Coyotes in the news

Blue Sky

Blue Sky

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Saw this report today:

http://www.observertoday.com/articles.asp?articleID=9770

This occured not too far from my usual hunting grounds, where I also take my own two dogs for walks in the woods from time to time in the off season. Fact is, I was planning on it last weekend until something came up.

I hear coyotes often in the fall. Seen a few too, though that's been rare. Makes me wonder if I should be doing anything different, especially those mornings when I'm heading out an hour before dawn. Doesn't sound like they bothered the guy so much, but next time who knows?
 
I gotta admit, I care about wildlife issues, but growing up on a cattle farm, I still kinda dislike Coyotes.

We lost alot of young calves to them, even killing them just for fun and not eating them.

They were the one animal my dad gave us "shoot on sight" permission for.
 
I know what I'd do, I'd go armed. Yeah, yeah, I know that's New York. Just do what you think is right. Personally, I'd be carrying a revolver I could hit with, ranging in caliber from .22 Magnum up to .357 Magnum, and preferably with a longish barrel for velocity and accuracy. If I had to I'd carry it concealed under a coat and just keep my mouth shut about it. I do know I wouldn't want to see my dog or dogs slaughtered by a pack of brush wolves, and I kind of value my old hide as well.
 
That's really too bad about those labs getting killed. I own an elderly lab myself and I can understand how the owner must feel, they're great dogs. Must of been terrible for him to watch. But incidents like this do happen occasionally.

I've seen individual coyotes around my immediate neighborhood now and then, found tracks behind my house this winter. Sometimes I hear them at night, usually during a full moon. Over the years we've lost a number of cats, they just disappeared, I figured they were taken by coyotes.

When walking the dog, I usually carry a weapon of some sort, knife and long stick. After reading this, it will probably be a firearm.

For those not familiar with eastern coyotes, they're bigger than western coyotes, males can sometimes get up to 70 pounds.
 
Wow! Pretty rare that coyotes will take on such large dogs, and two of them at that.

They regularly eat "Puffy" and "Fido" around here, but it's very rare that they go after an animal the size of a retriever.

Andy
 
Dr. Mudd said:
I know what I'd do, I'd go armed. Yeah, yeah, I know that's New York. Just do what you think is right. Personally, I'd be carrying a revolver I could hit with, ranging in caliber from .22 Magnum up to .357 Magnum, and preferably with a longish barrel for velocity and accuracy. If I had to I'd carry it concealed under a coat and just keep my mouth shut about it. I do know I wouldn't want to see my dog or dogs slaughtered by a pack of brush wolves, and I kind of value my old hide as well.
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Its fairly easy to get a pistol permit in NY if you have a clean record and live outside of the big city. The only problem is you can't carry it in some parks.:(
 
I live in suburban CT, but on the edge of a decent sized (for here) area of woods. I am also an avid backpacker and outdoorsman, and like to think I live a good balance of caring aboutt he wilderness and protection from it.
We have coyotes in our area, and have an unnaturealy high concentration, becasue their habitat has been cut down so small.
They come into the neighborhood at times, and I can only imagine small outdoor pets disappear. I have a small dog (27 pounds) and I fear for her in her own back yard, even with a 5 foot fence.
When walking around the local woods, I have a staff, large knife, or sjambok and am thinking about bear spray for coyotes. This area is just too densely populated for me to carry a handgun for coyote protection and feel OK about it.
 
smokelaw1 said:
I have a small dog (27 pounds) and I fear for her in her own back yard, even with a 5 foot fence.
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I live in Tolland County in CT. Several years ago I was going to an orienteering match at the West Hartford Reservoirs. I saw a Coyote that got himself trapped on the road between the chain link fences on both sides of the road. He was getting nuts with the cars coming through but everyone slowed down so he wasn’t hit. I watched as he ran back and forth. Finally he jumped to the top of the fence and pushed himself over. This was a good 6 feet high and if memory serves I believe it was actually higher. It was an impressive jump.

KR
 
kr1 said:
I live in Tolland County in CT. Several years ago I was going to an orienteering match at the West Hartford Reservoirs. I saw a Coyote that got himself trapped on the road between the chain link fences on both sides of the road. He was getting nuts with the cars coming through but everyone slowed down so he wasn’t hit. I watched as he ran back and forth. Finally he jumped to the top of the fence and pushed himself over. This was a good 6 feet high and if memory serves I believe it was actually higher. It was an impressive jump.

KR
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That's right where I'm talking about. I live in West Hartford. Are you talking about the Resevoir up on Avon Moutnain, or the one out on Farmington Ave almost to Farmington? The Avon Mountain Resevoir (#6) is reacheable through the woods from my house with only one road crossing.

