Running and coyotes

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  • Alioth
    Alioth Posts: 571 Member
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    Around here the coyotes are skittish, but occasionally, someone gets mauled by packs of wild dogs that people turn loose in the woods. I'd go with the pepper spray, but I've also heard a decent water gun armed with lemon juice and aimed at the face can be a good deterrent. The trail riders around here carry them. Of course, for a runner it'd be extra weight.
  • swordsmith
    swordsmith Posts: 599 Member
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    I carry a handgun when running.

    on another note- had a very agressive alpha male coyote this past summer. He would constantly pace me near my house as well as others. It got to the point that in broad daylight he would advance on me across my lawn, stop 10-15' away and just stand there. Very unnerving. We have alot of little kids in the neighborhood and then the missing signs for small dogs and cats started sprouting up. This coyote made the local pack much more agressive also.

    Our local wildlife department said they could do nothing until a human was attacked. So I baited him and shot him from my kitchen table with a suppressed AR. Dumped him in a hole and called it good. Since then the pack has moved on.
  • mommytobrayden
    mommytobrayden Posts: 28 Member
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    We have lots of coyotes here in Wv too (I live in the mountains). I've been surrounded by them on camping trips but have only encountered them occasionally on my runs. They are usually afraid of me. I did see a dead one skinned on the side of the road once....that was really strange.

    I have also come across black bears and mountain cats. Yes....those are the scary ones! (In fact my neighbor had a black bear on her porch the other day). The cat was the worst of all.....it was crouched on top of a ridge just above me...I heard it growling and happened to look up as I ran by. It's teeth were bared and ears were back.

    The bear was on the side of the road....I saw it long before I got up to it so I just turned around and ran the other way lol.

    That is the reason why I only run in the daylight......

    I live in WV too. We live in the city, but we hear the coyotes all the time at night and in the early morning. I've seen black bears, but never a bob cat. I remember when you never even heard of a coyote in WV. Now, they are all too common.
  • jeffrodgers1
    jeffrodgers1 Posts: 991 Member
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    I posted a couple days ago about running in the dark and some of our dangers here. Well this morning one of those dangers became all to real :( I was running about a mile and half from my house near my best friends house (in a very suburban neighbor hood) and there is an open field on one side of the field well in the under brush I saw two small dark dog like figures running one about six feet ahead of me and one parallel to me. I started making every big deep noise I could think of and coughing and turned and headed home (thank god a car drove between us or I doubt they would have been very detoured) cototes in our area are known for attacking runners. What do y'all do to stave off coyotes?

    We don't have much for coyotes around here and its been years since I've done any survival training but...Being predators, the coyotes likely were following a "chase" instinct. End the chase (stop running) as you will not be able to outrun them. Start making as much noise as possible and arm yourself with a big stick, rocks etc. Face them and make yourself "big". Coyotes are stealthy animals and aren't likely to attack you straight on. They don't like confrontation either as mentioned they tend to be timid and avoid humans. I know many runners are now carrying bear spray and noisemakers (air horns/police whistles etc) for protection.

    On a side note, this months edition of Runner's World has a very good story about 2 runners who were attacked by a group of pitbulls... good read. Fact is that as a runner, I'm more afraid of a dog attack than I am of getting hit by a car.
  • julieapreston
    julieapreston Posts: 8
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    I posted a couple days ago about running in the dark and some of our dangers here. Well this morning one of those dangers became all to real :( I was running about a mile and half from my house near my best friends house (in a very suburban neighbor hood) and there is an open field on one side of the field well in the under brush I saw two small dark dog like figures running one about six feet ahead of me and one parallel to me. I started making every big deep noise I could think of and coughing and turned and headed home (thank god a car drove between us or I doubt they would have been very detoured) cototes in our area are known for attacking runners. What do y'all do to stave off coyotes?

    I will tell you that pepper spray does NOT work. About 4 months ago, my dog and I were chased home...quite literally chased. I remember collapsing on the floor when we finally got in the house...if I could only run that fast all of the time. A dear friend said that it must have been rabid because they usually just stalk not chase. Someone told me to try wasp spray because it shoots out of the can like 12 feet...
  • jellebeandesigns
    jellebeandesigns Posts: 347 Member
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    I'm in Erie just across hwy 7 we have dens two blocks from us (we are actually in old town)
  • Yukongil
    Yukongil Posts: 166 Member
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    challenge one to personal combat, punk him out in front of all his friends and then suplex him on the curb. This will cower the pack and spread your legend amongst their number. Then they will either serve you out of fear or leave you alone.

    worked for me, true story.
  • kimmianne89
    kimmianne89 Posts: 428 Member
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    Don't say "meep meep"...that attracts them.

    Haha!
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    Don't run in the dark? <--- not snarky remark either. That's one of the reasons I never walk/run when it's dark out.

    We live in the woods and I hear them all the time. The problem is that the acoustics make them seem like they're really close when they're not. Even when I'm safe in the house and I hear them it freaks me out. My husband was walking our dog one evening and he heard a bunch of them yipping not too far from where he and the dog were. Apparently our dog sat down and started baying along with them LOL!
  • graceylou222
    graceylou222 Posts: 198 Member
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    Get a treadmill
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
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    Wolfs are one thing, coyotes, I wouldn't be to worried. They're usually under 50 lbs and rarely in packs greater than 2-3. A few kicks and punches in the snout and they'd disperse pretty quick.

