coyote age

[sbhooper]

Is there any way to judge the age of a coyote? I was never concerned with it before, but I got a coyote that I thought would be interesting to know how old he is.

[trappnman]

by the teeth is the only way. I think there might well be a tooth chart in the archives- if not, will someone post one?

Size and condition of the body, etc- mean little.

[rk660]

Dont they cross section a canine tooth, and count some sort of growth rings like a tree?

[Iowa Badger]

I used to have the verbage with that, i'll see if i can dig it up.

[trappincoyotes39]

After many coyotes and many teeth you can get a feel, but cross sections are the most accurate. I know it is an old coyote when the incisors are worn to the gum line and the canines are flat and much shorter than normal. Old is a relative term unless you count cementum layers .

[markymark]

How old is this one 12 years old or so??

[sbhooper]

Marky, That looks a lot like the coyote that I am refering to. I read where 12 years is about the outside max for a wild coyote. I don't know how they live three years around here as many people as shoot at them all the time. My old coyote was in great shape and weighed 45 pounds, so he was not hurting-until I came along! ;D I never really cared much about age before, but I thought that it would be interesting if there was a way to tell. I contacted a USDA research center and they are suppose to be getting back to me today sometime. If they give me any good info, I will post it.

Thanks Iowa badger, If you find the explanation of the chart, please post it. I assume that the little numbers are the age, but what are the big numbers on the bottom of the teeth?
Sid

[Iowa Badger]

They refer to to names of the teeth, incisor 1,2,3. And yes the numbers are the age: Here is the verbage:

The above figure represents average tooth wear in a coyote, by years, at mid-winter.
1 yr. – Incisors all rounded; no wear facets; canines sharp, incomplete.
2 yr. – Incisors inner cusp blunted; distinct wear facet; notch distinct; incisor (1) slightly blunted; canines complete.
3 yr. – Incisor flat, notch barely visible; incisor (1) almost square, inner notch distinct, incisor (2) inner cusp half gone; other incisors showing some blunting.
4 yr. – Incisor flat; dentine showing, notch gone; incisor (2) almost flat, incisor (1) worn to inner notch; incisor (2) blunted; both notches visible.
5 yr. – Incisor (1, 2) flat, notches gone; incisor (3) notch visible; incisor (1, 2) flat both inner and outer notches gone, incisor (3) distinctly blunted.
6 yr. – Lower incisors essentially flat across with only tiny notch in incisor (3); incisors (1, 2) flat across, all notches gone; PM (pre-molars) cusps showing wear.
7 yr. – Notch gone from incisor (3), upper incisors flat except incisor (3); canines and all cusps of PM and M (molars) distinctly worn.
Mature coyotes, 2 to 6 years old, have teeth with an increasing degree of wear on the canines and incisors and the animals are heavier in body weight. Older animals of 7 years or more may have teeth that are beginning to yellow and usually show wear on all the teeth. The canine and incisor teeth are sometimes broken or missing.

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

That sucker has been chewing Copenhagen!!

I read once that one of the major causes of death in American Indians was tooth infections.

Most didn't make it to 40.

I always make the point about trapping wild animals that being in a trap isn't one of the worst ways for an animal to go.

I expect parasite loads, infections, inability to chew and assimilate food, bad joints, injuries, etc. all take a lot longer and cause more suffering than being in a trap for a couple of days.

Joel

[sbhooper]

Thanks, IB. It looks like it is the same as with deer in that after 7 years old it becomes a guessing game without something a little more scientific.

You're right on Joel. The problem is getting people to look past the fact that the varmint was caught in a trap. Many people do not care how cruel nature is-only if it is man-caused.