Columbia Black-tailed Deer – Crepuscular Cud Chewer 

The word ‘deer’ is an irregular noun. It is used for both single and multiple animals. Deer are also crepuscular, active during twilight hours.

Of the six subspecies of mule deer living in California, Nevada County is home to two; the California mule deer (west side of Sierra Nevadas to the southern coast) and the Columbia black-tailed deer (Northern California through the Pacific Northwest). Since black-tailed deer are the species roaming through my yard, they are the main subject of this article.

History & Range

The Columbia black-tailed deer is also known by the names; Pacific buck, Columbian deer, coast black-tailed buck, and black-tailed deer. It is a subspecies of Mule deer and will cross-breed with the California mule deer and Rocky Mountain mule deer where habitats overlap.

In 1846, an Oregon Trail traveler noted black-tailed deer as far west as Wyoming. Today their range is smaller. It includes northern California, Oregon, Washington, some parts of coastal and interior BC as well as the Alaskan panhandle.

With the 1934 Taylor Grazing Act, the organization that eventually became known as the Bureau of Land Management was tasked with managing public forage lands for cattle and wildlife. It became one of the numerous organizations cooperating across state and county lines to track and manage these wild animals. ( US Forest Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Department of Agriculture.)

Identification

  • large ears, relaxed
  • short, stubby tail
  • loose tail position
  • winter coat color – silver gray
  • cap / patch of fur at top of head
  • thicker stripe of dark fir on tail than Mule deer

Behavior

Except for breeding season (November – December), does and bucks live in separate groups. 

Female groups of related individuals are led by a dominant (alpha) animal, usually the eldest mother. She chooses foraging and birthing grounds. The alpha female is usually the first to mate during mating season and she generally chooses to stay close to her mother’s territory, leaving it only if forced.

 

Males leave their mothers between a year-and-a-half and eighteen months old to seek bachelor groups.

New antlers (bone protrusions) are grown each spring and shed every winter. 

Antlers are grown out with a ‘velvet’ covering, a living structure with blood vessels. Once it dries and antlers harden, bucks rub them against trees to remove the velvet. A buck’s age is reflected in the number of forks. Antlers are used for sparring and determining social position as well as for mate competition. 

 

Communication

Communication methods include vocalizations, scent, and pheromones. Glands between the toes, and near the knees (hock) create trail marking and individual recognition signals while glands outside the lower legs produce alarm scents. 

Large, independently moving, ears enable sensitive hearing. 

Migration

In California, at higher elevations, some herds of black-tailed deer migrate. Locations of forage food and snow levels determine their movements.

In Nevada County, below Nevada City, seasonal herd movements do not cover great distances.

Life Span

The black-tailed deer life span is approximately 7 years (in the wild), reaching sexual maturity between 1-2 years.

Reproduction

Males are polygynous, they’ll mate with multiple females.

Female gestation lasts between six to seven months, with fawns born May – June.

For the first week after birth, fawns have no scent. This allows the mother to leave her babies to replenish her body weight and produce adequate amounts of milk for her young.

Caution: Mothers with fawns view humans as predators.

Diet

Like cattle, sheep, giraffe, goats, and antelope, deer are cud-chewing grazers. With teeth and mouthparts specialized for breaking down cellulose as well as a digestive compartment housing bacteria necessary to turn plant material into protein, volatile fatty acids as well as vitamins B and K, deer spend the early morning and dusk hours grazing and afternoon and evening hours, bedded down, regurgitating, and giving food a second chew. 

Spring and winter diet includes;

  • California Buckeye
  • Douglas-fir
  • Fern
  • Lichen
  • Huckleberry
  • Poison oak
  • Grasses
  • Cedar
  • Bark & buds

Late spring and fall diet includes;

  • Grasses
  • Fruit (blackberry & apple)
  • Fireweed
  • Pearly everlasting
  • Forbs
  • Rosehips
  • Salmonberry
  • Salal
  • Maple trees
  • Acorns

Rumination – Chewing Cud

Grazer gut bacteria often match soil microbes. Eating and defecating perpetuate healthy regeneration cycles for both plants and animals.

