in and out of the property. The last 4 were females with pups somewhere .Plenty of deer on the property now seeing a lot more rabbits also. Of the 23 I skinned only 5 the rest were a mess mange and such.Now is the time to snare them plenty of snow on the ground so you know where to set your snares.


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## Bonemann (Jan 28, 2008)

Rabbeye said:


> Bonemann said:
> 
> 
> > Coyotes use several dens throughout their range if you stumble across one and leave too much sent (or what ever the reason) they abandon that den and move to another.
> ...


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I don't believe that coyotes are putting a bigger hurt on the deer population than humans and I don't think anyone here implied that. But the fact that hunters are harvesting numbers of deer in the same area as we did a few years ago when the deer population remained larger begs the question as to what else is impacting the herd. I have to believe that the increased population of coyotes does make an impact. How much? Not sure but I plan to put out some traps and snares these next few weeks and see if I can remove a few to see if it changes anything.


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## Stars-n-Stripers (Nov 15, 2007)

Some of those pieces being drug in could also easily be from road kill, they are smart and opportunistic, and could find plenty to feed the families just along rt 71.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Once again, the deer herd is in decline because that is what the state wants. They make "no bones about it" every year. Maybe they allow the coyotes to kill them for the added benefit to their goal. But I can guarantee, as long as they want continued reduction of deer numbers, they won't be offering any incentive to kill off their "free" help.

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## Scum_Frog (Apr 3, 2009)

I will definitely be thinning the coyote population in my area this winter....ive noticed a big difference within the last three years on the farm of deer population....I only seen 3 fawns this year which usually see 10+ every year.


Just like stated....nothing preys on Yotes....humans need too....I wish for one year they would do a bounty program......


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Bad Bub said:


> But I can guarantee, as long as they want continued reduction of deer numbers, they won't be offering any incentive to kill off their "free" help.
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Now if they could just find a way to have the coyotes only kill female fawns they would have a perfect scenario


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## Tritonman (Jul 4, 2004)

Well in this or another thread it was confirmed by several that ohio once had a bounty on yotes. Why was the Dow concerned about with these predators.


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## wildman (Sep 3, 2008)

Prove it...

Western animal.

But really does it matter..


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Tritonman said:


> Well in this or another thread it was confirmed by several that ohio once had a bounty on yotes. Why was the Dow concerned about with these predators.


If it ever existed it had to be prior to 1964 when I started hunting Ohio


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## hopin to cash (Sep 14, 2010)

http://www.wfmj.com/story/24205066/pa-house-oks-bill-to-allow-25-bounty-on-coyotes

Should we follow?


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## wildman (Sep 3, 2008)

Interesting....


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## hopin to cash (Sep 14, 2010)

As far as a state-approved bounty system is concerned, Dog Warden Coutts noted that six of the state`s 88 counties had approved bounties from 1975 to 1985, only to have them scrapped when it was learned necessary state legislation supporting them did not exist.

After the legislature approved a measure to permit bounties, Gov. Richard Celeste vetoed it at the urging of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and animal-rights groups.


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## reo (May 22, 2004)

Lundy said:


> If it ever existed it had to be prior to 1964 when I started hunting Ohio


Actually some counties had a coyote bounty (as is mentioned above) I only remember Harrison County having one and could not find much about it after poking around the net some. I did however find this that mentions the bounties.

https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream...d=7B3188E2FC29909FA53B16EA74A0962B?sequence=1

That being said it is over and done and my guess is getting one now would not be likely nor effective.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

reo said:


> Actually some counties had a coyote bounty (as is mentioned above) I only remember Harrison County having one and could not find much about it after poking around the net some. I did however find this that mentions the bounties.
> 
> https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream...d=7B3188E2FC29909FA53B16EA74A0962B?sequence=1
> 
> That being said it is over and done and my guess is getting one now would not be likely nor effective.



That is interesting, couldn't have been much of a population back then I don't think.

I had never see one until about 20 years ago, The last 10-12 years in SE Ohio a lot and now in Central Ohio were I live they walk through my yard just about every night


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## hopin to cash (Sep 14, 2010)

This is off our game camara that we use on our bird feeder...

The scary thing is the picture is 20' from where our miniature horses pasture...


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## reo (May 22, 2004)

Lundy said:


> That is interesting, *couldn't have been much of a population back then I don't think.
> *
> I had never see one until about 20 years ago, The last 10-12 years in SE Ohio a lot and now in Central Ohio were I live they walk through my yard just about every night


Agreed. I still have only seen two while hunting. One blasted by me running as fast as it could and the other (this year) was hanging around a group of does and fawns who were none to happy about his being in the area. However, I do hear them about 40% of my days afield hunting.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

The last few years seeing them is almost a daily occurrence where I hunt in Athens County. They are on the game cams nearly every day also.

At home I see the tracks around my house and hear them howling with the pups in the spring/summer every night.

There is for sure a bunch of them now.


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## Roscoe (Jul 22, 2007)

Back in 1967-68 I use to Coonhunt about where the Preble and Montgomery counties meet. Back then the Coyotes use to follow you when your dogs were not around. There were not a big number of them but they were here. One night my buddy unloads his handgun at a pack of Coyotes. He just could not take them anymore!They scattered quickly.



