Alpa male coyote?

Greetings,
This most likely sounds stupid, but what is an alpha male coyote?
Thanks,
AuthorTrapper.

Ask Mark June

The dominant male in a group of coyotes, stupid.

An alpha is the top male in the group. Hes only 2nd in charge to the alpha female. Lots of times you'll catch the alpha male first because he will be checking every new sent and objects out in his home range. The alpha female is the same one. When catch her you've done something.

Is there any way you can tell if it is the alpha male or female? Sorry, I'm not familiar with this type stuff. When I go trapping, I'm trying to catch any coyote, bobcat, fox, badger, 'coon, skunk, possum, etc that walks past my set!

I think it was on one of his DVDs I heard of it!

Sorry.

If I remember right,you are 13,so not a stupid question. There has been talk of having to catch the alpha male first,which is retarded. You catch them all as the come thru,is the goal. There is nothing saying that the alpha was not already taken or died on a highway or even still part of the pack structure. If that is fact, then there are folks catching the same numbers and more that don't buy into that crap.

Very true statement. I try to catch everyone that comes by. Buyers dont pay any more for an alpha male or female. Go catch coyotes and have fun doing it

Not a stupid question
Alpha male and female are the ones that breed
And are the core and teachers of the pack

Sometimes you can tell if its the alpha by the way they act in a trap. Usually bigger and more aggressive in my neck of the farmlands

as stated the alphas are more aggressive acting. Old adult dogs will greet me at the end of the chain. Yoys cower at the opposite end. Imho alphas are what keep the yote world in check as well as next years population

I have yet to catch an Alpha then. I can’t even get mine to stand for a decent pic.

Why are there so many Mark June haters on here? Is it just petty jealousy or has the guy really done something to serve all the hate?
Just curious.

good question author trapper. I suspect you are well on your way to becoming a good coyote trapper.

coyotes are not wolves and not really pack animals. they can and do hunt together occasionally but not wolves or pack animals. we need a classification for coyotes that only applies to coyotes. I don't think any other animal interacts with each other like they do. sometimes a coyote that has bred acts very timid in your trap. sometimes they do hunt together. bad weather especially. takes turns running antelope or herding deer onto pond ice.

coyotes can get nervous after you catch a few of them. whether or not you catch a breeder or three has nothing to do with it. leave for a month and come back you can catch the ones you left plus the ones that have drifted in

its not hate to know someone is wrong

"Nobody knows everything, but everyone knows something."

That is a helpful response.. Except for the last word. I hope you feel better about yourself...

I used the word pack loosely, as I know of no other word to describe a group of coyotes
I will try to be more deliberate in future

That was completely unnecessary!!

OK SORRY, it was sort of a joke repeating what he said.

Thanks. I'm 14.

I love MarkJune!

I don't believe yotes are as territorial as some think.Years of running hounds has proved that repeatedly. Sure they protect there core area but I think that's way smaller then one might think. Honestly I think the term alpha is used loosely in the yote world.

nothing to be sorry for. .asking questions is how you learn.


my dad used to say...... theres no such a thing as a stupid question only stupid answers.

I don't see anything hateful in my post. Mark June has written extensively about what he believes to be the alpha coyote if you've read his books. If you believe there's such a thing as an alpha coyote (which I don't) he'd be the guy to contact.

Danny is right, coyotes don't hunt in packs like wolves, though they will when food is scarce and do run in family units with young. Mostly I see them run alone or in male/female pairs, as most of my doubles are male/female. I've caught one yote that I would consider an "alpha", a big old 42 lbs. red/blonde dog with worn down teeth. While most yotes tuck tail and cower down, this guy laid back his ears, hair standing up, gums rolled back with teeth showing, wanting to tear me in half. I don't think there was anything special about him or any effects from removing him from the area.

Ask all the questions you can, it's how you learn. There is no smart and stupid only trained and untrained.

Ok AT I'm going to take a stab at this too.

IMHO I think they are all individuals. You can make sets for certain types and target them specifically but it's not a sure thing. We have different types of coyote here - some are western and some eastern and lots of different colors. A dominant make here can be 45 lbs and act pretty tough in a trap but sometimes you catch what you think is a big bad one he will do everything including roll over on his back and be totally submissive. With fur trapping I try to get the quick easy ones. On removal jobs I trap diffidently and make sets for young ones ad older ones.When things work you are ten feet tall. Sometimes it's a huge wreck too. They are coyotes.
If you have any dens around you can find the Alpha male's bed close by. If you don't get too close you might be able to see him hanging around or coming and going for food. The pups are out by now so you might be able to hear them. Pretty soon they will start howling in groups. If you see them usually the pups act like pups and play around. The alpha male will look bigger and have wider set apart ears. I tend to not call him the alpha male but just '' the male''

