Dave, it can and DOES happen. I have seen it once. Domestic dogs, wolves, and coyotes all have the same Genus name. They can all successfully breed with each other. Several factors come in to play. When coyotes mate, they both help raise the litter. Obviously not on the domestic dog's list of things to do after breeding. With no help, the survival rate of the hybrid offspring is very low. Also, for a female coyote to allow a domestic to breed her, I would think that there would be no available male coyotes at the time she is in heat.
Just as a roaming domestic female can breed with several domestic male dogs, a coyote can also breed with a domestic, and then a coyote. Thats why you can see several different shapes, sizes, and colors of pups coming from a domestic female that has been bred by several males.

I sent a the picture to a taxidermist friend of mine this morning. I told him there are still some "non-believers" that dogs and coyotes still cross……….He said that just TODAY, he watched as two domestic dogs were on a female coyote, along with a male coyote. He said the big black lab kept the coyote away and also mounted the female coyote……..

That is also why we have two distinct populations of coyote, and they now call ours the "eastern coyote". Thay do in fact have different genetics, closer to our domestic dogs. Our coyotes are bigger, and vary more in color that what the western coyotes do. Thats because the Eastern 1/2 of the county is more populated, has more homesteads and many more individual farms….all with more dogs. The likelihood of a coyote encountering a domestic dog here, is 50 times greater than say one on the plains of Nebraska or on the large ranches of wyoming. Their genetics are more pure coyote, and are what we envision a "coyote" to be and look like.

On our way to Missouri we saw a coyote laying in a plowed field close to the highway with another one sitting upright about 10 yards away watching traffic go by. Figured they were in the mating process.

Yea that's a nice looking coyote Yaz. I snared another one tonight. Same spot I got the last one in. They like running along that fence. Actually the snare is on this side of the fence but they always, somehow, slide thru to the other side. This one was darker and a lot bigger than any I've caught so far this year. More fat on him than any others too.




Here's the setup he walked into.

Snow goose shoot Dave?

Gilley, that is a great set up!!!!!! I thought you had a hole in the fence that you were snaring in. Nicely colored coyote also, was he rubbed off any yet?

Yep Greg, the annual snow goose trip. Lots of geese but drawing them in was tough. Rained basically all day the first day. Day two was a good time with geese working us all day, mid 30's on the ground. It was muddy, water standing in the field a few inches almost everywhere and cold the last two days. Just a really good time though with thousands of birds, some in your face shoots, beautiful sunrises and sunsets and good sportsmanship in the field. I could hunt those dang birds almost every day.

I done that trip a LOOONNNGG time ago, and had a great time. Problem know is, if I spent that much time on my back, I'd be snoozing the whole day and wouldn't get a shot off!!!! Like to see the white "tornado's" again some day……...

Its the one trip that my wife says she won't give up. Now on to winter steelheads and browns. Sure wish I had a place to trap like you guys are doing though.

No Yaz he was in really good shape. Really thick and heavy, one of the best one's I've caught.

Caught these two bitch coyotes this morning on cattle trails….They were about 40 yards apart. By the look of the number of tracks, I should have made some more sets there.

Man, that first one is a beautiful dog Yaz.

Good to see more catches....nice!

Who's still trapping?

Picked up this male coyote today. His hair wasn't horrible. But for sure past prime. Plenty of cockle-burrs in there too!

It just really articulates how many of these things are running around out there when you guys catch that many in a relatively small area.

That's a good looking dog SS. Not too bad for this time of year. I'm still after them SS! Just moved some unproductive snares over to the pasture where I caught the last two. It appeared that there were 4 that moved through. I got a couple more cattle paths covered. Hopefully in a week or so, they move back through. It's just like fishing at the end of the day…."just ONE more cast"!!! I keep saying…."just ONE more coyote"!

Dave,
I was at a funeral viewing for one of the neighbors Friday evening. Of course all the neighbors, and all the farmers in the neighborhood were there. One of them that owns right across the road, that lets me hunt, trap, and basically do what ever I want, asked if I was still trapping coyotes, and was asking how many off their place etc. I wasn't the one to bring it up…..But, before the night was over, I had more ground to coyote trap than I could cover if I did it full time!!!!!! At this time, I am only trapping one 160 acre spot where we do the calving, one 10 acre patch of the neighbors, and a 30 acre pasture on our North farm two miles away where we summer pasture cattle/calves. It about more than I can cover now!! What most of them don't realize is, I am already trapping "their" coyotes…..It just on the places I have snares/traps set….

