Without offending any gun laws, a stout walking stick — a shillelagh — would do good service as a defensive weapon against a menacing coyote or even a single unarmed adversary.
For some reason I’m sure your perfectly reasonable idea would either be offensive or illegal in New Jersey.
LOL. You remind me of my Irish grandmother. Whenever we’d go out for just a walk or to the park she’d bring an old cane. “In case we meet a friendly dog.”
Now having a wee grandson that I take for walks on our local nature trail I’m thinking I should do the same thing.