Grazing to Heal the Earth – Grasses & Ruminants | 3:14 Chewing Cud

Predators

  • Mountain lion
  • Coyote
  • Eagle
  • Bear
  • Humans

Deer Hunting Industry & Income Generation

In California, Deer hunting permit sales generate around $450 million dollars annually, attracting between 165 – 200K hunters. 

 

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Twenty-five Year Dear Population Estimates

Issues Affecting Deer Habitat & Populations

  • Habitat loss & fragmentation
  • Herbicide use on private and public lands
  • Timber & reforestation practices – biomass, hardwood removal, clear-cutting & thinning
  • Livestock grazing
  • Prescribed fire & fire suppression & wildfires
  • Reservoirs
  • Ski areas, golf courses & agricultural land uses
  • Poaching
  • Changing weather patterns including severe winters and drought
  • Highways and roads (1.5 million deer and vehicle collisions/year – Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
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If you liked this post, you may also like Mountain Lion – Fragmented Power Pouncer.

 

Resources:

Bay Nature – Are Deer Twins Common?
California Department of Fish and Game – Assessment of Mule and Black-tailed Deer Habitats and Populations in California – 1998 [PDF] California Department of Fish and Wildlife –
Mule Deer
California Department of Fish and Wildlife – Deer Management Documentation
California Department of Fish and Wildlife – Deer Population Estimates
California Department of Fish and Wildlife – Private Lands Management
iNaturalist – Columbian Black-tailed Deer
Journal of Wildlife Disease – Hair-Loss Syndrome in Black-tailed Deer of the Pacific Northwest
Mule Deer Foundation
Mississippi State University | Deer Ecology & Management Lab – Antler Growth Cycle
National Park Service – Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center – Black-tailed Deer Researchers, References & Links
Sierra Club – 
Largest Mule Deer Migration Ever Recorded
Western Hunter – Black-tailed deer of California
Wikipedia – Ruminants

Mule Deer Migrations

Nevada & Texas Deer Herd Management

 

‘Oh’possum, a Tick Eating, Fear Fainting Marsupial

Is the ‘possum’ an opossum or just a possum?
 
Opossums are North America’s only marsupial, an animal that carries and feeds minuscule young in a pouch.

First Observations, Description & Misidentification

 
When they were first observed (and recorded), during the early 1600’s, John Smith stated that the animal “hath an head like a swine …tail like a rat … of the bigness of a cat.”  Its name was derived from an expression for “white dog/beast” in the Virginia Algonquian language.
Animal misidentification is still common today… If your “cat” has a hairless tail that it hangs from, toothy alligator-like jaws, and it hisses, it’s probably a Virginia opossum.
 

Fossil Record & Species Introduction to California 

Opossums can be traced through sixty million years of the fossil record. What makes this even more astounding is the animal’s two-year lifespan!

Evolved for tropical ecosystems, several waves of opossum were introduced to California. The first population was brought to southern California in 1890, Tennessee immigrants brought the second wave to central California in 1910 as a food source and escapees from a fur trading operation was responsible for a third wave.

 

Traits Supporting Adaptability 

Opossum tracks. Opossums have opposable thumbs on all four feet. Photo Credit: Lensim
  • “Hands” (opposable thumbs) on all four feet
  • Prehensile tail – used like a 5th limb/hand 
  • Freezes when in danger 
  • Faints – nervous shock reaction – falls over & plays dead
  • Anal gland secretions – a repulsive greenish musk-like fluid 
  • Females can have three litters/year – producing up to 20 babies each
  • Short gestation period – 11-14 days
  • Rabies resistant (probably from low body temperature)
  • Resistance to poisonous snake venom

 

 

 

    Predators that eat living animals often leave prey that appears (and smells) dead. the animal rolls over on its side, becomes limp, shuts its eyes, and lets its tongue hang from an open mouth. The heartbeat slows and the animal appears to be dead.

Diet

They’re omnivores and will eat anything.

  • Small rodents
  • Ticks – up to 5,000 in a season! (Lyme disease reduction)
  • Insects
  • Slugs
  • Snails
  • Worms
  • Frogs
  • Birds
  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Garbage
  • Pet Food
  • Bird Seed

Opossums are nocturnal scavengers. They’re attracted by the smell of rotting food in garbage cans and along roadways.

