Tammy called home a little but ago and asked if I wanted to go for a ride with her as she checked out some possible locations for centralized bus stops in the northern part of clare county. Since I know that is mostly "wild" I said sure. Well, we were going down one of the back roads and something came out of the thick road edge at a bout 120 mile an hour. KATHUMP.
Tammy says OH NO I hope that wasnt a pet. I said not likely, pretty sure it was a coyote. We backed up to the scene and sure enough a coyote. After reading this thread, (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=13979.0) we wern't even sure we wanted to get out of the truck. :D She was still alive but dieing. She broke her neck as she knocked the lense out of one of the daytime driving lights. Other then that, not a mark on her. We picked her up and put her in the cooler we had with us. We were out of cell phone coverage so Tammy used the motorola in the truck to call the bus garage and the DNR, they wanted her to drop it off. Tammy has decided she wants to keep it and have it mounted if they will let her.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/coyote.jpg)
I took a photo of it as she dropped me off and headed out again.
We put the coyote whole in a cooler with two bags of ice for now. Its 93 degrees here. Can anyone tell me the proper proceduresto follow if Tammy decides to have it mounted?
That's 'cool' Jeff.
I'd keep it cool and contact a taxidermist for the next step, which hopefully would be to drop it off at that 'dermist's shop. :)
When do you find out if you can keep it?
Tammy just called me, she stopped by the DNR check station, They said they dont allow you to keep coyotes hi by car. She said she then told them why she was out checking roads and such and they changed thier mind. Changed thier mind? Anyways, she says she has to buy a small game license by midnight and get it to a taxidemist, that the DNR will be checking back to make sure she did those two thing.
Seems a little screwy.
Our Insurance guy is a pretty durn good taxidermist and is also on the school board. Dunno if we can afford him but she was going to check with him.
She asked me how we should have it mounted. I suggested we go down to the junkyard and pick up a chevy truck bumper.... :D THUMP.
Really, any ideas out there? My first one was maybe neck stretched out inquisitivly sniffing a butterfly.
You need to gut it and get it positioned in as close a pose as you want it mounted.
Note: Do not ask how I know this. :D
How about, warily looking about as it eats quail eggs from a nest.
Or sneaking up on a pet poodle. 'course you'll have to find a pet poodle. :-\
She just called again from Joel's insurance office. The Taxidermist. He said DONT GUT! Get the proper paper work, put it with the animal, double bag it and put him in the freezer until he comes by to pick it up.
Joel says next time he has a critter he wants to stuff he is sending tammy to the DNR. He says they dont let him keep anything. Last thing he tried with was a little fawn this spring that popped out of a roadkill doe. They said NOPE.
Sounds to me like some of these permissions are not based on any certain rules and regulations.
How about a pet SCOOTER?
Tom
THAT made me laugh out loud (or ;D ;D ;D :D :D )
And SCOOTER better scoot for cover...... and behave.
My take on the DNR not allowing 'road kill' to be kept, is they don't want to encourage hunting 'with' vehicles. Glad to hear the DNR will let you keep the coyote. Sounds like they can cover for you as long as the 'paper work' is done, even though not by the book. :)
I like the sniffing a butterfly idea because it matches Tammy's avatar. :)
I gave Tammy a break on this one. Let me explain. I am ALWAYS razzing her about killing animals with the car. Cause she does. A LOT, well it seems like a lot. :D It really bothers her too. Today, she was scared to death it was going to be a pet. (there were no houses within 2 miles I bet). If we are driving down the road and we see a squirrel or something that had been hit, I will ask her "when were you down this road?" THUMP
Actually, because of all the rural road time she chauks up while checking road conditions, and the times she is doing it, mostly early, active wildlife movement hours, stuff just happens.
Last year she danG near got a sandhill crane as it swooped out of a ditch in front of her, but it escaped her clutches (THUMP). I'd about guarantee they would deny that. I probably would have had to try and use my MFRA board status to try to get it for educational purposes. ;D
While driving West in January this year, we were told about an 'out-of-the-way' place to stop in SD, and it was a taxidermist near Burke, SD. Out in the wide open boondox, but the showroom was full of mounts of every description and pose.
http://www.petestaxidermy.com/showroom.htm
This guy had a knack for 'posing' animals in very natural-looking ways. A mountain lion about to lay an outstretched paw on the rump of a panicked buck, and a racoon dipping a clam in the water with mounted fish in the 'water' of the pond.
