Anyone Actually Worry About Coyotes in the Woods?

I've never known or heard of anyone locally getting attacked by coyotes. Raccoons, bobcats, hogs, people and one mountain lion yes. But never a coyote.
 
I got "attacked" by an Armadillo once..... no lie. It was hilarious, he just would not give up.
I finally got tired of him standing & jumping around on his hind legs clawing at me and just shot him. :eek:
I had never seen anything like that before or since..... :D
 
I live in suburbia of chicago. I have a 40 pound mutt that gets walked before school and after work which translates to 6am and about 10 pm. As the weather gets colder, I dont leave home without my usual gear. I put my size 13 in the side of a coyote last week and then because of the local men in blue had to call animal control. Its all too often that coyotes take on dogs in my area. Its slightly odd because it has gotten worse over the past 2-3 years, but my dog never goes outside alone anymore. I cant imagine they would come after me being 6'2" and 220 pounds but anything "Inferior" definitely has to worry.
 
three weeks ago...i showed up just before sun up at the camp to meet my dad and his wife.....His wife said boy those coyotes sure sounded close last night....we laughed it off....anyway walking back into camp after our hunt we found tracks all though the base camp...they were actually a few feet from dad's tent....doubt we will be able to get her back in the deer camp...lol...but they never attacked or even tried...they were just sniffing around the area we cleaned a deer the week before...
 
Here in Eastern Ontario we have found that the coyotes have become a little more aggressive and a little more scavendurous. We are having some issues of them roaming yards similar to the black bear.

A few weeks back I was out in the bush enjoying a day of bushcraft when I heard a pack just off to my north singing their loud unmistakable prey celebration.

Although they have historically not caused an issue they have found their way into my previous two winter survival shelters rummaging in the night while I was bunked in. In both of those occasions I did not have an exterior visible fire.

Many different thoughts on fires and animals including there effect on our local wolf population however I believe the bigger the fire the better. If it keeps the boogey man away it might just keep the predators away.

Always be prepared.
 
Not worried about yotes at all. In fact the only wild animals I worry about is bears but it's more caution than worry. Humans and domesticated dogs on the other hand, I DO worry about.
 
Chrome Horn said:
I've read that armadillos are the biggest carrier of leprosy which is supposed to be the least communicable of communicable diseases.
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I had never heard that, but I just checked it out and dang if you aren't right! :eek:

They can also carry rabies too. Which I had never even considered.

I had all along just figured it was a crazy armadillo. :D

It seems the much more probable explanation, after reading this stuff; was that it had rabies. That is most likely what caused it to act bizarre. :thumbup:

I'd have been screwed if it had scratched and/or bit me... I might have contracted the "double whammy". Rabies with a side order of Leprosy.
That would have been a "trip". :eek: :D:D:D

This link was kind interesting...... ;) ...
http://www.unitedwildlife.com/AnimalsArmadillos.html
 
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After finding several mauled deer carcasses over the years, my only worry of yotes would be if I was injured, bleeding, and unable to defend myself.
 
I read an interesting article recently in a PA state game magazine about the eastern coyote/wolf hybrid species that is spreading fairly rapidly in the eastern US. Basically they are bigger and may or may not be more aggressive. Tried to google it and came up with this.

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/Wildlife_profiles/profile_eastern_coyote.htm

"Though coyotes are often mistaken for a domestic dog hybrid, recent genetic research has attributed the eastern coyote's larger size and unique behavioral characteristics to interbreeding with Canadian gray wolves.

Although the historical evidence supporting occurrence of coyotes in New England is inconclusive, no coyotes were present in the late 1800s. Since the mid-1900s coyotes have moved from the Midwestern states, through Canada and into the Northeastern and mid-Atlantic states. The first verified account of a coyote in New Hampshire was in Grafton County in 1944. Between 1972 and 1980 coyotes spread across N.H. from Colebrook to Seabrook. Today, coyotes are common in every county throughout the state.

DNA sampling of coyote tissue in the Northeast shows no coyote/dog crosses. However, they do have a mixture of wolf DNA.

Coyotes are often blamed for events for which domestic dogs, automobiles or other wildlife are responsible. As for your safety, coyotes pose little risk to people. In New Hampshire there has never been a report of a coyote attacking a person."

I wouldn't worry, but I'd be wary. You never know with wild animals and rabies is always a possibility.
 
