do you guys worry about coyotes?

http://ilbob.blogspot.com/2012/10/rock-cut-state-park-10-20-12-coyote-on.html

Never seen one just sit on the trail and invite me to come visit with him before. It has been suggested to me that he was trying to lure my dog into an ambush as they are known to do this.

I have seen them at this park before, even got some grainy pictures, but this is the first good picture. I got some shaky video as well. He was maybe 75-100 yards away.

Thats a healthy looking Coyote.

BIL had one run up his yard and snatch a chicken right at his feet. His singular PET chicken of all things. So he goes running after it but alas,coyote won.

Another group spent months setting up a smaller dog of mine,Woofer.He thought he was tough but in reality it was he wasnt too bright. They managed to study his habits for months and one night they got him,never to be seen again. His sister,however,never ventured more than 3 feet (seriously) from my Black German line male GSD,she died a natural death.A group of coyotes had no interest on taking on the GSD at all.

So to answer the question,yes,your dog was at risk IMO.An ambush is indeed what you may have seen,I know Woofer did.

Not sure how Coyotes are, but having had issues with feral dogs, I'd probably stay the heck away from them as much as possible.

As far as fearing them, not really, There's no closed season and no limits on them in PA, so if one or a few of them decide to be overly aggressive it's an easy fix.

I have seen them on my street early in the morning, before it got light. I was out loading the car for a trip and when I pulled onto the street there was a coyote running up the road.

I used to shop at a grocery store that was known for having coyotes in the parking lot and they'd occasionaly take a bag away from someone. They also frequent the park that is across the road from the market, as do javelina, wild peccary.

Coyotes in the deseert SW tend to be smaller and usually not too interactive with people. In some areas they have taken pets and livestock from people's yards and farms. Coyotes are all over the area.

I have never had a problem with them and never been worried about them, at all. Mountain lions are a different matter. They used to never be a problem but since we have had some drought years they seem to be roaming closer to civilization. Bears as well. We had our first bear caused death in the state this past year and that was lady walking her dog on her neigborhood streets. We also had a bear attack recently of a camper at a campground. Again, the drought seems to be a factor.

I will say one thing about the coyote, they are smart and adaptive and nothing seems to phase them. I would not want to deal with a hungry pack while out alone, although never worry about that around here. The coyotes are well fed with small game.

don't worry about them but i would rather not have them around.we had one,maybe more,shelter under my canoes that are under tarps next to the house.the scat was ID'ed by the folks at the local wolf research station.we live in South Minneapolis not far from the Mississippi river and that winter had heated bird baths so they had open water to drink and the mice and such that come around the bird feeders.
we have never seen any just walking around but there are local folks who say they have seen them in the very early AM going down alleys.things are very clean around here with the "wheeley" style trash cans and none seem to tipped over like they would eat out of them.
the canoe parks up north are not coyote country as the wolf would drive them out,wolf are not a worry on canoe trips.
by the way the people who run the wolf research station have a couple wolf-dog mixes that they have been given by owners who could not keep them as the animals got older and very aggressive.
they have every type of wolf and coyote at the station in large runs that the public can view close up but the two mixes are kept by themselves and very out of the way.
here is a link to the wolf study center,my Wife and i spent a lot of time there working on our Master Naturalist certification.
http://www.wildlifesciencecenter.org/about-us/

He certainly looks like he has been eating well. Plenty of game in the park for a few coyotes.

Coyotes don't lure animals into an ambush. They defend territory and thats about it. Probably just checking you out. Small pet attacks notwithstanding, I'm glad coyotes are around. They keep the rodent population in check which is a good thing. Like opossums, they're nature's trash collectors.

a friend has a 3600 acre cattle ranch in Highlands County (Fla) just above Lake Okeechobee...he has a serious problem with coyotes killing newborn... they grab the mothers tail to distract her... he even has 3 large bulls that have had their tails shortened...

Not at all. Then again, I'm not a rancher and live in suburbia. Plenty of deer here - never seen a coyote. Used to see them occasionally growing up in CA.

I rather enjoy the fairly common sightings here in town; even more interesting are the bobcat sightings within the city limits. At least in nearly all areas on the lower forty-eight, I am not concerned with attacks by wild animals. Some recent statistics about visitor fatalities in the National Park system - the big three causes of death were drowning, motor vehicle accidents, and falls. Wild animal attacks were 0.6 percent, even behind bicycle accidents at 1 percent. You might think wild critters would have been chowing down on unarmed, often clueless, visitors.

