WTF? Who knows about coyotes?

[Slolyfe]

So I got home tonight about 11:30 and the dog ran inside yelping in excitement as usual. We leave the back slider open so the dog can come in and out. While the dog was jumping for joy that we were home we heard 3 really loud shrieks, like from a dinosaur.  These were ear piercing screams like something dyeing from the back yard.

I threw the dog inside and grabbed a flashlight. On top of my back fence 10 ft from the door was what looked like a coyote or fox. I looked about 40 pounds. I grabbed my gun but by the time I had it loaded it was gone. So I looked over my neighbors fence and there it was, but it ran off.

Should I worry about the dog? we like to let it cruise the yard cause we work late hours. Anyone have any experiences like this? I guess Im new to country living.

[46&2]

How high is your fence? Coyotes will jump over smaller fences and/or dig under them, but actually ON the fence? Are you sure it was a canine? Mountain lions have a ear piercing shriek that if I was to compare it to anything, a dinosaur sounds appropriate. Never heard anything that sounds even close to an aggitated mountain lion. Very creepy sounds they make. They can also appear dog-like in the dark/from a distance. They can run anywhere from small (40 lbs) to large (over 100 lbs). Did it have a long tail?

I don't think what you saw was a Coyote. Sounds like a lion or bobcat to me.

[WHITE_TRASH]

If you have a kick dog keep it inside or it'll be dinner by daybreak.  If you have a standard sized dog it should be just fine.

[Sparkplug]

coyotes dont get very big, maybe 80 lbs tops, and they usually run away from dogs, unless they in a pack. Dunno about the crazy dinosaur sound, dying rabbits make a pretty crazy sound, and thats usually what coyotes eat.

[kneedownnate]

What white trash says is just about it, but they'll still go for a standard sized dog if they feel their territory is threatened.  They're also very territorial and will chase dogs, which is why they're used for coyote hunting 

Basically, don't believe everything you hear since forum opinions are usually that.  I forgot a lot of what I read about coyotes, but you can dig up some really good info on their habits on the internet.

I was outside a little over a week ago when it was pitch black and heard a neighbor's dog barking, then heard a coyote doing the shreik/screech thing you're talking about (if you've never heard it, you'd never expect to hear the strange sounds you do from coyotes) maybe 150-200 yards away, then heard one make the same horrid sound maybe 30 yards up the hill from me.  Close enough to startle me since I had no idea it was there!

[Rocksurfer]

Like stated before if you have a small dog or even a medium dog you should have some concerns. A large dog would only need to be worried if a pack is after it. Coyotes are smart and have been known to lure dogs away from their territory (your house) and kill them. Now also as mentioned they generally don't hop up on high fences but cats do as do Racoons and Opossums. If it is a big cat then worry, they can take out even large dogs.

[Stocker]

I'm still trying to figure out how we know what a dinosaur sounds like...   


No matter... until you figure out just what the critter is, you should be try to keep your dog safe.

[79coyotefrg]

I'm still trying to figure out how we know what a dinosaur sounds like...   


No matter... until you figure out just what the critter is, you should be try to keep your dog safe.

LOL  dude, havent you seen Jurassic Park? 

personally as a coyote i usually like to eat rabbit or squirrel,  dogs are kinda chewy.

ive never seen a coyote get to 80 pounds  but if its a coyote/dog mix it might

[brainlessfool]

ive never seen a coyote get to 80 pounds  but if its a coyote/dog mix it might

I have! they get big out here.years ago saw me one at least that big. prue coyote too. 

[Toymin8r]

Coyotes don't travel in packs and are small to medium sized scroungers so as long as your dog is 40lbs plus you should be fine.  If it was a Mountain Lion be very careful.  They are predators and make dinner out of a single dog if your not careful.  Two or more dogs will keep a Mountain Lion at bay.

