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Canadian folk singer killed by coyotes while on hike


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Home Forums General Forums General Lightweight Backpacking Discussion Canadian folk singer killed by coyotes while on hike

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  • #1240719
    Chris Jones
    BPL Member

    @nightmarcher

    I came across this story on CNN. It's a really sad story, but I am even more surprised to learn that a coyote would attack and kill a human…

    http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/29/taylor.mitchell/index.html

    #1541087
    Matthew Ross
    BPL Member

    @msross

    It is a very unfortunate and sad story. If you are interested, here's a link to the CBC story that provides a little more detail.

    http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2009/10/28/ns-coyote-attack-died.html

    #1541102
    Dan @ Durston Gear
    BPL Member

    @dandydan

    Locale: Canadian Rockies

    The story is weird. I hope I don't come across as insensitive, but I see coyotes all the time where I live and it's hard to fathom 2 of them killing a person, even if they were 100% trying to. Coyotes are generally just so small compared to even wolves, which almost never kill people. I wonder if more happened then we know about? Like perhaps she tripped and fell and that allowed them to attack easier? I guess we'll never know.

    #1541129
    Troy Ammons
    BPL Member

    @tammons

    Well, my view is that they are predetors and if they are hungry and see an oportunity for a meal they will take it.

    Possible one or both could have had rabies, but supposedly wolves, coyotes etc with rabies only live a week or so.

    Weak prey is one thing but a healthy 19 YO is odd.

    #1541130
    Charles Grier
    BPL Member

    @rincon

    Locale: Desert Southwest

    I live in a part of the world where there are many coyotes, some of them with rabies. I can't recall ever hearing of a fatal attack on a human by coyotes; they are generally timid and elusive. I have heard of cases where people have been bitten by rabid coyotes but I have never heard of a fatal attack. There are, however, quite a few documented cases of fatal attacks on humans by feral dogs. Not just in Arizona but throughout North America.

    Since in this particular instance the attacking animals were never seen, other than by the victim, I wonder whether feral dogs might have been to blame. I know that I have had some scary encounters with dog packs.

    #1541132
    Troy Ammons
    BPL Member

    @tammons

    You would think that, but some other hikers ran off the coyotes and called 911.

    Thats what is sez in the second article.

    Meant to say that ferel dogs can be nasty as it gets.

    #1541135
    Troy Ammons
    BPL Member

    @tammons

    IF you read down the article comments, one person mentions a coydog or coywolf crossbreed. That makes more sense to me that a more aggresive crossbreed would be the culpret.

    also interesting that the biologist mentioned in the story had a run in with an aggresive coyote too, that came back and charged a second time. I have never seen any coyotes act like that.

    My father years ago, gave me some advise though. He said that if you ever see a wild animal like a fox etc that acts weird and starts walking towards you instead of running away it probably has rabies. It happened to me about 10 years ago with a fox. Very odd. He had is head down and headed stright for me like he was hunting.

    Very sad story though about the girl.

    #1541307
    Hikin’ Jim
    BPL Member

    @hikin_jim

    Locale: Orange County, CA, USA

    Have you seen the other BPL thread on this?

    From that thread, here is an article discussing coyote-wolf interbreeding.

    From the article linked in this thread:
    Bancroft [wildlife biologist] advises hikers to be alert and leave their iPods at home. He also suggests carrying a knife.
    Interesting.

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