Coyotes

[Walessp]

Daily Press in Newport News (VA) reported an attack on a man mowing the grass in his yard by a coyote. Coyote was killed with a gun. Testing was completed and determined the coyote had rabies. Location of the attack was in New Kent, south of Richmond, VA.

Anyone heard reports of similar attacks or sightings on or near the AT? This is the first I've heard of coyotes anywhere in the state.

Sky Rider

[DebW]

Coyotes are ubiquitous here in eastern Mass, and I assume throughout most of the US. In general they aren't seen or heard much, but if you look for tracks and scats you will see that they are there. I once saw one walking through front yards in my neighborhood, and my dog once flushed and chased a coyote in the woods near my house. Also one night I heard them howling (a combination of howls, yips, and barks). People here know to keep cats and small dogs indoors at night because they are occassionally attacked by coyotes. There have been some reports of eastern coyotes hunting in packs to take down deer, as wolves would do. Coyotes are not known to be a threat to humans other than small children left unattended. Of course, a rabid coyote is something else.

[Blue Jay]

I saw one in Virginia near the road crossing outside of Front Royal last year. There's an animal preserve near there, it may have been stealing some of their food. I see them often near my house, they never seem to bother anything (although I doubt small creatures would agree).

[Papa Bear]

Hiking through NJ and NY last Spring we saw the scat numerous times. Seemed to diminish through CT and MA and I don't recall any past VT.

It looks just like dog scat except it countains a lot of hair and when it ages, it turns white (from calcium). Both of these differences come from its diet which has lots more small animals than a dog would eat. (All those cute little kitty cats. )

There's tons of them out there, that's for sure.

Pb

[chris]

There were several howling coyotes on Thanksgiving night this year at Spence Field in the Smokys. Very cool. Coyotes are everywhere: I saw two large, well fed coyotes in the middle of an urban slum area in Vancouver one night.

[MOWGLI]

Originally posted by chris
I saw two large, well fed coyotes in the middle of an urban slum area in Vancouver one night.

On the East Coast you won't find any Coyotes larger than about 35 pounds. Thats as big as they get. They are common in Warwick, NY where I have lived for many years.

Concerning Rabies... You are much more likely to encounter a rabid raccoon than a rabid coyote. Your chances of encountering a rabid raccoon are fairly slim.

[DebW]

Originally posted by TNJED
On the East Coast you won't find any Coyotes larger than about 35 pounds. Thats as big as they get.

The ones I've seen have been about the size of a golden retriever. I thought that western coyotes were small, having evolved in competition to the wolf. Coyotes only migrated east after wolves were exterminated, and they grew larger in the process (perhaps by interbreeding with wolves in Canada). One source said that male eastern coyotes can reach 55 lbs. There are coyote-dog hybrids (coydogs) which may account for alot of variability.

[MedicineMan]

like the owls surviving in suburbia you have to give the coyotes credit for making the best of any situation-maybe a lesson to us all, and I admire the way they work together too....now is that a coyote ruff on my jacket hood?

[icemanat95]

Eastern Coyotes can get real big, much bigger than western coyotes. Interbreeding with wolves and dogs is thought to be the reason.

I have heard coyote packs in New Hampshire at the Lafayette Campground in Franconia Notch. When coyotes pack up it is something to be concerned about, they will go after much larger prey in a pack than they will attempt alone.

This is another one of those things to be aware of, but not concerned about.

[Blue Jay]

I'm glad you brought that up Simva. There was an owl attack last year in the Adirondacks. Just a few scratches, but it should be added to the list of thousands of things (including plants) that we need to be afraid of.

[Patco]

There was an owl attack last year in the Adirondacks. .... added to the list of thousands of things that we need to be afraid of.

Hoooooo, me? Afraid of an owl?

In 2002 at Big Bald shelter on NC/TN border we were awaken at 0530 by a pack of howling coyotes. Didn't see them but they were not too far behind the shelter. Maybe Muscles and Tea Tottler had to grab and leash their Jack Russel, "Moxie" before the breakfast bell was rung. Canine cassarole!

[Scaper]

I have never seen one on the trail in the Linden area of the A-T, but have been told be other hikers they have seen one near Sky meadows st. park about 10 miles north of Linden. I have seen a dead one on Rt. 55 in Linden, but still have yet to see or hear one on trail here.

[jlb2012]

I've heard the coyotes in Shenandoah NP but mostly down in the hollows where they can find water. They do come up on the ridge but mostly just to find any dead deer killed by cars.

[okpik]

With the urban sprawl around the outskirts of Boston, we see'em all the time day & night up and down the road and Rte 128 around the Blue Hills Reservation.

[Jaybird]

Daily Press in Newport News (VA) reported an attack on a man mowing the grass in his yard by a coyote. Coyote was killed with a gun. Testing was completed and determined the coyote had rabies. Location of the attack was in New Kent, south of Richmond, VA.

Anyone heard reports of similar attacks or sightings on or near the AT? This is the first I've heard of coyotes anywhere in the state.Sky Rider

any rabid animal will act "strangely"...approaching humans, populated areas ( when this is not their usual pattern) & attacking other species including humans. (dogs, cats, raccoons, skunks, & on occassion: coyotes & wolves are prone to rabies infection)

as far as the coyote population....they are quite abundant in TN/NC area...but havent seen any during my 300 miles of section hiking the A.T.

i see them quite often crossing roads as i drive to work early in the morning(3a.m.).


see ya'll UP the trail!

[Lilred]

as far as the coyote population....they are quite abundant in TN/NC area...but havent seen any during my 300 miles of section hiking the A.T.

i see them quite often crossing roads as i drive to work early in the morning(3a.m.).


see ya'll UP the trail!

I didn't see any on my section hike, but heard them one night howling at the full moon. They sounded human and one was very close to the shelter. This was a section from Neels Gap to Deep Gap N.C. I think it was the Plum Orchard Shelter. Sounded pretty eerie and I kept my hiking poles close to me that night.

[Peaks]

With the urban sprawl around the outskirts of Boston, we see'em all the time day & night up and down the road and Rte 128 around the Blue Hills Reservation.

We had one on Spectacle Island while we were putting the dirt from the Big Dig there. Didn't believe it until I saw a picture of it. Don't know how it got out there.

[okpik]

We had one on Spectacle Island while we were putting the dirt from the Big Dig there. Didn't believe it until I saw a picture of it. Don't know how it got out there.

Doggie Paddle????????

[Thomas Hughes]

Coyotes are all over in Az. Never knew them not to pack up. That's how they hunt. Two or more at least. I don't know about the A.t. I never did see on in Maine. You can here them out across the street in the river beds running down rabbits and stuff. Never seen them come within pistol range. Nice animal. Never ate on. I have some freinds that have and love the stuff. Kinda yukkkky if you ask me.

[Kozmic Zian]

Yea......Coyotes. I don't know about what a coyote howl sounds like, but in the Smokies in '00, at the 1st shelter out of Fontana(name?), I heard this incredible howling going on several miles away to the west, down off the ridge. Sounded like a pack of wolves. I heard they had released Red Wolves back into the Smokies, anybody got a copy on that? If so, that's what I heard, all right. KZ@