Coyote behaviors

[1snafu]

I've seen numerous times. More often than not. The alpha female takes the lead when hunting/traveling. I've observed hundreds of pairs of coyotes on the move. Now I can not say 100% fact. The above is 100% factual. But it is the best I can determine. From seeing the female urinate or compared body size & structure. Versus the male's anatomy.

The flipside is not knowing for a fact. The smaller of the pair is ALWAYS the female. As some females are larger than their mate. So I use my observations as a general "rule of thumb" as to the truth of reality. The female IMHO is also the most observant & wary vs the male in general.

When they bed down, she is most often. The last one to lower her head. Even when they are on the move. The male being the lag coyote. Will either stop in place or move up into the lead. Even when he is the lead coyote. She will soon take back that position as lead coyote. Where she goes, the male follows.

[1snafu]

It's been quite a few yrs now. My old hunting grounds. I knew of 3 territorial pairs of coyotes. Over continual years of hunting/observing. I pretty well figured on the size of their independent territories. Which were roughly 6-8 square miles.

Those territories were shaped irregular & over lapped each other. I called the over lap areas, "no mans land". Over lap areas were roughly 1/4 mile or so. The over lap areas is where a degree of trespassing was tolerated. Also come November into December. Is where I would often see the alpha pair's yearlings bedded down.

Territorial coyotes do have preferred bedding areas. I noted those areas when the wind was from a specific direction. I would often see them there. Sometimes in or near the same exact spot. They would be bedded down for the day.