After 2.5 months in the marsupial pouch, babies come out and cling to their mother’s fur.

Jacks, Jills & Joeys

Adult males and females are known as Jacks and Jills. Babies are Joeys.

Pouch Checking

Habitat

An opossum’s first habitat of choice is near streams and wetlands. Since they are not prolific diggers, they’ll shelter in tree cavities, abandoned burrows of other animals, under brush piles or under manmade structures.

In urban areas, they can be found under decks, in garden sheds, attics, garages, or under steps. Nesting material appears like random debris piles rather than woven or constructed.

Opossum Pest Prevention

Because of their varied diet, adaptability, and warm winter climates, the animals have successfully integrated into urban environments. If you have opossums living near your home, below are a few actions you can take to encourage them to move.

  • clear overhanging brush away from the walls of our home and roof – at least 5 feet.
  • remove fallen fruit from under fruit trees
  • tightly stack firewood, at least 18″ off the ground
  • tight-fitting garbage can lids
  • feed pets indoors and/or move pet food inside at night
  • poultry wire protection fencing around gardens (burry down under earth at the base at least 6″)
  • keep food scraps out of compost piles
  • screen access to under house or steps

Although Opossums can carry disease, and their defense strategies are noxious and showy, they are not generally considered dangerous wild animals.

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If you enjoyed this post, you may also like, Racoon – Puzzler and Mastermind

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Resources:

Bay Nature – More Opossums for the Internet

Blog Post Opossum Artist – Bonnie McKeegan

Davis Wiki – Opossums

Mental Floss – What’s the Difference Between a Possum and an Opossum?

Mother Jones – I’ve Stayed Silent Too Long: Opossums Deserve Our Love

Nevada County Wildlife Services

NPR – Declining Biodiversity Speeds Spreading of Disease

Opossum Society of the United States – General Information

Pest Management Professional – Why The Opossum Successfully Lives in the Shadows of Humans

Science Daily – Climate change, urbanization driving opossum’s northward march

The Opossum: Its Amazing Story by William & Winifred Krause {Dept. of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri] PDF

Northern Woodlands – Live Wierd, Die Young: the Virginia Opossum

SFGate – What do Opossums Eat and Are they Dangerous?

University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources – Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program  – Opossum

Wikipedia – Virginia Opossum

Einstein Corvidae – Crows & Ravens

 

 

Smart birds—crows, and ravens are part of the Corvid family. This group of perching birds includes blue jays, magpies, and nutcrackers.

In Old Norse and English cultures, a dark-haired person who steals is referred to as a ‘raven.’ Native Americans associated the raven with prophecy and an omen of loss.

Smart Bird Intelligence

Corvid Commonalities

As adaptable as the raccoon and coyote, corvids live in a variety of environments – wherever there’s a ready food source – and take full advantage of abundant opportunities that humans offer.

  • Omnivores – corvids will eat just about anything; insects, snails, worms, frogs, snakes, garbage, carrion, seeds, grain, berries and other fruit, fish, small turtles, crayfish, mice, and baby birds from other species.
  • They quickly learn how to access food sources whether it’s by opening trash cans or dropping nuts from distance.
  • Corvids are social animals, mating for life and living in extended family groups.
  • Males and females build nests together. Between 3 – 9 eggs are laid and chicks hatch after about two weeks. Older siblings help care for the young.
  • Family units provide education, protection, comfort, socialization, and companionship.

Photo Credit: noisytoy.net

  • Thought to be one of the most intelligent birds, experts say their reasoning abilities are about the same as a seven-year-old child.
  • Crows remember events for ten years plus, teaching new generations what they learned.
  • Crows and ravens work in groups to problem solve.
  • Corvids have developed, sophisticated language skills – differing group and family dialects.
  • Mobbing is when they work together to drive off predators.
  • Corvids enjoy playing and require lots of mental stimulation.
  • They notice when a member of their group has died, holding ‘funerals.’

 

What are the differences between crows and ravens?

