Wyoming
There Are Plenty Of Coyotes And Wolves In… | Cowboy State Daily
As near as anybody can tell so far, Wyoming coyotes are just that: coyotes.
Even though there are plenty of coyotes all around the Cowboy State, and they share territory with Wyoming wolves, as far as anyone knows they haven’t mated with wolves to produce hybrid offspring.
But in the Eastern United States and Canada, the coyotes people encounter are likely to be coywolves, or coyote-wolf crossbreeds, frequently also with some dog DNA tossed in.
Different canine species can, and in some places have, successfully crossbred and had fertile offspring, some experts told Cowboy State Daily. But in Wyoming, wolves and coyotes tend to avoid each other, and coyotes risk getting killed by wolves.
A Bigger Dog
Coywolves, or Eastern coyotes, are burlier than coyotes out West.
“They’re larger than your Western coyotes. They average about 35 pounds, and the largest ones can get up over 50 pounds,” David Sausville, wildlife management program lead with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, told Cowboy State Daily.
Even on the larger end, Western coyotes rarely tip the scales past 30 pounds.
Sausville is a Vermont native, but has experience with both Eastern and Western coyotes, as well as purebred wolves having spent some time in the Dakotas and Alaska.
Eastern wolves, which might, or might not, have been smaller than wolves out West, were wiped out, probably by the early 1900s, he said. Coywolves moved in to take their place.
“They’ve taken over the niche of what our Eastern wolf used to do,” he said.
The coywolves’ prey consists largely of rabbits and small mammals, but they will also take down deer from time to time.
“They’re opportunistic. And if they get the opportunity to take a deer, especially a fawn, they’ll take it,” Sausville said.
Wyoming’s coyotes are also known to occasionally take deer fawns or elk calves, but in some places they must compete with wolves or grizzlies for those tasty prizes.
Coywolves also adjust well to urban living.
“I’ve heard reports of them in New York City,” Sausville said. “They catch them down there at night sometimes.”
No Proof So Far Of Wyoming Coywolves
While coywolves are increasingly common in the East, in Wyoming they’re more likely than not in the same category as jackalopes — mythical creatures.
Particularly since the advent of social media, rumors crop up and get circulated about somebody spotting a coywolf slinking through the mountain forests or bounding across the prairie.
Those are probably rumors and nothing more.
“I’m not aware of any coywolves being documented in Wyoming,” Wyoming Game and Fish Large Carnivore Specialist Dan Thompson told Cowboy State Daily.
“In an evolutionary sense, species with the same genus (such as canine) can breed and produce offspring, but it is not something that occurs regularly, based on behavioral adaptations and other social hierarchy,” he added.
Researcher Kira Cassidy monitors and studies wolves in Yellowstone National Park, including the tenacious 11-year-old, one-eyed Wolf 907F.
Yellowstone has its share of coyotes too. To survive, they must be crafty about out-competing bears, wolves and mountain lions for big game carcasses and other food.
And one celebrity coyote named Limpy has mastered the art of looking pathetic and suckering tourists for snacks, even though feeding wildlife in Yellowstone is strictly against the rules.
But seducing wolves and producing supersized offspring isn’t a trick that Yellowstone coyotes have learned, Cassidy told Cowboy State Daily.
“I’ve never heard of a coyote/wolf pairing out here. It’s rare to even see a coyote and wolf in the same vicinity without showing a classic dynamic of a wolf trying to chase and catch/kill the coyote, or multiple coyotes chasing away a single wolf, usually near a coyote den,” she said.
Colorado Coywolf Rumors Probably False Too
There’s also been social media chatter and barstool talk of coywolves or other such critters to the south of Wyoming in the Centennial State.
But that’s also likely just unsubstantiated talk, Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Joey Livingston told Cowboy State Daily.
There’s never been a verified report of any such animal in Colorado, he said.
“Wolves and coyotes have coexisted in the Rockies for many years, and they are still distinct species. That should be good evidence to say they will continue to not breed with each other at any significant rate,” Livingston said.
“The coywolf issue usually comes from the Eastern U.S./Canada,” he said. “There are always rumors about coywolves and wolf-dogs in the northern Rockies, but it has rarely been proven and has never been a problem.”
On the off chance coywolves ever do take hold in Colorado, they wouldn’t be a protected species there, Livingston said.
“They would be managed as any other wildlife species without Federal Endangered Species protections,” he said.
Taking The Long Road To Vermont
It took considerable time and coyotes traveling long distances to produce a permanent population of coywolves in Vermont and across the East.
“The Eastern coyote (Canis latrans) moved eastward from west of the Mississippi and first appeared in Vermont in the late 1940s,” according to Vermont Fish and Wildlife.
