Glands and territorial markings

[Coyotehunter]

I have not been able to get any info on the glands. You were my last hope. LOL
Well here is another one. What are coyotes doing during the middle of the day? I know that there is not just one answer to this question and a ton of variables. I have watched coyotes many times at a distance with binoculars and have bumped them out of their beds at all hours of the day but I often am surprised how at times they can just appear out of know where. So I don't know how to even ask the question but I was hoping to get some insight on what you would see from day to day on an average day. average being the weather conditions.

How do coyotes mark boundaries? (Another Gland question) Does this change as the seasons change?

Answer:

Hi Jamie,

Much of the time coyotes are simply resting in the middle of the day. But that doesn't mean that they won't check out disturbances they hear! I think that a big variable is how much pressure they get from people; with lots of harassment, they will adopt a nearly nocturnal schedule, but if people are leaving them alone I think they would prefer to do much of their foraging and such during daylight hours... especially if the daytime temps are more favorable than nighttime temps (for example, I'd expect more general activity during daylight hours in the winter, and less at the peak of summer).

Regarding your question on boundary marking, here's a summary from a study by Eric Gese and Robert Ruff, from Animal Behaviour in 1997 (Scent-marking by coyotes, Canis latrans: The influence of social and ecological factors):
"We observed 49 coyotes, Canis latrans, from five resident packs for 2456 h and five transient coyotes for 51 h from January 1991 to June 1993 in the Lamar River Valley, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, U.S.A. During these observations we recorded 3042 urinations, 451 defecations, 446 ground scratches and 743 double-marks. The rate of scent-marking (via urination) was influenced by the social organization (resident versus transient) to which the coyote belonged, the social class (alpha, beta or pup) of the animal and the time of the year. Transient coyotes scent-marked at a lower rate than did members of a resident pack. Within the resident packs, alpha coyotes scent-marked at a higher rate than beta coyotes (adults and yearlings subordinate to alphas, but dominant over pups) and pups. Alpha coyotes increased their rate of marking during the breeding season; beta and pup coyotes performed scent-marks at a relatively constant rate throughout the year. There was no influence of social class or time of year on the rate of defecation. The rate of double-marking was highest among alpha coyotes with a peak during the breeding season. Alpha coyotes ground-scratched at a higher rate than did beta and pup coyotes. Alpha and beta coyotes scent-marked more than expected along the periphery of the territory compared to the interior; pups marked in the interior and edge in proportion to expected frequencies. Double-marking and ground-scratching were higher than expected along the periphery of the territory. The distribution of defecations was not different from expected along the edge Versus the interior of the territory. Pack size did not influence the rate of scent-marking performed by individuals in the pack or by the alpha pair. We concluded that alpha coyotes were the primary members of the resident pack involved in scent-marking. The large coyote packs and the high rate of marking by the alpha pairs were parallel to the scent- marking behavior displayed by wolves, C. lupus, to a greater extent than previously reported. Scent-marks appear to provide internal information to the members of the resident pack (internal map of territory, breeding condition, reproductive synchrony) and enhance demarcation of territorial boundaries."

Brian R. Mitchell
Post-Doctoral Associate
University of Vermont
The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources

[Prairie Ghost]

Most likely

[WAREAGLE]

I FOUND SOME SCAT THIS AFTERNOON THIER WERE SCRATCES AROUND IT
YOU THANK IT WAS MARKING ITS TERRITORY

[Coyotehunter]

would be a good place to set some equipment.

[Prairie Ghost]

that screams for a trap

[WAREAGLE]

SWEET

[TIKKA]

This site is so cool. How many other internet sites could you take a picture of a crap and post it and get positive feedback. LMFAO

[LeviM]

This site is so cool. How many other internet sites could you take a picture of a crap and post it and get positive feedback. LMFAO

LOL

Right on!!

[Coyotehunter]

This is a great post to revisit.

[Tim Anderson]

Coyote movement: In a little place in S.D I see coyotes moving about from sun rise to around noon and also on sunny days during months of Dec. and on. Not a heavy pressured area..
In southern Mn. most but not all feed about 3-4 hr.s before sun up and in bed as the sun comes up. Most stick to heavy cover but some can be found out along a fence or edge of wood lot most likely due to wind or a storm that night.. Once in awhile we will see one in the open but making its way back to where it plans to bed up for the day, some tend to use the same location every day if not bothered and some pick a new spot each day but will come back to other places it has stayed before, depending on pressure.
About once a week the coyotes will tend to cover a lot of ground over night and what looks to me to be a gathering of family members. they tend to meet in same section which I think is where they was born. This gathering will break up before sunrise and the coyotes will return to where they came from, there own little core area... Will also see a lot of movement once a week just prior to the coyotes first nine days of coming into heat and consists of singles and sometimes a pair running together and would bet on it being a female and pup from that springs litter. At this time these coyotes will travel a greater distance vrs. the ones that do the once a week get together... Once mating starts up its not uncommon to catch a pair out in the open along a fence line or just laying up in a low spot in a open field. Some times one coyote will lay up in cover and the other out in the open close by. (male)
I'm sure there are many callers who have been out calling on a certain day and have had more than just a pair of coyotes show up on one stand and may have had it happen all day long. They got lucky and caught them on the right day and it had nothing to do with storms coming or going or how the moon changed... LOL