7 Replies to “Coyote talk on Doc and Woody Show”

  1. I think the coyote talk is based on misinformation e.g. it is hard to distinguish the coyote from the timber wolf … it is the eastern wolf that this ‘new’ coyote is hard to distinguish from … what we have around ottawa are: coyotes (the small western form), the eastern wolf, and the eastern coyote (a hybrid resulting from the eastern wolf and coyote breeding) … if you require further information I would be happy to respond

  2. Leigh, as fun as it would be to challenge your so-called information, my point here obviously flew way over your head..the coyote – in whatever variation you choose – is a problem in many parts of Canada due to burgeoning populations….there is no arguing that, it is a fact.

    Their numbers need to be thinned, and the only way to effectively do that at this point is by killing them. Sorry, I know its harsh.

    So, because I have referred to a Canis lupus as ‘grey wolf’ or ‘timber wolf’, instead of eastern wolf I am somehow spreading misinformation? Unless you can prove to me you have spent 20 years studying predators in the wild as a wildlife biologist, and you now have some breakthrough answer to this coyote problem, I think we all know where the misinformation is coming from.

    So, without splitting hairs any further, now that you’ve proven you can read a science book, perhaps you have a better way to deal with our coyote problem?

    Oh, by the way, the true hybrid cross between a coyote and wolf is a called a ‘coywolf’, not an eastern coyote. Eastern coyote’s are descendants of their western cousins..

    Outdoorsguy

  3. Well Jeff,the coyote cull will be even more controvercial.One of our outdoor store suppliers in the westend called AL”S CORNER STORE has launched there own contest.There is a lot of good prizes for the heaviest yote.And we have been compared to a “banana republic” by a rep from the west carleton wildlife assoc. for even wanting to get involved.The farmers according to the rep Donna Dubreuil don’t like any wildlife.Now these contests are great but will only work if there is lots of partisipants so the word has to get out . We as hunters need to stand up and be counted because according to” Miss Donna” nobody supports this type of thing,so the eyes will be on these events.Also i hope enough farmers get pissed off by her remarks that they will allow some hunters to gain access to there property to hunt.For more imfo peaple can call 613-623-7463

  4. Hi Jeff,

    Sorry to disappoint you Jeff, but nothing flew over my head and sorry if I disappoint you even more by having only done 5 years of field research on these animals (which I am still currently conducting) and not the 20 years that you would prefer. But incase, you are intertested in knowing, I do possess a trappers license and a small games license.

    I am not arguing if there is/is not a problem with coyotes, I was just trying to have the canids identified correctly that’s all. As I said before, an Eastern coyote (Canis latrans var.) is indeed a hybrid resulting from the Eastern wolf (Canis lycaon) and coyote (Canis latrans). As an aside, the Eastern coyote is also known as the ‘brush wolf’, the ‘tweed wolf’ and to some, the ‘coywolf’.

    Thanks for providing me with this opportunity to engage with others about this subject Jeff.

  5. Ok Leigh, now we’re talking!

    So, in your opinion then, are we over-reacting to the coyote issue? Would you also agree then that the eastern Coyote has played a role in the wolf’s demise?

    What to do now, Leigh? Should we trap, snare or hunt these predators or simply learn how to live with them?

    Thanks for the reply…

    Outdoorsguy

  6. Hi Jeff,

    In my opinion there most certainly is a legitimate concern regarding the issue of coyotes/eastern coyotes in various rural areas of Ottawa. I have worked on a sheep-coyote depredation study before so I certainly can empathize with the loss of one’s livestock.

    Since the Eastern wolf (Canis lycaon) evolved from the coyote (Canis latrans) on this continent and not from the gray/timber wolf (Canis lupus), which came over from Eurasia and, given that the Eastern coyote is the result of the Easten wolf and coyote mating, then perhaps the Eastern wolf is not really in a state of demise but instead is returning to it’s natural evolutionary roots.

    In my own research (I am an independent researcher and self-funded) I am actually dealing with whether or not the hybridization of the Eastern coyote with the Eastern wolf is actullay a threat or if it is a natural progression of the ‘survival of the fittest’ line of thinking.

    As far as I see it. if the Eastern coyote performs the same function in an ecosystem as the Eastern wolf (i.e. manage deer no.’s) then I am all for it’s existance. Why the Eastern coyote is maligned more as an inferior coyote than it is a superior wolf still perplexes me for it reminds me of “old school” views of mixed racial marriages where societies have often judged one of the persons as being less than.

    So. yes, I do believe that trapping/hunting is a viable option in order to deal with nuisance species and manage wildlife … we do it to nuisance humans so why not coyotes/wolves/bears,etc. I also believe that we do need to learn to live with coyotes as they do play an esential role as a predator in nature (which includes farm settings). Perhaps as our climate continues to generate a warmer environment we may gain a better understanding as to why the coyotes are becoming more prevalent. Perhaps that cliche “things happen for a reason” is also applicable, who knows, eh?

    I really do appreciate your willingness to engage with me Jeff. I know I might not have any concrete answers on how to solve the coyote problem but I do seek to understand and I am willing to help the farmers who are having coyote problems in any way that I can.

    Leigh

    1. Leigh, thank you for the explanation of coyote – wolf genus and species differences. Although I do have a degree in fish & wildlife biology, another one in environmental management and have observed predators in the wild for over 30 years , I have not done any specific research on them.

      I suppose how we manage the coyote in eastern ON will always be a bone of contention. The City has apparently hired a trapper, which I do not see as a viable short term option as I know first-hand the difficulty involved in trapping and even snaring coyotes. Hunting is probably a better choice.

      The problem I have is with the coyote’s apparent ‘function in the ecosystem’ – controlling deer numbers, as you’ve mentioned. It was once felt that predators only took the old and weak from the herd, however, under extremely harsh winter conditions I know this is not the case. Healthy animals are taken down with some regularity under these conditions, throwing the ‘survival of the fittest’ theory out the window.

      As a conservationist I believe hunters play a more crucial role in managing/controlling deer numbers. At least we have a higher level of appreciation for population numbers than predators who kill indiscriminately.

      We are fortunate this winter to have very little snow and deer in many areas have not even needed to yard-up, but I shutter to think what would happen with 4 feet of snow on the ground.

      Outdoorsguy

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