Coyotes have adapted well to the settling of the continent and have increased their range over the last two hundred years; they seem to be quite comfortable in suburban settings.

In the PNW coyotes are habituated to living around but not with people, out here in the suburbs like Redmond WA I have seen 4-5 coyotes all trotting together on a city street, disappearing into the green belt. In our area they are known to dine on rodents and rabbits (also released into the wild in large numbers by people), cats and the very occasional small dog. Locally there are plenty of rabbits I think they tend not to track or eat dogs so much, but cats are just an abundant opportunity, they'll take them if they see them and are hungry, and someone is always a little hungry in a coyote pack. Folks report seeing lots of rabbit skeletons in the woods, they are commonly hunted by every predator out there, from cats to coyotes. I have also seen a few mountain beaver carcasses which I would blame on the coyotes - I feel sorry for that, there has been so much development in the suburban margins that its a hard life for the mountain beaver already from human influx into their environment.

People - I would be very surprised if we have anything to worry about as long as game is abundant. I have never heard of coyotes luring their prey into an attack. Coyotes are always trotting perpendicular if not away from me. It could be the one you saw sitting was watching or standing some sort of guard from the edge of their territory, and his likely response if you approached would be to alert other coyotes to your advance, and their retreat.

I have to say that I actually admire the coyote, it is such a resiliant animal and generally not a nuisance to anyone. When people feed them that can evolve into problems, as feeding any wild animal can.

I used to hear them at night near here but then they built a freeway 1/4 mile north of here and cut off the habitat some. I do know that they have a run under the freeway where they sometimes run through at night but I have never heard of anyone around my neigborhood having problems.

I know how much the coyote contributes with rodent control, keep up the good work Wiley and may you one day catch a roadrunner or two:)

This is a link to an interesting article by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources on Coyotes in Maryland:

http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/hunt_trap/furbearers/coyote.asp

A couple of notes:

Populations of coyotes in the neighboring Commonwealth of Virginia were found to be increasing at 29% per year. A similar increase in population is thought to be in progress here in Maryland.

All counties in Maryland have popultations of coyotes, despite the fact the Maryland is one of the last two states to have been colonized (first seen in 1972) by coyotes (the other being Delaware).

Coyotes become the local top predator, displacing other natural predators (e.g. our local red fox) and others. "In fact a localized indicator of the presence of coyotes is a rapid decline in the free ranging cat population."

The take-away I get is that if you haven't seen them in your neighborhood yet, you will.

I have not seen any in my neighborhood, but 2 red fox that used to appear in my backyard have disappeared, as has a cat that used to wander through the border of the woods in the back. So I'm keeping my eyes open.

When I was stationed at Vandenberg AFB, CA. 1 hr north of Santa Barbra, we had coyotes all over the base but never in the housing area, well at least not oin the day.

They keep to themselves and always appear to be skiddish and sickly...just starving I say. I would not fear a coyote what so ever. In fact id fear a stray pi$$ed of dog way more.

no ... I don't worry about them.
it would only be a concern if the animal looked sick and "out of its mind".

Pete2

Folks have sighted coyotes here in Providence often enough that I'm cautious to never let my dog out in the backyard without keeping an eye on him. (Common sense anyway.)

Several weeks ago my husband and I woke to the sounds of a small crying dog at 2 am. After an hour of listening to it we got up to see what was going on. Found the poor thing a few blocks away, forgotten in the freezing rain outside his own home. My husband spotted what he thought were coyotes investigating the scene as well. They ran off when we approached, and fortunately the owner came out shortly thereafter to collect his dog.

There are enough stray cats and dogs in this city to keep a coyote well-fed, I think.

I went on a 4 day Mini-Vacation over the weekend with my freinds here in West-Central Iowa, and sitting out on the deck at night I could hear the Coyotes right at Sunset. It was a beautiful/spooky sound.. something I don't hear when I am in the city.

We were talking, and someone brought up how Coyotes were being pushed into Wolfe territory, and that they were interbreeding creating a hybrid that was as big as a Wolfe, but less fearful of man like coyotes tend to be. There's not many (if any?) Wolves in Iowa, but in Wisconcin and Illinois I think they have zones where they are common.

The only thing I've heard of is to never mess with Coyote's young. But I guess that goes for any animal.

No, I don't concern myself with them. I grew up in the foothills of Mt. Rainier. I'd regularly build partially buried forts in hollows in the woods and the local coyotes would take them over as dens. At 13 I'd be out by myself crawling into a fort/den and would hear the now resident coyote telling me that it was now sublet and to leave. I would and we never had a problem. We had horses, dogs, rabbits, pigs, barn cats and we never had a problem with them. LOVE to listen to them serenade though.

