by Roland D. Hallee

There is nothing more soothing than to hear a coyote cry out in the darkness when at a remote location in Maine.

Coyotes have made a return to Maine. This happened sometime in the 1960s and they have settled in very well. Archeological research has shown that coyotes lived in the East 30,000 years ago. What caused the coyote to leave the East is not known.

With the extirpation of the wolf in the lower 48 states caused by clearcutting of the virgin forests, and constant predator control, coyotes began to roam. From the southwest they roamed to Alaska and Canada, and then on to the northern Great Lakes region, and into Ontario and Québec. In eastern Canada, coyotes encountered scattered packs of the Eastern Canadian wolf population. Generally, coyote and wolves do not get along. If a coyote comes across wolves, he is certainly going to die. But these groups of wolves acted differently toward the coyotes since their numbers had been decimated due to extensive hunting and trapping, breaking down their complex social structure. Subsequently, many eastern coyote offsprings possess some degree of wolf genes, but remain coyotes in both appearance and behavior.

Coyotes are one of the most adaptable animals in the world, changing their breeding habits, diet and social dynamics to survive in a wide variety of habitats.

The coyote can be found on the North American continent, and only on this continent. They are also known by other names, such in the southwest and Mexico where they are called “Old Man,” and in other areas of the continent as “America’s Song Dog.” Many Native American myths were passed on from generation to generation with coyote chosen as lead character in all their stories. The Native Americans recognized and respected the coyote’s intelligence, adaptability, cunning, curiosity and humor. The ancient Aztecs gave the coyote his name: “Coyoti,” meaning “God’s dog.”

The coyote is one of the few wild animals whose vocalizations are commonly heard. At night, coyotes both howl and emit a series of short, high-pitched yips. Howls are used to keep in touch with other coyotes in the area. Sometimes, when it is first heard, the listener may experience a tingling fear of primitive dogs, but to the seasoned outdoorsman, the howl of the coyote is truly a song of the West.

The howling shows territorial warnings to other male coyotes. Females are always welcome. Yelping indicates a celebration or criticism within a small group of coyotes. The bark is what the coyote is named for, Canis lantrans means “barking dog.” That is used to display threats when a coyote is protecting a den or a kill. Huffing is usually used for calling pups without making a great deal of noise.

That relationship with humans ended when the Europeans arrived in North America. In his book The Voice of the Coyote, Frank Dobie wrote, “The English-Americans have never taught coyote any language but that of lead, steel, and strychnine.” The coyote, though, was not alone in experiencing the wrath of the settlers, other native wildlife were either pushed into extinction, or their populations were diminished – the wolf being one of them. The coyote, however, would survive.

For centuries, coyote lived with wolves, but very cautiously. It was important for the coyote to stay outside wolf territory if they wanted to survive.

According to Geri Vistein, representing the national Coyote Project, “Coyotes are very capable of co-existing with us, but we need to keep coyotes wild, by never providing them food, water or shelter.”

Conversely, killing coyotes to protect farm animals can actually have the opposite affect. Stable, healthy families of coyotes are likely to be wary of humans, said Vistein, while wandering, unhealthy or starving coyotes are more likely to snag an unprotected chicken or other farm animal. Killing coyotes that have established their territories only opens those areas up to marauding coyotes.

Although there have been no reports of coyotes attacking people in Maine, there are a few things to remember if you should encounter one. Ninety-nine percent of encounters with coyotes result in no confrontation. They are wary of humans. Only on occasion will they display some aggressiveness. Watch its behavior. It’s natural reaction will be to identify you, and then turn away and run off. If it becomes aggressive, treat it like a dog. Show it that you are the master: shout at it, stand your ground, but do not run away.

The coyote’s tail is used to signify a threat. It becomes bushy and is held horizontally when the coyote displays aggressiveness.

Humans have mixed emotions about coyotes. Some want them killed while others see benefits in their presence. Some rural residents feel the presents of coyotes restrict the freedoms of their pets and their own lifestyles, while others who have farm animals, using the proper precautions, have never experienced the loss of any farm animals at the hands of coyotes that are obviously present in the area.

The coyote seems to be asking for humans to feel comfortable having wildness in settled places, it’s up to mankind if that is to happen.

Whether to allow the coyote to live or die is a debate that has gone on for centuries in the United States, but to quote Dell Hymes in his Fivefold Fanfare for Coyote: “…Never will he go from this land / Here always, as long as the land is, / that is how Coyote is in this land….”

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

The MLB Texas Rangers have been in Texas for 53 years. However, their history goes back to 1961. From where did they move to Texas?