Coyote population increasing?

[striker2160]

I have worked on glenwood ave 2 blocks west of international market square (basically downtown mpls)for the last 14 years close to the railroad tracks. in that time i have seen a turkey many woodchucks many skunks at least 6 dead racoons at least four live ones coyotes on two ocassions and one bobcat.

[hockeybc69]

Regarding wolves in OTC, here is what the USFWS out of Fergus Falls has to say about it:

I am aware of wolves in Otter Tail County in the past but don't recall any wolf sightings recently but would not be surprised. A den with young was found in Butler Township in the NE corner of the county back in the late 1990 or early 2000's and had to be removed as they were preying on domestic livestock.

Wolves are found on a regular basis in Becker County just north of Otter Tail County (on Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge north of Detroit Lakes) as well as just to the east of Otter Tail county in Wadena County. With that in mind it would not be unusual to find young wolves dispersing from these packs moving into or through Ottertail County. I don't know that there are "wolves all over" but an occasional sighting would not be unusual.

[creepworm]

https://secure.forumcomm.com/?publisher_ID=21&article_id=17414

This should prove there are wolves in the Leaf River Bottom.

[bak2MN]

Im sorry to say but there is freaking wolves every where in the state that they want to be. Whoever thought it was a good idea to introduce them back in the state in "designated areas" ought to be slapped. Just like there is no mountain lions in the area. Come on people get your heads out of the clouds they are around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hockeybc69]

Did anyone say their are not wolves not around?

Now mountain lions..... Not nearly like wolves. I wont ever buy that.

My Dad last week said his neighbor saw a cougar... OH MY. Yea, [PoorWordUsage]. Some ole lady seeing an animal at a distance and freeking out because its a cougar.... No,,,, maybe Coyote, bobcat, Big Tabby cat, someones runaway calf,,,, or even a wolf more likely.

Lots of "confirmed" cougar sightings via forums, but almost zero proof to show other than "I know what I saw". I laugh out loud.

[Ufatz]

Holy Mother of Pearl!!!.....I'm sitting at my desk last night, look out window and there is a coyote eating a tomato and looking at me!! As I said way back, I've seen them "around" OT county but not around here. Until last night. And I still maintain that when I was spending summers and falls in this area, late 40's and 50's nobody ever talked about seeing them and I never saw one while tramping miles and miles and miles of terrain.

To the cougar skeptic: yes, I KNOW what I saw. Next time I'll run up and grab a tuft of fur from it's tail and send it to you.

Okay, guess I gotta break out the 6.5X55 and keep it handy. Do not need coyotes hanging around our stump ranch. Got nuttin against 'em, but not in my neighborhood!!

[McGurk]

Now mountain lions..... Not nearly like wolves. I wont ever buy that.

You don't need to buy it, but the DNR has.

MN DNR Cougar page

I've also seen this story from Bloomington, of all places. I know a few of the cops here, and it was confirmed by them to me. There were also trail cam pix of one over a fresh deer kill in Savage, MN (very close by).

"On May 30, 2002, a Bloomington policeman shot a 90-pound cougar that crouched near a popular walking path and wouldn’t flee, even after police kicked dirt and shined lights toward it. Cougars are protected, but officers have wide latitude to kill threatening animals."

Does this mean we have a breeding population here? Probably not. But they are confirmed to have been here, so a sighting is plausible. They may have just been wandering through, or maybe someone's released pet, but they have been seen here. Would you believe, for example, that there are no muskies in a particular lake because you've never caught one in it, even though the DNR says has muskies in it?

I'm just saying: It's a big state we live in, and our eyes are closed to a lot of this stuff as we wander through it. If you don't want to believe that they are here, you don't have to. That's your prerogative. I happen to think there are, but I'm not worried about them to the point that we NEED to take action against them. Exactly the opposite, in fact.

[ChuckN]

Whatever Christi. You may just run into one and you can laugh then.... sightings are rare, but definitely possible!

How about the Bemidji cat that was killed by a vehicle last year at this time?

Mountain lion fatally struck by car near Bemidji

Associated Press

Updated: 09/21/2009 05:22:54 PM CDT

BEMIDJI, Minn. — Wildlife researchers are trying to find out more information about a mountain lion that was hit and killed by a car near Bemidji.

The mountain lion was hit on Friday night. On Monday, the cat was taken to Grand Rapids where Minnesota Department of Natural Resources researchers will perform a necropsy.

Blane Klemek, a DNR wildlife manager in Bemidji, says the adult female cougar appears to have been a wild animal, because she didn't have a collar and hadn't been declawed.

Klemek says researchers will look in the cat's stomach to see what she's been eating. The necropsy will also determine how old she was.

