Thought some may be interested in this. I heard about this study a few years ago but never gave it much thought. Then one of the young ladies working at Quantico was dating this man from NC. She introduced me to him and found out he was one contucting the study on the Red Wolves and Coyotes there in NC. I know he has a web site somewhere and will try and contact him for it. I just happened across this looking for coyotes impact on wild turkey's. Which according to him has very little impact on them. I also remember him saying that is why our yotes are bigger here then out west because of the blood line.


http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/11/25/ ... tself.html


Earl

A few decades ago the FWS and Great Smoky Mtn Natl Park went to great lengths to try to reintroduce the Louisana red wolves back into the NC side of the Park. Then somebody brought forth the DNA analysis and , as the article says, figured out the DNA on the wolves was same as western coyotes that were invading Tenn and the south generally. They sure didn't need federal aid to find their way back "home". It is one of those FWS blunders nobody talks about much.

I have to wonder about coyote's impact on turkeys , I was hunting in a western state one evening , found remains of 2 turkeys , a couple of gobblers were sounding off good , then coyotes started yipping , everything went quiet for the rest of the evening. Yet in another western state I was set up on a gobbling bird one morning another hunter came into the area and started howling with a coyote call the bird answered it every time about 15 minutes later he came in to me strutting so I guess the coyote howl didn't bother him. I'm still going to stay on the side that coyotes are not a good thing.

Here's the unvarnished story on the red wolves in NC....

http://www.nchuntandfish.com/forums/showthread.php?95624-quot-Red-Wolf-quot-restoration-scandal

Thanks for this info, very informative.


Earl

Very interesting about the NC Red Wolf. Jett articulates that nicely.

After the turkey dog Gracie was attacked in VA, I researched coyotes, wolves and coywolfs. We don't have a problem with coyotes attacking hunting dogs in Wisconsin, so that was a surprise to me. Only Gray Wolves will attack dogs, and we can stay away from them (it's mostly bear hounds that get killed). I haven't heard of any instances of the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) in WI interbreeding with coyotes. But according to the 4 links near the bottom of the page (including a PBS special), the 'Great Lakes Wolf' interbred with coyotes and most of Ontario and the eastern states now have coy-wolves. They're bigger and more aggressive, to attack a GSP like Gracie. WI coyotes would never attack a dog that size. Near the bottom of the page - Researchers confirm existence of the CoyWolf http://www.turkeydog.org/gracie.html

Based on the coyotes (and fast dogs) I've seen interacting with turkeys, I think generally turkeys aren't afraid of any kind of dog they can see. They know they can just fly up and be safe. That's why they often don't leave the ground until the dog is close to catching the tail. Experienced coyotes know it's not worth the effort, because the odds are they won't be successful. Same with dogs and wolves. Wildcats could be more successful, but the turkeys main predators are coons, turtles, skunks, possums and crows preying on the eggs. That's my two cents worth.

Just realized the NC Red Wolf thread was 33 pages long (thought it was 1).
Anyway, thought you'd like this picture: