Symposium Proceedings—Coyotes in the Southwest: a Compendium of Our Knowledge Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center (1995) For
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Symposium Proceedings—Coyotes in the Southwest: A Compendium of Our Knowledge Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center (1995) for December 1995 Symposium Proceedings—Coyotes in the Southwest: A Compendium of Our Knowledge [complete work, 185 pp.] Dale Rollins Texas Agricultural Extension Service Calvin Richardson Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Terry Blankenship Welder Wildlife Foundation Kem Canon Sul Ross State University Scott Henke Texas A&M University–Kingsville Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/coyotesw Part of the Environmental Health and Protection Commons Rollins, Dale; Richardson, Calvin; Blankenship, Terry; Canon, Kem; and Henke, Scott, "Symposium Proceedings—Coyotes in the Southwest: A Compendium of Our Knowledge [complete work, 185 pp.]" (1995). Symposium Proceedings—Coyotes in the Southwest: A Compendium of Our Knowledge (1995). 1. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/coyotesw/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Symposium Proceedings—Coyotes in the Southwest: A Compendium of Our Knowledge (1995) by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Symposium Proceedings Coyotes in the Southwest: A Compendium of Our Knowledge December 13-14,1995 San Angelo, TX Editors: Dale Rollins, Texas Agricultural Extension Service Calvin Richardson, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Terry Blankenship, Welder Wildlife Foundation Kein Canon, Sul Ross State University Scott Henke, Texas A&M University - Kingsville Sponsors: Jack H. Berryman Institute, Utah State University Texas Agricultural Extension Service Texas A&M University System Texas Animal Damage Control Service Texas Chapter, The Wildlife Society Texas Department of Agriculture Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Texas Sheep and Goat Coinlnodity Board Welder Wildlife Foundation Acknowledgements: The Steering Committee wishes to express their sincere appreciation to Karen Spoo and Steve Byins of the Texas Apcultural Extension Service and Minnie Savage of the Texas Sheep and Goat Commodity Board for their assistance in developing, promoting and conducting this symposium and these proceedings. Funding for this symposium was provided by the Texas Sheep and Goat Comrnod~tyBoasd, Jack H. Bellyman Institute, and Texas Chapter, The 1 Wildlife Society Texas Parks and Wildlife Department PI-ov~dedin-k~nd support in printing the proceedings Printing by. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Symposium Steering Committee Terry Blankenship Welder Wildlife Foundation Kern Canon Sul Ross State University Tommy L. Hailey Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Ellis Helmers Texas Sheep and Goat Commodity Board Scott Henke Texas A&M University - Kingsville Nancy E. Matthews Texas Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit Wytnan P. Meinzer WriterPhotographer, Benjamin, TX Gary L Nunley Texas Animal Damage Control Service Calvin L. Richardson Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Dale Rollins Texas Agricultural Extension Service Matt Wagner Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Crystal Wilbanks Texas Department of Agriculture Foreword "A conference is just an adinission thatyou want someone to join you in your troubles." -- Will Rogers Long before the recent clamor over endangered species, predators and their management were controversial The coyote (Canis latrans) is often at the center of such debates. Cursed by some, revered by others, respected by all, the coyote is an icon of the Southwest. With the possible exception of its larger cousin, the grey wolf (C. li~pus),no other carnivore has been studied so extensrvely in North Amel-ica as the coyote. Yet, despite the research (or perhaps as a result of rt) many ambiguities and contradict~onsabound regarding coyote brology and management Opponents/proponents of coyotes represent a classical r-usal versus urban struggle, and the coyote offers a masterful performance of both Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde. As an educator, I am obliged to maintain an unbiased stance in such debates. Neutrality comes easily for me relative to coyote controversies. I have hunted, called, trapped, photographed, videotaped and enjoyed coyotes on many occasions over the last 25 years. I savor the many evenings in a sleeping bag near a campfire when awakened by a coyote chorus in the witching hour. The rolling hills of western Oklahoma would reveal the locations of all coyotes within a mile radius, each answering his nearest neighbor as if responding to some symbolic roll call. I feel a kinship with J. Frank Dobie and Ernest Thompson Seton as they penned prose and rhyme about such encounters. Yet, as much as I enjoy seeing and heasing the coyote, I respect and appreciate why it is so unwelcome in sheep and goat regions. I once saw the following epigram scribbled on a men's room wall: "whereyou stand on an issue, usually deper1d.7 ilrpon whew you sit." Speakers and attendees at thrs symposium bring with them vasious perspectives, fi-om the far right to the far left and all points in between. Hopefully the brology involved in these arguments (and reported he]-ein) is unbiased, and can and should be used as the basis to debate the absolute and relative merits of coyotes in this region Such is our challenge. These proceedings assemble under one title the culrent state of knowledge about coyotes in the southwestern United States. I2opefully the irxfonnation presented herein, coupled with the latent potential to network among the various stakel~olderspresent, will fur-thel- oul- understanding of coyotes and take us closer to resolving coyote- related contlrcts. -- Dale Rollins Conference Coordinator Table of Contents Biology . Coyote population processes rev~sited...................................................................................... 1 Behavior of coyotes In Texas ...................................................................................................... ..... .. 7 Selected parameters of the reproduct~vephysiology and endocrinology of coyotes ..........................12 Disease and coyotes in Texas .............................................................................................. 17 Ecology The effects of control on coyote populations: another look ........................................................ ..... 23 Coyote interactions with other ca~nivores................................................................................... 30 Effects of coyote control on their prey: a review ............................................................................. 35 The role of coyotes in a rabies epizootic ............................................................................... .... 41 Perspectives Coyotes a matter of perspective .................................................................46 Coyotes in the Rolling Plains of Texas .................................................. ...................... 48 Coyotes a south Texas perspective ....................................................... 50 The re-establishment ofthe coyote in the Edwards Plateau of Texas ..............................55 Coyotes in urban areas . a status repoil ............................ .........................65 Coyotes: a hunter's pel-spective ..... .................................................................... 68 Management Techniques for estimating coyote abundance ...................................... .... .................... 71 Interpreting physical evidence of coyote predation ............................................ 79 Public attitudes toward predators m Texas ...................................................................... 85 Coyotes as part of Texas' fur trade ........................................................... 87 Coyotes vs. Game Management Prescribed coyote control for developing an "open window policy" fol- enhanc~ngdees survival ................................................. ....................................90 Coyotes a potential role in deer herd management .................................................................... 94 Management of coyotes for pronghorn? ......................................................... .. ..................... 97 Coyotes and upland gamebirds ................................................................................. 104 Managing for coyotes to enhance waterfowl production: an alternative perspective ......................................................................................... 108 Coyotes vs .Livestock Sheep and goat losses in relation to coyote damage management in Texas ....................114 Predation impacts and management strategies for reducing coyote damage to cattle .......................................................................124 Estimating livestock losses ................. ..................................................128 Coyotes: a sheep and goat rancher's perspective ............................................................137 Politics Audubon's perspective on coyotes ................................................................................. 138 Predator polihcs in Texas ................................................................................141 Predator politics: personal thoughts and perceptions ..................................................... 143 The coyote in Southweste~nfolklore ......................................................................................