In Scotland we don't have Coyotes, so I can't really comment, but in general I don't have any worries about any wildlife but sometimes I worry more about certain places.

This place gives me a bad vibe for example;


The Deil's Head or Devils Head.

Last week a wave came in and grabbed an unwary fisherman to his doom.

There has also been reports of dogs being attacked by the local killer Seals.

http://news.stv.tv/north/194008-black-labrador-pet-dog-put-down-after-being-savaged-by-huge-seal/

Looks like there ought to be a climbing route or two on the Devil's Head....How tall is it?

I have only been to Scotland once, a trip that was all too brief. Fascinating coastline and fabulous, rugged country.....

Around here they are shy. My wife and I only have seen them a handful of times, but have enjoyed the experience each time.

-john

The area I work and regularly Scout in has had increasing numbers of coyotes and resulting conflicts with them. (Mostly small dogs being attacked.) A few years ago, the city put up Coyote warning signs in the local ravine. My son, niece, nephew, and Beaver Scouts got a little freaked out about it, but with kids around, there's almost no chance of seeing wild-er life. We throw bear bells on our packs when we're in the area now. Don't know if they work or not, but I still have yet to see a coyote even though the news reports of them haven't stopped.

I've heard them when hiking and camping in other areas but, again, have yet to see one. Good sanitation and hygene practices probably go a long way to keeping them from being too interested in us.

It is about 10 feet to the bottom of the Deils Chin so I would say about 40-45 feet high.

This place gives me the shivers, even more so than one of priest rooms situated in the back of the Temple of Karnak or the building atop El Castillo at Chichen Itza...

The latest Visit Scotland Tourist Advert..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug83fGYm-YI

At few months ago, whilst walking back home around about 12pm, I did have one of these come running at me after it emerged from behind a parked VW camper van. It got to within about 12 inches of my feet before it desisted.

Coyote attacks Lake Tahoe, CA

"Details from:

http://www.rgj.com/article/20090106/NEWS16/901060345/1047/TT


Coyote chases 9-year-old skier at Tahoe resort

By FRANK X. MULLEN JR. • fmullen@rgj.com • January 6, 2009

Nothing gets a mother's attention as fast as a coyote chasing her 9-year-old son down a ski slope.
Advertisement

On Sunday, Cindi Dyer of Reno and her son, Nicholas, were skiing down a black diamond run at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort about 3 p.m. Dyer said the run was well-groomed and hard packed.

"I was telling (Nicholas) to carve his turns a little bit more," she said. "All of a sudden, out of the trees came a coyote that pursued him straight down (the run). Nicholas caught him out of the corner of his eye and knew something was coming at him, and he came straight down the hill.

"I was telling him, 'Keep skiing, keep skiing.'"

Dyer said a male skier wearing a black cowboy hat saw the chase and skied toward the coyote.

"He immediately started chasing the coyote and yelling at him and chased him away," she said. "The man was in a panic, a big guy waving his poles and yelling. The coyote didn't seem too worried. He just headed over to the other people."

Dyer said the animal was very close to the back of her son's skis.

"He was going as fast as my son," she said. "If he had fallen, he would have been attacked."

Dyer said she didn't notify the ski patrol about the incident because patrol members were busy when she saw them. Northstar officials did not return several telephone calls from the newspaper Monday.

California Fish and Game officials said they received no reports about coyote activity in the Northstar area but said coyote attacks, while rare, can occur.

Last year, there were at least two reported coyote attacks in California. In February, officials of the Colorado Division of Wildlife killed a coyote after he tried to bite a woman and charged at a 3-year-old boy on the slopes.

In February 1997, a 4-year-old girl was seriously mauled by a coyote near South Lake Tahoe. Two years later, eight people were bitten by coyotes near Stateline, prompting federal officials to track and kill seven of the animals.

"It's rare, but coyotes will occasionally act in an aggressive manner," said Kyle Orr, spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Game. "Often, it's when the animals have been fed by people or have been getting access to food."

Dyer said other skiers, including her daughter, Alexandra, 14, saw coyotes on other Northstar slopes. She said she doesn't blame the resort, but "there needs to be a warning out there. Some people from the Bay Area thought they could approach them and pet them. They look like little fluffy foxes."

Dyer said she and her children will go back to Northstar.

"We're still going to ski, but I think you really need to be aware of your surroundings and be prepared for what you would do in this situation," she said.

"We've skied all over Tahoe and in other states. We've never seen this before.""

