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Author
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Topic: Inner Chicago Coyote Study
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Wiley E
Knows what it's all about
Member # 108
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posted April 15, 2003 07:18 AM
Some of you may know that there is currently a radio telemetry coyote study being conducted within Chicago. About 2 miles from O'Hare (sp?) airport to be exact.
Here's an update:
The study has 4 full time employees.
94 coyotes collared so far.
14,000 radio locations taken.
1/3 of the coyotes dispersed out the area.
23 being monitored currently.
NO EVIDENCE OF CROSSING WITH DOGS. Think about that, what greater opportunity to cross with dogs than within Chicago and none did.
Incidental take during capture was less than 10% in snares and all were raccoon.
Coyote mortality during capture was 0.
58% annual survival for all coyotes.
Road kill accounts for 75% mortality. Imagine that!
Being shot is the second most common form of mortality.
Coyotes use railroad and interstates as corridors to traverse through the city.
These coyotes tend to be very vocal and respond to sirens continually.
One pair of coyotes successfully raised a litter of pups in a small patch of brush within a city park.
Less than 5% raccoon mortality due to coyotes.
Home ranges on adult pack coyotes is 9 sq. miles
Home ranges on solitary coyotes is 65 sq. miles
Food - deer (50% of diet in some areas), rabbits, mice (90% of diet in some places), road kill, etc.
Coyotes are also creating intense predation on urban nesting geese.
Coyotes are hammering between 50% - 90% of the urban fawn crop.
Sounds like any other coyotes just that they adapted to the cities.
The established territorial pack coyotes have laid claim to the parks while it appears that the newcomers are living amongst people.
One coyote spend many days within feet of a postoffice.
~SH~
[ April 15, 2003, 07:22 AM: Message edited by: Wiley E ]
Posts: 853 | From: Kadoka, S.D | Registered: Feb 2003
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varmit hunter
Knows what it's all about
Member # 37
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posted April 15, 2003 07:31 AM
Wylie, Thanks for the good info. Can you think of any thing a coyote could do, That would suprise you?.
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Make them pay for the wind.
Posts: 932 | From: Orange,TX | Registered: Jan 2003
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onecoyote
Knows what it's all about
Member # 129
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posted April 15, 2003 08:20 AM
Wiley, that's very interesting but nothing surprises me when it comes to coyotes. I once shot a coyote that had a freash roast beef in it's mouth, string and all. The only place it could have gotten it was out of the kitchen of a nearby mountain top restaurant (it had to sneak in the back door). Another one that comes to mind was in the city of Los Angeles, seems a pack of coyotes in Griffith Park were nipping golfers legs and toes. They had to call in swat who had to call the California Varmint callers to kill off the ambushing canines. I love coyotes, when I die, I want to come back as a coyote LOL. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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Great minds discuss ideas.....Average minds discuss events.....Small minds discuss people.....Eleanor Roosevelt.
Posts: 893 | From: Walker Lake Nevada. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Rich Higgins
unknown comic
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posted April 15, 2003 11:33 AM
Wow, 94 collared coyotes makes for a significant study. Scott, is there any data on the amount of defended territory within the 9 sqare mile home range of the adult pack coyotes? I would like to know if it were perhaps only the choice green areas, a relatively small area of the home range. Also to what extent do the home ranges overlap among the territorial coyotes?
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted April 15, 2003 04:27 PM
Man, I'd love to see a study like that of Bonelli Park and Via Verde, in San Dimas.
Facinating information, Scott!
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32363 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Terry Hunter
Knows what it's all about
Member # 58
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posted April 15, 2003 05:20 PM
Wiley E how long will the study continue?Good info.
Posts: 132 | From: N. Middle Tennessee | Registered: Jan 2003
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Wiley E
Knows what it's all about
Member # 108
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posted April 15, 2003 07:47 PM
VH: "Can you think of any thing a coyote could do, That would suprise you?."
Honestly, no I cannot! Nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to coyotes.
Another thing that was fascinating about this study is that there was also concurrent raccoon and skunk telemetry studies going at the same time. The skunk and coon tended to stay in the parks while the coyotes waded into suburbia.
