Coyote Behavior: Marking, etc..

[mbc1963]

Last fall/winter (it was hard to tell them apart!), Buddy got all weird in one section of the park where we walk. He was slinking, tail down, sniffing madly, and acted really spooked. A few days later, my friend and I took both our dogs back to the same area, and they BOTH acted like that. A few minutes later we discovered a deer kill - apparently the dinner of a bunch of coyotes. Over the next few days, the corpse got smaller and smaller until it was a partial vertebra.

 

A couple times since then, when Buddy was walking with me, he's gotten that really spooked, startled behavior. Happened on Saturday - if I touched him, he literally jumped. Very easily startled, looking over his shoulder, tail down. Sniffing like mad, hard to pull away.

 

So, my question is, when coyotes are on the hunt, do they leave a scent behind that would signal to other canids they should STAY AWAY? Is there a hormone of excitement or agitation that they use to mark their hunting area? Or is my dog just reacting to what is clearly the smell of many, many wild canids all in one small area?

 

Anyone with experience in this? I find it fascinating - but it spooks me seeing how spooked my dog gets!

 

Thanks,

 

Mary

[osioda]

Yes Coyotes are the same as a dog, they will go around marking there territory, especially when it is there feeding ground. And the path that they travel

Steve

[Ms.DaisyDuke]

Oh for sure they do! Especially if they've found food. Kind of letting others know this is their spot so they can keep their food source.

It's crazy scary to see your dog like that hey?! It gives me goose bumps!

 

I used to have a yellow lab that would walk with me when I walked my norweigan elkhound, since he was a tracker, he was never off lead, the lab never even learned how to walk on a lead. ANYWAY, we used to walk down old logging roads and power lines and the lab would always just kind of wander off, I am sure I was never out of her sight as she would always re-appear just slightly ahead of me on the trail, once in a while (usually in the fall) she would come out with her hackles up, stiff, very worried, and very alert. Usually within the next few days someone would see coyotes or wolves in the area. I learned very quickly to turn around and go home when she did that!

[afrancis]

I met this fellow at a very large series of walking trails by our airport who had a beagle. Nasty little guy (the beagle, not the man ). Anyway, this beagle would always take off for almost the entire walk, tracking and every once in a while, would do the old beagle bark if he'd found a scent. One day, he was out in a clearing and his dog came barrelling back to him, with two coyotes trailing on either side of him. He was sure that if he hadn't been there, they would have intercepted him and had him for breakfast . When the coyotes saw him, they didn't stop short and turn tail, they just slowed down and stared at him. I'm sure the wheels were still turning....that beagle was very lucky.

Ailsa

[Laurae]

Wow--beagles aren't that much smaller than border collies...!

[Barb Scott]

The mom of one my BCs was killed by a pack of coyotes; evidently she wouldn't back down and tried to fight them off.

Barb S

[mbc1963]

It's crazy scary to see your dog like that hey?! It gives me goose bumps!

 

It's wicked scary, as we say in Massachusetts! And it impresses me how thoroughly I can trust in my dog's superior senses - I have no doubt there's something to be scared of when he looks like that. I'm completely jumpy for the rest of the walk, when he pricks his ears up to tell me something's coming. Fortunately, the "something" has so far only been some labradoodles.

 

I was thinking on Saturday how appropriately, real-life spooked I was the day after Halloween, in the misty, chill autumn woods. Headless Horseman scared, not fake plastic witch scared.

 

Mary

[painted_ponies]

It's wicked scary, as we say in Massachusetts! And it impresses me how thoroughly I can trust in my dog's superior senses - I have no doubt there's something to be scared of when he looks like that.

 

Heh. I had chow chows for thirteen years. In their case, "superior senses" meant only a sense of superiority. We had a family of coyotes follow us on our evening walks every single night, barking their weird little car-with-a-dead-battery barks. Chows never even deigned to look back. And me, it was the 80's in Tenn, so I had no idea they were coyotes at the time. I thought they were maybe the biggest grey foxes on the planet, but I"d never have guessed coyotes. Anyway, we had quite the little nightly entourage around the neighborhood - me, followed by two chows, followed by five coyotes.