Crows:

 

.7 – 1.5 lbs
Crows make caw-caw calls.
Fan-shaped tails.
Spend winter nights in communal roots, sometimes numbering in the thousands.
Vocalize while flying.

 

Ravens:

Photo Credit: Diliff

1.5 – 4.5 lbs
Ravens make growl-like calls.
Diamond-shaped tail.
Hides food in stashes and uses distraction to draw attention away from them.
Large throat hackle feathers.
Mostly hunts for food in pairs.
Soars without making calls.

If you liked this post, you may also like Woodpeckers – Drumming Hoarders.

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Resources:

https://youtu.be/rNm_Pf_eR1w

Audubon – American Crow

Audubon – Common Raven

Audobon – How to Tell the Difference between Crows

Audobon – How to Tell a Raven from a Crow

Cornell Lab of Ornithology – American Crow Life History

Cornell Lab of Ornithology – Common Raven

Cornell Cooperative Extension  – Crows – Wildlife Damage Management Fact Sheet (PDF)

John Marzluff – Professor of Environmental & Forest Sciences, College of the Environment, University of Washington

Humans & Corvids:

Trash Collecting Crows

Chuck and I – friendship

Canuck and I  – Facebook page (Seattle)

Raccoon – Puzzler & Mastermind

Origin & Name

Raccoons evolved around water sources. People observing them gave them names describing their ‘washing’ behavior.

Scientific name – Procyon lotor means “before-dog washer” in Latin
Aztecs – Mapachitli – “one who takes everything in its hands”
Chinese – Orsetto lavatore “little-bear washing”
Garman – Waschbär – “wash-bear”
Italian – Araiguma – “washing-bear”
Algonquian / Powhatan Indian – Arocoun – “he scratches with his hands”
English speaking North American colonists changed Arocoun to raccoon

Hands & Masks

Raccoons explore with touch. It’s long been thought that ‘food washing’ was for cleanliness. Dipping ‘hands’ in water is called dousing; it stimulates nerve endings in the forepaws, giving the animal an improved ability to detect changes in pressure.


Raccoons don’t have thumbs but use both forepaws to manipulate objects, like hands. Their forepaws have concentrations of mechanoreceptor cells similar to primates and humans.

Since the animal is nocturnal and thought to be colorblind, it makes sense that it interprets the world through touch.

The mask, a stripe of dark fur surrounding the eyes, maximizes night vision by blocking glare.

Intelligence

Raccoons are omnivores; they’ll eat anything. Scientists believe that this characteristic, as with humans, contributes to their extraordinary intelligence.

A raccoon is a relentless problem solver, passing learning along to their young. As people attempt to keep them out, raccoons adapt, becoming smarter in the process.

In 1907, H.B. Davis published a raccoon intelligence study in The American Journal of Psychology. Twelve raccoons were given a series of locks to crack. He presented the test subjects with 13 puzzles to solve. Their success rate was nearly 85%.

“The learning curves for the raccoons and Kinnaman’s monkeys… seem to show a nearly equal facility in learning to undo fasten-ings.”

“Test of the raccoon’s powers of retention show that skill in undoing simple fastenings once learned remains practically undiminished…”

Breeding & Raising Young

  • Mating Season – January and June
  • Females mature and can reproduce at about one year
  • Two – five kits are common per litter, born in spring
  • Females separate from others to raise young.
  • Mothers teach kits by example
  • Kits remain with mother between 13-14 months
  • Raccoons in tree cavities & burroughs – keeping up to 20 den sites at one time

Factoids

  • Full grown = up to 23 pounds
  • Adult male = boar
  • Adult female = sow
  • Young = kits
  • Lifespan = wild – 2 – 3 years, captivity 20 years

Predators

In the wild bobcats, coyotes, mountain lions, great horned owls, and red-tailed hawks pose threats.

In urban environments, infection, disease, and cars are the major causes of death

Differing Interactions with Humans

Raccoons in the wild are shy around humans, avoiding them when possible.

Urban raccoons will approach them looking for handouts.