Can you believe they actually had students throwing nets over these skunks to capture them at night? Scouts honor! I couldn't believe it. There were getting hosed as you would expect. There simply had to be a better way.
I know firsthand that skunks are very susceptible to overdose with knockdown drugs but there had to be a way to gas them or something.
I assisted with the processing of Black Footed Ferrets and they simply run them into a gas chamber to knock them down for processing. ZERO MORTALITY too I might add. They should have been able to do something like that with the skunks.
Dan Hehehe: "I love coyotes, when I die, I want to come back as a coyote"
If you do, pick somewhere where there isn't sheep. I would hate to have to shoot you in your next life. Hehehe!
RH: "Scott, is there any data on the amount of defended territory within the 9 sqare mile home range of the adult pack coyotes?"
I don't know if there is any data available that would confirm the amount of defended territory within these home ranges.
How do you think that could be confirmed?
If you had adjoining coyotes radio collared, which they did, you would probably be able to confirm the boundaries and any overlap. I suppose it would be assumed that any overlap areas might indicate defended territories.
Not sure Rich!
RH: "I would like to know if it were perhaps only the choice green areas, a relatively small area of the home range."
I would think the overlap of adjoining radio collared coyotes would give a person some indication of the defended territories within their home range.
RH: "Also to what extent do the home ranges overlap among the territorial coyotes?"
I can't remember, I just saw a short power point presentation. I am sure it will all be printed eventually.
TH: "..how long will the study continue?"
Not sure Terry!
Guys, I presented pretty much everything I can remember and what I had in my notes.
The one thing that was fairly apparent was that the choicest real estate, from a coyote's perspective and what you would expect, was occupied by the territorial adult pack coyotes.
What I wish I knew a little more about besides some of the overlap that Rich eluded to, is how the social order changes. Meaning, how and when a solitary coyote is taken in by a female if her mate becomes road pizza.
Tats all I know about tis!
~SH~
[ April 15, 2003, 07:53 PM: Message edited by: Wiley E ]
Posts: 853 | From: Kadoka, S.D | Registered: Feb 2003
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onecoyote
Knows what it's all about
Member # 129
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posted April 16, 2003 07:37 AM
Wiley, that's the idea of coming back as a coyote in my next life. After 40 years of calling and hunting them, I'd be one hard SOB to shoot because I know the tricks. ![[Razz]](tongue.gif) I can see it now, Every rancher in the west would be after the SUPER COYOTE and I'd have a million doller bounty on my head, I can't wait. ![[Wink]](wink.gif) Remember this Wiley, when you hear that old HOWLLLLLLLL and at the end of it you hear a hehehehe, you'll know it's me, Good Hunting.
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Great minds discuss ideas.....Average minds discuss events.....Small minds discuss people.....Eleanor Roosevelt.
Posts: 893 | From: Walker Lake Nevada. | Registered: Feb 2003
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pup
Knows what it's all about
Member # 90
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posted April 16, 2003 02:49 PM
Wiley E,
Cool stuff.
What was the total area covered by the 94 coyotes that were part of the test?
What was the ratio of solitary coyotes to pack coyotes?
Also are the figures given for home range the furthest points plotted for those particular animals?
later pup
Posts: 213 | From: Oklahoma | Registered: Feb 2003
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Wiley E
Knows what it's all about
Member # 108
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posted April 16, 2003 04:23 PM
pup: "What was the total area covered by the 94 coyotes that were part of the test?"
Some coyotes dispersed and moved completely out of the entire area, like many coyotes do, so I don't know if a person could figure that if they wanted to.
Nomadic coyotes may stay in one area for awhile then move completely out of that area because nothing is holding them down.
Don't misunderstand the 94 coyotes, this was the total number since the study first started.
Some of these 94 coyotes dispersed completely out of the area, some of these 94 coyotes died, some of these 94 coyotes stayed, and I would assume that some collars quit working so who knows where those coyotes ended up.
pup: "What was the ratio of solitary coyotes to pack coyotes?"
I don't think they said.
pup: "Also are the figures given for home range the furthest points plotted for those particular animals?"