Confirmed mountain lion sightings in Minnesota are rare.

[Gissert]

Ufatz -

6.5 x 55 - Ah, very nice!

[lakesbison]

Saw a dead coyote on hwy 10 right west of lake park. i had to take a double look. over south of dead lake there's a pack in the woods there too.

[Maverick1951]

Tuesday night I was sitting at the campfire smoking a great Perdomo and listening to three distinct groups howling around Dead Lake. I'm pretty sure they were coyotes, but it could have been some Viking's fans.

[Ufatz]

Gissert: Have always found the 6.5 adequate for most beasts. Many decades ago it was a Swedish mauser carbine. Many, many dollars later it became MY mannlicher stocked tiger maple carbine. It has been all over the northcountry and if you point it right and go BANG.....stuff falls down dead.

Now, for the bigger stuff I used .378 Norma mag in a Schultz & Larsen or a .458. Either would pretty much blow a bear right off it's feet! And would probably do the same to your average small import car. Har-de-har!!

But I don't shoot things any more. Maybe a pheasant now and then.

[Gissert]

I have a 1916 Carl Gustav that all the numbers match on. It's just too nice to sporterize, so it will stay the way it was made for the king.

I'd like to get another one, but for now, I'll have to stick to my .338.

Oh, the 'yotes were REALLY talking east of Underwood last night. Quite pretty to listen to.

[Maverick1951]

I will be at the lake again tomorrow night and fully expect to hear the howling of more depressed Vikings fans. I prefer the sweet music of my old friend Wiley.

[RK]

Gissert: Have always found the 6.5 adequate for most beasts. Many decades ago it was a Swedish mauser carbine. Many, many dollars later it became MY mannlicher stocked tiger maple carbine. It has been all over the northcountry and if you point it right and go BANG.....stuff falls down dead.

Now, for the bigger stuff I used .378 Norma mag in a Schultz & Larsen or a .458. Either would pretty much blow a bear right off it's feet! And would probably do the same to your average small import car. Har-de-har!!

But I don't shoot things any more. Maybe a pheasant now and then.

Shot my first deer with a 6.5 Swedish Mauser. Wonderful gun and an under appreciated round...

[Musky Buck]

Coyotes were all fired up last night which fired up every dog in the township. It's crazy how much racket they can make and then to go just silent as can be. Should be a good year for the blue tick hounds and hunters pending snow depth and freshness. More than enough around in my areas. PS. Even the cats scattered for the barn, one group was about 300 yards from the farm yard last night, full moon tomorrow is it ?

[Gissert]

The 'yotes had my labs singing last night too...

[Musky Buck]

Heavy yotes, friend mentioned many counties away same thing, maybe they'll be swimming tomorrow 4" possible of rain. At the minimum they'll be wet yotes.

[mnmarlin]

Just went outside to get the vehicles ready for Monday and the coyotes were singing, and this is 'downtown' Ottertail! They were just south of town.

[Ferny]

I heard them each night Between Elizabeth and Earhard of the 2009 deer season. That's a first for me since '88. I also had fresh yote tracks on my footprints in the mud. I have yet to see one while in the woods yet. They seem to be pretty sneaky critters. I was happy to see some pelts for sale in the Elizabeth store. The owner lady said her brother shoots plenty of them North of Fergus.

Ferny.

[MN_Pilot]

We've been living in our home for only a year now. But the other night my wife spotted from the house two coyotes scrounging around a little over 100 yards away. They were jumping up and going after something in the snow. We're 5 miles east of Fergus Falls

[FishSystem]

seen alot of coyote in the North Metro area. Been driving through the same area for 6 years at night for work, and seeing alot of coyote around this year. Never before.

[gatorslayer]

More wolves up north....all the more coyotes down south.

[MN_Pilot]

We've been living in our home for only a year now. But the other night my wife spotted from the house two coyotes scrounging around a little over 100 yards away. They were jumping up and going after something in the snow. We're 5 miles east of Fergus Falls

Saw probably the same two coyotes out on the ice Friday & Saturday morning. They were out there a ways. Still waiting for my chance.

[McGurk]

They were howling the weekend after Turkey Day north of Parkers Prairie. Not much of a moon, but they were out there.

[mngoosehunter]

Hey guys, not sure if you hunt coyotes, but I'm planning on doing a lot of hunting this winter to thin them out a little bit. I know in my area just west of pelican rapids they seem to be affecting the deer herd by getting the fawns in the spring. IF you dont hunt and wouldnt mind someone hunting them I would gladly try to thin them out for you. You can shoot me an email at [email protected] if you want more info from me. Thanks. I appreciate it.