coyote – The Outdoors Guy

February 4, 2015September 5, 2017

Mystery attack on horse possibly a cougar

(These graphic images show the extent of injuries sustained by Christa Fraser’s horse)

But what really attacked Christa Fraser’s horse? Was it a coyote as reported initially?

Can only be one thing in my opinion….and it aint a Sasquatch!

According to Fraser, who stated “I don’t believe that one lone coyote would get between two horses and attack one of them in broad daylight”, and goes-on to explain that it doesn’t fit with a coyote’s hunting pattern and the wound is not consistent at all with a coyote attack.

The National Capital Commission first sent out a release Sunday advising the public to be on the lookout for a coyote spotted in the vicinity then Tuesday, they updated details of their advisory asking residents and farmers to increase safety measures for livestock and pets.

Trails were closed and traps were installed and NCC will continue to monitor the area.

But how big were said traps??

Ms. Fraser contacted the Sun to explain she found one of her two horses “severely wounded” in the paddock, 50-feet from her front door and wanted to warn her neighbors to be on the lookout for the dangerous animal.

Even Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Dr. Brent Patterson studied the photos of the horse’s wounds and ruled out coyotes, bobcats or cougars as the culprits but suggested perhaps a ‘foreign animal’ could be to blame.

Patterson explained that “There are strange exotic domestic animals in large areas like Ottawa” and that they do tend to escape from time to time.

So, what really attacked Ms. Fraser’s horse?

Well, my first thought would have been a cougar, but Dr Patterson ruled that out, so the only reasonable explanation is the Sasquatch from the Patterson-Gimlin film footage!

Hmmm…Dr. Patterson…Patterson-Gimlin, that is a little ironic, don’t you think??

Anyone own a Big Foot trap?

Outdoorsguy

Note: Read ahead to comments, as there has been developments in this case (including an interview I did with Christa Fraser) since my initial post went live.

The following image, taken 2011 in Michigan, shows a radio-collared and ear-tagged cougar. According to Michigan DNR, the closest state with radio-collaring program is North Dakota, of course this case may have originated from Canada as well.

It does demonstrate how cougars can travel very long distances from the home range.

December 11, 2014

Canid conundrum continues

The following photos were taken around my hunt camp, near Mont Tremblant, Quebec, about 3 years ago showing what I believed at the time, to be images of an eastern wolf pursuing a whitetail deer.

But was it really a wolf? Could it have been a coyote-wolf hybrid?

Thanks to fishr for putting me on an episode of the Nature of Things with David Suzuki, where they featured the Coywolf, its biology, evolution and how their population continues to expand throughout North America.

http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episodes/meet-the-coywolf

It was pointed out that in Algonquin Park alone, 1/3 of the predators examined in a recent study turned out to be the hybrid Coywolf, while the bulk of animals captured were eastern coyotes and, to a lesser degree, the eastern wolf.

The theory is that eastern wolf eradication programs in the early 1900’s created a ‘predator void’ in central and eastern NA, whereby coyotes from the south moved northward to establish a new home range.

As these adaptable southern yotes arrived with few predators to speak of (besides man) and since most of the eastern wolves were gone(but not all), they managed to intermingle with the remaining few wolves in the region.

The eastern wolf began to perceive the eastern coyote as a mate instead of an enemy. Unlike the grey or timber wolf, the eastern wolf will tolerate the eastern coyote.

A distinct hybrid species – the coywolf – was born in 1919!

Not as large or robust as the eastern wolf, but larger and stockier than a typical eastern coyote.

Researchers in Nova Scotia maintain that the coywolf is actually dominating in numbers and growing more aggressive with time. Other researchers in big US Cities like Chicago are studying movements and growth of Urban coywolves.

So, who’s to say what the bulk of the predators are in this region? My guess is, we still have a mix of natural eastern coyotes, some coywolves, and just north of us in the upper valley and across the river, there remains a small number of eastern wolves as in the photos above.

I invite you all to send in your predator pics, so that we may dissect the crap out of them, and come up with a reasonable identity of the animal in question: (t[email protected])

Of the hundreds of predator images Ive taken around my house (within Ottawa City Limits) I see very few that fall into the ‘coywolf’ category based on what I now know.

Outdoorsguy

March 3, 2014

Coyote Seminar – Getting to know our wiley neighbours

A seminar entitled; Coyotes – Getting to know our wiley neighbours, came to Ottawa Friday night…too bad I only heard about it on Saturday after reading SUN Columnist Susan Sherring’s article.