    You can't be serious

    I mean yeah bro I punch coyotes in the nose all the time, works great. Sometimes I poke them in the eye with my finger
    Yeah I'm serious bro. I was attacked by a 80 lb dog before and it worked like a charm bro. :huh:
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
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    Coyotes are all over where I live in Illinois and they usually only come out at night, although we have seen a few rare ones during the late afternoon hours. We hear them around 10 pm in a pack and it sounds horrible, like they are devouring something. Howling, barking and carrying on like a horror movie scene. However, they mainly eat small animals like rabbits, squirrels, cats and small dogs, etc. and they are pretty much a cowardly animal. They killed my cat who was accidently let out at night. :( I don't think they'd bother you unless you sound like a dying animal when you run. I know I do, so I only run during the day. lol
    Carry some pepper spray and make a lot of noise if you see one. Most likely they will fear you as soon as they know you're there and not bother you.
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
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    I carry a handgun when running.

    on another note- had a very agressive alpha male coyote this past summer. He would constantly pace me near my house as well as others. It got to the point that in broad daylight he would advance on me across my lawn, stop 10-15' away and just stand there. Very unnerving. We have alot of little kids in the neighborhood and then the missing signs for small dogs and cats started sprouting up. This coyote made the local pack much more agressive also.

    Our local wildlife department said they could do nothing until a human was attacked. So I baited him and shot him from my kitchen table with a suppressed AR. Dumped him in a hole and called it good. Since then the pack has moved on.
    Wow! Good for you for having the guts to do it and keep everyone safe. When wildlife depends on human sources of food, even if its our pets, that is when they become a problem. It has been so bad here that our neighbors have climbed to the roof of their garage, with guns, to wait for the coyotes to come out at night. So far, they haven't shot any but I think the coyotes can smell them. I dont know. After they killed my cat, I'd shoot one in a heartbeat. They keep me awake at night anyway.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    Coyotes are all over where I live in Illinois and they usually only come out at night, although we have seen a few rare ones during the late afternoon hours. We hear them around 10 pm in a pack and it sounds horrible, like they are devouring something. Howling, barking and carrying on like a horror movie scene. However, they mainly eat small animals like rabbits, squirrels, cats and small dogs, etc. and they are pretty much a cowardly animal. They killed my cat who was accidently let out at night. :( I don't think they'd bother you unless you sound like a dying animal when you run. I know I do, so I only run during the day. lol
    Carry some pepper spray and make a lot of noise if you see one. Most likely they will fear you as soon as they know you're there and not bother you.

    They can actually kill bigger animals and have been known to leap over fences to get to pets like dogs.

    They're a wild animal and "cowardly" or not they I personally wouldn't take my chances that the pack is going to look at me and think "Hmm. She looks kinda tall. Perhaps we should go eat a bunny instead".
  • jellebeandesigns
    jellebeandesigns Posts: 347 Member
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    Don't run in the dark or alone. As far as the jingling and lights that makes you more visible for a person to attack. Just be safe and run during daylight
    The chances of a person attacking are slim to none, which for me is ironic
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
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    I posted a couple days ago about running in the dark and some of our dangers here. Well this morning one of those dangers became all to real :( I was running about a mile and half from my house near my best friends house (in a very suburban neighbor hood) and there is an open field on one side of the field well in the under brush I saw two small dark dog like figures running one about six feet ahead of me and one parallel to me. I started making every big deep noise I could think of and coughing and turned and headed home (thank god a car drove between us or I doubt they would have been very detoured) cototes in our area are known for attacking runners. What do y'all do to stave off coyotes?
    Shoot the *kitten*. Coyotes do better in suburbs than in the wild, unlike wolves. Animal control should be getting them if they are dangerous like that. Make noise at your city council, write the mayor letters. Go to the city hall and complain. That is what you pay your taxes for. Besides, if you shoot a coyote in the city, you might go to jail, so scratch my first thought ;-)
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
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    Wolfs are one thing, coyotes, I wouldn't be to worried. They're usually under 50 lbs and rarely in packs greater than 2-3. A few kicks and punches in the snout and they'd disperse pretty quick.

    You can't be serious

    I mean yeah bro I punch coyotes in the nose all the time, works great. Sometimes I poke them in the eye with my finger
    LOL Yeah, right!
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
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    We have lots of coyotes here in Wv too (I live in the mountains). I've been surrounded by them on camping trips but have only encountered them occasionally on my runs. They are usually afraid of me. I did see a dead one skinned on the side of the road once....that was really strange.

    I have also come across black bears and mountain cats. Yes....those are the scary ones! (In fact my neighbor had a black bear on her porch the other day). The cat was the worst of all.....it was crouched on top of a ridge just above me...I heard it growling and happened to look up as I ran by. It's teeth were bared and ears were back.

    The bear was on the side of the road....I saw it long before I got up to it so I just turned around and ran the other way lol.

    That is the reason why I only run in the daylight......
    I was hiking pretty deep in the Cascades, and a mountain lion was following me. When I noticed it, I started screaming, flailing my arms and running at it. It took off, but I was freaking out for the next 10 miles back to my car...
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Don't run in the dark or alone. As far as the jingling and lights that makes you more visible for a person to attack. Just be safe and run during daylight
    I am not worried about being attacked by a person. As for running without lights, would you suggest we do the same when on our bikes?
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Get a treadmill
    This is your serious suggestion?
    :smile: :smile:
    Running outside is WONDERFUL.

    Running on the treadmill is a less than satisfactory, but at times necessary alternative.
    I would never choose it for my daily runs.

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