This is topic Can a coyote ..... in forum Predator forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://www.huntmastersbbs.com/cgi-bin/cgi-ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=000116
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on June 01, 2003, 07:58 AM:
.... wag his tail; and if he can't, why not?
Can he even raise it beyond horizontal?
Some people claim he cannot.
What do you say? ![[Cool]](cool.gif)
Good hunting. LB
Posted by Seldom Ever (Member # 185) on June 01, 2003, 08:22 AM:
I don't have enough coyote experience to answer that one.I'd think they have the physical capability, but as to whether they do or not,I don't know.I know they all seem to have a real concern about protecting there privates,because they all seem to tuck there tail when stressed.
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on June 01, 2003, 09:31 AM:
Dang, LB. How late do you stay up at night to come up with a question like this? Frankly, I've never thought of it before. It seems that their tails are either tucked beneath, possibly rigid at a downward angle, or just hanging there. I don't recall ever seeing one with it even anywhere close to horizontal. So, I run to the office and look through my books. Beckoff''s book, "Coyote..." shows several pics of puppies with their tails elevated to just above horizontal, but not in adults. No mention of it anywhere in the literature I have. But, I'll keep the camera handy and the next one I call up with my Higgins Howler, I'll just seduce and entice until I get him to wag that baby back. ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
(edited for fat finger typo-s caused by phalangeal dyslexia)
[ June 01, 2003, 09:33 AM: Message edited by: Cdog911 ]
Posted by Greenside (Member # 10) on June 01, 2003, 09:58 AM:
Never paid to much attention to it but I think I recall some tail wagging in the down position? I know I have had coyotes come into a howler with the tail bristled in a near horizontal postion. I'm not sure I have ever seen a coyotes tail past horizontal with the back?
Dennis
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on June 01, 2003, 11:10 AM:
Dennis, count me in that group. Never seen a tail lifted beyond horizontal, and that's mostly at top speed, like a raccoon tail on a 1940s roadster.
As far as wagging while hanging down, by my observation, it's more like "butt" wagging.
Some people claim that elevated tail positions is a sign of dominance, in dogs? Or an attitude, difficult to train. Don't know that that has to do with anything, though?
I really don't think a coyote can wag his tail, like a dog. I have never seen it, I know that much?
What if he can, but refrains? What would that mean?
Good hunting. LB
edited for spelling
[ June 01, 2003, 11:11 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by onecoyote (Member # 129) on June 01, 2003, 12:45 PM:
Leonard, I did see a coyote wag it's tail about 6 months ago. Charlene saw it and told me it was a coyote, I had only a quick glance and thought it was a cat because it was furiously wagging it's tail. So I turned the truck around and took out the binoculars. It was mousing in a field ready to pounce on whatever it was looking at and it's tail was going like crazy. Charlene was with me and she saw it too. Other than that, I have never seen it before, Good Hunting.
Posted by onecoyote (Member # 129) on June 01, 2003, 01:54 PM:
This obviously is not Danny typing....hehehe. I have several quotes concerning coyote tail wagging. From "The behavior of Wolves, Dogs and Related Canids","They(coyotes) display a wide variety of facial expressions, and by combining these expressions with different vocalizations and various gaits, postures, ear positions and TAIL positions, they are able to send many subtle messages to other individuals."
From J.Willard of the Department of Zoology Indiana University, "Tail position may play a part in scent communication: a dominant animal raises it's tail to facilitate scenting by others and a submissive animal will lower it's tail to mask it's scent....A submissive animal may whine or paw at a dominant one, the tail between the legs or to one side and wagging weakly....Bitches in heat carry their tails constantly raised and turned to one side."
Lastly, from Adolph Murie in "the Ecology of the Coyote in Yellowstone", "Sometimes a coyote would dig and paw for a minute or two before catching the mouse. The closer the coyote approaches to the point of capture, the more agitated it becomes, as is indictaed by vigorous tail wagging."
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on June 01, 2003, 04:36 PM:
Maybe they can but they don't because they're cool and they don't want to look stupid like some common old house dog. Maybe? Huh?
Posted by trappnman (Member # 168) on June 01, 2003, 04:58 PM:
Good question- I know I have seen tail wagging.
