I haven’t trapped in a couples years since NM banned trapping on public land. This year I had a rancher friend call me and ask if I’d set some traps on his private land because he’d been seeing a LOT of coyotes and his cows are about to start calving. He usually doesn’t worry about them but said he’d been seeing way too many. His ranch consists of about 2200 deeded acres but it’s kinda checker board with BLM. I set 4 locations with a total of 10 traps(combination of dirt hole, flat, and I put in a couple walk through sets after seeing some bobcat sign. In just a little over 2 weeks I caught a bobcat, a badger, and 10 MALE coyotes. I can’t understand why I haven’t caught a single female. It just seems weird to me. My furthest trap locations are approximately 3 miles apart. Where are all the females? They’ve got to be there especially with it being mating season. Why am I only catching males?

Are you making multiple sets in each location?

Reminds me off “were all the white woman “

Females are breed in WA end of December.

Maybe they are holed up?

Holed up with litters?, and the males are out hunting and fetching back the game while Momma nurses the pup's.

February seems awful early for pups.

Could be location route. One year I caught 52 reds in a power line. 49 males and 3 females, had me baffled ‘bout like you.

Males not paired up with females are roaming. That's what you are catching. No pups yet mid January thru mid feb breeding season.

Yep

I believe there are several scientific papers available on-line that explain what occurs with the females when there are highs & lows of canid due to overly populated and underpopulated conditions.

I appreciate everyone’s feedback back.

Danny, yes multiple sets per location. A dirt hole and flat set at two of the locations and the same plus a walk through at the other two locations. Set anywhere from 20 yds apart to 50 yds apart.

Our breeding season is usually mid January through February that’s why I’ve been surprised I haven’t caught a double with a male and female. Have had a couple doubles with both being males.

Do you check them for age? Keeping track of age classes helps you understand the dynamics of an area's critters
I remember reading that when populations are high litters are smaller
I think in the same study there was something about more males per litter in high populations
It's the opposite during low populations

Have any of y’all ever seen this? Instead of hanging up in nearby brush he got in an arroyo and made it about a half mile from the set, then across a natural gas well location. Don’t know why he decided to get close enough to hang up on the pump jack. He chewed the fuel gas line in half and shut it down. Rancher said he would let the lease operator know what happened.

Yes, your memory is correct and those are the studies I was referring to! There was a time years ago the many canine trappers knew about those studies.

I have those studies somewhere, but where is the question. LoL

10-15 years ago everybody on here knew about them! LOL

We get that when the populations is high and not just coyotes I see it in other wildlife. Species are regulating there population is my guess.

I guess I was unaware of those studies but it makes sense. Definitely seems to be a high population in this area.

I remember reading those studies.

They talked about compensatory breeding and the percentage of population that had to be eliminated over a three-year period to see a real reduction in the coyote population.

Yes RFrame. Coyotes have surprised me how far they get in thick brush once in a while. Not often but it happens. Dont use a lot of drags here. Wrong kind of country most places. I sure like them where they work good though. Never had one hang up on a pump jack. Have had several hang up on a pen when trapping near it.

I suggest that a lot of the newer canine trappers on this forum should search out these studies and possibly educate themselves to the inherent behaviors of canines!