Because the information we need isn't all in one spot, we have to look in several places to find what we need. One source is data on fur harvests both questionnaires and fur buyer reports. Analysis of these data to answer our questions is complicated by annual changes in fur pelt prices. Variable pelt prices affect harvest size. In addition, these data are only available as state wide totals and are not easily separated out by physiographic region.
Similar problems exist with historical bounty information.
Fortunately, we have good information available from the winter whitetail deer survey in North Dakota since 1960 - not as many years as we would like, but some of the best quality data available. This is good survey for whitetail deer. Each year the survey is flown, in addition to its main purpose of counting deer, observers record the number of red fox and coyotes seen on the study areas. The survey data must be weighted in some fashion because the more you look for something the more of it you will find. While the aerial deer survey provides some of our best fox and coyote distribution and density information, some years there is not enough snow to conduct the survey in some study areas.