Three ways to prevent conflict during coyote mating season
Late January through early March is coyote mating season. Coyotes are very active during the winter while courting mates and defending their territory. Coyotes are in every city and town in mainland Massachusetts, meaning the opportunity for human-coyote interaction is high. The mere presence of a coyote is not a cause for concern. MassWildlife officials are reminding the public to take these 3 simple steps to prevent conflict with coyotes during the mating season:
1. Protect your pets
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Pets should always be directly supervised on a leash when outdoors, especially during the coyote mating season.
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Coyotes can’t differentiate between their natural prey and small pets, so they will view unprotected outdoor cats and small dogs as a potential food source.
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Coyotes can’t distinguish your dog from an intruding coyote, causing the coyote to be more aggressive toward medium- and large-sized dogs as they will view them as potential competition for mates and territory.
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Do not supervise your pet from a distance on your porch or at your backdoor. Most coyote attacks involve dogs that are unsupervised or being supervised from a distance in a backyard.
2. Remove human-associated food sources from your property
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As opportunistic omnivores, coyotes will utilize naturally available food, like small mammals and birds, and human-associated foods, like bird seed, garbage, compost, pet food left outdoors, and backyard chickens.
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Coyotes that find human-associated food sources will spend more time in yards and neighborhoods. It’s essential for neighbors to work together to secure or remove all human-associated food sources in a community.
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Coyotes that become dependent on human-associated food sources can start to exhibit bold behavior toward people. Never intentionally feed coyotes.
3. Haze coyotes
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While coyotes are naturally wary of people, this fear can lessen over time when they spend a lot of time around people or when they are fed, intentionally or unintentionally, by people.
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When you see a coyote in your yard, you should aggressively haze it. Hazing is a safe technique used to deter an animal from an area or to change its behavior. The intent of hazing is to frighten, not injure, the animal.
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You can haze a coyote by creating loud noises by yelling or using a small air horn, waving a jacket overhead to look bigger, spraying a hose or throwing small objects in the coyote’s direction, and physically chasing and driving the coyote off. Haze the animal until it has fully left the area.
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Hazing will not be effective if it's done from inside a building, from behind a screen door, or from a car. Hazing is most effective when it’s done repeatedly, when a variety of techniques are used, and when many people participate.
Negative encounters with coyotes are rare and human-coyote attacks are exceptionally rare. If you encounter a coyote that is exhibiting concerning behavior like approaching leashed pets, closely following people, or not running off when effectively hazed, you should contact your local Animal Control Officer or local MassWildlife office for assistance. If there is an immediate threat to public safety, call local law enforcement.
Learn more about coyotes at mass.gov/coyotes.
Get to know animal tracks
Wild animals are experts at staying out of sight. Yet the winter snow and mud can reveal a detailed account of the comings and goings of even the most secretive animals. Whether you’re wandering secluded forests and fields or taking a walk in your suburban neighborhood, watch for tracks to learn about wildlife in the area.
As with birdwatching, tree identification, or any other area of nature study, learning to identify tracks takes some practice. Start by getting familiar with common animal tracks. Use MassWildlife’s animal track card as a guide to tracks you may encounter here in Massachusetts.
Identifying animal tracks is much easier if the conditions are right. Tracks left in snow that has partially melted can become distorted and are difficult to decipher. Loose or dry snow can also be a problem since it doesn’t hold track details. Look for tracks in fresh snow that’s not too deep or in mud for the most accurate print.
In addition to the tracks themselves, pay attention to the pattern of tracks on the ground. For example, deer, bobcats, house cats, and canines (dogs, coyotes, foxes) place their hind foot into—or nearly into—the track left by their foot to form a diagonal pattern and a narrow trail. Rabbits and gray squirrels gallop or hop, while members of the weasel family (otter, fisher, and mink) bound. Learning about distinctive track patterns (which you can find on the track card) can help with identification and help you gain a deeper understanding of the lives of these animals.
You can use tracks along with other clues like bits of fur, scat, or signs of digging to get more information about what the animal was going. Watching for tracks and other evidence of wildlife activity can add some fun and a little bit of mystery to your next winter walk. Use the links below to find more ways to enjoy the outdoors this winter:
- 5 must-read tips for winter birdwatching
Winter can be a great time to view common backyard birds as well as unusual birds overwintering here in Massachusetts. - Learn where to look for bald eagles
Bald eagles are active in winter with courtship and nest building. Get tips for where to find them and how to observe without disturbing the eagles. - Explore a Wildlife Management Area near you
MassWildlife manages nearly 230,000 acres of Wildlife Management Areas that provide habitat for wildlife and give people a place to explore natural landscapes (there are no maintained trails). WMAs are open to the public for hunting, fishing, wildlife watching, hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing.
