| Grex > Nature > #46: Coyotes |
| Coyotes | 
Apr 17 01:21 UTC 1995 |
On Saturday, we were driving on North Territorial, West of Werkner road and we observed a coyote in the middle of a field at 11:00 am. The Coyote had a relatively large dead animal on the ground and it was about 400 ft from the road. We pulled over and watched it and it began to glance back at us. Finally it picked up the kill, which was almost too heavy for it, and carried it off toward a brushy area.
| response 1 of 2: |
Jul 5 05:36 UTC 1996 |
My son did a report a couple of years ago on coyotes. He learned that they seldom kill large animals (they are too small to bring them down alone and coyotes do not usually hunt in packs the way wolves do - note I said "usually" as coyotes are highly intelligent critters and adapt their style to their surroundings so that they have been seen to hunt in small groups but apparently this is uncommon). They do however scavange the kills of other critters and roadkills. e.g. A deer brought down by a wolf may have its remains scavanged by a coyote; similarly a deer killed by a car may be scavanged. I haven't seen any coyotes myself but have seen their scat in the vicinity of Horner Woods northeast of Ann Arbor. Also, a woman we know who lives off Joy Rd. near Dixboro has heard them howling and has seen them eating leftover food from her dog's dish. I'd love to see one around here. I have seen them in Arizona (adults & pups) around the Grand Canyon's north rim. Also recall seeing one at night many years ago on Mich. state route 23 somewhere between Mackinaw and Oscoda (sorry I can't pinpoint the sighting any better than that - I was a kid & it was a long time ago).
| response 2 of 2: |
Jul 5 07:33 UTC 1996 |
I saw one along a two-track in the UP a year or two ago. It watched us as we went by.