Hunting & Fishing Wolf or Coyote?

[khall540]

A guy at work got this photo on his trail camera. It was taken from Columbia County Wisconsin, which is in the southcentral part of the state. I have witnessed a wolf in this county before and there a few reported sightings here every year, so we know they are here. This has created quite a debate between all of us and our hunting buddies. What do you think and why? Wolf or coyote? Thanks. ( I first said it was a coyote due to its tail but the long legs are starting to make me think wolf...)

 

[Force_Multiplier]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

looks like a yote to me

 

[ajwcotton]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Looks like a lanky Coyote to me.

 

[juniors]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

My vote is coyote, no doubt to me.

 

[Bigwheels]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Yote. Head is too narrow for a wolf.

 

[Bradu]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Definitely a coyote by looking at the head

 

[Killswitch Engage]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

That be a song dog fer sure. Shoot em and then you will know

 

[psinclair]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

I've seen bunches of both and that ain't no coyote...my vote goes wolf.

 

[JSF]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Looks like a gray wolf.

 

[Ledzep]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

I'm going to say Wolf, also. Fairly distinct line from grey to tan. Coyotes usually have a more gradual fade. And those long legs.

A few pictures of wolves in WI.
http://www.justinwp.com/blog/Wisconsin_Wolves/

 

[Beef82]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Looks like a wolf to me. Could be a coy-wolf.

 

[GreyShirts]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

In comparison to surrounding objects he's fairly tall. If its a wolf it's a young one. Could be a big coyote past his prime. Or its possible its a cross bred wolf/coyote. Either way, it makes for good debate in deer camp. I originally thought coyote until I noticed how tall it was in comparison to the background. I'm saying its a young wolf.

 

[Va_Gentleman]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

I say Wile E. Coyote... Super Genius. He has us guessing.

 

[T-Hoe]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

It is a coyote.

 

[SABuzzard]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Initial thought is coyote. The more you stare at it the more you can talk yourself into a wolf. Still think it's a yote. I've seen similar longer legged, lanky versions down south, but in all fairness I've never seen a wild wolf so who the heck knows... glad I could help

 

[robescc]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

It's a yote. My wife and I saw one Sunday night that was bigger than that. I thought wolf at first but it wasn't. It was just a well fed coyote.

 

[RTH1800]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

First,
PGS is the resident expert on such things. I would not disagree with him on anything involiving predators.
I also agree it is no coyote. A medium coyote could walk under that critter. I have only shot and trapped a few hundred coyotes and never seen a wild wolf, that is a wolf. Nose is too long for a coyote and legs are too long. It looks like a young one which would be correct for and area that has only a few. Like lions, wolves spread by young males searching out new land.

 

[Luke]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

I think it could be either without really knowing the size...in their summer coats these things can look pretty dang similar...

Wolf:

Coyote:

 

[High Binder]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

I'd say yote but only because it's face looks really narrow.

 

[khall540]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Finally a turn of the tables with some wolf believers out there. Now I really got my head spinning and don't know what to think this is!

I am going to e-mail the pic to our local game warden who stops in our office regularly and see what they think. I'll keep you guys posted when I get a response from them.

Keep up the debate!

 

[RTH1800]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

There is 14-17" under that animal! The "Narrow Face Issue" is weak as this is a mostly profile shot.

 

[O_W]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

wolf for sure. there are many more wolves in WI/MN/MI these days than people realize.

 

[psinclair]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

A "leggy" old male wolf I killed many years ago in the NWT. I based my evaluation of the trail cam picture on how long the legs appear. I never seen a coyote with legs that long.

 

[Lowe Left]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

It's a wolf! Look in the background...


There's 3 pigs and girl with a red hood.

 

[skinney_7]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PGS</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've seen bunches of both and that ain't no coyote...my vote goes wolf. </div></div>
Question answered... PGS knows.

 

[DirtyDave]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Legs too long to be a Yote. Wolf for sure.
Overall Size of the animal is hard to determine in a pic like this with not much to go on for size reference. You have to look at the proportions of body size vs leg length. A yotes legs (proportionate to the body) would only appear to be about 3/4 of the length shown in this pic.

 

[Victory]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: skinney</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PGS</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've seen bunches of both and that ain't no coyote...my vote goes wolf. </div></div>
Question answered... PGS knows. </div></div>

I wasn't sure until he said wolf, then I just stopped wondering. lol

 

[JDF_GSP]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Wolf, like others have said, too "leggy" to be a coyote.

