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You know, when jmarkey spoke of coyotes in Clinton a month or two ago in this forum, I thought it was a one time thing. You know, maybe they came in because of some weather occurence or disturbance in their natural habitat but yesterday's Oak Ridge newspaper had a story about them in Oak Ridge (a city of 28,000). Some residents met with city officials over the coyote problem. Don't know how long the news story will be there but here it is:
Except for movies, I have never seen a coyote. I erroneously assumed they were only out west and only came out at night to howl in some desolate place to scare the lead actress for effect. In fact, before I opened the old thread, I thought "coyotes" in the subject title was referring to the people who smuggle illegals over the border not the animals that look like dogs.
So, I have a question. If you just happen to be strolling down the street or walking along a greenway trail in your new city, and a group of them start walking toward you, what exactly do you do/how do you react? The article doesn't say. Do you run? Do you not make eye contact with their apparently yellow eyes? Do you just saunter past them whistling and pretend you aren't afraid or do you go on the offense? Do you attempt to scare them away (how?)? How do you know if a coyote (or a group) is in attack mode? When would a coyote attack a human? When they're hungry? When they feel threatened? Just for the fun of it?
I'm asking because I plan to fish from shore. The odds of me being someplace where other people aren't, are good, so I need to know these things.
The newspaper article was not helpful in this regard.
I saw that article this morning, too. It was kind of a let down, as I'd come to believe they were nomadic and were gone. I know the ones that were around here this summer left on schedule after about two months. Maybe they just headed over to Oak Ridge.
Here's the little I know and anyone feel free to jump in and correct me. I think they mostly get busy at night. I'm pretty sure they aren't confrontational with people, though there was an article in Reader's Digest last year that had them taking on some woman on the Cape who they felt moved into their territory. Creepy. Even at the height of their activity this summer, I never came across them while walking, either on the roads around here or down at the river on the greenway.
I was under the (hopefully correct) impression that if they see you first, they leave. I haven't heard them outside for a couple of months. Then again, I haven't been sitting on the porch much either since it's gotten cold.
Before the area where we live "grew up" the main road west of us was gravel with farmland past that. I used to see them in the ditches and out in the fields. They always took off.
Individually I would say not to worry. They're more afraid (or cautious) of us then we are of them.
Here's what Plano, TX has to say: http://www.plano.gov/Departments/Animal/coyotes.htm (broken link)
I give multiple references so you can compare what different agencies have to say about them. As you can see from the locations they aren't limited to the West, or Midwest.
Thanks Tek Freek. Those websites had lots of information I'd been wondering about.
Laura
It seems coyotes are losing their fear of humans because we're not aggressive enough in our behavior when we come face to face.
This situation MUST be corrected for the good of Oak Ridge and all of us in surrounding areas. Therefore, any coyotes you come across while fishing must be wrassled to the ground. Give them a good thrashing! Show them who's boss!
I'll be somewhere up a tree, enthusiastically cheering you on.
Before the area where we live "grew up" the main road west of us was gravel with farmland past that. I used to see them in the ditches and out in the fields. They always took off.
Individually I would say not to worry. They're more afraid (or cautious) of us then we are of them.
This one absolutely floored me. I can't post from work but I can read from there. I asked my boss, "Did you know we have coyotes in Rock Creek Park?" And, she did know. I'm just flabbergasted. I had no idea.
This was very informative. Thanks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmarkey
Hi Laura,
I saw that article this morning, too. It was kind of a let down, as I'd come to believe they were nomadic and were gone. I know the ones that were around here this summer left on schedule after about two months. Maybe they just headed over to Oak Ridge.
They must be Florida coyotes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmarkey
Laura
It seems coyotes are losing their fear of humans because we're not aggressive enough in our behavior when we come face to face.
This situation MUST be corrected for the good of Oak Ridge and all of us in surrounding areas. Therefore, any coyotes you come across while fishing must be wrassled to the ground. Give them a good thrashing! Show them who's boss!
I'll be somewhere up a tree, enthusiastically cheering you on.
I keep thinking of all of the werewolf movies...they bite you...you turn into one...they make a sequel.
For all we know, Anderson County might be a colony of Coyote-Humans and that's why there are so many of them. It's either the nuclear waste (classic horror movie cause) or the too-religious people (classic horror movie cause) that must be the reason for the proliferation of coyotes.
There are coyotes throughout Tennessee, and I believe. most of North Carolina. In the woods. I know they are in the mountains, they "get" peoples cats and small dogs. I live on the Cumberland Plateau and I hear them once or twice a week. They bark at dusk and as the sun comes up. They hunt at night. I've seen several. Rarely in the daytime. They are very fast. They are not usually, if ever, a threat to humans. The other day, a friend saw a mountain lion here on the Plateau and they are in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, too. But I have never heard of them attacking people there. To me, the scariest thing in the woods are wild dogs. And people.
Except for movies, I have never seen a coyote. I erroneously assumed they were only out west and only came out at night to howl in some desolate place to scare the lead actress for effect. In fact, before I opened the old thread, I thought "coyotes" in the subject title was referring to the people who smuggle illegals over the border not the animals that look like dogs.
So, I have a question. If you just happen to be strolling down the street or walking along a greenway trail in your new city, and a group of them start walking toward you, what exactly do you do/how do you react? The article doesn't say. Do you run? Do you not make eye contact with their apparently yellow eyes? Do you just saunter past them whistling and pretend you aren't afraid or do you go on the offense? Do you attempt to scare them away (how?)? How do you know if a coyote (or a group) is in attack mode? When would a coyote attack a human? When they're hungry? When they feel threatened? Just for the fun of it?
