Giant Coyote Killed

The MDC recently reported that a large Coyote was killed by a hunter in Northern Missouri.  It is legal to kill coyote during deer season.  At 104 pounds, this animal was three times the normal weight for a coyote.  If it looks like a wolf to you, you are not alone.  It took DNA analysis of hair samples to confirm that it was a coyote.

Wolves are no longer native to Missouri.  They were common when Henry Rowe Schoolcraft was touring the area in 1818 and stories of wolf encounters abound until the late 19th century.   A wolf was killed in Missouri in 2001. It had a Michigan radio collar and identification tags. In 2007, there was a report of a pregnant wolf and her mate which escaped from Predator World in Branson.  The female was killed by a farmer.  (Note: wolves are a protected species in Missouri.)