Former MassWildlife Director receives top honors
Retired MassWildlife Director Wayne MacCallum was inducted into the National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF) New England Turkey Hunting Hall of Fame alongside five other inductees in late January. The Hall of Fame, established in 2017 by the New England NWTF state chapters, recognizes outstanding individuals for their contributions to wild turkey conservation and to the preservation of New England’s hunting heritage.
MacCallum served as MassWildilfe’s Director for nearly 30 years. During that time, regulated turkey hunting was relatively new and MassWildlife was actively working with partners to restore wild turkeys across the Commonwealth. Decades after wild turkeys disappeared from Massachusetts, MassWildlife reintroduced them in the early 1970s. During the 1980s and 1990s, turkeys were trapped and relocated to suitable habitat across Massachusetts to support and grow the population. The state’s turkey population is now estimated to be 30,00–35,000.
Joe Judd, NWTF State Chapter Board Member, presented the award and recalled the early days of turkey hunting in Massachusetts and the partnership between NWTF and MassWildlife. “Wayne was instrumental in supporting our progress with the trap and release program and he fought hard for the dollars needed for equipment and manpower to keep the project moving ahead. When the Massachusetts Chapter started to contribute more dollars, Wayne saw the commitment we were making and welcomed the partnership.” As turkey populations expanded, hunting opportunities also grew.
“Congratulations to Wayne for this well-deserved recognition,” said Mark S. Tisa, current MassWildlife Director. “This award offers a chance to reflect on how far we have come. The partnership between MassWildlife and NWTF is as strong as ever and we look forward to collaborating on our shared conservation goals for years to come.”
Mr. MacCallum expressed gratitude for the honor. He emphasized that the hardworking and passionate MassWildlife staff, NWTF members, and volunteers were major factors in the success of wild turkey restoration and in championing responsible, safe hunting in the state.
This is the second time MacCallum has been recognized by NWTF. In 2015, he was awarded the Wayne Bailey Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in conservation. Past Hall of Fame inductees from MassWildlife include retired Turkey Biologist Jim Cardoza, retired Information and Education Chief Ellie Horwitz, and the late Fisheries and Wildlife Board Chairman George Darey.
Hunters donated 17,800 meals in 2023
The fall hunting seasons have concluded and MassWildlife's 2023 Hunters Share the Harvest totals are in! Seventy-four generous hunters donated venison through the Program last year. This is equal to about 17,800 nutritious meals for families struggling with food insecurity. The Program also received monetary donations from 22 individuals to help cover the cost of processing and packaging.
The Program has come a long way in just a few years. MassWildlife Hunters Share the Harvest Program in 2022 with one venison donation site and one distribution partner. In the pilot year, hunters donated more than 3,000 meals. By the end of 2023, three processing locations and five food distribution organizations had joined the effort.
Hunters play an important role in conserving our forests and providing food to our communities. Regulated hunting can help forests by reducing impacts of overabundant deer. It is estimated that over 15% of Massachusetts households do not have access to sufficient food to meet their basic needs. So, donations of venison—an organic, lean source of protein—make a big difference.
Thanks to our partners
At the close of this successful season, MassWildlife would like to thank everyone who contributed and spread the word about Hunters Share the Harvest:
- Haskins Custom Butchering, Ventura's Meat Market, and the Country Butcher for processing deer donations
- Massachusetts Military Support Foundation Inc., Daniel's Table, Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe, Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah, and Worcester County Food Bank for distributing venison to those in need
- 22 individual donors who sponsored packaging and processing costs
- Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, Mass Conservation Alliance, Mass Audubon, Massachusetts Outdoor Heritage Foundation, Middleboro Sportsmen's Club, Plymouth County League of Sportsmen, Safari Club International New England Foundation, Schwab Charitable Foundation, Somerset Sportsman's Club, and the Worcester County League of Sportsmen Clubs for monetary, equipment, and logistic support
Looking ahead
MassWildilfe plans to expand the Program in the coming years, here's how you can help:
- Financially support MassWildlife's Hunters Share the Harvest program with a monetary donation to the Massachusetts Outdoor Heritage Foundation. Your donation will help cover the processing and packaging costs for donated meat. A donation of $50 will provide about 75 servings of meat for families in need.
- Consider donating your harvest or a portion of your deer next season, visit mass.gov/ShareTheHarvest to learn more.