According to Sherring’s column, the seminar given by Dr. Stan Gehrt – a world renowned wildlife ecologist from Ohio State University… was brought to the nation’s capital to “provide insight on how people in urban and rural developments can coexist with coyotes,”

It would have been nice to attend this seminar since it is topic near and dear to a lot of people’s hearts in this City and something I have been covering over the past few years, however no one in the City thought to mention it. Having someone who covers the outdoors locally attend the seminar, and then sharing details afterward would have been a terrific idea, don’t you think?

Ottawa’s wildlife seminar series is intended to increase residents’ knowledge and appreciation of wildlife to “promote coexistence through understanding and respect.”

Did anyone attend this seminar, I invite you to share the details of what was presented. There seemed to be some concern over the cost of this seminar, although I find $1300 to be minuscule compared to the importance of dealing with the Urban coyote situation we have.

Outdoorsguy

June 17, 2013

Coyote Cull planned for Larose Forest?

Ok folks, word on the street is that a well-orchestrated coyote hunt is planned for Larose Forest in Bourget.

Dare I say the word ‘cull’ or would that jinx things??

Anyhow, my sources tell me this ‘controlled hunt’ is scheduled for early this summer (possibly Canada Day long weekend) and involves at least 2 officials possibly from the MNR, as well as other concerned members from the community of Bourget.

A burgeoning coyote population has wreaked havoc on eastern Ontario over the last 10 years, and the fragile Larose Forest (home to self-sustaining populations of moose and deer) has been no exception.

This spring, for example, an orphaned deer fawn was discovered cowling under a Bourget resident’s porch, badly bleeding and injured from an apparent coyote attack. The doe was nowhere to be seen presumably killed by one of the hundreds of marauding yotes that call the eastern Ontario their home.

Although details remain sketchy, this organized coyote hunt will include well planned out drives of specific areas of the forest, with hopes of harvesting as many coyotes as possible. There will be several ‘shifts’ of hunters taking part and a handful of local residents, who have Ontario hunting credentials, were asked to assist in the hunt.

I have sent a request to the MNR for more information on this initiative and also to commend them on something that should have done long ago. With a bit of luck, similar organized coyote hunts could be planned for other areas within City limits, but I won’t hold my breath.

Any more information on this initiative please drop us a line!

Stay tuned for more updates….

Outdoorsguy

February 20, 2012

Coyote versus raccoon results may surprise you

Everyone knows how much I enjoy playing with trail cameras. Its not only a past-time, it’s a real passion of mine.

Passionate about trail-cams? Is that even possible?

The use of wildlife surveillance is not only addictive, but is as close to hunting as it gets. The thrill of the catch is there, and knowledge and understanding your quarry is also required for proper trail cam set-ups, just like hunting. And as with hunting, you must have at least some comprehension of wildlife patterns and movements to be a successful trail-camer.

Even after taking (& studying) tens of thousands of trail-cam images over the past 7 years or so, I do occasionally surprise myself by capturing a rarity or some neat occurrence in the outdoors.

For example, I have taken several trailcam images of flying-squirrels which is a real rarity captured on surveillance camera.(At least for me it is) Above all else, I find hunting with trail cameras to be great education and a fabulous tool for learning more about wildlife behaviour and interaction.

This past weekend, I captured a series of photos which, I believe, has helped shed some light on a subject I have often wondered about.

Coyotes versus Raccoon

Do coyotes actively pursue raccoons, and if so, are they successful at it?

Coyote predation on the raccoon is something I had secretly hoped was going-on behind the scenes, it would be the one silver lining in an otherwise dark room with our burgeoning coyote population. If these yotes could help manage the coon population they would, at least, be serving as a biological control for another critter in an apparent population boom.(Much in the same way the red fox helps control squirrel numbers in some areas.)

Well, finally I have some hard evidence on the subject and the results may surprise you!

Here in this first photo, a raccoon is seen on the skidoo trail.

The raccoon walks off the skidoo trail and into some brush on the left.

13-second later a coyote appears on the skidoo trail staring in the direction of the raccoon.

Mr coyote is wondering where the raccoon disappeared to

The coyote sniffs the coon tracks while standing there.

16-seconds later, the raccoon suddenly returns into to view; (see glowing eyes)staring straight at the coyote at a distance of perhaps 20 feet.

A stand-off ensues – neither the coyote nor the raccoon move a muscle.

Coyote and raccoon continue the staring contest

Blog10

18-seconds later coyote can be seen with its head turned; this time looking down the skidoo trail and away from the raccoon. The coon has now disappeared from view.

Coyote continues looking down skidoo trail and away from the raccoon. There is no real concern or interest in pursuing the coon at this point.

Coyote eventually looks back in the direction of where the raccoon had been, but it is gone.

Now the coyote too disappears from view. It trotted down the skidoo trail without taking a single step towards the raccoon.

Evidentally the coon was not too scared of the coyote either, as if it perceived there to be no real threat. In the early images you can clearly see the coon had disappeared from view and then came back to check-out the coyote.

