When it comes to our views on wild animals we are little more enlightened than our ancestors from the Dark Ages. This is what drives much of the hunts and contests even today. Their extermination was cheered by the church and children were taught to fear and hate wild canines. Much of this hatred stems from hundreds of years of indoctrination by religion falsely claiming coyotes, and wolves, were to blame for the evils in the world. Many species have been targeted in these games for hunters but coyotes seem to be the prized animal to kill. Some of the most egregious abuse come from killing contests. A smart coyote can easily habituate in urban settings but are still vulnerable to hunters’ traps, barbed wire and assault rifles. A phone call from a rancher is the only requirement.

Livestock predation never has to be verified or investigated. Despite names like Dept of Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife or Wildlife Services these agencies have become little more than government sanctioned killing machines. Often blamed for livestock killing done by other animals, many ranchers call their local state or federal ‘wildlife’ agency for a pre-emptive kill.

Both species suffer tremendous abuse from trappers and hunters. A coyote mother and pups howl at the Minnesota Wildlife Connection in Sandstone, Minnesota. Danita Delimont / Gallo Images / Getty Images Plusįor centuries the wolf has been blamed for all the evils of man and so too have their cousins the coyote. Many ranchers have found success using guard dogs and speakers with human voices as non lethal deterrents. Keep in mind the media often gets it wrong, as do eye witnesses and coyotes often get blamed for attacks by dogs. Cats are usually too fast and agile to catch but again never let them out loose or unattended. Unless a coyote is starving a little noise and picking up a small dog will go a long way. When walking a dog keep on a leash but also carry a stick, whistle or mace, most threats come from loose domestic dogs not coyotes. A six foot fence and night light can keep your pets safe. If you live near wildlife remember it was their home first before you came. The loss of a pet is tragic but would rarely happen if responsible pet owners kept their pets on a leash and an eye on them when in the yard. Sometimes this means someone’s pet cat or dog. As human hunters continue to depopulate areas of native wildlife like deer, elk and rabbit, coyotes will continue to move closer to human habitat in search of food. Much of this is due to loss of wildness and decrease of their food supply. Unlike wolves which seek to avoid humans the coyote has managed to survive and sometimes thrive in densely populated areas. The biggest difference is how easy the coyote has learned to live in an urban environment. Solitary coyotes are usually yearlings who have ventured out on their own or old and sick members kicked out. Wolves and coyotes live in close knit packs with complex social hierarchy run by the alpha pair, usually the only pair that breeds. Their cousin, the coyote, rarely gets the same media attention.

Wolves have been in the news lately with the recent unlimited hunting that has decimated their population.

Compound 1080 coyote