I'm asking because I plan to fish from shore. The odds of me being someplace where other people aren't, are good, so I need to know these things.
The newspaper article was not helpful in this regard.
Coyotes are increasing their range all over the country. This is due in part to State Departments of Natural Resources (or similar agencies) planting them to reduce the whitetail deer population (this was the case in my home state of Michigan). In Michigan there are even coyotes in Wayne county (Detroit).
In south central Michigan we tend to shoot them when we see them so they are afraid of us. In areas where there is no hunting pressure or even worse, in areas where people feed them they lose their fear of man. One thing that I have personally observed is coyotes hunting in packs and cooperating just like wolves. Coyotes didn't used to do that or atleast they were not known for that behavior. they were always thought of as solitary hunters. They are extremely adaptable and will quickly change their behavior to suit their environment. They eat cats and dogs and I see no reason why they would not prey on a small child left unattended. An adult human is bigger than a coyote and they do fear us but that could change especially in the case of a coydog (a coyote and domestic dog hybrid), My nephew shot one that was an obvious coyote pit bull cross. If I am not mistaken, Tennessee is a "shall issue" State for obtaining a concealed weapons permit. Cary a liscenced handgun for protection in the woods or some pepper spray or at the very least a good hickory or ashwood staff.
Last edited by I_Brennus; 12-08-2006 at 07:39 PM..
Reason: spelling
Coyotes are increasing their range all over the country. This is due in part to State Departments of Natural Resources (or similar agencies) planting them to reduce the whitetail deer population (this was the case in my home state of Michigan). In Michigan there are even coyotes in Wayne county (Detroit).
In south central Michigan we tend to shoot them when we see them so they are afraid of us. In areas where there is no hunting pressure or even worse, in areas where people feed them they lose their fear of man. One thing that I have personally observed is coyotes hunting in packs and cooperating just like wolves. Coyotes didn't used to do that or atleast they were not known for that behavior. they were always thought of as solitary hunters. They are extremely adaptable and will quickly change their behavior to suit their environment. They eat cats and dogs and I see no reason why they would not prey on a small child left unattended. An adult human is bigger than a coyote and they do fear us but that could change especially in the case of a coydog (a coyote and domestic dog hybrid), My nephew shot one that was an obvious coyote pit bull cross. If I am not mistaken, Tennessee is a "shall issue" State for obtaining a concealed weapons permit. Cary a liscenced handgun for protection in the woods or some pepper spray or at the very least a good hickory or ashwood staff.
Thank you for the practical advice. On my To-Do List is to explore exercisng my second amendment rights after I move.
I just moved here from Plano. I lived in a very highly populated area (300,000 roughly) and we had coyotes and foxes. While they are predatory in nature, they do not attack creatures larger than them other than their specific prey like deer and farm animals. When you here of coyotes attacking people or dogs, its typically due to extreme hunger and is a very rare occurence considering the overall population of coyotes is pretty high.
Me and my wife were walking our dog one morning around our apartment complex and 3 coyotes were walking along the edge of the woods less than 50ft from us. They just trotted along and only glanced toward us, but never even stopped.
I wouldn't spend much time worrying about them, but if you want to make yourself feel better, get some mace for your outdoor walks and clip it to your belt or keychain. It is actually a very good repellent for coyotes and bears due to their extremely high sense of smell, it simply overpowers there senses and renders them almost harmless for about half an hour which should be plenty of time for you to get well out of sight.
While they are predatory in nature, they do not attack creatures larger than them other than their specific prey like deer and farm animals. When you here of coyotes attacking people or dogs, its typically due to extreme hunger and is a very rare occurence considering the overall population of coyotes is pretty high.
Coyotes regularly prey upon dogs. It has been observed that some coyotes specialize in dog predation and it is a myth that an animal such as a coyote will only see man or man's animal as food if they are starving. Predators by their nature are exploiters of opportunity. To them, man is meat. If a predator perceives an advantage, they will exploit it. They haven't been taught that man is made in the image of God so therefore "thou shall not eat him" They have however been taught that man is the only thing badder than themselves and should be generally avoided. This lesson isn't being taught as often as it used to be so there is a perceptable increase in the incidence of predators (coyotes, cougars, black bears...) treating man like any other source of protien. The three coyotes that you encountered trotted on by because they didn't perceive an advantage. Depending on the breed of your dog, they would have been all over it if you and your wife were not present.
It is also inevitable that coyotes will cross breed with dogs if the dog is large enough to not be viewed as prey. they will do this without man's intervention. What you end up with is a coydog, an animal with all of a coyotes instincts mixed with a dogs lack of "fear of man." They will also have the obsessive compulsive characteristics that we have bred into our dogs. We breed dogs to be "specialists" so the characteristics that we desire in them become exaggerated. Hunting dogs are "super hunters," herd dogs are driven to herd and fighting dogs are "super fighters" with abounding courage, who are not deterred by pain or injury but are actually spurred on by it. Mix any of these breeds with a wild animal and you end up with a very interesting and unpredictable creature. I was an animal control officer in the 80's and I have trained dogs for 25 years, or I should say that I have trained dog owners for 25 years.
Last edited by I_Brennus; 12-09-2006 at 07:38 AM..
Reason: spelling
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