7 minute read
Wisdom and Ways with Jim Casada
Unwelcome Neighbors:
Coping with Coyotes
By Jim Casada
Tales of coyotes run as bright threads through the fabric of American folklore. For many Native American tribes in the coyote’s original habitat west of the Mississippi River, the animal figures prominently in their mythology. In some cases the canine is a wise mentor that guides and helps humans, others envision the animal as a trickster constantly getting into trouble only to use cleverness to extricate itself, while in a few cases coyotes represent greed and overweening pride. Many tribes include the coyote in their hunting lore, a reflection of the animal’s abilities as a predator, while for others they are a clan animal or part of annual festivals or dances.
In his book Roughing It, Mark Twain, the consummate voice of American folkways, went on a multi-page rant depicting the coyote in quite negative fashion. He describes it as “a long, slim, sick and sorrylooking skeleton” that represented “a living, breathing allegory of want.” Then there’s the coyote as a sort of bungling buffoon in the popular Warner Brothers cartoon series that sees Wile E. Coyote hopelessly, haplessly attempting to outwit the Road Runner with an incredible array of Rube Goldberg-like contraptions invariably ordered from Acme Corporation.
With the notable exception of some Native American tribes that held the coyote in high esteem or even venerated the animal, and not all did, these representations are far wide of the mark. In actuality the coyote is a clever, highly adaptable, deeply socialized creature with such a distinctive ability to adjust to its surroundings that it has to be reckoned the ultimate survivor. In fact, when coyotes first began to show up in the Carolina High Country and indeed all across the Southeast, a wildlife biologist offered me a telling if somewhat gruesome assessment of their capabilities to integrate into almost any environment from remote wilderness to the heart of urban areas. “When the last man on earth dies,” he said, “the coyote will be there to gnaw his bones and cockroaches will clean up the scraps.”
The coyote is not a native of the High Country and indeed was not present east of the Mississippi until the 20th century. Numerous factors entered into the eastward spread of this animal, originally a resident of open country and the plains of the West. Fox hunters illegally trapped and transported them to provide a chase animal for their dogs. Ever opportunistic, coyotes used bridges across the Mississippi River as travel corridors bringing them to new territory. The near extirpation of their greatest enemy, the wolf, allowed the species (sometimes known as prairie wolves) to increase exponentially. Clear cutting of eastern forests and vast expansion of agricultural lands provided prime habitat. Then there’s the remarkable adaptability that was always part of the equation when it came to the coyote’s ever-expanding range. The fact that they are now thriving in the heart of major metropolitan areas such as Chicago and New York City attests to this trait.
On the local scene, anyone who spends much time outdoors in the High Country and pays close attention to the natural world has to be aware of the fact that there is a substantial coyote population here. The evidence is readily available for anyone with keen observational skills and an understanding of the wilds. If there seem to be fewer red foxes, it’s because coyotes are killing this competitor. Piles of scat filled with hair or, in season, persimmon seeds, spotted along woodland trails or those meandering through old fields tell a story. So does the nocturnal howling and yipping of individual coyotes or family packs, and those eerie sounds often frighten humans roaming in the gloaming. Add frequent actual sightings, the occasional disappearance of pets allowed to run loose (smaller dogs and cats are prime coyote prey), or mysteriously vanishing pet food along with intrusions into garbage, and the overriding message is pretty clear. The coyote has arrived on the scene. Rest assured it is here to stay.
That “here to stay” message may not be welcome, but it’s reality. The coyote, although generally viewed as a meat eater, will consume almost anything: they prey on small animals such as mice and rabbits; packs can and do kill deer (especially recently born fawns); they are opportunistic nest predators and bad news for groundnesting birds such as turkeys and grouse; they will kill and eat domestic animals ranging from chickens and livestock to household pets; carrion, fruit, vegetables, all sorts of garbage, and much more are on the menu. That dietary versatility translates to ready survival.
Even more striking is the flexibility the animal exhibits in its breeding habits. When numbers are reduced well below the carrying capacity of a given area through trapping, hunting, or other human-connected means, coyotes instinctively react by
Coyote - Photo by Melissa McGaw, courtesy of NCWRC
Coyote - photo by Alan Cameron, courtesy of NCWRC Coyote - Photo courtesy of USFWS
producing much larger litters. If you want that translated into practical terms, if an animal control or wildlife agency states they will completely resolve a coyote problem, they are indulging in fantasy, fiction, or outright mendacity. I’ll let readers choose the description they prefer, but the flatout truth of the matter is that it is humans, not coyotes, who will require some of what country singer Hank Williams, Jr. styled “Attitude Adjustment” in the title of one of his songs. As humans we have to figure out a sensible path to coexistence. Here are some simple pointers on how to deal with these naughty neighbors. *If you are a pet owner, keep them inside, especially at night (although coyotes do roam and hunt some during the day, they are largely nocturnal creatures). Small dogs and cats are particularly vulnerable, since for opportunistic coyotes they just represent an easily acquired meal. *During the day, if you take walks in areas where there are known to be coyotes, keep pets, particularly smaller dogs, on a leash. *Should you encounter a coyote, perform what experts sometimes describe as hazing. Yell at the animal, wave your arms, and maybe use some type of noise maker (an air horn is a great choice). Whatever you do, resist any temptation to flee. Running away kicks in the coyote’s predation and chase instincts. *If coyotes are intruding on your property at night, consider installation of motion-activated lights or sprinkler systems. *Keep your grounds clean. Accessible garbage, pet food, or other items coyotes will eat (as mentioned, they are omnivorous to the point of consuming pretty much everything) should never be present. If you are already feeding wildlife—which for deer and turkeys is probably a bad idea to begin with—stop doing so. Bird seed is a different matter so long as it is in elevated positions where coyotes cannot reach it. *Coyote repellents such as sprays can be useful. *You can hunt coyotes with firearms or archery equipment, although studies reveal that they excel in population replacement even when hard pressured. There is no closed season on coyotes on private lands in North Carolina, and they may be hunted at night and with the aid of electronic calls. Check North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) regulations for full details. *Have a guard dog (breeds traditionally used to protect and work with sheep are especially good, although the livestock owner dealing with coyotes potentially faces problems of a magnitude going far beyond that of the average individual).
While all of these deterrents merit consideration, you should keep firmly in mind the fact that none represents anything approaching a full solution. Coyotes, along with being highly adaptable, are also quite intelligent. Over time and repeated exposure to a given measure to repel them, odds are quite good they will in effect become accustomed to such measures. At that point their effectiveness declines dramatically.
Mark Twain may have written of the coyote that “the meanest creatures despise him, and even fleas would desert him for a velocipede,” but his literary loathing, other than being entertaining in the vigor of his vituperation, is meaningless. In the final analysis the facts of the matter are quite simple. We may have an unwelcome neighbor, but he’s here to stay. About the best we can do is to take precautions such as those noted above, realize that complete or permanent extirpation is essentially a nonstarter, and accept the necessity of coming to a sort of uneasy truce with our canine adversary. To declare full-scale war on coyotes is, quite simply, a commitment to an unwinnable conflict. We may not like it, but that’s where matters stand.
Jim Casada is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in natural history, hunting and fishing, regional foods and food folkways, and Southern Appalachian traditions. He is the author of numerous books, and more information on these, along with an opportunity to sign up for his free monthly e-newsletter, is available on his website, www. jimcasadaoutdoors.com.