Roscoe


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## excalman (May 24, 2013)

I hunt athens county also have been able kill 5 off the land. The hunting allway improve after killing one .The deer sighting are down not seeing as many yearling the last 5 years. I have hunted in athens and meigs county the last 30 years . Coyote kill way to many fawns in 5-10 the state will be lucky to 110,000 total just my 2-cents on the problem.


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## mickeysdad (Mar 10, 2010)

Here's a good blog post that cites the previously mentioned yote study as well as some others:
http://gameandgarden.com/sustainability/land/do-coyotes-affect-deer-populations/

Question: Don't you need a trapping license to set yote snares? And, therefore, wouldn't I need to go through trapper ed first?


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## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

mickeysdad said:


> Here's a good blog post that cites the previously mentioned yote study as well as some others:
> http://gameandgarden.com/sustainability/land/do-coyotes-affect-deer-populations/
> 
> Question: Don't you need a trapping license to set yote snares? And, therefore, wouldn't I need to go through trapper ed first?


nope
just hunting licence


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

jray said:


> nope
> just hunting licence


I'm not sure, but I believe setting any trap requires a trapping license...

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## mickeysdad (Mar 10, 2010)

Bad Bub said:


> I'm not sure, but I believe setting any trap requires a trapping license...
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


No he's right - after he mentioned that I decided to read up on the regs. Coyote are the only critters you're allowed to trap *without* a trapping license.

I ordered a snare catalog today. They were going *crazy* around my house last night. I heard multiple yotes calling from 3 distinct locations ranging from what sounded like 1/2 mile to 1 mile away. Made me a little nervous as I stood outside waiting for my hound pup to poop. I wasn't nervous about the ones calling, but about which ones they might pull out of the woods around me to go see who was making a commotion about what.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

mickeysdad said:


> No he's right - after he mentioned that I decided to read up on the regs. Coyote are the only critters you're allowed to trap *without* a trapping license.
> 
> I ordered a snare catalog today. They were going *crazy* around my house last night. I heard multiple yotes calling from 3 distinct locations ranging from what sounded like 1/2 mile to 1 mile away. Made me a little nervous as I stood outside waiting for my hound pup to poop. I wasn't nervous about the ones calling, but about which ones they might pull out of the woods around me to go see who was making a commotion about what.


What happens if something other than a coyote gets caught that requires a trapping license? (Not saying you're wrong, I don't trap. Just curious if this could become a problem if you don't have a license.)

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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

My bad. I thought there was a separate trapping license. I knew about the "fur takers permit" not being applied to coyotes.

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## mickeysdad (Mar 10, 2010)

Bad Bub said:


> What happens if something other than a coyote gets caught that requires a trapping license? (Not saying you're wrong, I don't trap. Just curious if this could become a problem if you don't have a license.)
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


I'm no lawyer, but I think you're clear so long as you're setting up for coyote and doing so intelligently (e.g. in a known coyote corridor or path)


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## FISH DINNER (Jul 23, 2010)

You don't have to have a furbearer's permit for yotes. However, you still need to be careful where you put your snares. For those of you suggesting that snares around a gutpile are a good idea, you might want to read the regs first. Snaring or leg holds around a certain distance from an exposed gut/kill pile is in violation, no matter what your target species is. Trust me, I know. My friend received a citation from the warden (on his own property), and yes, I was there when it happened. Additionally, for those of you who believe the misnomer that yotes are individual/solitary hunters, I hate to break it to you, but that is also incorrect. I have multiple trail camera photos from _my_ camera, not someone elses, of up to four yotes at a time travelling/hunting together. If I get time later I will try to post the evidence since seeing is believing, but I don't have the photos with me at the moment.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

I don't have any pics of 4 together but here are a couple pics of 2 yotes together.


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## FISH DINNER (Jul 23, 2010)

Those are some nice pics bobk. Clearly they seem to be getting along with one another. Here are a couple of the ones I have from this season. I definitely have a lot more photos but these are two of the better ones. I see no evidence from these photos to suggest that coyotes are any more solitary or any less of a threat than wolves.


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## eyecatchum2 (Mar 30, 2010)

People think that coyotes are lone hunters, that is true before late winter when they pack hunt more for larger prey, and can actually run healthy deer long enough that they are easy to kill. Coyotes are will kill anything they are able to, not just the sick or weak. I once saw 3 coyotes chase an 8pt. buck onto the ice at West Branch and eat probably close to 25lbs off of him while trying to get away on the ice, impossible with hooves. We had to put the deer down because he was missing the whole front of his neck (wind pipe from top of his chest to his jaw) along with most of his hind quarters, he was almost dead from shock when we got to him.

There have also been studies of coyotes in large urban areas, the study of the coyotes in Chicago was an eye opener to the numbers living there. Also reports from somewhere on the east coast where they were replacing a culvert pipe under the road that was partially collapsed, inside they found something like 30+ pet collars that they where taking there to eat.


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