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4B Daily News – Saturday, June 30, 2012 Outdoorlife living heard that the gray wolf that recently wandered into Cali- fornia has been "hanging out" with coyotes. I have also heard that wolves sometimes breed with coyotes and produce offspring that is half wolf and half coyote. Would such an offspring be protected under the endangered status of the wolf or open to hunting like a coyote? Either way, how would someone tell if the animal was 100 percent coy- ote or a hybrid? Thanks for any insight you can provide. (Jeff S.) Answer: We have been Question: I have getting a number of inquiries regarding wolf- coyote hybrids after we observed and photographed the wolf known as OR7 in the company of coyotes. According to Depart- ment of Fish and Game (DFG) Northern Region Wildlife Program Manager Karen Kovacs, genetic investigations have con- firmed that wolves and coy- otes have interbred else- where. In the Northeast, tests have confirmed that gray wolves and coyotes have interbred. However, there is no evidence to date that gray wolves reintro- duced to the Rocky Moun- tain region have hybridized. Also, wolves are known to kill and consume coyotes and several studies show Carrie Wilson that have wolf DNA are larger than average coyotes but clearly not as big as wolves. Coyotes on average weigh about 15-30 pounds; wolves 70-100 pounds. Coy- otes are about 1.5 feet tall; wolves about 2.5 feet tall. Kovacs believes that a hunter is more likely to mis- take a dog or wolf-dog hybrid for a wolf than con- fuse a wolf-coyote hybrid with a wolf. that coyote populations decrease when wolves become reestablished in the same habi- tat. Remember, OR7 was docu- mented near coyotes for only a short time. It would be spec- ulation to sug- gest that OR7 was "hanging out" with them. Coyotes in the Northeast are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, a wolf-coyote hybrid pro- duced by one of those wolves would not be protect- ed under that law, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Neither is current- ly listed under California's endangered species act. If coyote hunting in Cal- ifornia, don't shoot if you are in doubt of your target. If the animal doesn't look 100 percent coyote, it's more likely to be a domes- tic dog than a wolf or coy- Although gray wolves & Aquestion of hybrids 10 tips for that hunting trip ote-wolf hybrid. Question: What are the rules and regulations on the mantis shrimp? I acciden- tally snagged one with a hook and line and let it go because I knew nothing about it. I didn't even know what it was until I got home and was able to research it. (Michael H.) Answer: There are no specific regulations for these crustaceans, but they are protected by the general sport fishing regulations for all invertebrates and crus- taceans (CCR Title 14, sec- tions 29.05 and 29.80, respectively). Invertebrates may not be taken by hook and line. Mantis shrimp can be taken in all ocean waters open to sport fishing, and everyone 16 years of age and older is required to have a fishing license. These feisty shrimp can only be taken by hand, and there is a bag limit of 35. While these crustaceans may be legal to take by hand, please be extremely careful before trying to do so! According to DFG Envi- ronmental Scientist Jerry Kashiwada, this is an ani- mal that should not be han- dled. Mantis shrimp have a front pair of appendages which look like a club, they open up like a switch blade knife and are sharp enough to cut through a neoprene dive glove. (MCT) — In the world of hunting, there are a lot of written rules that have much to say about what you can't do out in the field. There are also a lot of unwritten rules that dic- tate what you shouldn't do. find them in any hunting handbooks, experienced hunters can pass along a lot of suggestions that will keep you safe and ethical on your excursions. Here's a list of 10 "don'ts" outdoorsmen should keep in mind. Though you might not the first shot ing waterfowl or upland birds, it's common cour- tesy to set up a shooting system when hunting with buddies. Hunters can rotate or pick a region to shoot (left, right, middle). Just don't let your trigger finger get too itchy. 9.) Don't let someone else do all the dirty work This goes for gutting and cleaning fish, birds and big game. But it also applies to other duties, such as cooking, cleaning and packing. Everyone doing their share makes those chores a whole lot easier. 10.) Don't always take Whether you're hunt- when that happens. Not only is it rude to interfere with someone's hunt by doing that, it can also be dangerous to get in some- one's shooting lane. 7.) Don't intrude on another hunter's spot Cozying up next to another hunter while duck or goose hunting won't win you many friends, and neither will encroach- ing on a big-game hunter who's found a spot to sit and watch. It's a big coun- tryside _ make sure you leave some elbowroom. 6.) Don't wear red while turkey hunting The red resembles the pen by accident some- times. The point is, if you don't fully understand the lay of the land where you're hunting, hunt somewhere else. It's not worth getting a ticket or getting into trouble with a disgruntled landowner. The same applies for hikers and sightseers, who, from my experi- ences, are more often guilty of trespassing onto private property. hunting 3.) Don't text while 8.) Don't cross across another hunters path when pheasant hunting When you're on a hunt, it's inevitable that you're going to encounter others. It's important to know how to handle yourself 5.) Don't oversleep After weeks of plan- ning and preparation, don't disappoint your hunting partner by over- sleeping. Set as many alarms as you need to wake up. (I have three alarms on my cell phone, two alarm clocks and a wristwatch alarm to get me up on those early mornings _ seems to get the job done.) 4.) Don't trespass on other's property Most hunters know not to venture onto other's property, but it can hap- wattle of a tom turkey, and unknowing hunters take shots without thor- oughly realizing what they're pulling down on. Wearing bright colors usually seems like a safe idea when hunting, but only camouflage should be worn when turkey hunting. This one may surprise a lot of people. It's defi- nitely a new-age issue, but one that's becoming more prevalent among younger hunters who get cell phone reception out in the field. I've seen people do it (they know who they are), and I can say with confidence that it's my biggest pet-peeve. sounds 2.) Don't shoot at This is the other side of the "don't wear red while turkey hunting" bit. It's one of the basics of hunt- ing _ don't take a shot unless you know what you're shooting at, but people still get overzeal- ous and accidents ensue. 1.) Don't leave a wounded animal I covered this with the last column I wrote, and it deserves to be mentioned again. If you have enough time to go on a hunt, you have enough time to fol- low your shot. Leaving a wounded animal is never an option. Flue Season 527-3331 www.flueseason.com