Topic
Surrounded by coyotes need help
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
Home › Forums › Gear Forums › Gear (General) › Surrounded by coyotes need help
- This topic is empty.
-
AuthorPosts
-
Oct 14, 2012 at 9:10 pm #1921320
It's weird because I have never seen them in this area with all the running I've seldom done, but I've never been to this exact spot. I feel like I'm right above their den.
Oct 14, 2012 at 9:13 pm #1921322Stay, if they wanted to get you (hint they probably don't) they'd get you just as easily hiking out. I'm no expert but a bunch of coyotes yapping around does not sound like hunting behavior anyway. Stay were you are, if one comes close go after it aggressively with a light on and flapping a jacket to look bigger. My guess is you won't ever see them though.
Oct 14, 2012 at 9:25 pm #1921323Had a pack of coyotes catch and eat a turkey just out of sight of my camp a few years ago. They howled and paced around all night long staying close by but only making a rucus until about 3am or so. Couldn't sleep because of the noise, but coyotes did not come into the camp area/firelight. If you feel the need to "do something", throw rocks, it might convince them to leave.
Oct 14, 2012 at 9:26 pm #1921324This situation just begs for a video. Since you have your phone, do a video with a close up of your face and you talking to the camera with coyotes howling in the background. You know, "Blair Witch" style. It'll keep you occupied if nothing else.
Oct 14, 2012 at 9:58 pm #1921328Heard them catch something they sounded relentless. Inns be hard to sleep with this paranoia. Phone getting low
Oct 14, 2012 at 10:34 pm #1921335So you posted this in a gear section. I think this is a joke, coyotes got you scared? I remember my first camping trip… They maybe tracking a Samsqanch. Walk back to the car/home in 40 minutes and go to bed. Really?
Oct 14, 2012 at 10:35 pm #1921336Do you have the app that makes cat "Meow" sounds?
If so, whatever you do, dont play it!
Oct 15, 2012 at 3:35 am #1921351Like others who've posted, I don't think you have anything to worry about. I welcome the sound of a coyotes howl and consider it a gift when I'm in the woods. Try to embrace the fact that you're among these animals, because going into the wilderness would be terribly bland without these experiences.
Oct 15, 2012 at 4:42 am #1921355I agree with the others who say to not worry about it. There are about 3 coyote attacks per year in the US and Canada. 1/3 of those are due to people approaching or attempting to feed the animals. Given how many coyotes are out there, your odds of being attacked are near zero.
And, on a more general note, if you're afraid of coyotes, you should probably just sleep indoors. Personally, I love the sound of coyote howls, and if I heard a bunch nearby, I would fall alseep with a smile on my face, happy to know that local predator populations are healthy.
Oct 15, 2012 at 5:57 am #1921369I too love to hear them, but do worry a little when camping with my dog (for her safety, not mine). Fortunately she seems to have the good sense to be afraid of them, at least I think her shaking is fear and not excitement. Her shaking does keeps me awake until the coyotes quiet down some and she settles a bit, that usually doesn't take too long though. At least that has been my limited experience with them.
Oct 15, 2012 at 6:28 am #1921378Get out your camera
Hopefully you're not eaten, or our levity would be in bad taste
I would be fearful in your case also, even though you're in little risk, easy for us to say
I've heard Coyotes once when I was sleeping, but they weren't real close
I often put a nice stick next to me when I'm sleeping for just such a case.
Oct 15, 2012 at 7:51 am #1921398You're a goner, for sure.
Oct 15, 2012 at 7:57 am #1921400Where I live, I have coyotes on my back acreage every single night. I hear them howling in my back yard, sometimes not more than 50 yards from my house.
Plenty of them.They killed my Doberman. I know other people who have lost their pets to coyote attacks. Lots of farm livestock attacks around here too.
I don't think they'd attack you in a camp, but you never really know with coyotes. I didn't think they'd attack a 105 pound Doberman in my yard, either.
I just shoot them when I see them.
Oct 15, 2012 at 8:40 am #1921410Similar thing happened to me a few weeks ago in Washington State.
They would howel and bark for awhile then I wouldn't hear from them for a while. They did this a half dozen times during the night. Sometimes they would be closer and sometimes farther off.
They didn't come close to my tent or bother me but kit kept me on edge. I had my bear spray at the ready and a big stick.
Oct 15, 2012 at 8:42 am #1921411Michael,
The dance of the coyotes my family dog a male spring spaniel who loved to fight other male dogs and win fight with even rottweilers . Would take off for a couple of weeks to dance with coyotes. I guess to fight them and mate with them. He would come back pretty beat up after his fun but he did it a couple times a year.