In my strange way of thinking it's kind of like this. The male usually comes first to a rabbit squeal and either gets the rabbit and has to share or he gets shot by someone blowing a call. The female will be looking for another mate pretty quick to help her with the pups. They don't mate for life - some new guy will come to her call within a few days if the first one gets picked off and usually he picks up where the old one left off. The new guy would be called the alpha male then - This is what I understand people are saying but is he really?
To me comparing coyotes is more like comparing different married couples. To have an alpha male you have to have an alpha female- right? In one couple the male is the boss and the female does what he says but then I'm sure you know some couples where the wife is running the poor husband all over the place. I would not call him an alpha male.
So you're settin there calling and out pops the whipped husband ( you think he is the alpha male) and he keeps looking back at Lulu and she keeps telling him to get out there and '' get out there and get that rabbit stupid if you know what's good for you'' so he does and dies - then she starts the Lulu show all over with a new guy unless he whips hers into shape - which I would assume might night work because she's a battle ax.

But someone is after a male and female coyote with pups they call them the alpha male and alpha female- why alpha when there is only one of each? I don't know. There are times when there is a multi generational group of coyotes with young of the year from last year or a sister to the bred female hanging around. I could see that but it is not that common here so we just call then the male and the female.

They aren't really pack animals as mentioned before. Maybe we do need some new words to describe them?

Maybe Mark will tell why you have to catch the alpha male first. Maybe with the number one selling bait in America,fresh not tainted of course.

I've been told by more than one coyote expert that catching the dominant female first is the way to go. Most of the toughest coyotes I've encountered where the old girls, the males seem more aggressive and more prone to works sets. In my mind you can't define the alpha the way they act when their in a trap, it's how they're viewed by other coyotes. Size doesn't matter with canines!


I only see pack hunting here if and when the snow gets deep, normally 4 to a pack, made up of 2 pairs that share the territory.

Well when I trap coyotes I set a trap for what ever comes along weather It's female or a male or a pup. I would drive myself crazy trying to just target one single animal on one property. Are you putting up signs saying "Dominate Dog Only"?

The rational Is If you take out the dominate male or female you stand a better chance of taking the young of the year. Some will say that the dominate male or female will keep the young of the year from committing to a set. I don't know If that Is true or not but I'm not going to lose any sleep over It.

One good reply from MJ would bring ten pages of alphaness.
Come on MJ we are over due for a good coyote read.

I had that 10 feet tall feeling a few times, then it was quickly back to humble pie.
I do think catching the elders first makes the others easier.
I also know that I can not make that happen.

I’m envious of those that have the populations of coyotes to attempt to target just adult coyotes. I find tracks that I can make out and make a set. Adult or pup, I don’t care. Just want to catch whatever wants to check it out.

Most of us that trap coyotes have are theories about them. And as we learn more about coyotes are own theories change. I bet at some level there are differences though it might be slight amongst guys that have made their living trapping coyotes their whole lives. If someone else's theory doesn't jive with your who cares. I like hearing others theories even if they aren't the same as mine. I don't think we should but someone down because they don't see things the same as we do. Or we would end up with a forum of one on here.

The point is,Author Trapper is 14 years old. He deserves to be steered down a clear path.

I am with you. And I understand your point.But I hate to see a thread turn into a personal attack. I've seen stuff on here from others that I dont agree based what I've seen from coyotes but I try to just share what my theory and go on. Over time you start seeing for yourself which theories and which trappers seem to have merit based off what you see yourself from the coyotes.

That's uncalled for.

Author trapper here is a.piece of advise.
Learn the basics then ,,, catch a 100 coyotes,,, by then you will have something that works FOR YOU then change things as needed.
As far as catching what coyote first there certain times a year to target the Male or female.
Always and never are tricky words.
Like all young males when you get 25 you will think that you are the alpha Male
just a some thoughts
have wonderful day

Gang set-catch them all.

That's the best advice I've seen so far.

That's not bad for a old gandy dancer lol

Chickens and several other critters have pecking orders. Whether or not coyote do I would not know. I set for them all. If there is an elusive large coyote that tickles my psychic I will put in a very inconspicuous blind trail set or a 'turds only' set a foot or two off his trail. Otherwise I will not waste my time trying for a particular animal.

Now there is a good idea.
Mac

The idea of an "alpha" is something made up by Nat Geo type people that give wolves names. Coyotes and wolves have a breeding pair that typically rule the roost.

I agree - gang set

Always!!

That must have been why my coyote catch was off last year.....spent too much time trying to catch that darn alpha male first. LOL Or was it the weather????

Me too!

Thank you, red mt!

Yep, Red nailed it..

I haven't hear that term for quite some time, it's all in the hips right Boco! Lol

That's not bad for a old gandy dancer lol[/quote]

I haven't hear that term for quite some time, it's all in the hips right Boco! Lol
[/quote]

That's one old gandy dancer to another lol

AuthorTrapper,
My Grandfather told me this...
"A wise man will seek out the council of experience - a fool thinks he knows everything".
You just keep asking questions - you're obviously wanting to refine your skill set and that's nothing at all to be sorry for.