“It is generally larger than its Western ancestor because it gained size by breeding with gray wolves occupying the Great Lakes region, Eastern wolves, and even domestic dogs in southern Canada before it moved into our area,” according to the agency.
Coywolves have become more common over recent decades as they’ve moved in and claimed territory, sometimes pushing out foxes, Sausville said.
And there’s some misconceptions built up around them, he added. For example, that they regularly hunt in packs and howl like wolves.
In the springtime, pairs of coywolves, or Eastern coyotes, might hang out and hunt together with some of their offspring, he said. But then they’ll tend to go their separate ways in the fall.
As far as howling goes, Sausville said he’s mostly just heard coywolves yipping, much like the coyotes he heard in the Dakotas.
“I actually think that domestic dogs howl more than Eastern coyotes do,” he said.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
Wyoming
Outdoor Fun Awaits At Local Parks With Izaak Walton League’s Hiking Series From April To September
Hiking can be an activity that you enjoy doing on your own, but sometimes you need a little extra inspiration, and a group hike is exactly what you need. If you’re looking for a group to explore the outdoors with, the Charles E. Piersall chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America hiking group may be what you’re looking for.
The mission of the IWLA:
To engage the community in the conservation, restoration, and promotion of environmental protection, we focus on the sustainable use and enjoyment of our natural resources, including soil, air, woods, waters, and wildlife. This commitment is essential for a sustainable future, and activities like hiking help foster a connection with nature
The group is open to all ages, and even your pup can join in on the fun if they’re on a leash. There is a series of hikes planned beginning on April 1. Nope, this isn’t a prank; it is a real chance to meet other outdoor lovers and take in some of the area’s best hiking trails. The hikes are scheduled on the odd Wednesdays from April to September, weather permitting.
Join us to connect with others who appreciate the beauty of outdoor hiking and environmental advocacy hiking. Remember to bring drinking water, snacks, good walking shoes or boots, and a jacket. A walking stick or hiking poles can also be helpful.
Here are the hikes they have planned for this summer.
April 2026
- Wednesday, April 1, 6 pm, Morad Park to Paradise Valley:
- Wednesday, April 15, 6 pm, Edness K. Wilkins State Park:
- Wednesday, April 29, 6 pm, Tate Pumphouse, Golf Course loop:
May 2026
June 2026
July 2026
- Wednesday, July 1, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, North Face:
- Wednesday, July 15, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, Beaver Ponds:
- Wednesday, July 29, 6 pm, Casper Mountain, Biathlon:
August 2026
September 2026
16 Types Of Hikes Explained
7 Trails To Hike In Central Wyoming
There’s no doubt about it, the entire state of Wyoming is covered in amazing hiking trails. If you’re visiting central Wyoming here are 7 trails that you should check out. I’ve organized them from easier to harder, ending with Laramie Peak.
The Platte County Attorney’s Office has nearly doubled the possible penalties for a Wyoming reporter accused of forging exhibits in an environmental case tied to her staunch opposition to a wind farm.
The 10 new counts against April Marie Morganroth, also known as the Wyoming-based reporter Marie Hamilton, allege that she convinced her landlords that she’d been approved for a home loan to buy their property, and grants to upgrade it.
Hamilton was already facing 10 felony charges in a March 9 Wheatland Circuit Court case, as she’s accused of submitting forged documents and lying under oath before the Wyoming Industrial Siting Council.
That’s an environmental permitting panel that granted a permit to a NextEra Resources wind farm, which Hamilton has long opposed. She’s also reported on NextEra’s efforts and the community controversies surrounding those.
Then on Wednesday, Platte County Attorney Douglas Weaver filed 10 more felony charges: five alleging possession of forged writing, and five more alleging forgery.
The former is punishable by up to five years in prison and $5,000 in fines; the latter by up to 10 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
Hamilton faces up to 65 years in prison if convicted of all charges in her March 9 case. The March 25 case would add up to 75 years more to that.
Both cases are ongoing.
Hamilton did not immediately respond to a voicemail request for comment left Thursday afternoon on her cellphone. She bonded out of jail earlier this month. The Platte County Detention Center said Thursday it does “not have her here.”
The Investigative Efforts Of Benjamin Peech
Converse County Sheriff’s Lt. Benjamin Peech investigated both cases at the request of Platte County authorities, court documents say.
When he was investigating evidence that Hamilton submitted forged documents and lied under oath for Industrial Siting Council proceedings, Peech also pursued Hamilton’s claim that she owned property on JJ Road, and that she’d bought it with a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan.
