My friend, biologist Jon Way of Massachusetts, reiterating what he and fellow coyote biologists state time and time again(with conviction thru peer reviewed research),,,,,,,,,,,Killing coyotes only generates the potential(and actuality) of more coyotes occupying a given region.......Listen to what Jon saids here:......."My personal opinion is that the North American model(hunting model) doesn't really apply to predators, especially canids, given the negative (non-preservationist) opinion that many people have toward this ecologically important family. We have talked at length about this with wolves coming off the ESA but here we have an abundant canid, the coyote, that is literally allowed to be slaughtered for little reason other than either (1) "tradition", (2) "that is what we have always done", or (3) "their numbers will bounce back no matter how many are killed"

Biological mechanisms for why killing coyotes/coywolves doesn't work

By Jon Way

This post is in response to 2 scientific publications that have recently been published in the journal Canadian Field-Naturalist. Essentially, these two papers describe two different scenarios where the killing of coyote(s) eventually led to more coyotes in a local area. Many people, especially hunters that I have talked (or argued) with over the years, are confused by this seeming contradiction. Many might logically think that "a coyote killed is a deer saved" (a very common saying in Maine, among other places) – however, nature is not so clean cut.

See:

Way, J. G., B. C. Timm, and E. G. Strauss. 2009. Coywolf (Canis latrans x lycaon) Pack Density Doubles Following the Death of a Resident Territorial Male. Canadian Field Naturalist 123(3): 199-205.
Way, J. G. 2010. Double-litters in Coywolf (Canis latrans x lycaon) Packs Following the Death or Disappearance of a Resident Territorial Male. Canadian Field Naturalist 124(3): 256-257.

My personal opinion is that the North American model doesn't really apply to predators, especially canids, given the negative (non-preservationist) opinion that many people have toward this ecologically important family. We have talked at length about this with wolves coming off the ESA but here we have an abundant canid, the coyote, that is literally allowed to be slaughtered for little reason other than either (1) "tradition", (2) "that is what we have always done", or (3) "their numbers will bounce back no matter how many are killed".

 However, there are many important benefits of coyotes including ecological, aesthetic, ethical, and potentially economical (pest control) that are seemingly ignored while scores of coyotes are killed everywhere including by our federal government (i.e., Wildlife Services) – I eventually will elaborate on many of these positive attributes, with scientific documentation, during a different post to this site.

Additionally, many on this blog might wonder what a "coywolf" is. This is the name that I would prefer the "eastern coyote" to be called. I have previously co-published a paper on this genetic uniqueness of the eastern coyote (living in Northeastern North America: mostly in New England and New York) and am working on publishing a second paper further recommending the term coywolf. This term is still controversial and while some still prefer the term coyote for the canid living in the Northeast U.S., I am hoping this second paper provides further support for the coywolf nomenclature. Stay tuned…

While attaching a link for this genetic paper (below) leaves this post up for 2 different types of comments (1; genetics and 2; increase in density in populations following killing), I share that here too:
Way, J.G., L. Rutledge, T. Wheeldon, and B.N. White. 2010. Genetic characterization of eastern "coyotes" in eastern Massachusetts. Northeastern Naturalist 17(2):189-204.

Tagged with: control • Coyotes • coywolf • eastern coyote • hunting

About The Author

Jon Way

Jonathan Way is the author of Suburban Howls, an account of his experiences studying eastern coyotes/coywolves in eastern Massachusetts. He also has a business Eastern Coyote Research (http://www.easterncoyoteresearch.com/) and is currently seeking an institution that will support him and his research. He currently works seasonally for Cape Cod National Seashore, is a part time post-doctoral researcher with the Yellowstone Ecological Research Center, and is a frequent traveler to the Yellowstone area. He is currently seeking a publisher for 2 different book projects: "My Yellowstone Experience" and "Coywolf", both of which are nearly completed including with pictures.