Coyote victim

[Nighthiker]

Came across another small dog the victim of a coyote attack. The owners let the dog out, front door on a regular basis. Not sure if the coyote was planning on a meal and got scared off. Dog did not make it.

[azbackpackr]

Was this in Tucson, or where?

[wallyfrack]

I saw a coyote north of Brown & Higley in the field Thursday 5/20 about 9:45am. That's only about 1/2 from the forest service building.

[Ckzona]

Can you give a little more info. Im kinda confused

[azbackpackr]

Nighthiker doesn't show up every day. Looked like a pretty cut-and-dried tale of urban coyote eats dog. Happens literally every day. (What do you think those urban coyotes eat?) I was just curious if it was in Tucson or Phoenix area.

[kevinweitzel75]

I saw a coyote north of Brown & Higley in the field Thursday 5/20 about 9:45am. That's only about 1/2 from the forest service building.

I used to live right there in Alta Mesa. When I would go out running, I would see a coyote maybe every other night. Not very big ones, and they were always singles. Also saw them run right down the street I lived on a couple times. Pretty neat to see them inside city limits.

[azbackpackr]

Looking for kitty or poochy to snack on! Yum yum!

[Nighthiker]

Gold Canyon area, had another one in AJ. It was brought to work, don't think it was going to make it.

[JimmyLyding]

http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwa ... e1008.html

"What's hard for me is, when they're done feeding on cats, what comes next?" she asked.

My guess is more cats

[Al_HikesAZ]

Almost a year ago our younger dog fought off a coyote attack. I took our two dogs into our fenced backyard at midnight and came back in the house for a few seconds to get a water bottle. We have a six foot block wall around the yard. I knew coyotes could clear the fence easily, but I was unconcerned. I heard a blood-curdling howl and rushed back out. Our older Bichon looked hurt and was slinking away, but as I looked at him, his son came around the corner bloodied and terrified. He had puncture wounds on his front chest and upper neck - the coyote had obviously gone for his jugular but Orion must have twisted and fought off that initial attack. Orion also had puncture wounds on both sides of his rump. The coyote had apparently continued the attack and had Orion in a pretty good grip but my reappearance must have scared the coyote off. The blood on his mouth must have come from the coyote.

We made the frantic trip to the Emergency Vet where he went immediately into surgery. A couple of days and almost $2,000 later Orion was home to be nursed back to health. Took almost a month - after a few days the drain tubes were removed. Two weeks later the stitches were removed. A year later he is fine but won't go near that corner of the yard at night. I guess dogs get PTSD too.

My wife wanted some friends to come over, call the coyotes in and kill them. We could have done that but it would have been a temporary solution. Other coyotes would migrate in and fill the void. We live off of a golf course. We have rabbits and quail everywhere. A veritable smorgasbord for coyotes. I just hope for an equilibrium in this micro-ecosytem. My wife had been anti-gun, but she has now had her epiphany and lets me carry a small Mossberg out there at night. I've thought through what I would need to say to justify discharging that weapon in Phoenix, but I ain't gonna say it here. We also have a 2million candlepower light and she takes pepper spray with her when she takes the dogs out at dusk or when I'm not home. Coyotes are smart and adaptable. My wife thinks they are mean and vicious but I don't psychoanalyze them like that. They are just wild and do what they need to do to survive - and they do it well. Even in my own backyard I am now much more conscious of whether I am upwind, other noises and activity and whether the coyotes are mating or whelping. Living in a suburban jungle.

[JimmyLyding]

Living with these mesopredators certainly requires one to adapt to them because they've already adapted to us. I'm house-sitting @ my mom's for the next 3 weeks (actually, the house is fine...it's the neurotic Labrador retrievers that need tending to), and it's about 200 yards from Trail 100. Her 2 Labs weigh about 180 pounds combined so I'm not worried that coyotes would prey on them, but I've frequently seen signs looking for missing kitty cats in this neighborhood. I don't think many of them are found.
One of my mom's neighbors was walking her little dog a few years ago (off-leash, of course), and a coyote ran up, snatched it in its jaws, and took off. This lady's reaction was that the coyotes need to be killed-off. Of course her dog probably would've been ignored had it bee on a leash per City of Phoenix law. She also made some hysterical comments to the Republic along the lines of "they're coming after our dogs and cats, but what's next?" as if to imply that the next thing will be Mr. Wile E. eating schoolchildren.

Unfortunately too many people want to live with the desert, but they don't want the desert living with them.