It was indeed a treat to see the showroom, and they apologized that so much of their work was not there but at shows around the country.
I've seen the bird nest idea as well as ones with a hare or two.
I have a pic you might like to see Jeff and will email it to you later if I can find it. Can't post it, sorry. :-\
The worst part to try and keep from spoiling on a canine is the stomache.
Their gut rots shortly after they die unless they are frozen and the skin turns green on the flesh side.
The stomache contents are rotten meat usually so that why it turns bad quickly.
When the belly rots the hair slips on the belly.
That looks like this years pup.
I've put lots of those critters on a board.
Tammy says it weighs 37 lbs. counting the two garbage bags.
Here's what they look like in the winter ..
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10030/winter%20coyote.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10030/winter%20coyote%202.JPG)
Let me know if she finds a good recipe for that thing. :-X
Seein' as how there isn't a hunting season on them, least ways not here that I know of. What would have happened if you said "I clubbed him with a stick?" Could you have kept him then?
Thats the thing, there is a season on them and it is open.
Clubs aren't considered a legal means of taking game in Mi and you'd probably be arrested for animal cruelty. ::) ;)
how about something to do with a road runner ? ? ?
or are they to hard to thump
Wildflower IS the road runner! :o
Ducking for cover now! :D :D :D
She said she didn't swerve to hit it.
...but she didn't swerve to miss it either!
according to Jeff an eye witness.
:D :D :D :D :D :D
Usually a couple of them critters around the woodlot because they travel back and forth to the cow carcassess dumped in the woods by the farmer 'over the hill'. Every time I see one I either don't have the camera or they are too far away. I like them around to clean up on the hares. We have open season on them (coyotes) most of the year.
I've seen a few mounts of coyotes. They are usually mounted as if they are trotting and tung hanging out. It would be neet to see one mounted as if it were to pounce on a mouse in the snow. ;D
This guy was braver than most coyotes I've seen. ;D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_coyote.jpg)
That guy sure does look healthy looking. Compared to the skinny poor looking coyotes I've seen around here that sure does look like a 'wolf' even though I can't remember ever actually seeing one. :)
This one was on my woodlot this morning. They eat pretty good around here because of all the hares and the farmers that dump dead cow carcasses in the woods. It was a good size, but smaller than wolves I've seen in BC.
Speaking of wolves, the DNR is actually thinking about taking the wolf off the endangered species list here in Michigan and allowing limited hunting of them.
They are doing a phone survey on the subject currently.
Farmerdoug
I was surprised down here that we have coyotes. :o They are a real problem with chickens. When I was young I used to have a 220 Swift for varmint - perhaps I will get one again. I could take out a coyote at 500 yards with that gun! (Tripod of course)
We have some really interesting animals down here like a Tira (tolomuco is another name) - about 3 feet long member of the weasel family. I have seen about 4 of them so far. I also saw a river otter one day. Very cool - it was in a redirected stream heading between the river and the forest. I was on a horse at the time so it allowed me to seem him - but I wish I had the camera ready.
There were three coyotes around last night in the snow storm. I walked up the woodlot and seen the tracks.
The other day (Wednesday) I saw a goshawk nab a grouse. I walked up to it and there was another grouse to my surprise running away about 20 feet from the hawk. :o I saw him again yesterday in the same spot. I guess he hunted along that stretch of road because it's all closed in like a tunnel where the grouse feel safe. ;D
I originally thought it was a female marsh hawk until I noticed it had white fluffy feathers on it's tale end.
During our gun season for deer last weekend Chad hit a coyote on the run at 60 yards with a slug. It was wounded and trying to make its way across the field.
We hunt with radios so we can let each other know whats coming and since I didnt see the coyote Chad used the radio to let me know where he was.
I got down from my stand since the other two guys with us had already shot there deer and I went to the field where chad lost site of him. Chad is spotting me into the zone and tells me to come 50 yards north. I do that and cant see a coyote ANYWHERE in this plowed feild. He told me come a couple steps farther and he should be right there.
I took those two steps and as soon as my foot hit the ground on the second step not 3 feet to my right in a dead furrow created by the old plow was this coyote GROWLING at me like he was going to eat me alive. I swung the bolt action slug gun on him and squeezed the trigger. DEAD COYOTE.
I think I will stick to my 220 Swift for those long shots on the dogs becuase this was definatly to close for comfort.
Man, I hate when things like that happen. I always have to reach over and get a rock and pound my chest to get my heart started again... :o
I will admit the last time it happen was when I walking down a trail with Hector. He said, Fred, look to your left. About 2 feet away I was eyeball to eyeball with an 8 foot boa constrictor. ::)
Thankfully it wasn't the big one...
