Coyotes
Hi all. There have been many sightings of coyote in my neighborhood, Riverdale, in the Bronx, NY, but I've yet to see one myself. There are many people on this site that have experience living near coyote populations. The attached link is to a local news story about a lecture this past weekend in Central Park about "living with coyotes". While the points and suggestions in the article sound like common sense to me, I thought that it was not too in depth. I'd appreciate it it anyone who has had experience with coyotes in their neighborhoods or property would comment on the article. Thanks!
http://www.riverdalepress.com/stories/Learning-to-live-alongside-coyotes,47963?content_source=&category_id=5&search_filter=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=&town_id=
http://www.riverdalepress.com/stories/Learning-to-live-alongside-coyotes,47963?content_source=&category_id=5&search_filter=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=&town_id=
Comments
I been hunting coyotes for awhile and I can tell you that they are some of the smartest animals I hunt. Coyotes are the one rule I break about eating what you shoot. I have a friend who owns a cattle ranch and I try to take a few coyotes off of the property to keep the calf predation down.
If you go to the California fish and game website, there are good info on coyotes in the burbs. It just comes down to staying out of their way and keeping your neighborhood a dangerous area for coyotes to live. I guess the ever growing number of feral cats and lost pets really dont help the situation since a coyote can sustain its self better in a suburban nieghborhood then out in the wild.
Just my two cents.
That's great now all of NY is gonna try to CM Coyote. :oT
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I don't know. The article is ok, I guess, but so basic it isn't really any new info., just generic information that would be true of most wild animals. The thing is, the coyote situation is really complex, I think, because they aren't really afraid of people (and frankly, stopping your foot and yelling may make them retreat, but it's not going to scare them). They're smart, adaptable, and like Gen said, they really can thrive in a suburban area.
I like hearing them sing at night. It's always kind of cool to see one--they are beautiful wild animals. But then again, I don't like having to deal with so damn many of them, and ones that are so big and bold. They come into the yard. They attacked my Shiba, and I have no doubts they would again if they could catch her out alone. (That's why she goes outside at night with the big Akita boy). Not feeding them isn't enough to keep them away....they've got plenty of things to eat around here, from rabbits and birds and ground squirrels to cats and dogs. And they've chased the foxes away
I did read an interesting story about coyotes in the suburbia that is growing up fast along Colorado's front range...there have been several incidents of coyotes biting people. One was stupid: the woman was trying to feed the coyote and it bit her. But a couple were kids--older kids too--who the coyotes bit in broad daylight, and it wasn't clear why. Apparently, though, the coyotes are quite used to people and not in the least bit afraid of them, which of course is bad.
@ Gen: thanks for the suggestion to check out the California Fish & Game site. There is plenty of food up here for coyotes: rats; cats; small dogs; raccoons; oppossum; squirrels; garbage cans.
@ Shibamistress: I checked out the website for Wild Dog and I'm not convinced the gent who gave the lecture has a lot of experience with coyotes, beyond reading lots of books about them, perhaps. I have no experience dealing with coyotes, but I agree, I thought the info was pretty basic. I Haven't heard any singing/howling at night, that would be pretty cool up here! The park is pretty large, the coyotes could be anywhere in the forest. Besides, all the truck traffic on Broadway probably downs out any howling they make.
@ Brad: CM = Cesar Milan? Yeah, I can picture some folks at the local dog run trying that one out!
Oddly, I have no info to add about the Coyote issue. You all know what we did to reduce Coyote conflict here (added LGD). So, I guess my recommendation (which I realize is not very realistic, especially in NYC) is to get an LGD!
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I have a few stories tho...
I've been hesitant to share this story because I don't want to make people think I support this type of thing, but it's an interesting story.
One night I heard the most horrible sounds coming from my neighbor's front yard, it was clearly the sound of a dog fight or something. I looked out, it was kinda dark, but I could just barley see that 2 large Coyote were picking on Sadie, their small female black lab.
Sometimes they leave Sadie out when they go to dinner and such, she's a great dog and has lived her whole life here on the mesa so it's not a big deal for her. She just chills on the front step. And it should be said, they freaking love that dog, she's gets great care and lots of love - so this isn't a neglectful thing (leaving her out like that), it was a nice summer night and she was probably crashed out on the front step when they left.
Anyway, I heard this noise and knew she was out alone and it didn't sound good for her. I opened the door to yell and try to break it up, but Blue, who really likes Sadie, slipped out the door right as I opened it. WOW... Blue got right to business. He annihilated one of the poor Coyote, while the other one took off. I mean, it was a little disturbing, to be honest. He just went right for kill-mode. Blue wasn't over there for more than a second or so tho, I ran out after him - and here is the really impressive part (IMHO) - I called out to Blue and said "BLUE, COME!". He stopped instantly and ran right back to me, sat looking up at me with his tail wagging (his creepy yellow eyes glowing in the dusk light). It was a super snappy response, especially considering all of the drama that had just gone down.