[Slolyfe]

It was on top of a six foot stucco fence with rounded spanish tile as a cap. So this thing had to be very well balanced. My first thought was a bobcat of some sort. I shined a crappy head lamp at it from about 15 ft and thought it was a cat but like no cat I had ever seen. It was waaaaay to big and straggly looking. It was defiantly perched on the fence.

After I saw it I grabbed my gun and a big mag light looked again and it was not there. When I looked over the fence I saw another animal which looked like a gray fox or coyote. I think it is very possible there were 2 animals.

The one on the fence made a noise like nothing I had ever heard. (not like a rabbit dying, or coyote howl) It litteraly sounded like one of those creepy little dinosaurs from jurassic park.

The dog is about 60 lbs but is a huge girl thingy. So I think we will leave her inside for the time being, because there have been mountain lion spottings on the trails behind our house. Thanks for the info guys!

[46&2]

Before I had to put my staffy down, I would leave her outside all the time. It would usually become common knowledge through the neighbor grapevine that a lion would be in the area and at that point I would keep her inside until long after the "threat" hadn't been seen for a while. She also had a different, more nervous bark for bears/lions so when I would hear that bark tone, I would bring her in.

When I was about 12 years old, a 60 lb lion came down onto my neighbors deck, snatched up his 40 lb retriever, and took it up a tree in his back yard and ate it. It went on a pet killing rampage for about a month and a half before Fish and Game caught it and destroyed it. About 3 years ago, a neighbor 3 houses up the hill had his mastif, german shepard and pitt mix torn to shreds and no one ever figured out what it was. The pitt survived, barely, but the general consesus is it had to have been a lion. The dogs got F*cked up... bad. And that is a pretty mean combo of dogs.

I don't have a lot of experience with coyotes because they seem to hang out at lower elevations than my old house. However I highly doubt a Coyote could make it and balance on a 5 foot fence. Lions cover up to 50 square miles of territory and usually stick around areas for a while if they are finding lots of easy prey. Keep an eye out for missing dog/cat posters. A big increase in those is a tell tale sign of a mountain lion in the area. I'd keep your dog inside for a while. 

[kneedownnate]

Coyotes don't travel in packs

Maybe it's a regional thing, but they travel in packs around here.  I've seen it here and the place I lived a few years back.  Only saw 3-4 at a time at the last place but it was a family

[bleakhorizon]

its the Chupucabra........ runnnnnn

[Cheesemaker]

If it was perched on the wall, and you know of sightings of a large cat in your neighborhood.  Then I would say you saw the cat.  The sound you heard is generally what cats make.  It's a sound that will make your hair stand up and your butthole pucker.  Coyotes and wolves will just howl.

[79coyotefrg]

I have! they get big out here.years ago saw me one at least that big. prue coyote too. 

[79coyotefrg]

its the Chupucabra........ runnnnnn

[kneedownnate]

Coyotes and wolves will just howl.

I was outside a little over a week ago when it was pitch black and heard a neighbor's dog barking, then heard a coyote doing the shreik/screech thing you're talking about (if you've never heard it, you'd never expect to hear the strange sounds you do from coyotes)

Guess again    Again, coyotes make some strange noises, a few which are just perplexing, and you'd never know the noises were coming from a coyote unless you sat and watched them in the moonlight, which is how I know.  From the responses, I'm guessing some board members have likely dismissed coyotes as other animals in the past 

[Rocksurfer]

Just so we get this straight....

Coyote Behavior

Though coyotes have been observed to travel in large groups, they primarily hunt in pairs. Typical packs consist of six closely related adults, yearlings and young. Coyote packs are generally smaller than wolf packs and associations between individuals are less stable, thus making their social behavior more in line with that of the dingo. It has been theorized that this is due to an earlier expression of aggression, and the fact that coyotes reach their full growth in their first year, unlike wolves, which reach it in their second. Common names of coyote groups are a band, a pack, or a rout. Coyotes are primarily nocturnal, but can often be seen during daylight hours. Coyotes were once essentially diurnal, but have adapted to more nocturnal behavior with pressure from humans (McClennen et al., 2001).

