Anyone Actually Worry About Coyotes in the Woods?

Bear are by far the biggest concern around here. I see them just about everytime I go out during the summer months. For that I've got my trusty Marlin .45-70

I've only seen 1 coyote and 1 wolf here.
 
If anything should be worried about getting eaten in the woods, it's the animals, not me.:cool:
 
I few months ago, I got a contract to clear coyotes and hogs off a local ranch. The yotes were killing calves and the hogs were rooting up all the grasslands. I've noticed that the coyotes were especially bold in this area (deep east Texas) and that really surprised me. About 15yrs ago, I'd had some contract work out in west Texas and eastern New Mexico and those yotes were much more wary.

As an example of their bold behavior around here, a pack of 10-12 coyotes surrounded the rancher's wife when she drove home one night and wouldn't let her out of the truck. She had to call a neighbor to come over and scare them off. This pack (I assume it's the same pack) also killed off the rancher's three dogs...two labs and a basset hound...over a period of about 6 months. When I'd go out on the ranch at night, I'd notice several of them circling around behind me while I was stalking some of the others. It was really unnerving to see how clever they were and how well they worked together as a pack. After about six weeks, I'd killed 49 yotes and 68 hogs and that seemed to end his problem...at least for now.

I could see no good reason for the bold behavior. There was plenty of food/water/cover available for the coyotes. Rabbits, squirrels, and raccoons were everywhere. This is old ranch land and there is no new development in the area. The local game wardens are at a loss to explain it, as well.
 
I've seen 2 on my property in Suburban NJ (less than 20mi from NYC). I'm not sure, but i suspect its the same coyote twice. There is a surprising amount of wildlife here, I regularly see groundhogs, rabbit, deer, foxes, coyotes (twice), skunks, raccoons, and the regular assortment of small mammals.

The first encounter I had was right at my front door. It was raining hard, and the coyote walked right up on my front lawn, maybe 10-15 ft from me. I was testing my new rain coat and had the front lights off. I had been standing for just a few minutes but I was being quiet and still. It didn't notice me for a good 10-20 seconds, then it just kinda looked at me. It stood there breifly sizing me up, realized i out weighed it by like at least 4x and went on its way.

Nothing overtly threatening but surprising to say the least. I spotted it again when i was in my room late one night. It was quiet and i was getting ready for bed. No joke, i heard an unfamiliar noise coming from across my 1/2 acre yard. Took out my flashlight and swept the yard form my window. Picked up two eyes a decent distance off the ground. Once i hit it with the light it just kinda trotted across my yard towards my house, waltzed in front of my window, then off behind my garage and gone.

Flashlight definitely didn't intimidate it, if anything it was curious. I don't think that they would go for me, I'm right around 6' 2" and 195lbs, but my sister, mom, or dog could be different. There have been several attacks on children and lone women in NJ pretty recently.

Be aware that they are out there and act accordingly. They are opportunistic, so don't give them any opportunities!

-- Adam
 
SpookyDriver said:
I few months ago, I got a contract to clear coyotes and hogs off a local ranch. The yotes were killing calves and the hogs were rooting up all the grasslands. I've noticed that the coyotes were especially bold in this area (deep east Texas) and that really surprised me. About 15yrs ago, I'd had some contract work out in west Texas and eastern New Mexico and those yotes were much more wary.

As an example of their bold behavior around here, a pack of 10-12 coyotes surrounded the rancher's wife when she drove home one night and wouldn't let her out of the truck. She had to call a neighbor to come over and scare them off. This pack (I assume it's the same pack) also killed off the rancher's three dogs...two labs and a basset hound...over a period of about 6 months. When I'd go out on the ranch at night, I'd notice several of them circling around behind me while I was stalking some of the others. It was really unnerving to see how clever they were and how well they worked together as a pack. After about six weeks, I'd killed 49 yotes and 68 hogs and that seemed to end his problem...at least for now.

I could see no good reason for the bold behavior. There was plenty of food/water/cover available for the coyotes. Rabbits, squirrels, and raccoons were everywhere. This is old ranch land and there is no new development in the area. The local game wardens are at a loss to explain it, as well.
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this sounds like a coy-dog pack with some feral dog in the mix, not pure coyote.
 
1066vik said:
this sounds like a coy-dog pack with some feral dog in the mix, not pure coyote.
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I had the same thoughts, but none of the coyotes I saw/killed had any of the typical coy-dog physiology. If there was any feral dog in the mix, it was well-hidden or several generations back.

Regardless, I make sure my dogs are inside at night and keep my head on a swivel when I'm out in the woods around here.
 
Don't run into packs in jersey they usally run alone around here the question was coyote not packs . Packs deep in a state park be pretty intimidating . Still think my dogs and I could take out apack of ten but would def. Receive some injuries in the process.unless there rabbid highly doubt even a pack would attack though
 
i ran into a coyote one night. i was cooking some steak and he walked up and asked me for some. i yelled "no it's mine!" then i jumped in the air and falcon kicked him in the neck. while he was in the air i took my trusty ESEE knife, and stuck it in his gut. as i was airborne, i spun myself skillfully around to land on my stomach, there i grabbed one of my grenades from my pocket, de-pinned it, and threw it at him. he then blew up into oblivion. after my encounter i enjoyed the steak and watched dr. phil. coyotes are very real, and like steak.
 
Only time I would worry about them, is if they have rabies. Then they can be unpredictable.
 
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