Perceived wisdom on coywolves/wolves on beaver Island?

[cynthiasimmons]

So, today I was driving down Eastside drive around 3:00PM. I thought there was a deer in the road ahead of me, but thought it strange that instead of jetting for the forest it kept running down the center of the road. I slowed and it stopped and looked at me in the car and then headed into the woods. I have seen coyotes on BI, and this was a much larger animal.Coyotes average 27+ pounds, and this creature was bigger. What is the six of BI coyotes? We have a 15 month old German Shepard weighing in at near 90 lbs, and I would say it was maybe a little smaller. We have also heard howling and not yipping typical of coyotes. Our dog gets freaked out. According to Michigan DNR they are in the region. I wish I had the chance to take a picture, but by the time I stopped it had bolted for the woods. Just wondering. Not that it really matters.

[BradG]

I’ve seen a few just about the size of a German sheperd including one on the old east side drive in front of our house. I don’t think there are any wolves or hybrids here.

[JFPowers]

https://www.beaverislandhistory.org/wp- ... Beacon.pdf Coyotes have been proven to travel off and on the island, search this article for Coyote. John Ozaga who did this research also found signs of 'coydog' genetics years ago although I cannot find the article. that could indicate that Coyotes here cross bred with Dogs at one time thus increasing the potential that you could have occasional offspring that are much larger than normal.

[Darby Campbell]

I remember a few years ago that Steve West from the Chamber of Commerce and avid outdoorsman documented a coyote/wolf hybrid at the south end of the island. I don't recall whether it was confirmed with pictures or DNA. I think he has since moved from the island but it would be interesting to contact him for details on his discovery.

[cynthiasimmons]

The animal I saw was too big to be a coyote since they average about 27 pounds. I heard them again this evening, south from where we are. The DNR is currently taking an inventory of wolf/coywolf sightings. Regardless, she was definitely a beautiful creature.


Heres an article from Detroit free press. https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/ ... /24186739/

Thanks,
Cynthia

[steveandelaineonbeaver]

The coyote / wolf expert on Beaver Island is Jeff Powers DVM. He made a cast in plaster of a footprint, several years ago, that was much too large for a coyote & not dog like. My wife and I took a photo of a large animal that based on measurements could have been a coyote / dog mix – published in Northern Islander. Several experienced B I outdoorsman have seen and heard what they believe to be a wolf. There are plenty of wolves in the UP and they have been documented out on the ice in winter. Wolves are now in the upper LP. It is very possible a wolf or small pack is on BI. If not now, my bet is they will be. Best wishes from SC. Steve West

[esalveter]

It has been documented that there is a little wolf DNA in northern coyotes. If the average weight of a coyote is 27 pounds, it is not unusual for an older male to be 45 pounds or more. After all, they vary in size just like we all do. And the northern coyotes are a little larger than the western coyotes. I am much more familiar with the western coyotes that have moved into Indiana and southern Michigan. They yip and yap all summer, but even they howl more like a wolf come fall and winter. A wolf would have a body similar in size to a German shepherd, but the legs would be noticeably longer. Wolves have crossed the ice from the UP to the lower peninsula. I have no doubt they will visit Beaver Island some day. I have not seen any evidence they have done that yet.

[hermit]

Years ago there was a guy on east side rd who had two 3/4 wolf dogs. They were seen by a guy I know running with coyotes across the road. There are definitely very large coyotes and I believe somehow if genetically possible these wolves bred with the coyotes.

[Darby Campbell]

Steve,
I remember reading about your documentation in the paper a few years ago. Was it you or someone else that suggested coyote hunts on Beaver Island as a means to attract hunters and display them on hanging poles? Did that every materialize? I would think by killing them and extracting DNA could prove they existed.

[steveandelaineonbeaver]

"...........suggested coyote hunts on Beaver Island as a means to attract hunters and display them on hanging poles?"

I DID NOT suggest that. Some folks are offended by such displays. Hunting them is legal. If there are too many on BI then dealing with them would be a good project for the Wild Life Club. A popular comment out west is "shoot, shovel & shut up." Many deer hunters take a coyote (quietly) during the deer season to keep the coyote population under control.

Are there too many coyotes on BI? During the 20 years my wife and I lived on the Island the population seamed to move up and down.

[Darby Campbell]

Steve,
Sorry, I thought you or the Chamber were proposing coyote hunts on Beaver Island. if I understand it, your proposal is that deer hunters silently shoot the coyotes and not reporting it for DNA analysis. But how does that determine if there are hybrids on the island?

[beaverman]

Still unresolved. Someone needs to shoot one

C235D4CD-6C78-4C6C-BE86-5E283A868E95.jpeg (93.08 KiB) Viewed 14221 times