To many deer hunters, the coyote is a predator they believe is eating its way through Pennsylvania's deer population.
To some predator hunters, the coyote is a smart critter worthy of investing significant time and money to chase.
And to kids, of course, the coyote is that poor sad sack that just can't ever seem to catch the roadrunner.
Interest in coyotes and in coyote hunting seems to be rising into the stratosphere here in Pennsylvania lately.
At the most recent meeting of the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners, Chris Rosenberry, the agency's chief deer and elk biologist, said his studies show no indication coyotes are having any extraordinary impact on the state's deer herds.
In essence, he said they've always killed some and they still do.
But at the same meeting, commission president Jay Delaney and fellow board members Tom Boop and Ralph Martone all expressed concern about coyote numbers across the state and said they believe the canines could be taking more than their fair share of deer.
"I cannot fathom that with the number of coyotes out there that they're not having some effect on the fawn recruitment," Boop said.
"If the numbers still say that [the annual fawn predation rate is] still about 18, 20 or 21 percent, I don't know how to refute it, other than to say it just defies logic."
Whether it's because they're concerned coyotes are killing too many deer or they just like chasing the canids, there's no question more hunters are gunning for coyotes today than ever before.
Mosquito Creek Sportsmen's Association in Frenchville has held an organized, competitive coyote hunt for the past 19 years. (The 20th annual hunt is scheduled for Feb. 19-21; see mosquitocreeksportsmen.com.)
In the early years, a little over 100 hunters participated.
Recently, the club has been drawing close to 4,000 participants to its hunts.
And Mosquito Creek no longer is the only game in town.
Several clubs across the state's northern tier now host coyote hunts.
The Tubmill Trout Club in New Florence recently held its annual "big dog" hunt, which drew 152 participants. The total purse for the event was $2,265.
Eighteen hunters brought in coyotes, with the largest weighing 43.5 pounds.
The club is organizing another hunt, scheduled for March 19-21.
Even the annual Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show has dipped its toe into the coyote-hunting world.
The Pennsylvania Predator Challenge of the American Predator Federation and the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show began Friday and ends at 9 a.m. today.
Other organized hunts are being held this winter by Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania (unifiedsportsmenpa.org), Grice Gun Shop in Clearfield (gricegunshop.com), Pennsylvania State Hunter's Organization of Midway (pastatehuntersorg.com) and Sinnemahoning Sportsmen's Association of Sinnemahoning (sinnsports.com).
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In light of the growing interest in coyote hunting here, the Game Commission recently assigned Joe Kosack, one of the agency's wildlife conservation education specialists, to write a report that can help hunters be successful chasing the wily coyote.
Following are excerpts from Kosack's report.
"Calling a coyote into shotgun range is one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had in the outdoors," said Perry County Wildlife Conservation Officer Steve Hower. "Catching one sneaking in the backdoor as you sit motionlessly waiting for it to come into range is right up there with calling in a trophy gobbler on a crisp spring morning."
The eastern coyote can be found in all of the state's 67 counties.
Next to the black bear, it is Pennsylvania's largest wild predator weighing in at 35-55 pounds. Adult males have exceeded 60 pounds.
(Columbia trapper Paul Fry Jr. reported catching a seven-foot-long, 82-pound male near Safe Harbor in 2004.)
They roam our big woods and suburban areas and everything in-between.
Coyotes are masters at using cover and laying low, and rarely miss chances for easy meals and fast-food.
In a word, coyotes are opportunists. They're intelligent animals that seize the moment or the season and cash in whenever and as often as possible.
But despite their fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants approach to life, coyotes can be located and patterned by people interested in hunting them.
"The best way to locate coyotes is to go to a remote area, cup your hands around your mouth and howl," Hower said. "If they're nearby, they'll normally respond to it. Your howl plants a seed in their mind that a strange coyote is in the area and they'll either howl back immediately or even come to investigate.
"Sometimes coyotes come in quietly and without vocally responding to your howl. This is especially true if they're close by."
The best places to hunt coyotes are near areas where they spend their daytime hours.
That's why calling during daylight is best. It helps you identify coyote resting areas.
Coyotes usually stay in the same general areas during the day, but those locations may change from one season to the next.
Another way to locate coyotes would be to look for sign such as scat and tracks. A snowy landscape will increase your chances of finding coyote sign.
The problem with the scouting approach is that you may be decide, based upon sign you find, to hunt during the day in an area coyotes use only at night.
So scouting can work, but locating coyotes through howling is far more effective in pinpointing their current location.
"The best time to hunt coyotes is during early morning or late afternoon hours, which is when normally there's little or no wind," Hower said.
"If you're using a mouth call, it's almost always better if there are two people — one calling, one ready to shoot."
Hunters should position themselves about 30 yards apart with the shooter downwind from the caller. This is because a coyote will normally circle to approach the call from the downwind side.
The caller can use popular calls such as a rabbit squealer, mouse squeaker or fawn bleat to call coyotes into gun range.
Hower said these mouth calls are effective, and an inexpensive way for hunters to try this increasingly popular pursuit to see if they like it.
"Try to educate yourself on coyote vocalizations because they can vary," he said.
The howl basically announces or reaffirms a coyote's presence in an area.
Coyotes also have challenge howls, and howls to locate other members of their family.
If a coyote answers with a "woof," or a little bark, it generally means it's on to you and won't come to your call.
The more you learn about these vocalizations, the better your comprehension will be about how coyotes are reacting to your calls.
Hower said the Internet is a great place to hear and learn more about calls, but he said nothing beats trying to communicate with coyotes in the field.
There are all sorts of nuances in coyote hunting, according to Hower.
No approach always works perfectly. No call is always best. Cover scents should be rotated.
"I recommend a 12-gauge shotgun for calling because the action is often at close range and can happen very quickly," Hower said. "Use at least No. 4 shot. Most wild turkey loads will provide what you need."
A good way to divert an incoming coyote's ability to detect you is by using a rabbit, fawn or coyote decoy, Hower added.
"When they catch a glimpse of prey or another coyote, they become almost overwhelmed with taking it down," he said. "That fixation should provide the chance you need to make your move and take the coyote."
Hower noted there are other ways to hunt coyotes besides calling them.
Hunting with dogs is becoming more and more popular, but that requires time and more for the dogs, training and special transmitters.
Chased coyotes will cross mountains into more remote or almost inaccessible areas, and roads, where dogs could be struck by passing vehicles.
Driving for coyotes can be effective, but there would have to be a lot of hunters involved.
Hunting over bait — legal for coyote hunting — also could prove worthwhile, but there's no guarantee a coyote would come in during daylight hours.
Coyotes can be lawfully hunted with either a general hunting or furtaker license, and with few exceptions may be done so throughout the year at any hour.
Hunting exceptions are listed in the Pennsylvania Hunting and Trapping Digest.
"So, if you're up for a new challenge and want to experience a cold-weather pursuit that truly will test your outdoors skills and mettle, then it's time for you to try and get closer to Pennsylvania's elusive coyotes," Hower said. "You may never have cabin fever again."
P.J. Reilly is the Sunday News' outdoors writer. E-mail him at preilly@lnpnews.com.