:D :D :D What would ya have done? ;D
Get it mounted in a sitting position Jeff and put it in the livingroom!! Great conversation piece!!
And Kirk you mention being close to a yote!! Well when I go yote hunting I use calls mainly rabbit squeals. Well I busted loose one morning playing the old dying rabbit blues and 3 coyotes come exploding out of the buches and the one ran up toe to toe with me and actually stepped on my boot before he realize I was a little bigger rabbit then he wanted to tackle!! I was about as shocked as he was, I swear that yotes eyes got as big as quarters when he looked up at me. I stood up and he took off running towards my dad and I was not going to shoot so I swung to the one in back of me that was no more then 8 yards from me and let him have it with the .204!! Was my heart pounding out of my chest that morning!!
~TG~
I've never had trouble with coyotes, but I have been surprised a few times with them. They've never shown their teeth, nor have they charged me. Most often times they make themselves scarce and keep a very wide distance from me, unless by accident I happen upon them. If I didn't have coyotes, the hare would have my plantation ruined. In fact we had a 10 acre plantation where the hare ruined it entirely, no coyotes. >:(
I read a research paper on the coyotes from the area where SwampDonkey lives. A scientist looked at the dna profile of the eastern coyote and found that the DNA was a mixture of western coyote and central Canada/US timber wolves. It is likely that the eastern coyote is a hybrid between the western coyote and the timber wolf, hence their large size.
I've seen them in the 50-70 lb range in New Brunswick. I've also seen some puny, mangey yotes too (15-20 lbs).
Another Coyote
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/MFDC0538.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/MFDC0539.JPG)
Is he laying down peacefully now Ron?
My bride spent her whole life in the big city so our move to an acreage near a small town is a real eye opener. The neighbor has seen a sow with two cubs recently, we have seen evidence of her presence at the compost box. We have also had deer droppings on the deck.
Last night we slept with the door to the veranda open, just a screen between us and the great outdoors. Just after three we were wakened by a serenade, sounded like the yotes were in the pasture directly below the house. Karen slept with one eye open after that. :D
We have a large pack of coyotes but they respect our 4 foot fence of our large yard. We will see them run around the perimeter of the fence - but they stay on their side...
They keep the woods clean, the rabbits down, and the turkeys "nice and lean" :D :D :D
I have to admit, when we are sitting out at night and you hear the pack closing in on something... the calls coming in quicker and quicker, and then a FRENZY... and then silence...... well, it makes the hair stand up on your neck.
All I can say is that we have lost no chickens to coyotes and yet lost several (and two ducks) to black bear.... we like the coyotes!!! :o
-Dad2FourWI
Your city girl should be used to coyote according to
www.Urbancoyoteresearch.com
Cook County Illinois aka Chicago they have 1500-2000 coyote and have been tracking them with GPS collars
She has heard coyotes in the past, lots in the BC lower mainland, but never that close.
For every one you see, there are twenty that you will never see. Very opportunistic predator. In Nebraska, "Deader is Better" when it comes to coyotes.
Out on an early morning hunt.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/RCX_0081.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10034/Coyote_201506.jpg)
How's this for an ugly coyote? I caught it on trail cam about a month back.
Yep he's ugly, had one just like that following me with the silage cutter last year or the one before, looking for mice I'd guess. Poor thing really should have been put out of his misery, manegy and starving.
I agree Bibby, that is one ugly yote. :-\
Coyote pups.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/EK000020~0.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/EK000021.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/EK000022.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/EK000041~0.JPG)
Reminds me I saw some fox pups this week. :)
a woman was Treed by a Coyote yesterday in South Jeresy
she was on a walk alone
she stayed in the Tree 5 hours :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/PICT0027~2.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/PICT0033.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/PICT0034.JPG)
Nighttime Coyote
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/PICT0173.JPG)
On the hunt!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/PICT0031~3.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22514/IMG_4636.JPG)
This is the shop at our "new" place, about 6 am one day I was laying flooring and had went to get more when I noticed something moving in the yard. I thought it was just a big tomcat I'd been seeing around, only caught a glimpse but when I went out I saw a coyote pup wander into the North door so I snuck up in front of my pickup and waited for him to come out the South door which was also open at the time, knelt down and when it came out said hey buddy whatcha doin, he froze in his tracks and very slowly turned his head to look, it had the oh shucks I've been caught look all over it, then scampered off :D.