I looked over and saw the Coyote hobbling away, then looked over at Sadie and she was like frozen - she was completely still just standing there looking at Blue. Like she had seen a ghost or something. I guess it freaked her out as much as it did me.
And that is why I don't hike with Blue anymore. I knew he was canine-aggressive, but jeez. I have visions of that being a neighborhood dog or a stranger's dog on the trail. It has kinda freaked me out.
We took him to the vet the next day, but since he was UTD on all his shots they said there really was no concern, especially since he had only two injures - the smallest little tooth puncture on his ear and a scratch on his head.
The next day I spoke with our neighbors and he told me Sadie and Kaya (another neighborhood dog) had caught a few rabbits that day and brought them into their yard. So we speculated that maybe Sadie had caught another one while they were out and that created conflict with the Coyotes.
Crazy night!
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We've also had some Coyote - CO conflict this winter. Again involving a rabbit. I saw a coyote pass the front of the house carrying something, which I actually thought was our other neighbor's cat. I followed it to the back yard.
At this point Luytiy had spotted him, and was not happy. The Coyote slipped around to the back of the yard (fence), and as I approached the Coyote, Luytiy did too (but from inside the fence). I guess this freaked the Coyote out pretty bad and he dropped his dinner. When I saw this I stopped (I was worried he may bolt in my direction).
As the Coyote was standing there, Luytiy went for the rabbit (which was like kinda laying against our fence now). That pissed off the Coyote and he stuck his paw and mouth out to get the Rabbit back...
Not a good move, Luytiy grabbed the Coyote's foot and tired to pull him through the fence!
I've never heard so much screaming come from a canine! I yelled for Luytiy to stop, and I guess I spooked Luytiy too (because I was like REALLY yelling) and Luytiy let go of the Coyote and kinda ran to the other side of the yard (to get away from me, I guess). The Coyote ran off - didn't seem too hurt... but jeez, that was nuts.
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The Coyotes will come and howl just outside our fence. It's pretty loud. One would think this would get the dogs upset, especially the LGD, but it doesn't. The dogs act as if they cannot hear it at all. I find that really strange because, if they could see the Coyote (this usually happens at night) they would mos def be freaking out about it. Or if it was a strange dog barking that close to our fence, our dogs would lose their shit over it... but no the howling. Strange.
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We live across the road from a big open space, (wooded, but open in that it is owned by the county and cannot be built on...it's huge too, and goes on and on for miles). The coyotes stay right across the road in the woods and howl and call from there. I don't usually see them, but sometimes can see their eyes glowing. Bel goes crazy when she hears the coyotes. Even if she is in the house, she's immediately leaping at the door to go out. Stupid brave little girl--she did this before she was attacked by them, and now it's even worse. The other dogs listen but don't seem interested.
Oskar is protective of Bel...he gets in between her and percieved threats--but he's an Akita, not an LGD and he's also a fairly cautious young dog, so I don't know what he'd do if he actually saw a coyote. I like to think he'd guard her like he did for me one day when two loose dogs came rushing up to us barking. He just got in between us and dropped his head in that Akita way that says, well, come on then. It may be that his sheer size is a deterrant, in the way I think the coyotes tended not to come into the yard when my GSD was here. It wasn't that he would have attacked a coyote, it was just then it was two dogs, and one big, rather one med/small dog.
Except for the one coyote in the wash near my Grandma's house, I've only ever heard them. They are creepy as all getout but beautiful at the same time. My Mom's dogs freaked the first time they heard coyotes and wouldn't settle down for hours.
Shooting coyotes, I'd do that if I lived somewhere where they were a problem. I'm not one for trophy hunting but I would shoot a coyote if it meant protecting my dogs and making the neighbors happy. (I like to eat stuff I hunt, coyotes notsomuch)
Coyotes in my area runs away luckily, but a rabid coyote scares me, but a normal one not as much..
I wouldn't mind getting a howler coyote call thing and see if anyone replies back.. lol
I'd never hunt them though reminds me too much of wolves.
I've read of using paintball guns to scare off coyotes without actually killing them or maiming them. Stings just enough to cause them to yelp. Thoughts on this?
the second year I lived here, though, a bear tore down the fence to get at the bird feeders. That was something.
I agree with ya Ayk when time me and my mom drove the truck to our camp area and had dink with us she likes to stay close and lay about we heard yipping and stuff right below us in the ravine or whatever you call it. Sent shivers up my spine. We got Dink in the truck finished chopping wood and stuff and went home. lol
When ever my family does camping and if I stay late I have to have my dad or brother take me back home. I get scared even with the flash light.
One time I went without them saw a red fox on my way home it was cute it ran into the woods, but looked at me a bit then ran.
I enjoy coyote calls on my front or back porch.
The coyotes do come right near my house, but never had issues it's the skunks that cause trouble gotta watch for them..
Pffft, flashlights. I use the moon, stars or my feet to figure out where I'm going at night XD
Foxes are cute. The most recent fox I saw was in Fort Collins Colorado last year. It was a Grey Fox and ran off when we drove by. I'd never seen one before so that was pretty neat.