- Meat processors, food pantries, hunger relief agencies, or other organizations who want to participate in MassWildlife’s Hunters Share the Harvest program in the future should contact Martin Feehan, MassWildlife’s Deer and Moose Project Leader, at martin.feehan@mass.gov.
Five animals who may have a worse Valentine’s Day than you
February is the month of love, but finding a mate isn’t all candy and flowers for our local wildlife. Here’s a list of 5 animals with curious courtship behaviors that may leave you feeling better about your own Valentine’s Day plans.
Praying mantises
Praying mantis males really give it their all when they find a mate. A female releases pheromones to broadcast to nearby males that she is looking for a mate. A male uses his antennae to find a female and will tap his antennae on her upper back to calm her down during mating. He wants to keep her happy because ~25% of the time, females eat the heads of the males after mating! While the male doesn’t survive for long, he can finish the mating process without a head. Praying mantises are cannibalistic throughout their lives. Eating her mate gives the female nutrition to produce her young.
Fallfish
Nice guys may finish last when it comes to fallfish. Dominant males build nests and release pheromones to entice a female to visit his nest and release her eggs. Other satellite males forgo building their own nests and lurk around others’ nests instead. Once a female releases her eggs, these satellite males compete to fertilize them even though they didn’t do any of the work. There are only a few dominant males at a time so most males will only reproduce by being a sneaky satellite male.
Bald eagles
Bald eagles give a new meaning to “falling in love” as they sometimes participate in death-defying stunts to court a mate! Bald eagle pairs have been seen doing a courtship behavior where they lock talons in the air and tumble towards the ground. This high-stakes behavior usually results in them releasing talons just before hitting the ground, however sometimes their timing is off and they crash.
Spotted salamanders
For most amphibians and reptiles, their love lives are pretty ice cold during Valentine’s Day…literally. In the winter, most amphibians and reptiles are in a completely dormant state to cope with the colder temperatures. Not a whole lot of action.
Once the temperatures get warmer, their love lives also heat up and males face stiff competition. In March or April, spotted salamanders can be seen in breeding “congresses” where males gather in a swarming ball and wait for females to arrive.
Skunks
Pepe Le Pew was always on the hunt for love, but most skunks are actively finding mates from February through March. Once a female has mated, she will reject any other male suitor by viciously fighting them. Rejection stinks, even for skunks!
Because they are actively trying to find mates at this time of year, you may smell skunks more than usual. Males are on the move and searching for females at their winter denning sites, sometimes traveling up to 2.5 miles in a night.
Habitat grants awarded
The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced over $365,000 to restore 234 acres of wildlife habitat across Massachusetts. The Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) is awarding MassWildlife Habitat Management grants to five organizations and two municipalities. The MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant Program (MHMGP), provides crucial financial assistance to private and municipal owners of conserved lands to improve habitat for wildlife, steward biodiversity, enhance climate resiliency, and promote public recreational opportunities. Since 2015, MassWildlife has funded 112 projects that have restored over four thousand acres of natural habitat.
“Partnership and collaboration will be essential for meeting our ambitious biodiversity and climate goals. Most forests and other wildlife habitats in Massachusetts are not state-owned, and we rely on conservation organizations, cities and towns, private landowners, and other partners to greatly expand our impact,” said Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea. “This program provides us with the unique opportunity to not only directly benefit threatened species, but also create new outdoor recreation opportunities and support the sporting community.”
While MassWildlife and other conservation organizations have made substantial investments in land conservation within Massachusetts, many essential habitats are degraded, and vulnerable species face increasing threats from climate change. To address these challenges, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is investing in habitat management efforts on state wildlife lands and, through MHMGP, on all conserved lands across the state alongside private and municipal partners. Habitat restoration and management activities will create healthy, resilient landscapes that support a variety of species, particularly those of greatest conservation need.
“MassWildlife’s Habitat Management Grant Program builds on success of ongoing efforts to advance our mission of preserving the great diversity and abundance of wildlife, plants, and habitats in Massachusetts,” said Mark S. Tisa, MassWildlife Director. “Public and private investment in habitat management is critical for promoting ecological resiliency and biodiversity, and we are thrilled to work with this year’s grant recipients as they commit to improving landscapes for people and nature.”
The following seven projects will receive MassWildlife Habitat Management Grants:
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Falmouth – The Town of Falmouth has been awarded $70,000 to improve sandplain grasslands by removing invasive vines, woody shrubs, plants, and trees. This project will also improve the connectivity of these parcels to upland forest habitats at Coonamessett Reservation, which will expand and improve rare species habitat.