Afternoon hunt.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/PICT0203.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/MFDC2880.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/MFDC2526.JPG)
Ron do you hunt for them up there it looks to be in 20-30lb range
Yes, they are hunted here during a July 15-April 15 season or can be taken at any time on private land if they are doing damage. They can also be hunted during night time hours with a fur bearers license and game or predator call from October 15-March 1.
Coyote hunters do hunt this property. A large coyote came by my tree stand one afternoon last week, while I was bow hunting, but not quite in range for a good shot.
Ron, I had a neighbor nicknamed Slim, he was a large guy, one night he and a few buddies went out to call coyotes. Picture this, nice full moon, snow on the ground, you could see everything but, they called in a mountain lion instead (not unheard of but very unusual around here to see one). They were perched on some big round hay bales and he beat them all back to the truck, never went out again :D.
Quote from: sandhills on October 22, 2015, 07:33:51 PM
Ron, I had a neighbor nicknamed Slim, he was a large guy, one night he and a few buddies went out to call coyotes. Picture this, nice full moon, snow on the ground, you could see everything but, they called in a mountain lion instead (not unheard of but very unusual around here to see one). They were perched on some big round hay bales and he beat them all back to the truck, never went out again :D.
I think I would have left a brown streak some place :D
Site where photos of coyote pups were taken earlier this summer.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/MFDC3117.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/MFDC3141.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/MFDC3155.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/MFDC3163.JPG)
Found this in the nearby area; either shot and not retrieved by a hunter and eaten or a direct coyote or bear kill since it is a very small deer.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/IMG_1403.JPG)
I know a man down here who owns a Red deer hunting facility and he told me the other day that the coyotes have killed 12 of his new born stock already this year. They are a problem in certain areas.
Late Night coyote.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/PICT0143.JPG)
Where is everyone?
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/PICT0468.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1464046844)
Soaking up some morning sun.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/MDGC0010~0.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1466027670)
I am fascinated by your pictures. I wish that my place was close enough that I could set out cameras and check them regularly.
Quote from: Magicman on June 15, 2016, 08:13:20 PM
I am fascinated by your pictures. I wish that my place was close enough that I could set out cameras and check them regularly.
Your to busy taking pictures of food. :) But I'm not complaining.
When I get back up at the farm at the new house, I'm investing in one of them trail cams. I have paths and trails busy with moose, yotes and bear moving about. Sometimes a deer. :)
I hope the bear don't find it, they chew anything plastic. Even pruning saws. :D
They do make bear guards for some of the camera brands. I have two Moultrie cameras with two such guards and they have been scratched up by the bears. The camera that took the above coyote picture has a bear guard on it since that is in an active bear area.
I think I had 2 younger coyotes in my pasture last evening, both about 4" taller then a red fox that was out there also but about 100 yds away. They were playing in the mud around my back pond, one of them was rolling around in it, turned them a brownish black. Positive that they are not wild dogs or someone's pets.
In Nevada we have a lifetime supply. I hear the coyote choir several nights a week. If you have pets, you need a fenced yard here. People lose many pets to coyotes out walking them. Often while on a leash.
One day this spring I went down to get the mail. There was a bald eagle watching me from a telephone pole. He was here for calving season and they eat the afterbirth. While opening the mail box, I could see 4 coyotes plain as day in the alfalfa field across the road. Sometimes we see mountain lions out there. The wild horses come by the back fence. The problem bears at Lake Tahoe get airlifted to the mountains behind the house. Every place has its own wildlife. The places worth living often have lots of it.
Morning Hunt
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/MFDC3859.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1502678860)
My friend just took this picture...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/39553/Coyote.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1503273342)
looks like a fox
That surely is a fox.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22511/PICT0043.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1503446209)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22511/PICT0104.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1503446254)
What do you all think? Fox, coyote
Looks like fox.
I say fox
Looks like a Grey fox.
Don't usually get 2 in the same picture.
I treed 2 of them in a pine tree of evening with my coon hounds.
Quote from: Stoneyacrefarm on August 22, 2017, 09:48:36 PM
Looks like a Grey fox.
Don't usually get 2 in the same picture.
I treed 2 of them in a pine tree of evening with my coon hounds.
Agreed, Gray Fox!
They were running around the last few weeks. I think there were born this spring.
those are some nice looking fox you got up there
Quote from: coxy on August 23, 2017, 07:33:41 AM
those are some nice looking fox you got up there
I guess they eat well. :D :D :D :D
I ain't eatin' um!! :o :D :D :D
come on MM just put some grits on them
At least the Grits would be good.
