Approxing coyote weight based on measurements?

[grygon]

I don't have an accurate scale around... and I doubt my family would like to catch me in the act of bear hugging a dead coyote while I stand on the bathroom scale... though what a story to tell that would be.

Anyways, this male measures 31.5 inches from the tip of his nose to the base of his tail.  And using a straight edge and a "natural" pose for the hind leg I estimate stood roughly 21-22 inches at the hip.  I don't know why I used the hip when the front legs were toally pliable and could have been stretched out to measure, but I did.

Any estimates how much this guy weighs?  I'm just curious, as I expected a much smaller animal when I went to pick him up and was surprised by how heavy he was.  I can't take any more measurements now, he's been given a hair cut (skin was bad, so I just took the fur for yarn) and stuffed under a plastic bin outside for the wild dermestids.

My first coyote skeleton.  I'm very excited to see this one through.

[Taflinger]

here are the measurements of a 50lbs coyote: 4 1/2 x 22 x 38 .  I would say between 30-35lbs.

[grygon]

here are the measurements of a 50lbs coyote: 4 1/2 x 22 x 38 .  I would say between 30-35lbs.

that's what i was guessing, but i am not very experienced...

and another question- do most people measure from nose tip to tail base, or from nose to tail TIP?  i measured to his base, but then when searching google i couldn't find any sites that had measurements like that, they all measured to the tail TIP.  so i'm not sure why my friend told me to measure to it's base, and not the tip.

[Hoss0902]

All the measurements i find are to the base of the tail.

[Jim B]

The girth of the coyote will have a lot to do with how much it weighs.Our western coyotes don't average as big as the Eastern ones.I catch plenty that go 35"-36" but have never caught one that weighed over 30 lbs.I would guess your's to be in the mid-20's but the girth could make it more or less.

[Hoss0902]

Go ahead and bear hug it. Make sure its right at dinner time, so your family can watch....lol