Coyotes. How dangerous? (dog, chicken, pet, New York)

[J5K5LY]

My sister lives in NJ and works in the schools. She just told me that they won't let kids out to play or even have soccer practice because someone spotted what is believed to be a coyote. She thinks there may be a family of them nearby with babies. Is this really a danger for a huge group of noisy kids?

[High_Plains_Retired]

Here in west Texas, I take at least a cane with me each day when I go out exercise walking on our very rural road. Unless it is a pack of coyotes that I happened to see, I wouldn't be concerned. However, with our ongoing drought, our coyotes are getting somewhat bold. One rancher told me he lost a few calves this past year. I've lost several farm dogs over the past several years.

I doubt a single coyote would be brave enough to bother a huge group of children but then there is always the possibility of a rabid individual whose behavior could be very unpredictable.

[Rakin]

Coyotes are naturally scared of humans and will always try to avoid. I've been around them all my life and never heard of a human being attacked. They'll get your chickens, small dogs, etc but really avoid humans.

Rabies could be a concern but rare.

[Ghengis]

my extensive research indicates more likely than not, a coyote's attempt at killing something will probably result in the coyote either falling off a cliff, something heavy falling on him, getting blown up or, most likely all 3.

[High_Plains_Retired]

Was that research perhaps done at the University of Looney Tunes or Acme College?

[Huckleberry3911948]

here at the zoo or sierra club we are told to respect predators and usually they will ignore humans and not harm them.
baloney.
a pack of coyotes will tear your german shepard and your doberman to pieces. they will not hesitate to attack a child.
to protect the habitat they have brain washed a generation of people to not fear predators.

[TrapperL]

The coyote is the most intelligent and highly adaptable critter in the animal kingdom. They have major populations INSIDE cities like Los Angeles that do just fine. About the only thing a coyote won't eat and digest is a license plate on a passing 18 wheeler. They are a predator of opportunity. If it's a child and they are hungry, under the right circumstances, they will go after children. This time of year the pups are getting to where they are able to learn how to hunt. If they were born in town, they'll learn how to hunt in town. But the appetites are going to be fairly large like any growing animal. It's prudent to keep the kids inside or have an armed, trained person to stand watch over them. A lot of ranchers down here use donkeys as a donkey will attack a coyote or a dog. That might be a more politically correct solution to their problem. Some ranchers have used a Great Pyrenees dog as well. Depending on the area, contact the local Dept of Agriculture to put you in contact with the local Gov't trapper. It's their job to catch these guys and move them.

[High_Plains_Retired]

Originally Posted by Rakin

Coyotes are naturally scared of humans and will always try to avoid.

I would never say they always avoid humans when it comes to coyotes. They are small but hungry or scared they could be unpredictable without rabies. Hundreds of years of open season on these guys have not made them more dumb.

[ukiyo-e]

My house backs up to 300+ acres of wooded trails, and there are many coyotes here and in the huge park about a mile away. I see them fairly regularly and twice when I've been walking my elderly small dog off-leash, one has slunk behind us, but when I yelled at them, they ran off. A friend who's lived here many years says they definitely are bolder than they used to be, and he's had a couple bark at him, but I don't think a human has much to fear from them where I live. We have no canine rabies here, so that's not an issue; I know because I was recently bitten by a dog and the vet and doctor both told me there is none in WA state in domestic dogs or coyotes. I have no idea about other parts of the country, of course.

I know from having them sneak up behind me and my dog that they are excellent at hunting, and I know several people who have lost cats to them.

[jtur88]

The ratio of domestic dog attacks to coyote attacks is probably about 1,000:1. I've n ever heard of a coyote attacking a human, but I suppose it occasionally does, if the coyote is hungry enough. Coyotes are extremely common animals throughout the USA, I think there are even a few in New York's Central Park.