Highly adaptable, raccoons are able to easily navigate living in urban environments. Food sources (pet and bird feeding stations and garbage day) are plentiful and they’ll den in attics and abandoned buildings. Raccoons understand traffic patterns and travel on roofs and fence tops.

The trapper in the above video is from Florida, but his topics and the other animals he talks about are applicable to Nevada County.

Becoming Invasive

Germany
In 1934 a forester released a pair of raccoons to “enrich the fauna” for hunting. In 1945, twenty-five raccoons escaped from a fur farm after an air strike. Since then, the raccoon population in Germany has grown tremendously.

 

German raccoon population increase

Raccoons are now considered an invasive species.  A zero-tolerance policy is in place. Over 10,000 raccoons are trapped and killed in Germany per year.

Japan
Rascal the Raccoon anime show appeared in the 1970s. As a result, children wanted pet raccoons. At one time, over 1,500 raccoons were imported per month. When keeping them became difficult, many were released in the forest.

Today, raccoons cause hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to ancient, irreplaceable buildings and temples. Raccoons have spread to most regions in the country. Japan prohibits raccoon imports.

Problem Prevention

To discourage denning on or near the property;

• Securely close trash containers
• Don’t leave pet food outside
• Remove bird feeders
• Eliminate water sources and ornamental fish
• Cover outdoor sandboxes when not in use
• Keep brush cleared
• Eliminate access to attics, basements, and barns

Raccoon Voiding Spots and Latrines

Wilderness raccoons prefer to poo at the base of trees, on horizontal surfaces, on large rocks or in raised tree forks. Undigested seeds are often visible.

In urban areas, they’ll go on rooftops, decks, woodpiles, and in attics, haylofts, and in garages.

A raccoon latrine is a communal defecation area used by multiple raccoons.

1940s advertisement

Feces Spread Disease

  • Fungal Spores
  • Parasitic raccoon roundworm- causes neurologic damage and possible death: eggs are temperature resistant and can become airborne when dry
  • Giardia
  • Leptospirosis – contact with open wounds

Above is a list of some of the infectious diseases carried by raccoon feces. They can also be spread through contact with urine, saliva, bites and scratches.

 

Communal Food

Because food sources attract a variety of animals, disease can spread. Infectious raccoons may appear healthy. When a disease moves from a raccoon to a cat, dog, or human, it can be more challenging to combat.

Feces Clean-Up

Prepare for cleaning by protecting your airways (mucous membranes) and skin.

• Wear disposable gloves and rubber boots (or disposable booties that cover shoes)
• Wear an N95-rated respirator (hardware store)
• Plan to burn or sterilize gear when finished

Outdoor Latrine Cleaning

• Use a shovel (or inverted bag) to collect feces and contaminated material. Bury or burn. If placing in the trash, double bag and secure to protect landfill workers
• Roundworm eggs are chemical resistant. High heat will kill them. Cover feces with boiling water or blast with a propane torch
• Use boiling water to disinfect shovel blades and deck surfaces
• Burn or boil and disinfect protective gear
• Wash hands thoroughly with hot, soapy water. Launder clothing with hot water and detergent

Indoor Latrine Cleaning

  • Lightly mist area with soapy water in a spray bottle to avoid stirring up dust
  • Collect and dispose of feces as listed above
  • Use a bucket of hot, soapy water and a damp sponge to wipe down the area
  • Rinse sponge frequently
  • Flush contaminated water down the toilet
  • Disinfect the bucket with boiling water
  • Burn or boil and disinfect protective gear
  • Wash hands thoroughly with hot, soapy water
  • Launder clothing with hot water and detergent

 

Editor’s Note:

Apart from post titles, I endeavor to present Deer Creek topics objectively from multiple angles, using reliable sources. While the Center for Disease Control says, “human infections are rare,” I think a cautionary note is valuable.

As more people spread into wild areas, animals with the ability to live in urban areas join us. Our structures, pets, feeding stations and trash fulfill their hierarchy of needs. As a result, species whose paths would rarely cross are ‘meeting at the grocery store,’ creating opportunities for infectious organisms.

There are valid reasons behind the statement, “don’t feed wild animals.”

Below are several worst-case scenarios illustrating those reasons.