I have come across and seen quite a few coyotes in my years working in our avocado grove and hiking.
Coyotes are more afraid of humans and hide or take off in my experience. Plus coyotes are small canine that weigh between 40 to 60 pounds. If attacked a good kick in the chest or fist in the head will take care of them because they find out your the alpha dog and run for their life . If that does not work a finger in the eye will also work.Most of the attacks are in Southern California urban areas because of the over building encroachment on their natural habitat and they are searching for food. Because we took away their natural food supply.
TerryOct 15, 2012 at 8:44 am #1921412I'm alive, thanks for the responses guys. I was definitley concerned because they were so close, and there were so many of them. Never worried about them much before last night. I made a lot of noise when I because worried, I would yell HEYYYYYY, and shine my Petzl Zipka around, seems like they stopped howling around 12:30.
I got pretty tired and fell asleep, to say I slept well would be a long shot, I woke up a lot. I even had a crazy dream that a mountain lion was circling me as I was laying down, I got up and decided to hike back during the night. Me and the lion were playing cat and mouse as I finnally made it to a road and ran infront of a truck with its headlights on. I waved them down and they were laughing at me after I told them my epic story.
I woke up after that dream and thought maybe something was circling me, so I looked around shined my light and yelled a few times. I think after last night (there were a ton of coyotes)I realized that if I didnt get aproached or attacked, I probably never will and won't worry about them from here on out.
Woke up before sunrise and made some coffee with my Esbit setup (check it out in MYOG) and decided to take a longer way back for a good exercise.
Oct 15, 2012 at 8:51 am #1921414Camera died about 11, actually I turned it off when I had %5 left, and in the morning it wouldnt turn back on. Snapped these earlier, nothing special.
Oct 15, 2012 at 8:54 am #1921415res
Oct 15, 2012 at 8:54 am #1921416Was starting to think we should have gotten your GPS coordinates so we could tell the Search and Rescue team where to look!
Oct 15, 2012 at 9:10 am #1921419Thanks!
Oct 15, 2012 at 10:10 am #1921438coyotes are fluffy puppies anyways that just want a scratch behind the ear … no doubt once they come up to you and realize youre a BPLer who didnt carry bear spray because the extra few ozs will break yr XUL target, theyll roll over and leave ya alone ;)
solution … carry some spray next time or some other means of protection … despite what anyone here says its yr life
Oct 15, 2012 at 10:22 am #1921442Michael,
The coyotes I heard a couple of weeks ago sounded like the Coyote 1 recording at this site:
Did yours sound similar?
Oct 15, 2012 at 10:29 am #1921444Michael,
Where were you camping? I see a housing development below and a large lake in the background.
The second photos show a water treatment plant and freeway. It look like your only 2 to 3 miles at the most from civilization. You could have just packed up walked back down with your head lamp if your were that scared and went back home.
TerryOct 15, 2012 at 11:46 am #1921466I'd never thought of coyotes as being a threat to adult humans, until I read the article in 2009 about the young Canadian woman who was attacked by a couple of coyotes and died as a result. And then a year or so ago, my aunt (who lives in Sonoma County (CA) out in the country on a ranch), said a friend/neighbor of hers was followed by a pack of coyotes as she was walking back to her house from the river around dusk. The woman was definitely creeped out, and they followed her most of the way back home. I would not have wanted to be in that situation.
I'd tend to think (as I'm sitting safely in my house) that a pack that's howling is not hunting and therefore not much of a threat, but who knows? if I were out there like you I'm sure I'd have been nervous too. Probably best to carry some bear spray from now on if you are truly concerned.
Oct 15, 2012 at 11:53 am #1921471Just treat the coyotes like any other mean dogs.
Carry a water pistol full of ammonia. Shoot them in the face if they get too close.
It won't permanently hurt the coyote other than to teach it not to get so close to humans. It may temporarily blind the animal.
–B.G.–
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Forum Posting
A Membership is required to post in the forums. Login or become a member to post in the member forums!
Our Community Posts are Moderated
Backpacking Light community posts are moderated and here to foster helpful and positive discussions about lightweight backpacking. Please be mindful of our values and boundaries and review our Community Guidelines prior to posting.
Get the Newsletter
Gear Research & Discovery Tools
- Browse our curated Gear Shop
- See the latest Gear Deals and Sales
- Our Recommendations
- Search for Gear on Sale with the Gear Finder
- Used Gear Swap
- Member Gear Reviews and BPL Gear Review Articles
- Browse by Gear Type or Brand.