| Abstract: | Use of 2 cattle carcass areas was determined for radio-collared coyotes ( Canis latrans ) in northwest Texas from January 1999 to January 2000. When 0-3 dead cattle were located at the carcass areas, resident and transient coyotes visited the carcass areas 4% and 8% of the time, respectively. However, when 30-35 dead cattle were located at 1 carcass area due to a disease epizootic, resident and transient coyotes had increased visitation rates of 19% and 63%, respectively. Resident coyotes traveled as far as 12.2 km from the center of their home ranges, suggesting that carcass areas influenced residents over a 468-km 2 area. Transient coyotes traveled from as far as 20.5 km away, suggesting that carcass areas influenced transients over a 1320-km 2 area. Our results indicate that carcass areas can influence coyotes over large areas and may concentrate both resident and transient coyotes in relatively small areas, at least for short periods. |
