Coyotes getting worrisome

[roadhunter]

I have a hard time believing deer were hanging out in a fenced in garden to stay away from coyotes. Coyotes might be dangerous to fawns but they do not typically take down adult deer. Diet consists of little stuff like rabbits, squirrels, turkeys, etc... They are not man/horse/deer eating beasts that roam the night in large packs creating havoc and mayhem wherever they go with carcasses piling up like cord wood. More like 1-2 coyotes hunting for easy meals like rabbits, mice, and possibly a chicken.

Lions on the other hand can be really hard on deer. They eat somewhere around 1 deer per week to survive. They can take down an adult deer by themselves. Lions shoudl not be taken lightly. Here is a video of one taking down a big mule deer.

After reading the comments here it's' obvious that there are some major misconceptions about coyotes which have caused coyotes to be viewed more like "wolves" even though they are not that similar in size or behavior. Some people seem to have a big imagination which leads to behavior such as "Edna lock the barn and get the kids in the house, there is a "huge pack" (2) of coyotes out here and they are after the horses and deer and when they are through they are coming for us".

My guess is this is coming from hearing coyotes yipping but not actually seeing any of the stuff described happening. No reason for yall to be this scared of a worthless second tier predator.

 

[oosik]

Around here I've never heard of a healthy adult deer being bothered by coyote. The sick or injured - certainly. Maybe even a fawn, if left unattended.

 

[JamesHW]

I was up at the farm one dark night out behind the house lighting a campfire for some friends who were arriving shortly for a visit. All I had was a flashlight when I heard a rustling in the brush a few yards away. When I shone the light sure enough, not more than 8 feet away from where I was standing were a pair of coyotes (looked like a male and female judging from the relative sizes) snacking on some scraps of egg shells and vegetable scraps my wife had dumped there earlier that day. The coyotes pretty much ignored me as they finished their snack and then casually walked away into the woods while I quietly cursed myself for not having my phone to catch a picture. Went into the house and told my wife I figured out where the barn cats had gone.

 

[Sodo]

People in other places have predators that are actually dangerous like lions, bears, and wolves.

I read lots of pioneer stories (avoiding fiction if possible) and the pioneers did not worry about wolves killing people. They considered it a non-issue (other than children). It was always their livestock, and the extra work to protect livestock. They worried about bears, but mostly because of the good eating and the bearskin.
Grizzlies are predators. Not many grizzlies in WA, I'm thankful for that. Even so I'm not thrilled about having wolves around, I wonder if the new packs have passed down the "wisdom" of "not hunting humans."

I see coyotes in the game cam photos always, but have never heard them at night, ever. I wonder why they're quiet.

 

[nybirdman]

If you have wolves and mt.lions around they will eat coyotes(that's why they are quiet)!

 

[Sodo]

Interesting, I hadn't thought of that. I thought coyotes always make a racket, everybody's except mine. I see mtn lions in the game pics from time to time. One wolf in 6 years. So where coyotes make a racket can you conclude that there's no mtn lions?

 

[JRobyn]

We definitely have at least a few lions around, at least passing through the area. I believe they have a rather large range. And also plentiful and very vocal 'yotes, at least lately. I suspect that a pack of more than two or three 'yotes is more than a lion would be willing to take on under most normal circumstances.

 

[bcp]

I suspect most coyote "packs" are 2-generation family groups.

Bruce

 

[ovrszd]

I suspect most coyote "packs" are 2-generation family groups.

Bruce

Yep. Teaching the Younguns how to hunt.

 

[Jaiberd]

I am surprised they were there when you opened the door. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

I'm am surrounded by corn fields. I can watch em run off with a chicken for quite a while before they disappear

 

[DaveNJ]

You guys can keep your Lions and Wolves. I'll stick with the Coyotes, Bobcats, Foxes and occasional Black Bear.

 

[ovrszd]

You guys can keep your Lions and Wolves. I'll stick with the Coyotes, Bobcats, Foxes and occasional Black Bear.

I'm with ya, minus the Black Bear.

 

[k0ua]

I'm with ya, minus the Black Bear.

You may get some eventually Richard. They come thru here once in a while coming up from Arkansas. They are Northbound. Lions too are returning to the area. Still pretty rare. I have never seen one, but I have seen the tracks. Others have game cam proof.

 

[ovrszd]

You may get some eventually Richard. They come thru here once in a while coming up from Arkansas. They are Northbound. Lions too are returning to the area. Still pretty rare. I have never seen one, but I have seen the tracks. Others have game cam proof.

Yep, think you are right about the Bears.

You are also right about the Lions. We call them Cougars. I've saw two. Didn't mention it because the nay sayers all jump in and tell me I saw a Bobcat or a Feral cat...... I was within 10 feet of one. I know what I saw.

 

[k0ua]

Yep, think you are right about the Bears.

You are also right about the Lions. We call them Cougars. I've saw two. Didn't mention it because the nay sayers all jump in and tell me I saw a Bobcat or a Feral cat...... I was within 10 feet of one. I know what I saw.

I don't doubt you for even a moment. I saw some huge lion tracks up by waynesville several years ago. There are many game camera sighting around this region of both bears and lions (cougars)... I hesitate to say cougar sometimes as the word cougar has another connotation in the last few years.

 

[ovrszd]

I don't doubt you for even a moment. I saw some huge lion tracks up by waynesville several years ago. There are many game camera sighting around this region of both bears and lions (cougars)... I hesitate to say cougar sometimes as the word cougar has another connotation in the last few years.

The one I was close to I saw while riding my ATV. Wife and I were riding Southbound on a straight hilly dirt road. Wind blowing hard from the South. Topped a hill and this cat was walking down the middle of the road about half a mile ahead of us. We stopped and watched it for a few seconds. Being the "Manly Man" I am, I said I'm chasing it!!!! Off I went!!!! I was within 100 yards of it, running 50 mph when it noticed me. From the middle of the road it leapt on top of the 8ft high roadbank to the right. The adjoining field was old CRP ground. Grown up in grass/weeds waist high. An occasional 6-8ft tall tree. I climbed the bank on the ATV and no cat to be seen. I knew it was hiding in the field somewhere. Standing on the ATV, I'm idling around in the field trying to scare it up. I rode past one of the small trees and after passing it caught something out of the corner of my eye. The cat was lying flat beside the tree. When my eyes made contact with it's eyes it whirled and ran the opposite direction. By the time I got turned around it was into a brushy ditch. I rode back down the bank and onto the road where my wife was waiting on her ATV. We sat there talking about it for maybe a minute and she suddenly gasped and said there it goes, pointing back to the North down the road. About 150 yards away it calmly walked across the road, never looking at us. Was not the least bit scared of us. It never acted like it was out of control and running scared. Simply out witted us......

I'll take Coyotes anyday.