[catfish]

we have coyotes cruse by most every day they might snach a small dog or cat but the rabbits are plentyfull, no need to shoot them, a mountian lion could be a problem

bob

ew4c

[Hammerhead]

We have Coyotes all over the hills here and while I've never seen packs as such they do run together as families.  As for the noises they make I've heard them bark, yap, howl, growl and even an odd screaming type of sound that is hard to explain...  They are however (at least around here) the biggest bunch of wusses I've seen in the wild.  My stupid hound dog scares them off pretty easy...

[superyota]

don't leave your dog outside, even if it a bigger dog.  it will lure your dog out.  i'de  had it happen to two of dogs in the past, one german shepard/border collie mix, and one siberian husky.  never did find them.  my parents have coyotes and mt. lions all around there house.  about three weeks ago there was one hanging out and wouldn't go away.  my parents called fish and game and they said to keep the dogs in.  they ended up trapping it and moving it back out to the hills. the coyotes i've heard sound almost like dog barking but shorter, faster, and higher pitch barks mixed with howls.  havn't heard a sound from a mt. lion yet.  cool animals to observe though if you get a chance, just remember to keep a distance. lol. 

[BigMike]

we heard 3 really loud shrieks, like from a dinosaur.  These were ear piercing screams

Mountain lions have a ear piercing shriek that if I was to compare it to anything, a dinosaur sounds appropriate.

I'm still trying to figure out how we know what a dinosaur sounds like...   

I was gonna ask the same question

[*FFC*]

Hey Austin I wouldn't be surprised if it was a cougar/bobcat. I wouldn't think a coyote would be perched on top of a 6' fence. Not only that, a coyote would be scared of your dog especially if your dog is 60 lbs-ish.

Okay, so I sound like a broken record of the rest of the group LOL.

I'd ask around your area and see if anyone else has seen anything or heard anything - and if anyone is losing chickens/cats/etc. Most likely it frequents the area and you wouldn't be the only one to see it... 

[Slolyfe]

I talked to the county animal control and there have been mountain lion sightings in the foot hills behind our house in the past few months. Welcome to the country I guess. Hahaha

Coyote thing that I saw over the neighbors fence was actually a grey fox. According to the neighbors it comes down every year and has pups behind our place. So it looks like we have a mountain lion trying to eat baby foxes.

[*FFC*]

I talked to the county animal control and there have been mountain lion sightings in the foot hills behind our house in the past few months. Welcome to the country I guess. Hahaha

Coyote thing that I saw over the neighbors fence was actually a grey fox. According to the neighbors it comes down every year and has pups behind our place. So it looks like we have a mountain lion trying to eat baby foxes.

So where now is "here" anyway?

[Stocker]

Coyote thing that I saw over the neighbors fence was actually a grey fox. According to the neighbors it comes down every year and has pups behind our place.

That's interesting.... and apparently not on anyone's radar! Cute little guys but can carry rabies and distemper. I'm betting it was smaller than your original 40 lb. estimate, and shouldn't be a threat to a normal dog... maybe to those little yip-yap lap dogs, though. Your kitty population might suffer, cats are like pop-tarts to a fox.

[kneedownnate]

Not to mention foxes sometimes like to kill animals for no apparent reason, ie they'll kill something seemingly for the sport and not even attempt to eat it. 

[Slolyfe]

So where now is "here" anyway?

Sonoma. Pretty exciting.

[Stocker]

Not to mention foxes sometimes like to kill animals for no apparent reason, ie they'll kill something seemingly for the sport and not even attempt to eat it.  

Maybe it's instinctual, eliminating possible competitors for food & habitat?  

Or they may be teaching their young'uns how to hunt.... wolves do that, sometimes at the expense of sheep ranchers.

Neighborhood foxes often leave their "calling card" on objects you left outside... gloves, tools, whatever.
If it's relatively small and has fur in it, it could be fox.