How weather impacts coyotes

As the average highs continue to cool and the chance of snow increases heading deeper into the winter months, coyote sightings might be more typical. Many hunters across the state look to take advantage of this increased activity, and paying attention to the weather can help their chance of a harvest this year.

One of the major impacting factors of coyote activity can lie on weather conditions. During snow events, many people prefer to move less and stay indoors, but the exact opposite is true for coyotes. According to Nate Bowersock of the Missouri Department of Conservation, "Coyotes are increasing their activity patterns this time of year and moving around more as a group." Coyotes move in their packs more often into the later months also because of the age of the maturing pups who are able to move around more effectively.

On top of the age of the pups, coyotes also prefer moving in the snow because it increases their hunting success. Coyotes can effectively move through snow while their prey can become displaced or slowed down by it. This occurs with prey such as deer that may become less agile when their is a ice crust under a layer of snow.

The placement of coyotes across the country remains widespread due to their ability to adapt to their local climates. This means temperatures are not a limiting factor for this species. The most important limiting factors for coyotes is prey availability.

The most likely time to see coyotes is going to be similar to that of deer, during the early morning hours and around sunset. In areas with heavier human traffic, coyotes can change their habits to become more nocturnal.

The coyote hunting season in the state of Missouri last throughout the entire year. Before going out to hunt coyotes, make sure to check into regulations at https://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/seasons/coyote-hunting