I'm thinking the fox would have more taste weather it be bad or good :D
I meant the Fox eats well, :D :D
;)
Coyotes make pretty good tamales.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45022/IMG_4507.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1504619664)
Coyotes were out in full force last weekend while we were haying.
Good thing they are pretty harmless for the most part
Looks to be of good size.
Cleaning up all the field mice you squashed.
Course they eat anything else too, rabbits, grasshopper, all around good field cleaners. I bet the owls were out the next night or two as the seed heads attract mice and there short grass makes for happy hunting. I've had 6 really good owl sightings this year, hear them a lot but it is a treat to see them in the summer evenings.
We had 4 different coyotes and 2 red tailed hawks following us around for 4 days.
Pretty amusing.
you don't give any of them a led pill for there last meal ;D
It sure would have happened if I was on one of my fields. :D
Was cutting a field for a friend. I wasn't sure how the landowner would take it if I started slinging lead around his field. fudd-smiley
Night time Stalk
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/PICT0057.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1505099061)
More hay.
More coyotes.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45022/IMG_4513.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1505161961)
Another coyote yesterday.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/45022/IMG_4588.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1505848839)
You are seeing a lot of coyotes. What part of the country are you from?
Western mass.
The land of bears and coyotes.
Lol.
Coyotes are everywhere.
Red,
They sure are.
I've seen more this year than I have in past years.
Was wondering why there seems to be less turkeys in one of my
favorite hunting areas. Found this recently active coyote den nearby.
r>(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/IMG_1638.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1527545479)
I've never seen a coyote den before. :o
Usually built with a south exposure as this one is.
cut our back field on Monday, so I'm seeing coyotes again. They always come out during haying season to look for "collateral damage"...I
Many are getting splattered on the roads around here the past few weeks.
I figure they are so busy feeding and caring the young they are so tired they forget.
Did not Look left or right he did not see the station wagon car the yote got squashed and their you are dead cat dead racoon the blood and the guts will make you swoon. :D
A small coyote enters the picture.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/PICT0019~0.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1566778744)
Finally got my Spartan camera sort of figured out and it sent me a photo of this guy...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25189/210339257Coyote~0.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1566981319)
It is possible I could have some pictures on a camera next time I go up to the cabin. Last weekend we were there. Tammy and I, Harley, Roxie (Stacy's dog) Stacy and family friend Denise. Just at dusk Saturday, I was out with the dogs and there was a long mournful howl way off towards Carlton Lake. No doubt what it was. I got in and told the girls that maybe it would so it again. They came right out. I was first out and heard the end of another howl. They missed it. We waited for a spell, but were cold so I said I could try one more thing. Pete use to hate for me to do it. He said no need to call them in. I figure, If I can hear them, they are already here. So I let out a long low howl. Nothing. So we all went in.
Denise and Stacy were in one room, Tammy and I the other, cept I can't sleep on a bed because of my shoulders so I was on the futon and the easy chair. (Futon: Yooper word meaning not a good couch, not a good bed. ) I wear ear plugs when others are there because I sleep light. I had them in.
At 1:30 am I was awakened by a pack of coyotes, and I mean they were in the yard or the driveway. I opened the door expecting to see them but did not. I turned to grab my phone to try and record and Stacy and Denise came charging out. They did a final round of celebratory yips or what ever they were doing and they were gone. We never saw them but I mean it, they were right there somewhere.
The real odd thing about this is, is that when the wolves are around, you don't ever see or hear coyotes. At least I never have. I don't know what brought them into the yard either unless it was all the new dog scent. A 100 lb dobie and a 120 lb lab had been romping ahead of us on the trails would have been something new for up there.
I've had them kinda close.They get my dog just a barking. Don't mind if she outside,but when she in the house and I am sleeping. >:( I have opened the window a few times and hollered at them. That seems to calm them down and they leave. Or quiet down.
Than for a long time we thought she was barking at the deer in the field. She will lay on the front steps and bark. Once I was working after dark,tractor was off and I heard the coyotes howl and she started to bark. Most times I am on the tractor and can't hear the coyotes. And then sometimes she will try to howl like them.
Often get a coyote crossing in front of the trail camera, and it reacts quickly to the infrared glow of the camera lights at night.