I assume the home range would be the square miles of the most frequently used areas. I don't think they would consider an exceptionally long trip by a particular coyote if they didn't do that very often.
Don't hold me to that because I am assuming here. I don't know for sure.
Sorry I couldn't be more help pup but I pretty much presented everything that I know about this study.
~SH~
[ April 16, 2003, 04:27 PM: Message edited by: Wiley E ]
Posts: 853 | From: Kadoka, S.D | Registered: Feb 2003
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Rich
2,000th post PAKMAN
Member # 112
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posted April 16, 2003 05:32 PM
"One coyote spend many days within feet of a postoffice."
Wiley,
Do you reckon the postoffice coyote was just waiting for his mail? Was the coyote a suspected spy for foreign terrorist groups?
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If you call the coyotes in close, you won't NEED a high dollar range finder.
Posts: 2854 | From: Iowa | Registered: Feb 2003
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NASA
Knows what it's all about
Member # 177
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posted April 16, 2003 06:33 PM
Rich, it seems obvious that coyote was waiting for his package from (who else)the AJAX company, right?
Posts: 1168 | From: Typical White Person | Registered: Apr 2003
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Rich
2,000th post PAKMAN
Member # 112
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posted April 17, 2003 12:12 PM
NASA,
That be ACME not AJAX &*#$@!!!! Hmmmmmmmmmmm? Wiley E. waits for his ACME throat medicine to arrive via snail mail. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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If you call the coyotes in close, you won't NEED a high dollar range finder.
Posts: 2854 | From: Iowa | Registered: Feb 2003
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NASA
Knows what it's all about
Member # 177
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posted April 17, 2003 07:22 PM
LOL Rich, now we know who watches cartoons the most. Thanks for wiping away the cobwebs.
Posts: 1168 | From: Typical White Person | Registered: Apr 2003
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Wiley E
Knows what it's all about
Member # 108
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posted April 18, 2003 01:08 PM
Hey Nasa,
Good to hear from ya.
How's the feet?
How's your son doing?
~SH~
Posts: 853 | From: Kadoka, S.D | Registered: Feb 2003
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NASA
Knows what it's all about
Member # 177
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posted April 18, 2003 08:21 PM
Dr. Scott, how're you doing buddy? I'm glad to see you are still available to take us neophytes by the hand, lol. I'm a little closer to your backyard, now. And I look forward to crossing paths with you again.
Had the foot operation and got about 50% improvement. I'll take it. TJ is still with his Mom, for now. We're working the system so he can stay with me. It's what he wants (too). I'm picking up a Hornet for him this weekend. It's driving him nuts that I'll draw blood with it before he does. See 'ya.
Posts: 1168 | From: Typical White Person | Registered: Apr 2003
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Cdog911
"There are some ideas so absurd only an intellectual could believe them."--George Orwell.
Member # 7
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posted April 22, 2003 10:50 AM
Rich, the fact that this coyote was staying outside the Post Office substantiates any claims that coyotes are, in fact, closely related to dogs, and second, that coyotes are more intelligent and smarter than domestic dogs as evidenced by the fact that this coyote has learned to lie in wait for the mailman at the mother lode of all mailmen. I know... I'm a letter carrier.
What I hope to find out about is the propensity for the urbanized coyotes toward house cats in their diet. If this is demonstrated to be true, I'll be eagerly seeking somone to live capture and transport at least a dozen Chi-town coyotes to my neighborhhod, since animal control can't seem to fix the problem of strays doing their duty ( er, doodie) in my better half's flower beds at night.
In all seriousness, it'll be interesting to see the final study results as a way to see how much of their behavior is consistent across the board, versus which behavioral characteristics change in response to their immediate environment. Guess we'll find out if a coyote is a coyote is a coyote is a coyote.
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I am only one. But still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and, because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
Posts: 5440 | From: The gun-lovin', gun-friendly wild, wild west | Registered: Jan 2003
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Terry Hunter
Knows what it's all about
Member # 58
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posted April 22, 2003 05:05 PM
A few years ago a coyote study was conducted in my state.Today I looked at it again.From what Wiley E posted the two studies are very close.
Posts: 132 | From: N. Middle Tennessee | Registered: Jan 2003
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