Face to face with a Coyote

[arrow]

About 6 months ago a coyote came into the back yard. It was very distinctive in its color and markings. This was at 8 am. I went up to get my revolver but he saw me through the sliding glass door and slinked away. At 11 Am, there was a report that a coyote had been killed 7 miles up the road from me after attacking a lady and her dog going for a walk. As my wife works at the vets that the pooch was brought to, the police brought the coyote who had been hit by a car to the office as her vet is a coyote document and tracking station and the head had to be amputated and sent to the state. It was the same coyote I saw in my back yard and indeed reports came back a couple weeks later that it was rabid. As the lady did not have her dog vaccinated and did not have the cash for the 8 week quarantine, the pooch had to be put down. I would take no chances with any coyote I saw during the day because that in itself should mark that something may not be right for that coyote. I would just walk away and avoid any confrontation if at all possible. If you are in this kind of territory and not armed, a walking stick would be an essential piece of equipment in my mind with any stroll.

 

[Travelover]

I was walking my dog at daybreak at a local park. We crested a mowed, tall hill and I saw a shape about 25 feet away. As I looked closer, it was a coyote curled up on the top of that hill. We cut a wide berth and when we came by later it was gone. It didn't seem concerned by our presence, as I know that it saw us.

 

[Beltzington]

Every day we pass 5,000lbs hunks of metal with closing speeds in excess of 140 mph. The operators of these vehicles are either texting, eating, drinking or near death. Yet despite the obvious threat we are concerned with being attacked by a 30lb animal easily dissuaded by a well-placed kick. If you have to shoot something to defend yourself, logic dictates it wouldn't have four-legs. :confused2:

 

[dixstir]

my gramps lived in north dakota, he used to tell me storys about the days when they would go once a mouth trip to town to get supplys,they would go sat morning and come back to the ranch sunday ,he said many times the coyotes would follow the wagon and he would pull out the 23-35 and shoot a few. gramps allways had a gun close by most of the time he carried a side arm even to church.

 

[creekbend]

Coyotes are relatively new around here. First appearing first about ten years ago and are getting progressively worse. I have seen many while deer hunting. They are spooky critters and run at the first hint of movement. Maybe I'm stupid but I have no reason to fear coyotes. I don't even think about them. On the other hand my wife is getting pretty spooked by all the coyote stories that are going around here right now. So we have both camps in our house. Me, that spends time outdoors and has no concern for them at all. And then my wife, who believes every bad coyote story that comes down the pike.

Coyote Attacks on Children

 

[RobertBrown]

That guy in the video has probably been feeding that coyote. Dumb guy.

I agree, in fact he gave it away at pne point.
Looks like there's not much to do there so I can't really blame the guy for entertaining himslf with what is avaiable.
He did seem to confuse this wild animal with a dog at times. No harm done. If he gets bit
Then he will have learned the hard way

 

[texasjohn]

Both those coyotes are a problem looking for a place to happen.

On my 200 acres, typically 5 coyotes are killed annually by a friend who hunts them in full cammo, electronic calls, extreme stealth and skill. I see a coyote maybe twice in a year and as soon as it sees me, even at half a mile distance, it simply takes off and vanishes.

Coyotes which do not run from people are too accustomed to people, or sick. Either way, they should be destroyed immediately.

 

[toppop52]

Every day we pass 5,000lbs hunks of metal with closing speeds in excess of 140 mph. The operators of these vehicles are either texting, eating, drinking or near death. Yet despite the obvious threat we are concerned with being attacked by a 30lb animal easily dissuaded by a well-placed kick. If you have to shoot something to defend yourself, logic dictates it wouldn't have four-legs. :confused2:

While I basically agree, we have had several killed in the last 6 months near here that have exceeded 60 lbs. There have been several black all over coyotes killed near Cambridge, MD and an all white one that I saw the picture of, but has yet to be released on the DNR site as promised at the time.
Something is happening with coyotes that may come from interbreeding, though dogs and 'yotes can breed they rarely if ever do, but the local DNR vet says he believes that coy/wolf mix that are prevalent in the area have started to breed with with feral dogs. He has no proof, but the black animals are fuzzy haired in some cases and a couple even had more upright tails, yet the dna is unmistakeably eastern coyote plus.

 

[OneMan]

Don't know about where you live guys, but twice now I've opened my front door and walked out on the porch only to find a black bear walking away from the house.
Got to the point now that all garbage is 'stored' in the back to my PU in metal cans inside the topper.
Neighbor had a dog (small) taken by coyotes after one got him to chase him into the night and then the pack got him so I go out with my Golden on a leash and my Smith on my hip.

 

[westcliffe01]

Texasjohn, I think you know the reason why your situation is different to others. As soon as one restores your position at the top of the food chain by killing them, they very quickly retreat and avoid contact.

The sheep farmer I am working with lost 5 sheep last year (20% of his small herd), the last was killed the day before I came out to see the farm. Since then, with 1 person actively hunting them on weekends on 120 acres, there has been 1 attempted attack (I shot/wounded 1 and the second escaped) and that was in late December. The last 2 weeks they have not even heard coyotes calling.

In the same time period, I have had several coyotes come into my yard in my subdivision. I just recently got a rimfire and I intend to shoot any that come into the yard in future. I think we will discuss the issue in the neighborhood and reach an agreement on what to do.

Both those coyotes are a problem looking for a place to happen.

On my 200 acres, typically 5 coyotes are killed annually by a friend who hunts them in full cammo, electronic calls, extreme stealth and skill. I see a coyote maybe twice in a year and as soon as it sees me, even at half a mile distance, it simply takes off and vanishes.

Coyotes which do not run from people are too accustomed to people, or sick. Either way, they should be destroyed immediately.