I'm not too familiar with coyotes, so go easy on me here …

Recently, I've started seeing a pair of coyotes frequently on our farm near Fairfield. That's not unusual they come and go as they please, but I've never seen a coyote with a coat as dark as the one below.

Is this due to the changing seasons, or is it normal for coyotes to have such dramatic color variation between packs?

Last week, I killed a coyote that looked more like what I'm used to light brown with some orangish tones. The black coat on this one caught me off guard though.

P.S. I'm aware of the studies suggesting that indiscriminately killing coyotes can worsen the problem, but I've officially decided to wage war moving forward with traps, etc.

I've shot lots of different colored coyotes, from rusty red hides to damn near silver.

That coloration is pretty common in S Texas, the majority of mature dogs have that darker pattern. Younger yotes are generally more blonde/tan IMO.

I had one walk under my stand that was a light tan.

Back when I was trapping in the Panhandle, the more black the lower the pelt price.

We just had a pack of at least 4 out in the pasture behind our house this afternoon and there was a pair of tan-medium brown ones, one fairly dark brown one, and one very light tan/gray one. Unfortunately it was too dark for pictures. Was surprised to see such variation all in one pack, but the deer we see back there have a similar wide range of color shades too. Some of the deer we see are so dark brown they are almost black on their backs, while others are so light they are pretty neatly camouflaged in the tall dry grass.

Yep common color, I have shot them from almost solid white to solid black and many variations in between including red and brown/tan mixtures. I wage war on coyotes, calling and shooting coyotes is by far one of my favorite things to do!

Had one come out and just pop a squat watching my decoy out in the field a few year ago. It eventually laid down and I had to yell at it to get it to leave. It was a pretty one. We've had some out there that were almost black.

Wife uncle who is a retired TX Wildlife Biologist has a pet coyote that he raised from a pup. Gets along with the other dogs and his barn cats

BurnetAggie99 said:

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Wife uncle who is a retired TX Wildlife Biologist has a pet coyote that he raised from a pup. Gets along with the other dogs and his barn cats

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For many years they had one at the Texas Zoo in Victoria that was obedience trained just like a dog. They would take her out to schools and other education events and walk her in on a leash and let kids pet her. She was super friendly.

When I was a kid, say 11-2, I read a book by a guy who raised a coyote from a pup and he had a bunch of great stories about him.

One I remember was he had recurring problems with mice and rats in the attic. He lived in the country so to be expected. When heard them scurrying around he'd open the ceiling door and command the yote to get'em.

The coyote would jump flat footed up into the attic and he'd listen for the squeal. That yote would get just like a cat would. Every time.