6 feet is pretty remarkeable for an Eastern Coyote. I have no doubt that one can do it if "pushed" by stress like in that case. 5 feet will not stop a determined coyote, but will discourage one that is just slinking around looking for an easy meal. I watch the dog when she is out by herself at night for this reason. The fireplace tools are only 12 feet away.
 
I can't speak about the dangers to small pets, but I think some of you might be overestimating the likelihood and personal danger of coyote attacks. As a wildlife photographer, I've done the opposite of this advice, many times:

If you ever spot a coyote, do not make any attempts to approach or feed it. They may look cute, friendly or harmless, but they are dangerous wild animals.
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I've jogged behind coyotes, following them until they were in a good spot for photos. I've crawled on my hands and knees within 15-20 feet of a pack, to photograph them. I've stood in front of one from ~12 feet away, for five or more minutes, photographing portraits. (By the way, I would never try to feed one, of course.)

I'm not saying that they are friendly and harmless (and I'm armed, of course), but what I've done was safe enough for me and for the animals, and I will continue to do so.
 
Coyotes that are healthy pose little or no danger to humans. Small, unattended children could be threatened ("Maybe the dingo ate your baby!!"), but having coyotes come up into the space of an alert human and attack a pet is practically unheard of.

Andy
 
marcinek said:
Get a load of this...

http://www.nbc5.com/news/11118517/detail.html?dl=headlineclick
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O'Hare? Nothin'... Marcinek didn't leave here when this was making the news: we had a coyote living in downtown Chicago. Quite well. The story doesn't cover it, but the City set up this huge cage with steak inside it, and were quite seriously concerned they'd only catch a homeless guy in it.

Coyotes are tough, clever creatures. I find their tracks from time to time out near me, and in 2005, we had a female slinking outside my workplace in the parking lot. And usually we see them "sleeping" by the side of the expressways. They've made a heckuva comeback here in Illinois, and I believe are found in every county here.
 
Evolute said:
I can't speak about the dangers to small pets, but I think some of you might be overestimating the likelihood and personal danger of coyote attacks. ...I'm not saying that they are friendly and harmless (and I'm armed, of course), but what I've done was safe enough for me and for the animals, and I will continue to do so.
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I agree. They're impressive animals, but the coyotes around here are usually smaller than a boxer, and quite cowardly. I also agree that I wouldn't go out of my way to harrass a coyote, just as I wouldn't harrass a strange dog.

But unless you're a cat or small dog--or a very small, alone child as Mr. Colglazier suggests--you don't have much to fear. They're more nuisances than anything.
 
Andrew Colglazier said:
Coyotes that are healthy pose little or no danger to humans. Small, unattended children could be threatened ("Maybe the dingo ate your baby!!"), but having coyotes come up into the space of an alert human and attack a pet is practically unheard of.
Andy
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Right, I have no particular fear of coyotes for myself (two years ago, my wife chased one out of the yard). I'm no expert, but I suspect in this case the five coyotes saw the two labs as a threat to the pack and their territory.
 
Evolute said:
I can't speak about the dangers to small pets, but I think some of you might be overestimating the likelihood and personal danger of coyote attacks. As a wildlife photographer, I've done the opposite of this advice, many times...
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I think there might be a difference in a pack hanging out and one on the hunt. Your skill at getting close to these animals is impressive (no sarcasm intended, as an outdoorsman I can appreciate it) but have you ever knowingly run into the latter group?

I don't think this was about territory. To attack these dogs when they were accompanied by a human (who couldn't fend them off) tells me most likely they were hungry, real hungry. Not the sort of group I'd try to get closer to.

I've spent plenty of time in the woods alone, in the dark, with only my trusty bow. And occasionally I've heard them uncomfortably close on both sides of me. Do it long enough and when does Murphy show up? I don't know but it seems wise to consider the possibility, especially when the coyote population is on the rise.
 
Coyotes don't pack, they are solitary animals that only group together in pairs during mating and the rearing of their young. When people see packs they normal are seeing a male, female and litter of half grown pups. Although coyotes can be a danger to pets, most of the time small ones, and small children, they are virtually never a threat to adults. Of threats in the wild, coyotes rank right below stumping my toe. Chris
 
runningboar said:
Coyotes don't pack, they are solitary animals that only group together in pairs during mating and the rearing of their young. When people see packs they normal are seeing a male, female and litter of half grown pups. Although coyotes can be a danger to pets, most of the time small ones, and small children, they are virtually never a threat to adults. Of threats in the wild, coyotes rank right below stumping my toe. Chris
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Coyotes can and do pack, but not everywhere. It seems to be a regional thing depending on what they hunt, etc.

Other than that, I agree with everything you say.

Andy
 
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