I don't worry about them, but we do shoot them on sight here in VA. It's perfectly legal, and they play hell on our deer (fawns) in the spring. If you kill one, there are 3-4 more you will never see.

I don't really worry about them. The farmer who owns the land I deer hunt on refused to give me permission to hunt unless I agreed to put down any coyotes I see. Seems they like his chickens pretty well.

LW

I would not be so sure. Wolves have returned to Eastern Washington after 100 years, and are protected. The plan is to have them in at least 4 parts
of the state. In the last couple of years they have gone from
zero to about 10 packs. Quite controversial, there have been
death threats against state officials and one pack of 8 was
killed when they became cattle eaters.

Seen and heard hundreds of them and I do not worry about them at all. They flee as soon as you are seen 95% of the time and the other 5% of then look at you for a minute and wonder off. If you live out west like I do they are of little concern.

If you live in those few eastern area where Coywolves exist they may be a bigger concern. These are hybrid species of Wolves and Coyotes and may be more aggressive than a true Coyote. Even with this subspecies, you have little to be concerned about unless you physically run into it while on the trail.

Overall the chances of a carnivore attack are very small. You are far more likely to be struck by a vehicle, lighting, a tree, or a deer this fall than ever being killed by a carnivore.

Not a bit.

But then again, I have tried to shoot about everyone I have ever seen, so having a rifle in my hands definitely kicks the worry factor down a zillion notches.

Yes, that has been my experience as well.

Though in the extensive urban parks in my general area, it's worth noting that coyotes have not only made themselves at home but have lost essentially all fear of humans. Unlike rural areas, where they are still cautious/respectful for obvious reasons (blam!). I would not trust urban coyotes where a small child was involved; they are gifted opportunists, and have enormous talent for showing up the second your head is turned.



Yes, these are much larger and apparently bolder than the coyotes I see. There was an extremely rare fatality a few years ago in Cape Breton IIRC, where two coyotes attacked and severely injured a lone hiker, who later died of her injuries. Memory is fuzzy, but as I recall the coyotes later shot by wildlife officers were around 100 lbs. each.

Not even a little.

We have a pack that beds down on some of our undeveloped property, outside our compound fence. Every evening between 10 and 11 PM they sing a little song. I look forward to it. Sometimes its just happy yipping, other times they are trying to mimic a local sound like a passing train. They are quite the vocalists.

Usually before dark, they make a pass by an area of fence where my GSD's can see them. Our dogs like to wait for them and bark as they pass. It has become somewhat of a ritual around here.

So far, they have been good neighbors. I intend to keep their bedding area free and clear for them as long as I own the property.

My one confrontation with a coyote came when I was about thirteen. I was walking on a rural private road about a mile away from any structure when I noticed a coyote following me along the edge of the alfalfa field next to the road.

As I walked, I occasionally turned to look at the coyote. Each time I looked, it was a bit closer. Each time I looked, the coyote looked away, seemingly intensely interested in something it saw in the alfalfa. Clearly, this coyote was stalking me and trying to keep me from noticing this fact.

Unfortunately for it, I was on my way to the rifle range. When the coyote got within about twenty yards, I unslung my rifle, not intending to shoot unless the threat made it necessary. As soon as the rifle came into my hands the coyote found that it had urgent business elsewhere, and I didn't see it again.

Coyotes are pretty smart. They learn real quick what a rifle is. The slow ones don't get the chance!

They are not hunted in the parks and forest preserves around here so they get pretty brazen. The park superintendent at a local state park referred to them as "pretty friendly" in an email to me one time. I don't think they are friendly at all.

I was raised in the Texas panhandle. Never ever saw a slow coyote, in either meaning.

CA coyotes have learned to not sweat peeps. I've seen them at the local park come out of the brush and go out onto the grass to wait for the rabbits. I put a light on him and he didn't budge. OTOH, he didn't try to get closer either.

The light I carry lights up their eyes pretty well. Without those reflectors it would be difficult to spot them at night.

Coyotes can play havoc with the small pet population in a neighborhood. They can jump pretty good sized fences and get at your pets if they are not inside. My friend lost a couple small dogs this way--and this is in a dense suburban area.

Joggers in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco had their heels nipped by a coyote within the last several years. Probably been fed by someone and/or was defending nearby pups. Still, I believe the authorities went out and put down the coyote(s). There is talk of closing sections of Golden Gate Park during certain times of year to minimize problems. Off-leash dogs are a common trigger for coyote confrontations, apparently, when the dogs go running off into the brush where coyotes may have their dens.