So, do eastern coyotes hunt raccoons?

According to this photo series, coyotes have no interest what-so-ever in raccoons as prey. (At least this particular coyote didn’t)

Outdoorsguy

Footnote:
To show how brave these raccoons can be, check-out these photos provided by ‘matt’. You have to look closely at what is poking out of the bear’s bait bucket:

That’s one brave little coon!!!

October 6, 2010

Trail camera bragging board

First off, I would like to thank everyone who participated in this first Trail Camera Bragging Board.

Without all you guys in the field, this never would have been possible.

It is truly amazing to see how many people today are using modern wildlife surveillance equipment as a scouting tool for big-game. I, for one, am a huge proponent of trail cameras for a variety of outdoor situations.

So without further ado…sit back and enjoy some of the incredible photographs provided by the many fanatical readers and contributors of the Outdoors Guy Blog!

In this first image, our friend “Trapper” sent in this photo I call ‘a covey of coons’ Trapper says it’s going to be a great trapping season at this location for obvious reasons:

Here is a fine collection of images submitted by “Billy in the Valley”. They include a shot of Billy’s ‘deluxe tree stand in the sky’, a fine-looking black bear and a great whitetail buck (Which, I’m told, he harvested shortly after that photo was taken) and a raven(or crow) that Billy calls the ‘Black Angel’.

Here is Chessy’s contribution proving that coyote’s do enjoy eating apples (among other things):

Here are some truly unique shots of ‘bucks in velvet’ sent-in by Shawn Lyons. They were taken with incandescent flash (you can tell because its the only way night images will ever appear in colour)

I suggested to Shawn that he consider changing his camera angle, but apparently it’s because the deer are so close when the images were taken. Whatever the case, Shawn’s photos offer a neat perspective:

Here is Rick Poulin with the fine buck he took in September during his annual hunting trip to Manitoba. I know its not a trail camera image, but I have been meaning to post it.

Nice job Rick!

McDan sent in these great deer feeding photos; including one spectacular ray of sunlight…perhaps that is the Deer Gods shining down on him…thanks Dan!

In these images, you’ll see ‘yours truly’ trying to contact someone on the two-way radio and delivering some apples. In the third photo a doe can be seen wondering what happened to the Acorn Rage. I’ve also included a bonus photo of my old friend Grand Daddy…for no other reason than I simply like to stare at him!

Our ‘Whitetail Guru’ friend Rick Poulin just sent-in some excellent ‘Before and After’ photos of a whitetail buck and black bear. Below, Rick Poulin’s trail cam pics show a buck and boar which were later harvested by he and his hunting partner:

Rick’s ‘Before’ bear:

Rick’s ‘After’ bear (the black animal on the left) :

Rick’s ‘Before’ buck:

Rick’s ‘After Buck’:

Finally, here is one of Rick’s favourite trail camera photos; he regards as one of the best he’s ever taken (and you can see why):

Billy of the Valley sent it a close-up shot of his Mega tree-stand which, unfortunately, rules out any chance of a Lady Gaga after party:

Sorry to Terry Alguire for over-looking his collection of trail cam images from 2009 (Obviously Terry is surrounded by a plethora of wild game):

Great looking buck but what the heck happened to his ear? I once had a German Sheppard with a lazy ear like that. Was that an old injury, Terry?

Reader Serge Picard(aka 3D Man) just returned from a successful moose hunt in 15B and provided these incredible timber wolf photos below. After tagging out on moose, Serge tried baiting some bears and these timber wolves showed up.

With all the photos we’ve seen of eastern coyotes (brush wolves) you can sure tell the difference when looking at images of bona fide timber wolves.

Jeff Scharf – who has a hunt camp in Barry’s Bay – is an avid hunter and a follower of the Blog. He told me that while over in Afghanistan he’d log onto the OttawaSun.com whenever he had the chance, just to read the Outdoors Guy. In Jeff’s words; “When you are stuck in the middle of the desert, it was sure nice to read about the hunting and fishing back home’. Thanks Jeff for the fabulous image of two very inquisitive bucks, and best of luck finding them this fall. Great looking owl too..what is that Rick, a Barred Owl??

Here are Savage Joe’s trail cam images taken in the span of just one week. SJ says he is a long-time reader and first time contributor, and from what I see here he needs to contribute more!.

Talk about variety!!!

Here is trout expert Grant Bailey’s contribution of a fine 8-point and some gobblers – showing clearly that the man is much more than just brook trout:

Now, if I have somehow forgotten your trail camera image, please let me know and I’ll post it right away. If anyone else has images they would like to share, let ‘er rip!

Ahhh, isn’t Fall a wonderful time of year when captured on a trail cam…..

Outdoorsguy