If you haven’t heard the eerie howling of coyotes, there is a good chance you will soon. Between January and March is their mating season but breeding peaks in February. During this time coyotes communicate with their pack and others by using a repertoire of different sounds for a variety of reasons. If you listen closely, along with howling you might also hear barks, yips and yelps.

This vocalization will start with the alpha male of the (family) pack letting other coyotes know this is our territory (4 to 10 square miles) stay away. The female alpha of the pack will also join in with yips and short howls along with the young (beta) coyotes from the previous year. It is possible you might hear another alpha pair of coyotes responding. Also, during this time of year, coyotes can be very aggressive.

I have read and heard that it is uncommon for coyotes to attack people, but there was a 5-year-old child that was attacked and was being dragged away until his mother intervened. This was last month in Montana, but that shows it could happen anywhere. As attacks are minimal, there have been close to 200 reported cases. Even though coyotes are common in the Northwoods, they can be seen in every county of Wisconsin. I will tell you because of their ability to adapt, most of those encounters/attacks occurred in urban areas.

To avoid human contact, coyotes are mostly active from dusk to dawn. During the winter months along with the mating season, food sources are limited also, so these animals can be on the prowl during day light hours. This is when coyote encounters happen. If cornered, coyotes WILL run away from people, but when it comes to family pets that is another story. Most of the encounters I mentioned above took place when people tried to intervein while their dog was being attacked by a coyote. Be mindful of letting family pets out alone at night. Also walking them on a leash will help protected them as will a fenced yard to reduce injuries to all.

So, during this month, keep listing for that eerie howl of coyotes communicating with their pack and others. They will travel more during this time of year, so seeing coyotes is a real possibility.

Here are a few facts on coyotes you may not know.
* Coyotes mate for life.
* Pack size varies from 5 to 7.
* Coyotes are highly intelligent.
* Can weigh up to 45 pounds.
* From their nose to tail can be 4 to 5 feet long.
* Run as fast as 40 mph and can jump over an 8-foot fence.
* Average life span of 7 to 10 years but have been known to live up to 15 years in the wild.
* Diet consists of anything they can find, from small animals to fruit.
* Have poor vision. Past 20 feet they only see movement, but great peripheral vision of 260 degrees.
* Have a great sense of smell. Can smell a human scent over 1 mile.
* Depending on the environment can hear over 1000 yards. Can hear a rodent burrowing underground.

* Coyotes howl mostly when there is a full moon. This is a myth. Research has shown a pack of coyotes howl more often when there is less moonlight, and Wolves do not respond to the lunar phases either.