Coyote

Scientific name: Canis latrans

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Grey-brown to rusty coat with darker guard hairs along the back and neck; underparts lighter. Smaller and more slender than grey wolves, with proportionally longer ears, narrower muzzle, and bushy tail often held low when running.

Size and weight

Males 11–15 kg, females 10–13 kg. Body length 115–135 cm nose to tail base.

Habitat

Coyotes occupy diverse terrain from open prairie and desert to brushy foothills and mixed forest edges. They thrive in fragmented landscapes with a mosaic of cover and open ground, from sea level to high mountain passes.

Distribution

North America from central Canada through the continental United States to Mexico and Central America. Most abundant in grasslands and deserts; increasing presence in mixed and forested regions.

Diet

Highly opportunistic, eating small mammals (mice, voles, rabbits), deer fawns, birds, insects, carrion, and fruit; diet shifts seasonally toward rodents in winter and fruit in late summer.

Behaviour

Primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, though active throughout daylight in undisturbed areas. Solitary hunters but may form loose family groups; travel singly or in pairs across large home ranges, leaving scent-marked territories.

Hunting tips

Sign includes distinctive four-toed tracks (2–3 cm wide) often in a line pattern, and segmented dark droppings often containing fur or bone. Approach open terrain at dawn or dusk moving into wind; use predator calls or howls in brushy cover to draw animals toward ambush positions. Stalk slowly with frequent pauses to listen and scan open ground.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 4 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.