Coyotes losing their fear of people?

[Doc Safari]

I didn't think much of it at first, until I saw a show on one of the science or Discovery channels or something about a woman that was attacked and partially eaten by coyotes.

I've had two encounters at the ranch now where one or more coyotes got within 30 yards of me without being afraid. The second one was within 30 FEET (but on the other side of a fence). I didn't have a safe backstop in either case, so I couldn't take a shot even though I had my M4 with me. The second one I yelled at, and it just looked at me like, "I know you ain't talking to me."

On that TV show, they killed the dogs and DNA testing revealed they had been mixed with wolf DNA at some time.

I'm beginning to think the coyotes around here are tainted as well.

Anybody else notice coyotes losing their fear of people?

[Watrdawg]

Not coyotes but I have had a couple of Red Foxes come within 15 feet of me, sit down and watch me in my deer stand. They knew I was there and didn't budge for at least 20 minutes. One of them stayed where he was as I got down out of the stand. He followed me all the way to my truck.

[Packman73]

I have not really noticed this but, then again, I'm probably the world's worst coyote hunter.

[Doc Safari]

Not coyotes but I have had a couple of Red Foxes come within 15 feet of me, sit down and watch me in my deer stand. They knew I was there and didn't budge for at least 20 minutes. One of them stayed where he was as I got down out of the stand. He followed me all the way to my truck.

I've had foxes behave like that on many many occasions. Different animal. Remember that guy who traveled to Alaska every year to live with the bears? He had a family of foxes practically become his pets.

But coyotes, if you see them at all, have always run when they encounter humans. Despite the fact that a neighbor has lost a goat and a pig to them, I've never until recently been able to get close enough to one where it just stood its ground. In years past they would take off like a shot if they accidentally ran across you. But here lately...that isn't the case.

I'm not saying these might be wolf-coyote hybrids. Maybe they are just so used to getting into people's trash that they aren't as skittish.

LOL--maybe they're just hungry and not actual mutants.

At any rate, it worries me somewhat...not for me but for families around here with pets and young kids.

I still plan to cap any that I can safely shoot at.

[SeriousStudent]

......

Anybody else notice coyotes losing their fear of people?

Yes.

I live near a large metro area in Texas, in a burb of about 70,000 people. We have had coyotes come into people's yards in the subdivision where I live, while they were in the yard. People have had pets taken in front of them.

One lady had a pet dog killed in front of her, so close the blood got on her pants.

Another friend had one hop the fence while her 4-year-old son was playing in the back yard. She ran out the back, and hurled a pot at it, and it fled.

The local animal control folks have been "less than effective". Fortunately, several of the local police officers live close by, and are working to resolve the situation.

I saw one of the coyotes running along a major street while commuting to work very early one morning. It was a coyote, not a dog. I grew up on a ranch in West By God Texas, and know coyotes. I sped up to try and hit it with the car, but it hopped the curb.

So far we have lost a half-dozen pets. I'm praying no children are attacked before we finish tracking these things down.

[Heavy Metal]

I didn't think much of it at first, until I saw a show on one of the science or Discovery channels or something about a woman that was attacked and partially eaten by coyotes.

I've had two encounters at the ranch now where one or more coyotes got within 30 yards of me without being afraid. The second one was within 30 FEET (but on the other side of a fence). I didn't have a safe backstop in either case, so I couldn't take a shot even though I had my M4 with me. The second one I yelled at, and it just looked at me like, "I know you ain't talking to me."

On that TV show, they killed the dogs and DNA testing revealed they had been mixed with wolf DNA at some time.

I'm beginning to think the coyotes around here are tainted as well.

Anybody else notice coyotes losing their fear of people?

She was a small woman, likely on her period and I bet she ran from them. Three strikes.

If I am in the woods and a Coyote comes within Glocking distance, it is going to get leaducated.

[Heavy Metal]

Yes.

I live near a large metro area in Texas, in a burb of about 70,000 people. We have had coyotes come into people's yards in the subdivision where I live, while they were in the yard. People have had pets taken in front of them.

One lady had a pet dog killed in front of her, so close the blood got on her pants.

Another friend had one hop the fence while her 4-year-old son was playing in the back yard. She ran out the back, and hurled a pot at it, and it fled.

The local animal control folks have been "less than effective". Fortunately, several of the local police officers live close by, and are working to resolve the situation.

I saw one of the coyotes running along a major street while commuting to work very early one morning. It was a coyote, not a dog. I grew up on a ranch in West By God Texas, and know coyotes. I sped up to try and hit it with the car, but it hopped the curb.

So far we have lost a half-dozen pets. I'm praying no children are attacked before we finish tracking these things down.

Some have-a-hart traps might be good. Then you can shoot the Coyotes with a .22 and let the pets free.

[mallowpufft]

Two falls ago I was out in OK on some family land walking the fence lines with my brother on law looking to scare up some doves. Saw something moving and it was definitely a coyote. Didn't have time to cut a birdshot shell into a slug so I hit it with my 41 mag at 30 yards. It had seen us and kept walking toward us till half its skull went missing (an aside but the 280gr soft point lead CorBons are nice) Mangy and stanky as all get out. Wasn't worth skinning, which made me a bit sad because western yote pelts in the fall are nice.
Fast forward to this past deer season here in western VA and I was out hunting and in addition to the two fawn carcasses surrounded by coyote droppings I saw walking in I saw a couple coyotes chasing a buck at noon when I was getting ready to walk out.

And that's when I bought my first AR, just for those coyotes.

It's best to blame my misspelled words on autocorrect.

[Servo]

I live in MN and i remember hearing that the Twin Cities was having problems with coyotes getting too close to people.

[drrufo]

My wife and I were driving near Cal State Fullerton when we saw a young coyote sitting at the top of some steps that lead to a housing subdivision around 5 in the afternoon.
We live with a park behind us and hear the coyotes when they make their kills late at night. Sounds like the veldt with all the howling.