When does it occur, prior to breeding season? Who gets dispersed? Is it selective or do young males get kicked out first? Does food source availability factor in?

I believe most of the above are factors I've caught male pups dispersing in late August early September but the real dispersal hear seems to kick of after the first hard frost. The easy hunting grasshoppers and such have disappeared. Then yung coyote seem to establish territory filling voids and following pray populations until breading season. This is my favorite time to trap and snair coyotes the males get stupid = aggressive and the female doesn't want to leave the male . They seem to set up in a Denning aria, I call it staging. If you take an establish pair out and you have a Healthy population another pair will probably show up until they have fully establishes Denning arias.
Rich

Define dispersed?

I don’t consider pups orbiting around out 5-6 miles from their “home” summer range to be dispersed yet and that’s fairly common behavior in September-November. When they can be “home” in a few hours they haven’t dispersed IMO.

I think true dispersal happens a little later than many think. I see the most long range movements starting in late November into December. Big game rifle seasons have a lot to do with it, and it may not be by choice.

Every year is a little different.

Early nasty weather can delay it, or send them running back home for a while. Age of the pups, age of the pups parents, population dynamics, human intrusion levels, weather, and food availability all can have huge impacts on dispersal all of which changes year to year.

I’ve seen entire family groups (or what’s left of them by than) running tight together in January. No doubt condition based.

One thing that I think can REALLY affect it that I never see mentioned, is are the parents still alive?


I’ve read studies that said females actually dispersed farther and at higher percentages than males. And studies that said the opposite.

I understand what your saying BL, every year is a little different, food supply, population and weather seem to efect there movement, that's what keeps me chasing them year after year, mainly the challenge, coyotes are good teachers if your willing to be a good student.

I would consider dispersal- separating from the family group more transient coyotes seeking new territories or new mates. If the Alpha Female is the only coyote that breeds, I agree a lot depends on make-up of the existing family group structure.

Boone , I've observed the packing up of coyotes in late season also and I usuly associated it with a low rodent population. Atliest that's what I've abserved. The stomach contents would be dear antelope and sometimes cow poop. During good rodetnt years not so much, just an observation. Like I said they will teach you, those late season packs sure make a big bait pay of .

Agreed Boone.. Sage… however I have seen a lot of family groups still together towards Feb. Boone I think hit it when he said satellite. Some young stay on and range out particularly with a dominant male around but depending on food sources I think those young repeatedly swing back in to mama.
When calling over the years Jan-Feb in the west with multiples coming in it was usually pretty easy to see the size difference of mother and yearlings if you will. With just pairs of course it’s different.
Mid February one time I came around an upper point of a wash in the badlands with another guy and looking out a long ways I saw three. Thru the scope I saw the biggest and we watched the other two playing around like young pups do. We settled and I hit the call and they came on the run, big dog last. The two smaller came right to our feet on the flat below and at that time the big one checked up on the far adage about 125 out. I popped that one and we got the other two before they cleared off the flat below us. One yelped a bit and after the sound had settled a few minutes another opened up down that wash where the three came from but I couldn’t coax it up.
The big one of corse was the female and the other two young of the year. I can only surmise the male was missed? Maybe had been ranging and heard the call from afar.
In a nutshell I agree the young do not stray far to begin with and given the chance to be with mama again they will.
I also think the cord is truly cut when a denning site is picked out. She stays there more and the males territorial instincts move the pups away for good.
Just me, I sure could be wrong.
Osky

Eagle I see your in Wisconsin. My observations above were of shooting in western states. Your country is certainly different, and I wonder if the rising wolf populations have an effect on that aspect of coyote behavior.

Osky

It definitely has had an impact in NW Wisconsin, I either see less coyotes in heavy wolf populated areas or large family groups exhibiting more pack behavior at 5-6 yotes.