Social organization and space use of coyotes in eastern Canada relative toprey distribution and abundance

We studied the influence of prey size and abundance on social organization and space use by eastern coyotes (Canis latrans) in 2 areas of Nova Scotia, Canada. Breeding pairs formed the nucleus of coyote social groups, and the se often traveled with 1-3 other coyotes during winter. Increased use of wh ite-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) was insufficient to explain group size and cohesiveness by eastern coyotes. Winter-traveling group size was s imilar for family groups using deer ((X) over bar = 2.6) or snowshoe hares ((X) over bar = 2.7) as a primary prey in winter. Estimated densities of co yotes in winter was 4.3-13.9 coyotes/100 km(2) Coyotes used the same genera l areas during winter and summer and from year to year. However, territory sizes decreased with increasing densities of deer (partial r(2) = 0.21, P = 0.043) and hares (partial r(2) = 0.40, P = 0.007). During winter, coyotes used areas of high deer density in proportion to their availability, but in some instances, they used areas that contained few or no deer proportionat ely more than expected, probably because deep snow and few trails increased vulnerability of deer in these areas. Territoriality seemed to prevent coy otes from concentrating in deer wintering areas and kept the coyote:deer ra tio relatively low (< 1:25).