 

[Captain Moroni]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Living in Idaho I have seen plenty of wolves on trail cams and thats a wolf. I think it looks skinnier in the face because its moving and the camera is a low resolution. In the summer when they have dropped their coat they can look pretty thin.

I hope the SOB gets hit by a garbage truck while he is choking on a 6-pack ring.

 

[StayHidden]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Doesn't look like any coyote I've ever seen. Wolf for my vote. Far to tall/long legs to be a pure yote, could be a cross breed.

 

[Nocalphoenix]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Bigger than any coyote I have ever seen.

 

[aaronraby1]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

this is a coyote i shot last year... longest legs i have ever seen on a coyote!

 

[CoCaDoRi]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

I gotta go with what PGS is sayin'. Just a youngin' ???

Just something that doesn't look 100% song dog.

 

[YTALER]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Choking on a sixpack ring - that is funny!

I think it's a wolf. We see a bunch of Yotes around here and the legs are not that long.

 

[Grand]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

I defer to PGS - he does this for a living. And it appears the animal is heading to Grandma's house.

 

[RedGoat]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

My guess is wolf

 

[Shoot4Life]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

I live in Idaho also and ive seen a few wolves. That definately looks like one to me. Shoot that bastard!

 

[C.K]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Young wolf, there was a confirmed pack that made its way into central Greenlake county last winter.

 

[catskinner]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

It would be interesting if your buddy went back to the place and measured that weed that is beyond the suspects head. I think the picture is deceiving with those shadows. I think it's a yote myself, sure would like to find out tho.

 

[Outdoorsman9]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Have your buddy stand in the same exact spot and compare pictures. Wouldn't suprise me if it was a wolf, but my vote goes to coyote.

 

[WyGuy]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

I'm leaning toward wolf.

 

[Engine 22]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Wolf, PGS is our resident expert on the topic.

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

My vote is young Grey wolf. Not enough 'silverback' to be a coyote that tall. The head says coyote, but being young it's not old enough to have built up the skull mass you see, most notably in PGS's pic. An older wolf would have more downward roll/angle from head to snout. Coyotes have that shallower angle/roll from forehead to snout.

FWIW, I lived in Boulder, MT. when the 'Yellowstone Wolves' were released. A year later, after snowmobiling with friends and family, we were driving home. I looked left across a pasture and saw what looked like a coyote...except it was on stilts! Of all the coyotes I killed later in that area none had legs as long as I remember seeing on the one across the pasture from me.

 

[45.308]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

I had a 75% female wolf hybrid w/ malamute pet for years in the 80s, they are now illegal to own, she was given to the wolf farm, does not look like Sheba. Does not look like any wolf I tipped over or seen in Alaska but does the yotes. The pix has some distortion to it and shadows make it more distorted. I think the angle of the body and shadows makes the body appear shorter so the legs appear longer. The head, tail and what I can make out of the paws say yote compared to the wolves I have seen up close but I am not an expert.

sandwarrior, you are welcome for the wolves, want more.

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 45.308</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I had a 75% female wolf hybrid w/ malamute pet for years in the 80s, they are now illegal to own, she was given to the wolf farm, does not look like Sheba. Does not look like any wolf I tipped over or seen in Alaska but does the yotes. The pix has some distortion to it and shadows make it more distorted. I think the angle of the body and shadows makes the body appear shorter so the legs appear longer. The head, tail and what I can make out of the paws say yote compared to the wolves I have seen up close but I am not an expert.

sandwarrior, you are welcome for the wolves, want more.</div></div>

There's an open season on 'em here now.

 

[58blackflag]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Killswitch engage</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That be a song dog fer sure. Shoot em and then you will know</div></div>

Song dog! I love it!

 

[thewileyone]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

Looks like a long legged yote to me... but I'm not sure. I have seen a few wolves too close for comfort but they are darker here... darn sure long legged though.

 

[Eznutz]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

I vote coyote. I think the nose is too pointy for it to be a wolf. The legs look abnormally long because of the shutter speed of the camera and when it was taken (mid stride). Just my 2c.

 

[shamrockcattleco]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

How can you go against PGS and Skinny. I said yote all day long until I noticed how much circumference of bone he has all the way down to the paw. I'm more likely to believe that to be a young wolf

 

[Independent]

Re: Wolf or Coyote?

The debate is fun and I can both there. I say kill it! They are both bastards in my book.