Aggressive coyotes cause concern

[suzco]

A few days ago, in Erie:

Erie Boy Undergoing Rabies Treatment After Coyote Attack
December 6, 2008
ERIE, Colo. -- A 9-year-old boy in Erie is taking a series of rabies shots after he was bitten by a coyote.

It happened last Thursday while Tony Sandlin and his little brother, Vincent, 6, were snowboarding on the golf course behind their house.

The boys said the coyote started circling Tony.

Tony tried to fend it off, but the coyote eventually bit him from behind.

“Vincent saw a coyote up there, but I didn't (at first)," said Tony.

"I wasn't screaming really loud, but I was screaming, ‘Tony! Tony!," said Vincent.

Tony kept his snowboard between himself and the coyote. . .

[formercalifornian]

That story is truly unfortunate. I wish the young man a speedy recovery.

[cabolissa]

Good question.
The whole thing is unfortunate: That the mountain lions have been overrun by our development, making the situation that it posed a real threat to people which caused the man to shoot it.
It's common for them to maul hikers, runners, or mountain bikers who are in their habitat. It's their instinct to do so.



These amazing cats sometimes grow to be 6 feet long and 275 pounds. Their hunting skills have long been both admired and feared by mankind. They are extremely stealthy, hunt at night, and attack from above. These cats have been hunted throughout history for their killing of livestock and very rarely, humans. According to Doug Updike, a biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game, “we are not on the menu. If a (mountain) lion had any desire to catch and eat people, we would see literally hundreds of people dying every day.” Mountain lions are most active during the night. "Mountain Loins are predatory carnivores, whose main prey is the white-tailed deer. Other prey species include rabbit, raccoon, wild hog, armadillo, and birds. Research indicates that about 80 to 90% of a lion’s diet is deer. An adult lion kills one deer per week. Other prey species include elk and smaller mammals. What the lion does not eat, other predators and scavengers, such as coyotes, foxes, hawks, eagles and crows, use. Prey is dragged to a concealed place before another animal can eat it. The forequarters of the carcass are eaten first, and the rest is buried with grass by the Mountain Lion and fed upon later. Mountain Lions will kill and eat domestic livestock also.”

Animal vs. Man
Animals are sages without a voice
While man is their callow speaker by choice
Michael Fischer

[DenverAztec]

Originally Posted by BlueWillowPlate

lol
DenverAztec, check this out
Cougar

Sounds more like a vampire then a cougar!



All fun and games until someone looses an eye!

[denver_hacker]

Originally Posted by denverian

I see foxes in Stapleton only in winter - I don't know why that is. Also saw a beaver recently in Westerly Creek.

I saw a muskrat in Cherry Creek down by Confluence Park a few days ago. Basically it's a water rat.

In the late summer my wife and I were driving home and saw a coyote running alongside us for half a block or so. He was scoping out the areas around the houses and didn't care about us at all. We've also seen a fox on our front yard, sniffing around. This is north of Wellshire Golf Course in Denver, south of McWilliams (Dinosaur) Park.

Oh, and a month or so ago I was just about to turn into our driveway and a bird swooped right in front of the car. It was a hawk and nailed another bird that was taking a bath in a puddle in the street. I think the hawk was timing its attack with the approach of the car, so the target bird would be distracted. Anyway, the hawk picked this other bird up and carried it off. The whole thing was very quick and amazing to see.

[GregW]

My wife saw a coyote wandering around the suburb town of Londondery, NH a week ago. The critters have adapted to us. You don't see road killed rodents around for very long. I wonder why?

[motoracer51]

Originally Posted by GregW

Sometime the coyotes roam into human neighborhoods and find the joys of open dog food outside. That will almost guarantee their return. I suggest bait, a cold night waiting and a .22 air gun so the neighbors don’t fuss over what they don’t need to know.

I try to "live and let live". A pack of coyotes started getting brave, and walking wight up to open windows on my house in the summer, because my cat like to sit on the sill. I couldn't take the chance of the 'yote getting my cat through the open window/screen.

I used my AR15 with 75gr hand loads. Dropped them dead in their tracks.

Then again, I'm on 27 acres on the western slope.

I agree with the OP and the city slickers getting upset that the coyotes are being coyotes.

[Pilot1]

We get Coyotes and Foxes even in the densely populated suburb of Lone Tree. They get some of the neighborhood cats that people let roam freely outdoors. There was also a mountian lion attack not to long ago in Idlewild where the cat actually went into a bedroom, through and open door and took the couple's Labrador Retreiver. The cat jumped a six foot fence with the 70 lb dog in its mouth. They found the dog, dead and used it to catch the cat who came back to get the dog which it had hidden for later feeding. Keep your doors shut people.

[Bideshi]

If a carnivore can get it's jaw around an animal's neck then that animal is natural prey. A cougar (mountain lion), which is larger than a leopard or jaguar, can get it's jaw around an adult human's neck. It's just a fact of life.

[Gizmology]

Originally Posted by steveindenver

This reminds me of the guy I know who wanted help killing the squirrels in his yard. I was game until I realized that he had been feeding the birds -- and as a consequence the squirrels for some time. I'm all for offing squirrels when they become a nuisance...

Question: What do squirrels do that warrants killing them? I've always lived in neighborhoods full of squirrels, but never heard of them being problematic in any way. Apparently, you have reasons to get rid of them them, but I'm curious -- what do they do that's bad?