What is it?

S

Sure Shot Mc Gee

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Since the camera missed its head. What do you suppose this healthy looking carnivore is? Coyote or Gray wolf. (Pix was taken in Northern MN.)
 
If it is a coyote. It sure is a big healthy one.
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My thoughts exactly. The depth of the chest(that I can see) seems to be deeper in comparison than most of the yotes I see. Young wolves of the year and big 'yotes can be indistinguishable without seeing the head, and without something else of known size in the picture to judge the animals size, impossible to say for sure.
 
It looks like a standard coyote with a decent winter coat. See the white collar behind the shoulder? I don't know if wolves get that, but coyotes definitely do and that one has it. I did a quick Google image search and didn't see any wolves with that coloration, but it is common for coyotes.

Here's an exaggerated illustration of the collared coloration:
http://www.nps.gov/bibe/naturescience/coyote.htm
 
markj said: Dont the wolves drive off yotes? The region does have some wolfs I believe.
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That's an understatement Sir. No, they actually eat them. The northern 1/2 of Minn has a population something in the neighborhood of 3 to 5000 gray(timber) wolves and there's speculation from those folks who live in that area the count is closer to 6-7000. Wolves are stripping the Northern half of Minnesota area to the bone in their taking of all animals. Wild and domestic.

HEIGHT: 26 - 33 inches.
LENGTH: 6.5 ft. (including tail)
WEIGHT: Can weigh up to 175 lb.

For the first time in 30 years this States DNR are allowing hunters by lottery to harvest 400 wolves this year. I can only hope the number is doubled next year.

S/S
 
Dont the wolves drive off yotes? The region does have some wolfs I belive.
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I live and hunt in Wolf country Idaho. While its true they do eat Coyotes the presence of wolves does not mean there are no Coyotes, they just learn to be more quiet and sneaky. I hear Wolves many nights every year, especially in the warm summer evenings. The coyotes that are still around have learned not to yap (very much)
 
Deja vu: With the large population of wolves we have. A coyote would have to be invisible to stay alive in wolf habitat here. Wolves they are indeed moving and spreading out to the South and East. Wisconsin has had many more sightings these last few years than usual as Michigan also. Back in the early 70s that Endangered Species Act. Those in charge. Their plan or idea was to protect the Gray Wolf and not inhibit them in any way in hopes to bring there population back up to 12-1400 max for the available habitat here in Northern MN. Well after 30 plus years. The Gray Wolf was recently removed from (The List) at the behest of our Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Apparently the re-population plan exceeded the Agency's desires and we now have 3 to 5000 and as many as 7000 possibly. You just got to love them politicians. lol
 
With the large population of wolves we have. A coyote would have to be invisible to stay alive in wolf habitat here.
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So I guess the deer and every other type of furry animal of the forest and meadow are invisible as well?

Obviously, coyotes do survive in wolf habitat because they are around for the wolves to keep eating, LOL.
 
We used to kill 4-6 coyotes on our 120 acres of leased land every week of gun deer season in Wisconsin. Since the wolves moved in we don't see coyotes anymore. Now if the cougar we had on the land last year eats the wolves we'll be all set!!
 
Not sure where exactly you're at Warbird, but we have coyotes coming out of our ears in my part of the state.(LaCrosse area.)
A few rumors of cats, but no wolves yet
 
I live where I can see the boundaries of Fort McCoy. They killed half a dozen nuisance wolves from a pack there about a month ago. I also can see the lake from my house where two wolves were photographed eating a deer they chased out onto the ice last winter. I also live a mile as the crow flies from the latest verified cougar sighting in the state. That said, it's rare that I can walk outta my house at night and not hear coyotes howling and yippin' as they chase rabbits in the swamps that are the headwaters of the previously stated lake. This morning as I played with the dog, I noticed a fresh deer scrape under the apple tree in the back yard. Seems to me to be a balance..........
 
Wolf or coyote ? There is a fine study ,DNA etc ,etc of coyotes in NY and PA that showed that 20 % had wolf genes !! :eek:
This certainly explains the large 75 lb coyotes here !
 
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