I think I saw the pics of it you posted them awhile ago. If I remember there were a couple of people posting pictures of some big ones in that thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by jaycee
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I think I saw the pics of it you posted them awhile ago. If I remember there were a couple of people posting pictures of some big ones in that thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by jaycee
I have seen Skeeter's man cave. He has multiple record class bear mounts and more 150 inch+ (like 20 or more - I didn't count) whitetails on the wall (all compund bow Ontario deer) than any hunter I have ever met. If he says it was 55+ lbs I believe him. His reality is bigger and larger than the exaggerated reality that many hunters seem to inhabit.Quote:
Originally Posted by SK33T3R
geesh Joe! you're making me blush!
thanks for the kind words. You're welcome anytime!
stay in touch!
Skeeter - my intent was not to offend or discount the fact that you had an animal that size. I'm saying that I highly doubt anyone that says they've taken a 60 pound coyote, and I mean coyote in the truest sense. It's like the proverbial 210lb buck that becomes a 260 lb buck, or the 370lb black bear that weighed 500. I don't know where your animal was harvested, but I'm pretty confident that it wasn't a coyote at that weight. You're right, it most likely would be either a wolf/coyote hybrid or even potentially an eastern/Algonquin wolf.
We've known for decades that other than strictly agricultural southern Ontario, we have basically three different "forms" of coyote-hybrid-wolf in the upper townships of what I call "southern" and central Ontario. As an example, both the houndsmen and trappers see all three forms in the area that I live and trap. I live right on the agricultural/Canada Shield transition boundary in north Victoria county. To the immediate east and north of me are some of the protected closed townships that the MNR are defining as eastern wolf habitat.
I trap the following in this area:
Central Verulam, Fenelon, Ops, Manvers, Mariposa Townships - at least 90% are what I call coyote, based on appearance. Tongue samples are being submitted to MNR for DNA analysis. Dogs are usually about 40 - 45 lbs, females 36-40lbs, lighter bone density on front forelegs and back legs, narrow pointed paws, thinner muzzle, narrower nose pad, pelt colour is variable but they tend to have more ruffous reddish colour around ears, nape of neck. Sagittal crest, zygomatic width, canine diameter is less than on other types. These are the animals that even George Kolenosky identified as coyotes back in 50s and 60s, before we knew anything about DNA testing. They are smaller on the fur boards when you put the fur up.
North Verulam, Somerville, north Fenelon, south Harvey Twps - definitely a bigger animal - longer leg bones, bigger paw, wider canine, cleaned skull has wider zygomatic arches, thicker muzzle and slightly higher sagg crest. Tend to lack as much rufous around the head as a general observation. I've also noticed the dark rump spot above the tail tends to be more obvious. These I'm sure are hybrids, or what Kolenoky called "Tweed wolves" back in the primary research days. I've trapped lots of males that were 48 - 55 lbs over the years. The biggest was just shy of 57 lbs, after three weeks frozen whole in a walk-in freezer at work. Females are usually about 38 - 44 lbs. They usually board on a wolf board. This size of animal (the males) are the ones that are very difficult to hold unless you beef up your dirt hole equipment eg. they will rip a two coil #1.75 coil soft catch leghold to pieces (you just find the jaws laying beside the trap) and they will pump short rebar stakes, or single stakes out of the ground. You have to add an arc weld blob to your 1.75 frame, and add an extra base strip on the frame, plus a beefer coil kit, if you want a 1.75 to consistently hold them. I switch to #3 four coil Bridger traps and have never had the trap tore up since. On a side note - it is predicted that these large males will be tough to hold with the new RCRs (relaxing cable restraints) that are now available, as the 122.5kg max. break-away limit is too low.
I've only trapped 3 animals in almost 30 years of trapping that I think are what they are calling eastern (or is it now Algonquin) wolves. All three were in central and southern Somerville Twp. I've also seen the same body form in a couple of animals from central Harvey Twp. Large canine width, thick muzzle and big sagg crest. Thick bone in front forelegs rather obvious, feet appear to be too large/almost clumsy for the size of the animal. One male had mange and was in very poor body condition but he was still 56 lbs. Female was 52 and the other male was only 41, but was a very young animal based on the tooth root closure.
Fenlon no offense taken.
Like I said - it was one of the first coyotes I ever took. It was taken right in the middle of the Niagara peninsula. I carried it out over my back with the butt right by my ear. the muzzle was hitting my calves and bled all over me. I was 6'-2-1/2" at that time. a strapping hockey player. I had a hard time holding it up for my mom to take a picture. She went in and got a bathroom scale. 57lbs is what we got. guaranteed the scale was off. but in which direction? :silly:
If it was a woman's scale it probably was light! If it was heavy I think my mom woulda put it to the curb! HAH!
anyhow that's the story.
I shot more, lots more, coyotes since then and only had one that approached my biggest one. All the rest do fall in to your weight classification. There's a big coyote contest down here every winter and the winner is usually 50lbs+ but not by much.
Anyway the good thing to hear is that guys are out there shooting these things. They're an invasive species as far as I'm concerned. They're making an awful dent in game populations.
Good luck to all!