Danger of Disease

 Attic Horror Story

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If you liked this post, you might also like, Bobcat – Susceptible to Rat Poison

 

Resources:

Average Outdoorsman – Raccoon Sounds

Centers for Disease Control – Parasites – Baylisascaris infection

Centers for Disease Control – Racoon Latrines: Identification and Clean-up [PDF]

Centers for Disease Control – Healthy Swimming – Raccoons and Pools

Gold Country Wildlife Control

Harper College – Animal Scat photos

Inside & Outside Latrines

LIVE Science – Facts about Racoons

Mental Floss – Rodent, or NOT a Rodent

Mental Floss – 10 Clever Facts About Raccoons

Northern Woodlands – Raccoons: It’s All In The Hands

Oxford Research Encyclopedia – Animals in Latin American History

PBS – Racoon Fact Sheet

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management – Infectious Diseases of Racoons [PDF]

Wikipedia – Raccoon

Wildlife Animal Control – How to Get Rid of Raccoons in the Attic, House, Yard

 

Singing Coyote – the Ultimate Adapter

Coyote is the Most Vocal North American Land Mammal

Canis latrans, the coyote’s scientific name, means ‘barking dog.’

Between 11-13 vocalization have been identified. Wildlife biologists have categorized several sound types;

Combative & alarm – barks, woofs, growls, huffs, bark howls, yelps, and high-pitched whimpers

The lone howl, the most recognized coyote vocalization, is thought to be a proclamation by an individual coyote separated from its pack.

Contact & Greeting – ‘Wow-oo-wow’ appears to be a “greeting song” when two or more pack members reunite. Group yips are thought to be a response to the lone howl.

The coyote is North America’s oldest indigenous species

Originating near Yellowstone three million years ago, this medium-sized canine is extremely adaptable and intelligent. They’ve settled into every wild, rural and urban corner of the North American continent.

Unlike other species that were extinguished by eradication efforts, Coyotes create replacement populations when their numbers are reduced.

Coyote experts suggest that it’s easier to train coyotes and people to coexist rather than launching hunting campaigns. Killing coyotes opens more territory for roaming individuals to claim.

Breeding

Breeding season is February through March. Coyotes are monogamous and mate for life.

In spring, newly mated couples claim territories and set-up dens. Den establishment may be cleaning out a previously used space or taking over an abandoned skunk, badger, or marmot holes.

A pregnancy lasts about two months. Litters range be between 3 – 12 pups. Litter size is determined by the number of other coyotes in the territory and the availability of food.

Once the cubs are born, the male and other pack members help feed, raise and protect them. Pups remain with the parents somewhere between six months to one year.

The Pack & Social Behavior

A family unit contains a reproductive female and her mate. Nonreproductive females, bachelor males, and other young adults may join the pack in the winter for companionship, but this is usually temporary.

Hunting coyotes can be singular or work in groups. At times pairs and small packs will form to take large prey such as deer, cow, sheep, or large domestic dog. (The ever-unpredictable coyote may also initiate play behavior with large pet dogs.)

Occasionally, coyotes will form interspecies relationships. Coyotes have been observed working in tandem with American badgers while rodent hunting. A badger has been seen allowing head snuggles and face licking from a coyote.

Aggressive coyote behavior most closely matches fox behavior.

Hybridization (CoyDog)

While not common, coyotes have been known to breed with dogs when there is no other alternative.

Statistics & Threats

Males = 18 – 44 lbs
Females = 15 – 40 lbs

Life span 6-8 years.

Humans pose the biggest threat to coyotes. In rural farming areas, most coyote deaths are caused by hunting and trapping. In urban environments, the majority of coyote deaths are caused by automobiles.

Versatile Diet

90% of a coyote’s diet consists of meat, but a coyote will eat almost anything, often experimenting with previously unknown items.

Prey species;
  • rabbits
  • sheep
  • rodents
  • squirrels
  • birds
  • frogs
  • lizards
  • snakes (Rattlesnakes! Coyotes tease the snake to uncoil, then bites the head and shakes.)
  • fish
  • crayfish
  • insects
  • grubs
  • worms
  • black bear cubs (unusual)
  • also scavenges large animal carcasses
Wild Areas

In wild areas, coyotes may compete with bobcats and mountain lions for mule deer.