TacticalBlade said:
I live in suburbia of chicago. I have a 40 pound mutt that gets walked before school and after work which translates to 6am and about 10 pm. As the weather gets colder, I dont leave home without my usual gear. I put my size 13 in the side of a coyote last week and then because of the local men in blue had to call animal control. Its all too often that coyotes take on dogs in my area. Its slightly odd because it has gotten worse over the past 2-3 years, but my dog never goes outside alone anymore. I cant imagine they would come after me being 6'2" and 220 pounds but anything "Inferior" definitely has to worry.
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TB do you live in Lemont by any chance? I used to live in Lemont (I consider this to be a suburb of Chicago) and we had alot of yotes when I lived there back in the late 80s-90s. Whenever it started to get to be dusk the rule was none of us kids was to go outside alone and if you saw one start looking for the rest and walk in an even pace making as much racket as you could.

That said as an adult where I live I've heard some yotes but never seen any, so not too worried about them; as many have said more worried about dogs. I worry about Mt. Lions more than either. Never really thought to much about carrying in the woods till one day the Mrs. and I were on a day hike while camping and we had something following us about 30 yards or so off for more than 2 miles of trail. The only thing I know that will stalk like that is a cat. When we got back to the camp area of the park (state park) I told a Ranger so they had a heads up. He gave me the official "sir there are no Mt. Lions in the state of PA" speech Fish & Game holds to but then thanked me for the heads up and gave me a knowing nod and wink. I have since rethought my carry practices in the woods.
 
DNK said:
I wouldn't worry, but I'd be wary. You never know with wild animals and rabies is always a possibility.
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True enough.
Even a tiny squirrel with rabies is a threat.:eek:
And those little critters are fast...
 
Unless they're rabbid, I think you're fine unless they've been starving for months and just in a kill mood. I've been chased by more upset cows the coyotes, which is plenty unnerving. Now mountain lions; that's a whole 'nother story.
 
There were so many yotes in Idaho, that many of the local (near Weiser ID) sports shops had yote contests for who shot the most in a 2 month time limit. A very good varment rifle was the usual prize. I got quite a few, but some guys I think had the yotes cell ph. numbers they got so many. One guy got 57 one year. And the old saying out there (most likely true) "For every Coyote that you see, 100 others are watching you" I've seen about 15-16 in Wisc. over a 20 year span. More now then before. Odd little buggers. I do keep an eye on them. Any wild animal with teeth, is worthy of note as I see it. Anything can happen, and at times will. Even a shrew has venom. enjoy edgy :thumbup:
 
I don't really worry about them at all. When I first moved into my subdivision, I just assumed the name of my street of "Coyote Trail" was just something some yuppie made up to make it sound more "rural."

I live in a neighborhood that's still under construction. Sub-urban I guess you'd call it. We're surrounded in most directions by nearly 20 miles of woods. I've been here about 3 years now and in the first few months I learned the name "Coyote Trail" wasn't a joke name. I've seen many of them, but honestly, they're more afraid of me than anything. I hear them calling out in the woods near dusk some evenings, but they haven't shown any hostility nor have they been a nuisance as of yet.

I was concerned they might find everyones trashcans and treat them like a buffet, but that hasn't happened either. They keep their distance. It's rare you see near the houses.

The deer on the other hand are dumb as bricks and will literally come out back of my neighbors house and wait for her to toss them some food. I've told her she shouldn't do it because it's making them too trusting of humans and that might get them more easily killed this time of year, but to her....they're so cute. Not much I can do. I've tried.

Coyotes, possum, raccoons, deer, rabbits, squirrels, foxes...we've got a little bit of everything here in my backyard. A few bear sightings nearby, but I've yet to see one here. I personally enjoy all the wildlife we have despite the construction we have going on.
 
When I lived in Connecticut about 45 mins outside of manhattan I had one of my dogs attacked on a popular trail - Rollo is about 75 pounds and was fine other than some bites on his back - you dont think of coyotes in the burbs of NYC.

What's crazier is that we actually have a breeding population here in central park in manhattan - every couple of years a random coyote will be picked up by animal control miles from the park.

Up in the catskills you can hear em a lot and my parents keep goats and chickens - have never seen a coyote around our property up there, but still showed my dad how to use an 870 just in case, but more for blackbear which have wondered through the backyard countless times.

I guess my point is that I don't really worry about coyotes even though they are apparently EVERYWHERE - more worried about a blackbear and those dont even bother me much at all.
 
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