That said, younger coyotes might find it to be an interesting place to explore. Unless there is something that smells particularly delicious in your tent, coyotes aren’t likely to want to get too close to it. In any event, attacks are extremely rare and a little bit of knowledge will protect you. In Wikipedia’s compilation of known coyote attacks ( source), there are only instances of people being outside their tent being attacked (there is even a misquote of an incident in Nova Scotia of an attack in a tent, but in the actual source article it’s clear she was outside her tent). I wasn’t able to find any incident of a coyote attack happening to anyone while they were inside their tent. You may even be surprised to learn that coyotes will snack on fruit and grass when the opportunity arises.Īlthough coyote attacks have happened. There are cases in which they’ll hunt deer but typically chow down on smaller creatures like rabbits, moles, mice, birds, and even reptiles. Unlike wolves, coyotes don’t often aim to take down larger prey. Healthy coyotes fear humans and would prefer to stay away from us. Although their howls can be a bit on the creepy side, it really helps to remember that coyotes are quite small and timid. It is extremely rare that coyotes will attack tents or the humans inside. Distinctions between these hybrids and wild wolves can sometimes be made only by DNA testing.By the way, as an Amazon Associate, I earn when buying qualified products through links on my site. Some hybrids have been released into the wild, living like feral dogs. Wolf-dog hybrids can be unpredictable and aggressive. Large dogs and wolf-dog hybrids can also be mistaken for wolves, although they usually act more familiar with people. For more visual comparisons, visit: Wolf Identification: Physical Appearance of Wolves. Fur coloration can be quite similar between wolves and coyotes and therefore is not a good characteristic for separating the two species. A wolf’s howl is long and drawn out, while a coyote produces a shorter, yapping sound. Wolves have a broader, shorter snout, while coyotes have a narrow more pointed nose. Track size measures about four by five inches for wolves, compared to two by two and a half inches for coyotes.Įar shape is also much different wolves have somewhat rounded ears while coyotes have taller, pointed ears. Wolves weigh 80 to 120 pounds, while coyotes weigh 20 to 50 pounds. A gray wolf is much larger than a coyote.
One of the greatest differences between the two species is size, which can be difficult to estimate determine at a distance.
Here's some elaboration from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists: The chart above gives some distinguishing features to note when you see canines in the field. He didn't have a photo to help with the identification and he didn't measure tracks, so there's no way to tell for sure. WILDLIFE WATCHING - A reader called today wondering if the animals he saw west of Spokane recently were wolves or coyotes. Chart shows field-identifying physical differences to help a viewer distinguish a coyote from a wolf.
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