# Black Coyotes?



## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

So last night I was out hunting partridges in extreme northern Utah. I own a pair of wirehaired fur chasing dogs that both started getting all "birdy" on a wild dog of some sort. My dogs have a history of pointing coyotes. This animal was like no other coyote or fox I've seen before. I got a good look at it but I didn't get a shot off because my gun was malfunctioning all evening. It's old. Anyway, the wild dog was really, really black and mottled with gray. I've never seen something like it before. I'm 100% certain it wasn't another dog, both because of its slinky behavior and the way my dogs pointed it.

Edit-

I think I found what I saw. I've never seen a black coyote before. Has anyone here shot or caught a black one?:


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## ntrl_brn_rebel (Sep 7, 2007)

*Re: Coyote/Fox Experts Weigh In*

:shock: Cool!!!

I hope you get back and get that bugger on the ground!!


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## blackbear (Oct 18, 2007)

*Re: Coyote/Fox Experts Weigh In*

First of all, nice story, post and picture! Thanks for sharing. 
Secondly, I am very disappointed that if you were that close to get such a nice picture of this critter, that you shot it with your camera instead of your gun. 
Thirdly, from the photos a biologist has shown me of black coyotes, this most certainly fits the description, and the utube video reaffirms that. 
And finally,from my understanding certain color morphs in species are totally natural and can happen to genetically pure species. But, more commonly(especially nowadays), inter or mixed breeding is attributed to color variations, meaning at some point it probably got busy with a domesticated dog. I'm guessing if your questioning whether it is part fox or not indicates that it was smaller in size? It's hard to tell from the picture. **** thing almost look like a hungry timberwolf ya ask me.


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## ntrl_brn_rebel (Sep 7, 2007)

I guess im not seeing your picture, just the link on youtube????????


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## Mezmarley (Nov 25, 2007)

Some dogs down south, i.e. desert dogs, can be more black than gray. I've seen some very dark dogs down south.


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## The Naturalist (Oct 13, 2007)

I've seen red fox that have a black morph. Wolves have it, so Im sure coyotes would too.


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## blackbear (Oct 18, 2007)

oh, I guess that wasn't your picture birddogger?


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## Wind In His Hair (Dec 31, 2009)

Melanism occurs naturally in a lot of animals and causes dark pigmentation. What we call a black panther is really just a melanistic leopard or jaguar. I'm sure it happens in coyote too, but I haven't seen one personally, just pictures. Sure neat looking. That would definitely be worth tanning the hide on, or even doing a mount.

I've seen a nearly pure white coyote before.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I guess I wasn't clear enough. Sorry. That's not my youtube link, just an example of something very close to what I saw yesterday. Originally I had a photo up that I pulled from the Internet. That was just another example to show the color I was trying to describe. The coyote in the video closely resembles the one I saw. Instead of the tan patch on its back the one I saw had some gray patches. 

I've never encountered anything like that in my life. I've been replaying the scene in my mind over and over and over and the animal appeared too small to be a wolf. I had to start searching the Internet to see if anyone knew of black coyotes or foxes. Then I came across the youtube video of the black coyote and now I know what I saw yesterday. I was wondering if anybody here had ever trapped or shot one.


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## reb8600 (Sep 8, 2007)

Extreme Northern Utah I would belive it would be a small Wolf. Black coyotes are some what common in the Southern states but I have never heard of one in Utah. I know someone did a study on it and found they were found in areas where the Red Wolf used to be. They believe there may have been some cross breeding that started it.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I guess it could've been a wolf, coyote, or fox. If I were a bettin' man I would guess black phase red fox.


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## yotee (Oct 10, 2008)

I saw a black coyote 10-15 years ago. It was in northern Utah. It would have been on my wall if I could have hit it.


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## highliner (Dec 31, 2007)

Last winter I was up by City of Rocks with an Idaho buddy of mine and I stopped because I saw a black head with big ears. I thought it looked out of place, like a calf elk I thought at first, put the binos on it, and it stood up and started trotting away. Had to be a small wolf. It was pretty big for a coyote and all black. I was dumbfounded at first but my buddy said there was wolf in the area. Was that possibly the same area that you saw yours?


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

> Was that possibly the same area that you saw yours?


I don't mean to be closed mouthed or anything. I just hesitate to mention partridge places online. Let's just say northern Box Elder County and call it good.


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