 

But nothing to be scared of, really. This went on for months and the chows died peacefully in their beds of old age. And of course (knock wood) I'm still alive and kickin'.

[silhouettestable]

We have coyotes around here, I often hear them yipping and howling in the evening, or sometimes in the early morning. They were getting really bold this year, three times in the span of two days I saw one on my property. One morning before doing chores I was setting up a kiddie pool for the geese I had just acquired when the dogs took off running for the bush. I looked up and there was a coyote hightailing it up into the trees. The same evening I was out in the garden and heard a commotion. Stood up to look and a coyote had come right through my horses at the edge of the treeline and was after my hens that were free ranging. I yelled at it and it just stood looking at me like "yeah, and what are you going to do from up there?" I let the dogs out of the yard and they ran it off again. The next evening it (or maybe another one) was back again while I was out in the field teaching a riding lesson. There were three people, myself, my student and her mom all right out there and it was coming down out of the bush again. It/they had managed to snag one of my hens at one point though so I guess they weren't going to give up on another easy meal too quickly. I stopped letting the hens out and haven't seen them back here, though I do still hear them calling. Some mornings when I go out to do chores the dogs seem to spend more time than usual sniffing around certain areas which I suspect may have been marked, but they never act spooked at all.

[Ms.DaisyDuke]

I was thinking on Saturday how appropriately, real-life spooked I was the day after Halloween, in the misty, chill autumn woods. Headless Horseman scared, not fake plastic witch scared.

 

No kidding! I would be too.

 

I don't think you'd really have much to worry about if you're in a fairly rural area and the coyotes are not the size of the ones here. People here are idiots and feed them apparently and the only one I have seen in Calgary was in the 30-40# range...I thought it was a wolf to be honest with you, I wanted to throw up when I was told it was a coyote! I think they are mostly curious unless they are short of food, or people have been leaving food out for them...then they seem to urbanize and get used to it, then loose any fear they may have had.

[mbc1963]

No kidding! I would be too.

 

I don't think you'd really have much to worry about if you're in a fairly rural area and the coyotes are not the size of the ones here. People here are idiots and feed them apparently and the only one I have seen in Calgary was in the 30-40# range...I thought it was a wolf to be honest with you, I wanted to throw up when I was told it was a coyote! I think they are mostly curious unless they are short of food, or people have been leaving food out for them...then they seem to urbanize and get used to it, then loose any fear they may have had.

 

Unfortunately, these are urbanized coyotes. My neighbor got up at 3 one morning and watched his cat carried away. Lots of missing cat posters around here. And another neighbor's small dog was killed as he watched last year. It is spooky! One darted away from us behind the local elementary school one early morning - NOT where you want to see coyotes!

 

The ones who come into my neighborhood seem to be singletons, taking cats and such. But in the woods nearby, I know they're traveling in packs. One dog walker I know has taken to carrying a pistol into the open fields. Me, I'd be just as likely to hit my dog as I would be to hit the coyote.

 

Mary

[afrancis]

One darted away from us behind the local elementary school one early morning - NOT where you want to see coyotes!

 

Oh, I don't know about that

Ailsa

[bcnewe2]

We have tons of coyotes. My dogs love to remark the areas. It's funny to watch 4 dogs have to pee on one tiny spot. They all have to take turns. The first one to mark it the one that finds the spot first. Mick is always the last to do it.

 

I used to see coyote scat only on the other side of my cattleguard. That was when the LGD's lived here. nothing to keep them out now. I worry a bit about females in heat. I don't know but wonder if it would bring coyotes in close, maybe to close?