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Great Barrington – The Berkshire Natural Resources Council has been awarded $28,930 to treat invasive plant species on Housatonic River floodplain forest and a wooded oxbow at the Rising Pond Conservation Area.
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Kingston – The Town of Kingston has been awarded $23,765 to treat the invasive aquatic plant species, variable‐leaved milfoil, at Smelt Pond. This aggressive non-native species outcompetes native aquatic species and reduces water quality.
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Nantucket – The Nantucket Conservation Foundation has been awarded $75,000 to help protect pitch pine barren habitat at Ram Pasture. This funding will cover the removal, chipping, and safe disposal of southern pine beetle-infected pitch pine.
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Nantucket – The Nantucket Island Land Bank has been awarded $74,700 to help restore pine barrens at Gardner Farm. Areas of dense pitch pine forest that are most susceptible to southern pine beetle outbreaks will be thinned to promote site resiliency and a heathland / sandplain-grassland understory, both of which are beneficial to numerous rare moths and butterflies.
- South Lee – South Lee Associates has been awarded $17,990 to treat invasive species along the Housatonic River to improve floodplain forest and early successional grasslands that are being overgrown with woody species.
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Tisbury – The Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation has been awarded $75,000 to manage southern pine beetle-infested pitch pine and pitch pine/oak forest at Phillips Preserve. This expansion of a sanitation harvest is aimed at combating the spread of southern pine beetle, a southern species that has been expanding its range north, threatening our pitch pine forests.
"The Coonamessett Reservation is a vital ecosystem preserving sandplain grasslands that are disappearing across the Commonwealth. I want to thank the Healey- Driscoll administration for their commitment to MassWildlife's Habitat Management Grant Program and for recognizing the value of investing in this important conservation effort in East Falmouth," said State Representative David T. Vieira (R-East Falmouth).
“Through active habitat management, we are not only protecting our diverse ecosystem but also addressing the ever-more present challenges posed by climate change. The Cape and South Shore, known for their unique ecological landscape, are committed to prioritizing the conservation of our precious natural resources. I’m grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their support,” said State Senator Susan Moran (D-Plymouth, Barnstable).
“Protecting habitat on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard is key to ensuring local wildlife survives and thrives for many years to come,” said State Senator Julian Cyr (D-Cape and Islands). “I am grateful the Healey-Driscoll Administration has invested in habitat management on the islands with a combined $150,000 in grants to Nantucket and Tisbury to restore and manage forests. Environmental stewardship is critical to maintaining a healthy and sustainable natural world.”
"I am thrilled to see this $220,000 boost for organizations on the Cape and Islands that are protecting and restoring our precious natural resources. These projects are not just for wildlife – they're an investment in the future of our communities and the well-being of everyone who cherishes our natural spaces," said State Representative Dylan Fernandes (D-Barnstable, Dukes, Nantucket).
"I am thrilled to see the Town of Kingston receive a grant to help restore balance and a natural order to Smelt Pond. Local wildlife is so important to the local culture and history and it is critical that we invest in protecting and conserving its natural habitat,” said State Representative Kathleen LaNatra (D-Plymouth). “Thank you to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and MassWildlife for this excellent investment into Kingston's local biodiversity."
For more information regarding MassWildlife Habitat Management Grants, please visit the program’s webpage.
Winter deer scouting
FREE WINTER DEER SCOUTING CLASS
February 25, 9–noon at Martin Burns WMA (Newbury, MA)
Come scouting with MassWildlife staff and learn what to look for when scouting for deer during the winter. Participants will walk through Martin Burns WMA while instructors point out different sign and features to look for when scouting. Space is limited, register today!
Learn about winter deer scouting
Scouting during the winter months can help hunters piece together information about deer behavior and can lead to success during the hunting seasons. Read full article.
Support endangered species at tax time
More than 430 plants and animals are listed under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. These rare species play an important role in keeping the Commonwealth's natural communities thriving. You can make a difference by supporting endangered species conservation while filing your taxes this year. Simply look for Line 33A for Endangered Wildlife Conservation on your state tax form and write in any amount. Your meaningful donation will go to the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Fund which is dedicated specifically to the conservation of rare species in the Commonwealth.
Already filed your taxes, but still want to donate? There are a few other ways you can donate:
- Online with a credit card or electronic check*
- Through your MassFishHunt account
- By check made payable to "Comm. of MA—NHESP" and mailed to: MassWildlife, 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581
*You will be redirected to our payment portal with nCourt, LLC.
Contact for MassWildlife Monthly February 2024
Online
| Date published: | February 4, 2022 |
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