From the numerous studies I have read, Eastern coyotes are a mix of coyote, grey wolf and domestic dog. The supposed "red wolves" are a mix of the same with slightly more wolf genetic input. I see no good reason for either coyotes or "red wolves" to be protected. They are all mongrelized,

Keith

I'd say about 20 miles or so from Xenia, so not right next door but definitely not out of the realm of possibilities in the world of coyotes. Heck that black one I originally posted a picture of could be halfway across the state right now, maybe even sitting in one of jbyrd's sets lol.

Eastern coyotes have a home range of up to 25 square miles and can disperse at least 100 miles from where they were born, though most only disperse 30 to 50 miles. 20 miles is not at all far for a coyote to move. They could also have moved over generations.

There's a mix of scrub land, field and forest along 35, that makes an excellent travel corridor for wildlife across the state. I used to run dogs on it, several times a week, when I lived in Dayton. We did a lot of falconry on it too.

Keith

You southern folk have some funky looking coyotes.. That thing looks straight up domestic to me.

Oh come on now grumley. I would think catching all the same old cookie cutter nice yotes would get boring after a while. Round here we have all kinds of excitement not knowing what the next might look like. Could be blonde, could be silver, could be red or orange, or could look like it should be pulling a dogsled somewhere apparently lol.

I want them cookie cutter coyotes, especially those with white bellies.. the only value that coyote has is in taxi trade.

Absolutely can happen. Extensive DNA tests on randomly caught canines has proven it. Usually happens when a wolf gets wanderlust and gets too far away from its own kind when breeding season comes in and has to settle for whatever holds still.

Yeah yeah money this, money that. I was just joking with ya which I'm sure you knew. I've accepted the fact that my yotes are off color, my gray fox are small, my bobcats are spotless, and my coons are brown. If I ever want to make some real money I'm gonna move out west next to one of you guys. Maybe we can start a Tman community!

Grumley 701, my North Dakota fellow "Dakota Territory" brother, I would add the Eastern guys in that list as well. If I called that thing in and was going to take a shot at a 100-200 yards, I would pass, thinking it was a regular dog. Like I said earlier, maybe out near Pine Ridge or Rosebud or one of the other reservations where dogs run loose but not around here.

I'd like to see a cleaned up skull of one of those hybrids. Sure as couldn't sell the fur anywhere looking like that, unless bootlegged to the Chinamen. They'll deal in about anything if they can get a way with it.

I've seen a fair number of those hybrids skulls. The Sagittal Crest is much larger and more dog like, meaning their bite force is likely much greater. The Carnassial Teeth on the hybrids are much less sharp. My coyote barely bumped me with one of her Carnassial Teeth, with her open mouth, just goofing around and cut me like a very sharp, serrated knife would. Most hybrids have proportionately shorter and heavier skulls. Hybrids are more likely to have under or over shot jaws.

I keep expecting the right genetics from a dog will make a superior predator. The immense Saggittal Crest of a Kangal combined with Carnassial Teeth of a coyote would make for an extremely terrible bite, that could easily sheer through small bones.

Keith

I would not of even questioned whether it was a coyote

One of the former Tman crew caught a coyote with similar markings not too many years ago. I recall colors being slightly different but still with that husky/german shephard type look. He picked that one up around Michigan/Indiana area

Wouldn't have even thought coyote here, would have just been wondering whose it was, and if they were going to mess with my sets. But I know the eastern guys get all sorts of funky looking coyotes, and they are also much larger on average. I've always heard that is because practically all eastern coyotes have some degree of domestic dog in them.