Scavenging in Rural & Urban Areas

If fresh meat is not available, coyotes will scavenge for;

  • berries
  • pears
  • figs
  • strawberries
  • elderberry
  • avocado
  • peaches
  • apples
  • persimmons
  • watermelons
  • cantaloupes
  • carrots
  • corn
  • dropped fruit under fruit trees
  • garden produce

Winter Food Sources

In winter they will also eat;

  • grasses
  • grains
  • other animal droppings

Cities and Populated Areas

In urban areas, a coyote diet can consist of;

  • dog and cat food
  • cats
  • feral cat populations
  • bird seed at feeding stations
  • small dogs
  • large dogs (sometimes), with several coyotes working as a team

Coyote Hazing

Coyotes in cities should be wary of humans.

It’s up to people to reinforce the coyote’s fear

Hazing will help maintain healthy boundaries for all.

Hazing methods;

  • throwing rocks
  • waving arms
  • shouting
  • blowing an air horn
  • spraying it with a water hose
  • or acting aggressively
  • looking at it directly in the eye
  • make yourself look larger
  • motion sensitive outdoor lighting may discourage coyotes

Guard Animals

In areas where livestock is at risk, some ranchers and farmers have found that llamas, donkeys, and dogs bred for guarding aid as coyote deterrents. (See University of California – How to Manage Pests link below for details.)

Identifying Problem Behavior

  • Increased numbers of coyotes on streets and in yards
  • Hunting pets in the daytime
  • Coyotes seen in playgrounds or parks during the day
  • Coyotes approaching people during the daytime and/or behaving with aggression
  • Chasing joggers, bicyclists or other outdoor enthusiasts
  • Attacking pets while the pet is on a leash

When a Coyote Becomes a Safety Hazard

A coyote becomes a public safety hazard when it no longer fears humans and behaves with aggression.

Coyotes that bite humans have usually been fed by humans

In 2017, the USDA Animal and Plant Inspection Service killed 3,199 coyotes in California.

If a coyote has developed bad behavior, a predator removal professional must be called (it is illegal to shoot firearms in populated areas). Coyote relocation is not an option, the animal is killed. Nevada County’s Federal Trapper can be reached at 530-470-2690 during office hours.

Coexisting

With their ability to predict outcomes, make changes, communicate, quickly identify new food sources and understand human behavior, it’s easy to see why the coyote is an evolutionary success story.

In Nevada County, and along Deer Creek, it’s important to realize that coyotes are always watching. Just like discouraging bad bear behavior, residents must be vigilant about keeping food and water sources at a minimum. It’s also wise to mindful about creating situations where small pets and farm animals may become prey.

If humans do their part by keeping coyotes wary, the two species can coexist peacefully. Haunting coyote song will serenade us at night and they’ll keep our rodents, insects and rattlesnakes in check.

click on image to see more Life on the Creek art

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy Bobcat – Susceptible to Rat Poison or Turkey Vulture – Carion Cleaner.

Resources:

Coyote Hazing – Keeping Humans and Coyotes on good terms

Coyote Myths vs. Facts

 

Dens

Resident vs. Transient Coyote

Savvy or Silly

Hero or Pest

Dog vs. Coyote

The Shapeshifter – Documentary

ABC 11 Eyewitness News – Coyote Stuck for 20 Miles in Woman’s Car Grill

HubPages – Difference Between Dog, Wolf, Jackal, Coyote, and Fo

Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust – How to identify Coyote Tracks

LiveScience – Coyote Facts

Nevada County  – Wildlife Services & Information  

University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources – How to Manage Pests of Homes, Structures, and Pets – Coyote

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Spotted! A Coyote and Badger Hunting Together

USDA – 2017 California Animals Killed Report

USDA – Coyote Wildlife Damage [PDF]

USDA – Living with Wildlife – Coyotes [PDF]

Wikipedia – Coyote

 

Nevada County Federal Trapper –  530-470-2690

 

 

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