This one made a few attempts to get by. :D :D
https://rumble.com/v292yi0-camera-shy-coyote.html (https://rumble.com/v292yi0-camera-shy-coyote.html)
Sorry for the ad that sneaks in after the 20 second video. Cannot seem to get rid of that.
Healthy looking yote.
Have not heard any yipping at night for a long time now. They must have moved on because a year ago they were around here all winter, a pack of at least 5 because I seen them cross a pasture. I know there are some on the woodlot, but I have not gotten up there this winter with so much ice and crust plus all the shovelling about every day around the yard.
Must have been a crust on the snow, the yote left no tracks!
I never realized that critters could see the cam lite, but lots of times the pics show them staring directly into the camera!
He did not like that at all!!!!
It is common to see a coyotes around the small hay fields near me. I had one on the hilltop grass field that Id see every cutting when I did the raking. That fellow hung around a lot more than any of the others. Id even get about 40 feet up to him before he moved and being this close I noticed he was hoping around on one front leg and held his other leg up with his paw off at an odd angle. This was several years ago and I saw him for three consecutivesummers
Yesterday while putting in maple taps, we saw where two WOLVES met and had a fight.
One of them left, losing a little blood, the other one must have hit a small artery because it was quite steady spraying off to the left side.
The only reason we say it was wolves is because of the size of the tracks, coyote tracks are usually the size of a quarter and sometimes the size of a half-dollar, but these were a little bigger than a silver dollar.
The injured one could have possibly been tracked down and caught up with, he was definitely hurt!
Wolf feet are huge compared to coyotes. Sort of like gray fox tracks are small and round, but red fox tracks are larger and broad. Coyotes tracks are bigger than fox and tend to be oblong. The wolves have very large foot pads. I don't pretend to know what you saw, Chuck, just sayin. A year or two ago a coyote hunter in Otsego County, NY called in and shot what he thought was a big coyote; DNA testing determined it to be a wolf. DEC is telling hunters and trappers to be aware of this and not kill wolves. Knowingly killing a wolf in NY will land you in legal hot water.
Coyotes prints are a lot bigger than silver dollars. There's a cat around here with a print as big as a dollar piece. He roams in the yard at night tripping the garage light to come on. Coyote tracks are over 3" long and wolf is 5" long, 4" wide. Fox is about 2-1/2" long.
Cedar found this on a weekend run to the cabin
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20230219_113424.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1676950858)
Seems whatever it was, ate something with hair and likely had a hard time passing it. ::)
All that hair is good roughage, probably had no trouble at all. :D
Not sure, but this may of been wolf.
A lot of things go into identifying scat. Jeff, I would think wolf or big coyote looks right. If in an area where there are free roaming dogs, dogs that are eating store bought dog food will have scat lacking much hair and homogenous in appearance, like the dog food they eat.
I have friends in town with night scopes now. I think they're up to 18. The session ends March 20th I think for nighttime hunting.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22511/MFDC0756.JPG?easyrotate_cache=1515023160)
Old pix in my yard. Biggest one 5' long 50lb they said.
They have a road kill deer out in the field. 160 yards out. 223 on a tripod.
Last winter the neighbor left a dead cow at the back of his field, the yotes and even the wild turkeys (not vultures) fed on that all winter. There were about 40 turkeys hanging around there. I figure a turkey will eat anything a crow eats when it's cold enough. :D
Quote from: SwampDonkey on March 05, 2023, 03:57:03 AM
I figure a turkey will eat anything a crow eats when it's cold enough. :D
I figure they were eating the maggots.
Winter, Maggots?
Need flies for maggots?
Turkey have no teeth, cannot chew, bugs the only option, and dead maggots are still protein.
Was down in the woods last night sizing up trees and measuring with the full moon. Being able to see the big trees with no light was and always is mystical. But had a hair raising experience of a pack of coyotes that went berserk probably 60 yards over a small bank by the creek. I thought they were for sure coming over the bank our way and going to be in for a big surprise with Diesel and I quiet and alert. They slipped in the CRP. Diesel found the place they were wrestling around on the ground
Matting time now.
Northwest Wisconsin full grown wolf tracks are typically 4-5 inch wide & long. But in the snow it's hard to get a good measurement. I had a pack visit the deer herd the other day, that's been increasing as the snow depth rises where I'm logging this winter. What started out with 6 is 30-40. The deer hear the logging & track down all the tree buds there after. Around dark they move closer to my landing. I must say the wolves are good hunters & don't waste much. It's there getting over populated. Let's just say stray dogs don't last long if they go out in the woods.