Some good ideas:
*If your dog is small enough to be carried off by a coyote then it should NEVER be off-leash on a trail that coyotes are known to frequent. This includes about every trail in this state other than Murphy's Bridle Path.
*Do not leave food outside your home that your dog doesn't eat. If your dog eats outside, and doesn't eat all of the food you give it then you need to either give it less food or take it to a vet because it's sick. Or get a Labrador retriever: leftover food is not a problem for that breed. Also, keep a lookout for signs that your neighbors may be inadvertently attracting wildlife by leaving excess dog food outside. The presence of pigeons is a good sign, but leftover food can bring in coyotes, raccoons, javelina, and even more dangerous wildlife like cougars that are following their prey to its feeding source. Water for dogs presents similar issues.
*A case like Al's doesn't present many good ways to keep coyotes out of the yard. The presence of the dog's owner is probably the best deterrence, particularly if it's a man. I've heard of people using motion-sensor lights to keep nocturnal wildlife out of their yard.

[azbackpackr]

It really seems also that a human never need starve in these urban-wildland interface neighborhoods... Pigeon pie, BBQ javelina, roast quail, etc. You could probably eat a coyote, for that matter. I mean, in parts of SE Asia, China, the Rosebud IR and other exotic locales they do find dog to be quite tasty. I myself have eaten mountain lion. Then there are your snakes...breaded and fried. You could just move into one of those foreclosed houses and put out dogfood and water, (which you could steal from the neighbors, since they keep putting it out) and voila, dinner would show up nightly! All you need is a bow and arrows, some snares, and other stealthy hunting tools.

[JimmyLyding]

I just heard (approx 7:59 p.m.) the local coyote pack open up. I guesstimate that they were about 50 yards south of where Mountain View Road hits Trail 100 west of 26th Street (Phoenix). Full-range of vocalizations, and it was cool. A great place to see coyotes in the Phx Mtn Preserve is to walk up the spur trail from that end of Mountain View Road up to Trail 100, and keep heading straight up that little canyon right about the same time Venus comes out

[tahosa]

Coyotes like any wild animal are not to be trusted. Coyotes can kill you.

[kevinweitzel75]

Wasn't to long ago the news reported that a young girl (maybe 2 or 3) was attacked while playing at a local park. The babysitter was able to scare it away before it could drag the little girl away. I'm sure that I could find the link, but a not computer savy enough to post it. I think it was maybe 5 years ago or so. I have been stocked by 5 or 6 coyotes while out hunting quail before. I just stopped and waited for them to get close enough to let a blast of my shotgun scare them away. Even after that, they still hung around for most of the morning. Kind of a creepy situation.

[azbackpackr]

It happened in the LA area, too--I think a small child was killed some years ago. I suppose someone can look it up if they really want to know.

[JimmyLyding]

I should clarify that I realize that coyotes can be dangerous to humans, but they need to be treated w/ respect just like all wild animals. I did a poor job communicating my sentiment that the coyotes in the Phx Mtn Preserve should not be killed because they could be dangerous to people.

[cathymocha]

It really seems also that a human never need starve in these urban-wildland interface neighborhoods... Pigeon pie, BBQ javelina, roast quail, etc. You could probably eat a coyote, for that matter. I mean, in parts of SE Asia, China, the Rosebud IR and other exotic locales they do find dog to be quite tasty. I myself have eaten mountain lion. Then there are your snakes...breaded and fried. You could just move into one of those foreclosed houses and put out dogfood and water, (which you could steal from the neighbors, since they keep putting it out) and voila, dinner would show up nightly! All you need is a bow and arrows, some snares, and other stealthy hunting tools.

LOL...you are so funny...I think we can tell you have finished your exams and papers.

[Al_HikesAZ]

I told a friend about the Toby Keith song "Every Dog has his Day". He told me that back in the village they had a similar saying: "Every dog has his taste"
Found myself singing Every Dog has his day coming down the mountain Sunday. So combining threads here with the music thread.

[writelots]

Unfortunately too many people want to live with the desert, but they don't want the desert living with them.

This is so true... This came up not long ago when the mountain lions were coming down into Sabino Canyon. People wanted them killed - even though no one had been attacked. Just seeing them there made them worry for their lives and the lives of their children. Yet, they say they love Sabino because it is such beautiful "pristine" desert. They ooh and aah at the squirrels and rodents and lizards and occasional deer you get in there. I guess they don't get the connection that with those animals come the predators - and they're scary and sometimes there is collateral human damage. In my opinion, it's tragic when these collisions between humanity and nature occur, but they're not cause to go all Rambo on wild creatures who are just doing what they must to survive... (of course, someone will probably bring up the rabid question, but in my mind that's a completely different issue)...