Horizontal position? I'll keep it in mind- although one would think a called cooyte would have a high tail before a trapped one would. but I'll keep my eyes open.
Posted by pup (Member # 90) on June 04, 2003, 07:14 AM:
I will go and look at some of the video footage I have of a couple marking and see how high the tail gets.
The thought of wagging or raising has never entered my mind. I don't think that they are happy enough to wag their tail when they see us.
later pup
Posted by 20t-n-t (Member # 46) on June 04, 2003, 10:03 AM:
LB,
I have seen the tail in an upright "flagging if you will" position only one time. The coyote that I was observing was mousing and made this jesture with his tail just before he would jump or pounce. I have never seen it done by any other coyotes.
So yes I do think they have the ability but I have no clue as to why its not commonly seen.
Slydog ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
Posted by wyote (Member # 142) on June 04, 2003, 10:14 AM:
I have seen coyotes wag their tails when they get in a group. Maybe they are the young of the year acting submisive.
I called in a coyote one time and he saw my decoy dog. He took a dump and then started scratching the ground like they do. He had his tail as high as I've seen. It was at least horizonal if not a little higher.
After he took his dump, I dumped him!!!!
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on June 04, 2003, 06:36 PM:
....I figured you would! I have, myself a few times. It usually means they plan on running a ways.
BTW, welcome to the New Huntmasters, Wyote. Glad to have you on board. Hey, it took a while, before you let us know you're around. No problem, though. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Good hunting. LB
Posted by Rob (Member # 75) on June 04, 2003, 07:39 PM:
In a article by Bill Austin he said that a female coyote travels with her head and tail down,whereas a male travels with his head and tail up. Anyone ever notice this?
Posted by wyote (Member # 142) on June 05, 2003, 07:51 AM:
Thanks for the welcome Leonard. Yeah I've been around awhile just don't have to much to say.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on June 05, 2003, 09:17 AM:
quote:
In a article by Bill Austin he said that a female coyote travels with her head and tail down,whereas a male travels with his head and tail up. Anyone ever notice this?
No, can't say that the above statement makes any sense to me, whatsoever? It could be true, I wouldn't want to dispute a statement by an icon of the genre, but it has to be defined a lot better.
I have kept, and raised various parrots, for years. One thing I noticed, aside from surgical sexing and the males having a larger, more robust beak. (in some cases) The female sits a perch a little less erect than does the male. Especially, beside a male bird. I take this as a valuable clue for sexing.
Good hunting. LB
Posted by Rich Higgins (Member # 3) on June 12, 2003, 03:14 PM:
Subordinate coyotes wag their tails when greeting dominate coyotes. I have some video of that. Leonard, you and several others have video of the 12 week old pup greeting an adult I had called in. That is some extreme submissive behavior and the little guy's tail is going like a helicopter rotor. From another angle "Tail movement is another signal of motivation and intent. A submissive coyote often wags it's tail with high frequency and low amplitude. Low frequency and high amplitude tail-wagging is shown by coyotes that are soliciting play and stalking prey." Coyote Communication, Phillip Lehner.
Posted by bkcorris (Member # 102) on July 14, 2003, 09:22 PM:
I recently got up about 6:00 on a sunday morning to go out and see some coyotes playing in our fresh cut alfalfa field. I sat at my shooting bench and just watched them. They were from 50 - 200 yards away from me playing, running around and back and forth. One of the adults was about 75 yards out and looked right at me and sniffed the air and didn't seem to care. There were two adults and a pup, best I can tell they were chasing mice. All three of them had their tails straight up wagging to beat heck. I got a few pics too but the sun was low and made for some pretty bad glare and focus.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on July 15, 2003, 04:33 AM:
Apparently, you were in the right place at the right time?
I've observed thousands of coyotes, never saw a single instance of a raised tail.
I actually would have believed that they were incapable of raising their tail past horizontal, just based on my own experience.....all I can say is: I'll be darned!
Good hunting. LB
Posted by WhiteMtnCur (Member # 5) on July 15, 2003, 10:00 AM:
I have seen a couple coyotes caught in traps wag their tails (above horizontal) when I've approached them. If I recall correctly, the ones I've seen do it have all been young coyotes.
UBB.classicTM
6.3.0