The property, however, is registered under Platte County’s mapping system to a couple surnamed Gillis, says a new affidavit Peech signed March 19, which was filed Wednesday.
Peech spoke with both husband and wife, and they said they had the home on the market to sell it, and Hamilton contacted them in about July of 2025.
Hamilton told the pair that she and her husband wished to buy the property and were pre-qualified for a USDA loan through Neighbor’s Bank, wrote Peech.
But the property didn’t meet the standard of the loan, Hamilton reportedly continued. Still, she’d been approved for a USDA grant to work on the problems with the property and bring it up to the standards to qualify for the loan, she allegedly told the homeowners.
Papers
Hamilton provided the couple and their realtor with letters from USDA showing her loan pre-approval and grant approvals, the affidavit says.
During the lease period that followed, Hamilton was late “often” with rent and didn’t provide the couple with work logs until pressed, Peech wrote.
In early 2026, the lieutenant continued, the homeowners became concerned and asked Hamilton about her progress improving the property.
Hamilton reportedly sent the homeowners two invoices from contractors, showing she’d paid for work to be done. She said the wind had delayed that work, wrote Peech.
The affidavit says the Gillis couple sent Peech the documents Hamilton had reportedly given them, along with supporting emails showing those had come from one of Hamilton’s email addresses.
The Loan approval documents showed the respective logos for USDA Rural Development and Neighbor’s Bank at the top of each page, the lieutenant wrote, adding that the documents assert that Hamilton and her husband had been approved for the loan.
“There was then a list of items that needed to be completed — 14 items — prior to Final Loan Approval,” related Peech in the affidavit.
A signature at the bottom reportedly read, “Sincerely, USDA Rural Development Neighbors Bank Joshua Harris Homebuying Specialist.”
Grant Document
The documents purporting Hamilton had received a grant also showed the USDA Rural Development logo at the top of each page, with the names of Hamilton and her husband, other boilerplate language and a description of a $35,000 home buyer’s grant.
The project was about 65% complete at the time of review, the document adds, according to Peech’s narrative.
Peech describes more documents: a January notice, an invoice bearing the logo and name of “Cowgirl Demolition and Excavation, LLC,” and another invoice bearing the logo and name of “Pete’s Builders Roofing and Restoration.”
Real Estate Agent
Peech spoke with the Gillises’ real estate agent, Kay Pope, and she said she’d tried to verify the USDA grant and pre-approval by calling Susan Allman, who was listed in the documents as the Casper-based USDA agent. Pope left several messages without response, the affidavit says.
Pope spoke with Hamilton’s real estate agent, and he said he’d spoken to Allman, and he gave Pope a phone number.
Cowboy State Daily has identified Hamilton’s real estate agent and tried to contact him for further clarification.
Pope called that number and left messages without response, wrote Peech.
Peech then called a USDA Rural Development office and spoke with a Janice Blare, deputy state director, he wrote.
Peech sent the three USDA letters to Blare and gave her “all of Hamilton’s names and aliases,” he added.
The lieutenant wrote that Blare later told him the USDA investigated the letters and determined no evidence existed to show the USDA had issued them.
No records existed either, of Hamilton “using all her alias permutations” or her husband within either the USDA loan program or grant program, wrote Peech.
The USDA didn’t have an office at the address listed in two of the letters. The address pertains, rather, to a dirt lot. The USDA Rural Development office didn’t have a program titled “Rural Communities Home Buyer Program” as listed on two of the letters.
On Nov. 6, 2025, the date of the first letter purporting Hamilton had been approved for the grant program, all U.S. government offices including USDA were on furlough, noted Peech from his discussion with Blare.
A person named Susan Allman didn’t appear in USDA’s employee records, Blare reportedly added.
The Phone Call
Peech called the cellphone number one of the letters listed for Allman, “and this was disconnected,” he wrote.
The number Hamilton’s real estate agent had given was a voice over internet protocol number that Bandwidth LLC operates but is assigned to Google, added Peech.
Meanwhile, Converse County Investigator Amber Peterson spoke with the construction and roofing companies listed in the documents.
Chad Derenzo of Pete’s Roofing confirmed the logo and name listed on the documents were his company’s own — but said his company hadn’t issued the bid listed in those documents, according to the affidavit.
“Their company had never contracted to do work for Hamilton or at the… JJ Road address,” the document says.
The invoice also bore an address in Torrington, Wyoming, and his company doesn’t have a Torrington office, said Derenzo, reportedly.
Jessica Loge of Cowgirl Demolition and Excavation gave similar statements, saying the documents bore her logo, but her company hadn’t issued the bid or contracted with Hamilton.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
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