[Anda]

We have a lot of coyotes where we live, and we're in an urban area, the Denver Tech Center. Two nights ago, as I returned from my trip to Europe, Ouzo came in our bed and woke us up, to hear the cries of the coyotes outside. He was letting small muffled barks out, the superhero in the saftey of our bed. Chris told me that lately, if he opens the door after dark, to take Ouzo out for a walk, often he sees 5-6 coyotes scramble to run from 10 feet in front of our apartment. Scarry.... I know of a cat in our apt. complex who was killed by them about two months ago. And Chris found the remains of a deer in one of the corners of the field we're playing on. He told me that Ouzo might have helped himself to a snack as he passed by the scheleton, because he heard some crunching noises coming from Ouzo as he was peacefully passing through the scene of the crime. Then he marked the bones. Lovely

[DebC]

We definitely have coyotes around here. It was very spooky to take Bo out for his last piddle before bed - our lot is surrounded by corn - very tall corn. Can't see anything out in it, and it moves and rustles with the slightest breeze. One evening this summer I was home alone and took Bo out as usual. He normally goes up to the back, past a row of pines (we walk along) to do his potties. That night he would not go past those trees, and was acting very "weird" - stiff legged, nose to the ground and was in a big hurry to get done. Just his behavior creeped me out, so we went back inside ASAP.

Not more that 20 minutes later the coyotes started their howling and crying. I swear it sounding like they were in my back yard! Bo was barking inside the house - not his usual behavior. I am such a chicken, I stayed on the couch and never went to see if they were really that close.

A friend of ours is down to her last couple of barn cats - and she keeps the chickens in a shed at night.

We always bring in the cat before dusk, don't let her out until light. But I wonder if she is even safe during the day?

[JohnLloydJones]

We live partly surrounded by fields, and there are plenty of Coyotes out there. Recently, I hear them almost every day on our morning walk. While we are in a well lit area, Senneca doesn't react too much, but if we are out in the fields, she will do a sharp 180 turn if she hears them.

 

My office is in the ASU science park in Tempe, and a month ago some Coyotes have been spotted here. The park management people contacted AZ Game & Wildlife, but they just say to keep away from them. I've not heard of any issues with people or pets so far.

[Ms.DaisyDuke]

Oh, I don't know about that

Ailsa

That's cheeky Alisa! LOL!

 

I grew up literally in the bush, so wild life doesn't really bother me, if we go to the park it's usually durring the day when there are lots of people around. The coyotes here do end up in the larger green areas, but if there are tons of people they usually stay in hiding. There have been sightings near children and attacks on cats and small dogs, but really we are invading their natural territory. I do kind of really enjoy hearing them at night, it reminds me of home!

[bc4ever]

My brother lives in the mountains in Colorado and they have a big problem there with coyotes. Neighbor's small dogs have gone missing recently and they hear coyotes during the night. They take a loaded gun with them when they take their two dogs out. Used to carry a gun with rubber bullets, but they are allowed to use real ammo now. Says he never leaves without his gun. Wolves are becoming more recent visitors too.

[bsms99]

A few years ago, my oldest daughter took our Border Collie Leila out for a walk on Edwards Air Force Base in California. She went a few hundred yards out in the desert when she realized 6 coyotes had closed in behind her. Leila (who was 12 and suffering from cancer) made it clear she planned to go down fighting. My daughter chucked a few rocks while circling back to the housing area. The coyotes pealed off as she entered the housing area.

 

My daughter didn't walk Leila again.

 

We have coyotes passing thru the wash next to my house here in Arizona from time to time. Our pound mutt (80 lbs) will charge the fence and go nuts. Doesn't really bother the coyotes, but our horses think Dan is a hero. A few of our neighbors small dogs have been attacked, with one killed.

 

I'm in favor of a .22, but it is illegal near the houses.

[painted_ponies]

Unfortunately, these are urbanized coyotes. My neighbor got up at 3 one morning and watched his cat carried away. Lots of missing cat posters around here. And another neighbor's small dog was killed as he watched last year. It is spooky! One darted away from us behind the local elementary school one early morning - NOT where you want to see coyotes!

