How to Track Coyotes

The eastern coyote is a member of the dog family. Cousin to the western coyote, the eastern coyote is almost twice its size with thick, silver-gray to reddish-brown fur and a bushy black tipped tail. The eastern coyote is found throughout the American and Canadian Northeast.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Start your search for the eastern coyote in cropland or forested areas. The coyote prefers areas of heavy brush and where farmland meets the forest.

2. Look at the tracks. Compared to dog prints, the coyote tracks show the two inner toes close together, and like the dog print, there is an "x" shape between the heel and toes.

3. Find what trackers call a direct register pattern. This is where the hind foot lands directly on top of the front foot track. Claws are often visible in the tracks, as they are not retractable.

4. Measure the stride. The average eastern coyote stride is 20 inches but can be as short as 17 inches and as long as 26 inches. To measure stride, measure the from the top of one foot print to the top of the next, on the same side, such as the stride of the left feet, or right feet only.

5. Measure trail width or "straddle." Measure from the outside edge of the left set of print (as if you were measuring stride) and then measure across to the outside edge of the right print path. The general coyote straddle is 2 ½ to 5 ½ inches.

Tips & Warnings

• The coyote heel pad is larger on the front foot than the hind.
• The hind print has an oval shape- more so than the front paw.
• Once a coyote finds his stride he can travel long distances in a very precise trail.