Eastern Coyote DNA Study

[grundsow]

Apparently this report was published Sept 2009, but I found this article in April 2010 PA Game News interesting.

The northeast population of coyotes that we looked at had strong evidence of past hybridization with wolves, but almost none for dog hybridization.

...In addition [to extra-wide skulls], eastern coyotes are dimorphic, with males being larger than females. This dimorphism is also seen in wolf population, but not in western coyotes.

...Larger skulls would help an animal hunt and eat deer. The increased consumption of deer in the east is one of the primary ecological differences from western coyotes.

Another article: Link

 

[Football Hunter]

Another good reason to shoot em

 

[Beekeeper]

Good info.

 

[BSK]

The reason coyotes don't interbreed with dogs as often is their differences in breeding physiology and behavior. In essence, the breeding behavior of coyotes is close to that of wolves, but quite different than domestic dogs.

 

[MRUTVOL]

Only question I have is where are the wolves at that they supposedly interbreed with in the Eastern US? I have seen some yotes that weighed in over 50 pounds and one that approached 70 and they looked like coyote/wolf or brushwolf and nowhere close to a coydog appearance. Great Info!

 

[Boone 58]

shoot em i say.