Lisa Lovingtree
Coyote Encounter! (Check out the video, too)
Here's the link to a video of this pair: www.flickr.com/photos/38431370@N07/6209861590/
This handsome pair of coyotes appeared one day as I walked with my dogs through the woods. I wasn't really afraid (after all, I had my doggie protection with me.) It was obvious, I thought, we had entered their territory, and they probably had a den nearby which they were trying to protect. After pausing to shoot a couple of pictures and taking this short video, we left the area, going back the way we had come. Surprisingly, however, they began to follow us.
The female was quite thin and very shy, skittering just beyond the trees and scrub oak and keeping her distance. The male, though, was quite bold. He would sidle up to us, as close as 25 or 30 feet, then dart back to the scrub when our rottweiler-mix dog barked at him. We would lose sight of them for a minute or so, then see them up ahead, or off to the side, or -- more disconcertingly -- circling back on us, but still keeping up.
I find wildlife thrilling and wonderful, and am not afraid of most wild animals, but I do respect them. We weren't bothering them, and were leaving their territory. I figured they would leave us alone once we were out of their territory.
The dogs were nervous, their hackles up, and on alert. They didn't like it at all, and occasionally barked at them if they came close. When the coyotes didn't go away after 10 - 15 minutes of this, my large rottweiler seemed to have had enough of their company, and suddenly took off after the male.
She chased him in a circle around and around a large clump of scrub oak, then trotted back to me with a smug, "I showed him!" look on her face. But a few seconds later, the male coyote rounded the scrub oaks ran right up behind her and nipped her lightly on the butt, then darted back around the bushes!
I couldn't believe it! He was baiting her! I bet my dog outweighed him by 25 pounds! Shocked and unnerved by this aggressive behavior, I decided enough was enough and picked up a large stick, waving it at them and yelling "GO ON!" They seemed to decide the game was over, and finally melted away into the forest, this time for good.
It was a cool experience, though!
Coyote Encounter! (Check out the video, too)
Here's the link to a video of this pair: www.flickr.com/photos/38431370@N07/6209861590/
This handsome pair of coyotes appeared one day as I walked with my dogs through the woods. I wasn't really afraid (after all, I had my doggie protection with me.) It was obvious, I thought, we had entered their territory, and they probably had a den nearby which they were trying to protect. After pausing to shoot a couple of pictures and taking this short video, we left the area, going back the way we had come. Surprisingly, however, they began to follow us.
The female was quite thin and very shy, skittering just beyond the trees and scrub oak and keeping her distance. The male, though, was quite bold. He would sidle up to us, as close as 25 or 30 feet, then dart back to the scrub when our rottweiler-mix dog barked at him. We would lose sight of them for a minute or so, then see them up ahead, or off to the side, or -- more disconcertingly -- circling back on us, but still keeping up.
I find wildlife thrilling and wonderful, and am not afraid of most wild animals, but I do respect them. We weren't bothering them, and were leaving their territory. I figured they would leave us alone once we were out of their territory.
The dogs were nervous, their hackles up, and on alert. They didn't like it at all, and occasionally barked at them if they came close. When the coyotes didn't go away after 10 - 15 minutes of this, my large rottweiler seemed to have had enough of their company, and suddenly took off after the male.
She chased him in a circle around and around a large clump of scrub oak, then trotted back to me with a smug, "I showed him!" look on her face. But a few seconds later, the male coyote rounded the scrub oaks ran right up behind her and nipped her lightly on the butt, then darted back around the bushes!
I couldn't believe it! He was baiting her! I bet my dog outweighed him by 25 pounds! Shocked and unnerved by this aggressive behavior, I decided enough was enough and picked up a large stick, waving it at them and yelling "GO ON!" They seemed to decide the game was over, and finally melted away into the forest, this time for good.
It was a cool experience, though!