Thank you, everyone for your answers and kind words!

Glass half full, eyes wide open bud. Never stop asking questions and learning.

PM sent

Man who coined the term "alpha male" no longer believes it is a useful way to understand wolf packs. https://youtu.be/tNtFgdwTsbU

Depends on time of year too.

when coyotes pair up to breed they get pretty serious about chasing off other k9's from the denning area till pups are about 3-4 months old.

I don't think they are "alphas" just cause they breed and will protect offspring whenever possible.

I guess you could call the pair that bred "alpha" so far as they relate to their pups. While pups are still pups. That to me is not pack behavior.

When 3-4 adults get together in bad winter weather to hunt deer or antelope I suppose that is pack behavior. when a kill is made they squabble constantly till its all ate. one may be able to keep everybody else from just quickly getting a belly full but its an ongoing contest. I SUSPECT when they group up like that they were littermates or littermates with parent(s).

The great dispersal that is such a hot topic doesn't happen like many think. Some pups do wander off. I don't believe they have a plan or a destination in mind. I don't Believe they are even capable of planning ahead. They certainly don't have any way of knowing whats over the hill till they cross it. Most pups live their whole life within 10-20 miles of where they were born.

An adult with pups that knows what a trap is, (which is a lot rarer than many think) will keep pups away during summer control work. Sometimes the lesson sticks and often it does not.



I never been to college or even finished high school. What I wrote though is what I have observed and concluded after chasing the things . Never trapped or hunted them east of the Mississippi but I have trapped/hunted them in the desert, in the prairie, in the sand hills, and in the rockies. It holds true in all those places.

Good observations, Danny.

I think in most families the alpha or primary male member is the father of the family. Same is true of the female, mom is the main, primary or "alpha" female. Until the youngins grow up.
It was that way in all the neighbors' families .. Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet- translates to "a", the first letter in our alphabet; and as such is use to denote the first or number one unit/member of a group.

We are doing this coyote study Here In my area In WI so far 70 coyotes have been collared. As far as I know only one collared coyote has been re captured by trapping. Some have ended up as road kills and some have been shot but only that one was re captured by trapping.
Most of the coyotes are still within 5 or 6 miles from where they were caught. Some never left the area at all and are still on the same ground where they were caught.
WE started trapping In early Sept so some of the coyotes were young of the year. One coyote did travel about 60 some miles till It got to the WI river. It was gone for some time then made It's way back to where It was caught.
We are trapping right along side a major 4 lane Hi way and very seldom do any of the coyotes travel across that road. The GPS collars send a signal every 3 hours and It's pretty neat to see how they move around In their home range. Two of my coyotes were killed along that road while eating on road kills. The collars are only good for about a year so there are lots of coyotes running around with non operating collars.
I haven't been In touch with the study supervisor for some time. He would normally send me Emails with the GPS maps showing the movement of individual coyotes. I will have to check in with him this week and see what's going on.

A coyote doesn't know a trap from a horse shoe but It may be "SET" shy but not "TRAP" shy. Maybe even lure or bait shy so I think It's very important to have change up systems.

An adult coyote that has witnessed one of It's family members getting caught In a trap may try and keep It's young from working a set but for the most part I can't see an adult pair keeping tabs on their young during trapping season. That may happen In a ADC situation but In Nov and Dec not so much.

Last 2 paragraphs were spot on beav. Toadly agree.

Who on here that has caught a good number of coyotes actually believes they can tell if a caught coyote is an alpha? If its more aggressive to the trapper upon approach? If its larger and growls or barks? How do we know?

Simply, we do not know. To say or think we are smart enough to "target" the alpha, if one even exists in any given coyote family unit is a stretch. Makes some coyote trappers feel better to talk about it but the truth is none of us know what's out there or what we've got caught as any coyote's demeanor can be as individualistic as many other critters, including people.

Can we used that observed aggressive behavior that we observe from a trapped coyote to our advantage? I try to by moving my trap to edge of catch circle with the obviously aggressive ones....thinking if they are that aggressive to me then they are likely aggressive to other coyotes too. But is this a true characteristic? Who knows.....?
No one does for sure.

Well put Swamp Wolf, spot on.. Interesting Beav , please keep us posted, thanks

I look at this as two different things.

There are two kinds of trapping that I do - fur trapping and ADC work. During the fur season I don't care if I get who ever is in charge and how would I ever know which one that is if I am traveling over a long distance?

If I have a complaint I want the whole bunch of them. If you check the sign and do your homework you can tell if you have the alphas or not. The key is knowing your territory and the animals in it.

I would like to see those movements Beav. That sounds interesting.