 

The ones who come into my neighborhood seem to be singletons, taking cats and such. But in the woods nearby, I know they're traveling in packs. One dog walker I know has taken to carrying a pistol into the open fields. Me, I'd be just as likely to hit my dog as I would be to hit the coyote.

 

Mary

 

Oh yes, they will take cats and small dogs. My cats are indoors 24/7 and my LGD cross and I go with the little dogs when I let them out into the fenced yard after dark. The BCs I don't worry about - Faith would mow down any poor coyote that strayed into her path and never even notice. She does it to me often enough.

 

I've read that coyotes don't live in packs, although sometimes family groups will stay together.

[1sheepdoggal]

We have yotes come through our place quite often, but they dont hang around long, usually they are just going through the property to get to the chicken houses dead pile from our neibhors place. I really enjoy watching my LGD when he sences them, its pretty impressive to watch him gather up his sheep, put them where he feels they are safest, and then run the fenceline from corner post to corner post with his tail up over his back and his head held high, bow wow wooing the hole time, with occasional darts back to the sheep to check on them. Equally impressive is to see that the sheep do exactly what he says, move when and where he says and stay huddled and put when he says. Its a lovely relationship they have and I, in some weird way kind of appreciate the yotes for passing through so I can watch the whole thing play itself out. Its quite interesting.

[Vickkers]

Didn't even think about coyotes here .... had a cat who loved us very much and never missed a meal disappear about 3 months after we moved to NC... we thought someone stole him (he was a very very friendly and beautiful cat who would do tricks for food) but maybe it was a coyote.

 

My mom's cat Bella was dragged off screaming by a coyote last Spring(they saw it) in Virginia. They thought she was a goner for good.... but somehow she survived and 6 months later their neighbors found her, scarily thin at 5lbs (weighed about 18lbs before) and majorly traumatized but somehow, miraculously, still alive living in the woods about 1500 feet from their apartment. She's an indoor only cat now.

[bc4ever]

I usually let Scooter out in the mornings to roam the yard for a while, and just in the last few weeks, he's come racing onto the deck and wanting in, ears pinned back, looking behind him like someone or something was after him. I'm wondering now if there's a coyote in the area. Believe it or not, we do have them in Northwest Ohio. Lots of sightings in the parks in the area. Being in a suburban setting, I never thought about the coyotes, but we have had deer in the back yard, so I guess it's possible. Will have to keep an eye out now.

[AliciaB]

I met an owner in the dog park with a dog that was 1/4 coyote. Sweet dog, but scared and nervous. I wonder what a dog with 1/2 coyote would be like....

[Ooky]

I used to be around coyotes a lot when I worked for 4 years on prairie dog towns - I was usually completely alone, and mostly was unconcerned as I would see them running away from me, pausing to look back, and then continuing to run away. The only time I ever got scared of one was when I was "reading" a vegetation plot one day, so you have to stare at the ground for a long time. It was a diverse plot, so I was relatively engrossed, and then I just thought Look up!! Standing on the other side of my veg plot, so not more than 20 ft away, was a coyote. I had not heard him at all, and it is open prairie so he must have been visible while approaching for a while before he was that close. At first I was just fascinated, but then I realized it is not normal to have a wild animal like that come so close (in daylight especially). I started thinking "rabies" and freaked myself out. Then he just turned and sort of loped away.

 

Now I think he denned close by, and had been watching me for months or possibly even multiple years. And wondered what the h*ll a human was doing, coming out to his territory day after day to stare at the ground, and then run around with a net catching bugs. Another year, an adolescent pronghorn played exactly the same game - coming right up to me while I was reading veg and completely lost in what I was doing. That was really cool.

 

I would not want Odin to get into it with a coyote, but used to hike/backpack with my family's husky Calvin quite frequently and never had an altercation, even in coyote-filled hills. He was an off leash hiker but always stayed in sight of me and came back to my side without my asking whenever he saw another hiker or dog approach. I was able to call him off deer, too; he was a great hiking buddy. That's what we're working for eventually with Odin too.