In rural areas, coyotes eat table scraps, including vegetables, thrown out by farm families. In urban areas or around campgrounds, coyotes sometimes raid garbage cans for discarded scraps. Although coyotes do not cause a large problem to sweet corn growers, they sometimes pull down a stalk or two and nibble on the ears of corn. Coyotes also feed on carrion. The male coyote is a good provider and does a large share of the hunting while the female stays closer to the pups.
Coyotes sometimes feed on road-killed deer along rural highways.
Coyotes seem to prefer the carrion of deer and hogs over other animals. Although coyotes may kill sheep and sometimes small calves and feed on them later, they do not seem to prefer the carrion of these animals if they did not kill them. They may, however, roll in decaying carcasses of livestock and other animals, including other coyotes, then leave their urine and droppings nearby. Reproduction In Missouri, coyotes breed from mid February into the first few days of March. Male coyotes do not breed their first year, but some females do.