Eaten Alive

[GW11]

Coyotes are pure opportunists. It's always a matter of energy spent in the pursuit vs. energy gained (food) if they're successful. I agree fully with Bo D above. If the circumstances are right, they'll take down anything. They'll also give up if an attempt doesn't go their way and they start spending more energy than they'll gain.

[Splaker]

Is there an actual difference in the speices "western/eastern coyote"? I always just figured adaptation/evolution of the eastern yote caused it to become abit larger and more aggressive towards bigger game.But when I said "Southern-central USA coyotes wouldn't dream of it" I meant the dogs around here have gray wolf DNA. some more so than others, but I belive just about every coyote north of the States (and some south) have been impacted by breading with the once more widespread wolf.In theory, coyotes are a major reason why we have so few pure wolves south of toronto.

Probably so few south of the French.. From what I've read, the coyotes and wolves of south-central Ontario share genes… and they do look alike, hence the hybrid label

IMHO, I agree with the poster who stated that deer aren't the main prey of yotes. I have no doubt they take their share… especially fawns in spring/summer, and during severe winters they probably take plenty of adults. But I come across coyote scat all the tie and in different areas, and I don't see that much deer hair in the poop.. I see lots of corn and apple in the fall mixed in with squirrel, rabbit, etc… lots of berries in the summer, and then a mix throughout the rest of the year. I have seen deer fur, but it's not that common.

I think scat samples is the best way to determine this and it gives an accurate picture of what they're eating

What have the others come across when the find scat?