BTW Sticksender….He looks like he's cross-eyed!!!!

I'm still at it SS. Seems like I get about 1 a week. Thinking about pulling them this weekend, just not enough action for me now for the trip everyday. I'm gonna start calling them for the next few weekends and see how that works out.

Yep his left eye was dark-looking, and not moving normally.

Guess I spoke to soon. Caught this guy tonight I think that makes 2 this week.

Nice one!

Might have been due to the sudden lack of air…….

Ah HAH!!!! That's the reason I won't quit Gilley!!! Just about the time I think they've quit coming……. Nice looking dog too!

Cmon Gilley….just ONE more coyote!!!!!

Nice pics guys!!!!

Where's your coyote pic????

Lol guess i would need to have some snares out

May have to go another week. I wanted to catch up with SS on numbers but I think I'd have to trap all summer. LOL

I think you and I BOTH would have to trap all all summer!!!! It looks like its going to stay cold for a few more days….as long as I can quickly drive through the fields on frozen ground ground, I'll keep em out. Next thaw out, they'll be moved up around the barn lots, and around close where I can see em from the house or barn lots……Lot of "pre-spring" projects to get done so I can FISH!!!!!

Ok…..just ONE more!!!!

Nice one Yaz. Thats what I'm gonna do too. As soon as it starts thawing I'm gonna pull what I have left. If I cant drive close to them I'm done. Tired of dragging the ATV all over the place too. I only have 6 still out. As I've been catching them I haven't been replacing any snares.

I've got this one video again checking out the blown out tile hole in a pasture….He worked it for almost two hours night before last. He is the one that I have been after. I watched all the videos, and watched where he put his feet every time he got close. I set it this morning. Totally blind sets, no lure or anything to distract him. hoping to finally get a catch on video!!!

http://youtu.be/eSLyUE4hFGo

Does he show up at the same time every night? Nice one in the pic.

No he does not Dave. Its always past midnight at that spot. Last time was around 2:00AM. This time he was there between 4:50 and 7:00 am. I have gotten pictures of him around noon at one of my tree stand sites in the last couple weeks. Hope his hair is still in good shape. He's one good looking dog! I will say…..the coyotes this year are NOT hungry! They all have been fat! I don't remember the last time I seen coyotes so full of fat this time of year!!! Been pretty mild for them here I guess..

That weed patch is bad luck for 'yotes

I have a cam out in my uplands area that sends pics to my cell phone. If I get Coyote pics, it's almost always between midnight and 3 AM time frame. Whereas the cams down in the thick bottoms area, they will show up any time of day or night.

Stick, They absolutely refused to go through the holes in the fences with snares in them in around that little patch. Dad caught two, and I a couple more in the fence when Dad moved on. After that, they just started refusing them. I just set cattle trails within 40 yards of that same fence line a couple weeks ago….If I'd put them on 20' leads, I wouldn't have to mow that section of weeds down in that part of the pasture this spring!!! Yes, its been good, and I wish I had set in there earlier…..

I have another 5 or 6 acre spot almost like it, but its where all my "pet" deer are spending the winter. They'd just keep knocking the snares over…..

My last 4 have been in weed patch trails. So long as I've got a tree right on the trail its easy setting, If not I have to pound in a stake then I feel like I'm leaving to much scent around. The flag idea is a great idea I'm just afraid they'll fall and then I'm wasting my time if I don't visually see them up, but I guess if I'm walking up to them every day that's probably wasting my time too.

Gilley, I just don't have much of a problem with my snares falling or closing. I even load them up pretty good, and they are like coiled springs. I do keep my locks at like 11:00 or 1:00. That keeps the wind and most little critters from knocking them around....

I caught another tonight, and had one CHEW out of another cable!! Had them rub a snare in 1/2 on a fence before, but never chew one off!!

Dang, bet he'll have some sore gums.

Yaz, I've got some with the twist on springs that hold up very well but some I just hang with a wire and they tend to fall a little more. I don't really have a problem with them falling just once in a while. Need to get some more of those springs.

I had a sore forehead after I seen it! So we're even!!! I'm out of snares…..got 4 holes now unguarded. Came home, whipped out another dozen, and cooked them in a pot of baking soda first, the a pot of walnut hulls. Can't let them do that to me!!!! I WAS wanting to quit!!!! LOL

I'm thinking I'll keep sets out for a couple more weeks at least. As long as a few keep trickling in.

But with each catch I'll go ahead and retire that spot for the year.

This snare had been hanging totally untouched since early December. Glad I left it in place!

He's a big male with pretty decent color.