i saw wolves..in central alabam (Carolina: home, living, dangerous)

[edg401]

2 nights ago i took out my doggie as normal around 9 pm....i live in vinemont alabama....she takes a right off the back porch as always to run around the right side of our home<she loves tomatoes and there are tomatoes planted in with shrubs there>, she is always on a leash....that end of home is dark....walking quickly i was follwing her, more like being pulled by her....when she suddenly just as she went around the corner, yelped.....and returned getting behind me tring to run away.....just then i noticed it....approx. 4 ft away, in the shadows a large wolf....teeth shining as it began to growl.....i began to yell at it get out of here....when i saw the 2nd....to my right a bush in the corner of shrub bed, the wolf in front of it, i was beside of it......2 wolves.....i approx 4 ft and 1 aprox 2 ft away from me.....both snarling in the shadows of the dark......i screamed at them and slowly backed up, yelling as i went.....my doggie pulling away to run.....her leash was then tangled in my path, i fell....jumped back up and still facing them...yelling 4 them to leave....continues up the stairs and into the house......they are here and hide in shadows......they could have attacked.....easy....they did not.....thank God! so be cautious and if u face them also.....dont run, or turn from them....hold your ground and slowly back away yelling at them....

[skinem]

Could it be that you saw coyotes? There are a LOT of them around, and they are rather adaptable to living with/around humans, so it wouldn't be surprising that you had coyotes close to the house. Wolves are another story.

There have never been timber (gray) wolves in Alabama, but there used to be red wolves, a smaller cousin that existed in the southeast.. The subspecies that existed in Alabama were extinct by 1930. They were declared extinct as a whole in the wild over 20 years ago. There is an experimental reintroduction program for red wolves in northeastern North Carolina and on 2 islands in Florida. The nearest timber wolf population that I know if is in the upper peninsula of Michigan...while wolves have a large territory, it sure isn't that large.

Coyotes can be similar in appearance to wolves; they are smaller; about 4 inches shorter and a slighter build through the head, chest, legs and feet; not as heavily muscled, usually with a bushier tail that is usually held parallel to the ground or lower, pointier nose with paws that don't appear as disproportionately large.

But, running into one unexpectedly in the dark can sure make them look big!

[harry chickpea]

4' away? Much more likely to be a pet dog gone feral. There are some mixes that have wolf traits. A coyote or wolf wouldn't get that close unless it meant business. I'd suggest a visit to the local gun shop is in order if you plan to continue 9PM walkies.

[arctichomesteader]

Coyote. Eastern coyotes have some wolf blood in them from mixing with wolves before they came East (they don't belong in the Eastern US at all), so they are fairly large sometimes compared to Western yotes. They often show little fear of humans and can be aggressive.

A timber wolf made it as far South as MA in 2007 but I know of none as far South as AL. Red wolves are possible but they look very similar to coyotes (and in fact mix with coyotes, the biggest threat to red wolves making a big return, making a hybrid and eventually being nothing but a yote after some generations).

[Mawoods]

I see coyotes regularly around here and they are so wary of me that they run fast away. I am always aware that they are wild animals so I keep my distance too. However I am not afraid if I see one trotting in the distance because as soon as the animal senses me, it is gone. These seem to fear humans and that is a good thing.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by Mawoods

I see coyotes regularly around here and they are so wary of me that they run fast away. I am always aware that they are wild animals so I keep my distance too. However I am not afraid if I see one trotting in the distance because as soon as the animal senses me, it is gone. These seem to fear humans and that is a good thing.

Most will run off, but there's always some who won't and those are dangerous...

[Mawoods]

Honestly, I am more afraid of a pack of wild dogs than coyotes. We have lived where there was a pack of feral, wild dogs and they were dangerous. They went after small pets and tore them up in their own back yards. It was a HUGE issue and animal control had to get involved because a child could have been next. The coyotes I have seen (and I see alot) for the last 6 years from Wisconsin, Georgia to Alabama have never once wanted to come near me. Yes, I know that they can kill small pets and we should be careful and use wisdom. However, I don't believe they are the demons that so many make them out to be.

[Threestep2]

Coyotes or dogs. Have you contacted the local game warden and stayed away from potential tracks?

[HB2HSV]

I have not hear cases where coyotes attack humans unless they get rabies, but I've heard coyotes will use opposite sex to attract dog and lure it out to where the rest of pack are waiting.

[caution]

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