Posted on 01/27/2015 5:34:21 AM PST by SJackson
HOLLY, MI – In his years as a wildlife technician for the state Department of Natural Resources, Jon Curtis said he can count on zero fingers the numbers of times coyotes have taken down a large animal.
"To actually take a full-0grown horse down is very uncommon," he said of a Jan. 25 attack in Oxford Township along the Lapeer-Oakland County border that led to the death of a 20-year-old horse that was part of the Lapeer County Sheriff's Mounted Division. "I've never heard of that before."
The Lapeer County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Monday that "A group of five to six coyotes entered the paddock area and attacked the horse while it was eating. The horse was brought to the ground during the attack."
"The Meyers heard the attack occurring and their dogs responded (lab mixed)," states the release on the incident of the property of deputies Bruce Meyers and Kallie Meyers. "The dogs engaged the coyotes, which subsequently stopped attacking the horse and fled. The horse died later from the wounds that it sustained."
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office and Department of Natural Resources are now handling the investigation into the incident.
Curtis said coyotes are found in every county in the state, typically in pairs -- one alpha male and one alpha female -- covering a designated territory that varies in size based on food supply that is generally made up of smaller game.
"They primarily eat mice or maybe an occasional rabbit," he said, while from time to time attacking a small dog, cat or scavenging on larger, dead animals such as deer. "It's very unusual they would take down an animal that big."
Coyotes can be hunted or trapped at any time of year on private property, Curtis said, "If they are doing damage or about to do damage."
Someone other than the property owner may receive permission to hunt or trap the animals on private property without a license or written permit, according to DNR regulations.
Outside of pursuing nuisance coyotes, trapping of coyotes is allowed from Oct. 15-March 1, while hunting season is from July 15-April 15.
Curtis said a valid base license for hunting or trapping coyotes runs $11. There is no limit on the number of coyotes that can be shot or trapped during the designated hunting and trapping periods.
Despite the recent incident, Curtis said, "Coyotes are really misunderstood. They are usually a really timid animal or docile animal," and attacks on humans are rare.
In the event someone does have a coyote cross their path, Curtis said, "If you make a lot of noise and wave your arms, they are going to run. Usually when they see humans, they'll book it."
While he understood some people may get a bit panicky about the recent attack, he added, "They really have nothing to fear about being attacked."
That makes more sense then a lone coyote. Anyone can shoot them out here. I think they are interesting. But if my dog is outside, I go get her and bring her in, just in case.
there were printed signs psted in telephone poles here a year or so ago about coyotes coming down out of the hills and taking out peoples pets...
were not really “out in the country” but the coyotes think we are....
“”They primarily eat mice or maybe an occasional rabbit,” he said, while from time to time attacking a small dog, cat or scavenging on larger, dead animals such as deer. “It’s very unusual they would take down an animal that big.”
That is BS. Coyotes in MI kill a ton of deer. The Coyotes here are way bigger than those tiny mutts out west, and they run in packs just like wolves do.
I hear them a night killing deer all the time.
Wow. Talk about freaky timing!
When I walked my Basset Hound this morning in the freshly fallen snow, it was obvious that we had Coyote all over the place last night! That’s not uncommon, but what WAS uncommon was that it looked like two twin tracks, and they went into, and out of, my pole barn and machine shed - which I have never seen them do before. They did not come up to the house.
Good thing we’re not out roaming the fields at night!
It’s not been unusual, when there’s good tracking snow, to see the prints of a half-dozen or more different critters. I need a trail camera - that would be fun to see just what they’re doing, out there.
Dancing In The Moonlight? ;)
That is a rather large coyote. Has anybody done DNA tests to conclusively verify the hybridization?
“need a trail camera - that would be fun to see just what they’re doing, out there.”
You won’t regret getting some cameras!!
Great story, thanks.
Healthy looking coyote. Most of the ones I’ve seen here in Texas are skinny and mangy.
“Roell said that tests carried out on the animals that have been shot or trapped in the Lower Peninsula show that genetically they are coyotes, although they had many wolf characteristics such as longer legs and bigger bodies.”
http://www.timberwolfinformation.org/mi-is-hybrid-a-wolf-or-coyote/
Sure they won’t attack a human. If they’ll attack a horse, they’ll attack a human.
Do not underestimate coyotes. They are very dangerous animals. Likewise, they are unpredictable. Small children, especially, are at risk for attack, in unexpected ways.
There are at least two cases in California where coyotes entered fenced front yards to attack small children playing there. And for years, in pursuit of small animals, coyotes will vault a 6-8’ fence into a backyard, grab the cat or dog, and vault back over the fence.
Importantly, coyotes will also scheme, and are natural tacticians. They learned that when a person is walking a small dog, they can sneak up behind them and “purse snatch” the small dog.
Coy-wolves were originally seen East of the Mississippi, and because of the threat of the coyote’s cunning mixed with the raw intelligence of the wolf, which is around that of a 5 year old child, coy-wolves were described as being as dangerous as “the canine equivalent of a leopard”.
So the US Interior Department issued “shoot on sight” orders for coy-wolves.
Typically, when walking a dog, pepper spray is adequate for fending off aggressive stray dogs. But for coyotes, I would strongly recommend a sidearm.
I live pretty close to the center of Houston, near Buffalo Bayou. I have seen single coyotes but not packs, in broad daylight roaming in neighborhoods . They are here too!
“Scientists already knew that some coyotes, which have been gradually expanding their range eastward, mated with wolves in the Great Lakes (map) region. The pairings created viable hybrid offspring—identified by their DNA and skulls—that have been found in mid-Atlantic states such as New York and Pennsylvania.”
“But other East Coast hybrids seen alive or identified by their remains are noticeably larger, with more wolf-like skulls, jaws, and teeth, Bozarth noted. (See pictures of new hybrid species appearing in the warming Arctic.)
Given this, coyote-wolf hybrids “should be able to do things like take down deer, which a little, scrappy Great Plains wily coyote would not be able to do on its own,” Bozarth said.”
They look at overall size is my guess. The reason why I’ll kill any coyote I see is because of small children. If they’ll get a cat or a dog, they’ll get a small child. I see one and it is dead.
“Do wolves in Michigan hybridize with dogs or coyotes?
Wolves and dogs will hybridize in captivity, and wolf-dog hybrids appear to be more aggressive and dangerous to humans, dogs and livestock.
The eastern wolf and coyote share a relatively recent common ancestor, and are thus more similar to each other than to gray wolves. Eastern wolves and coyotes have hybridized in eastern Ontario and New England, but this rarely occurs in the upper Great Lakes. Some researchers suggest that the eastern wolf genes are actually coyote genes.”
” The eastern wolf is a close relative of the coyote (Canis latrans), and the two species are genetically similar. Some researchers reject the existence of an eastern wolf. They insist that the genetic combinations found in eastern wolves are the result of hybridization of gray wolves and coyotes. Wolf conservation cannot be put on hold until scientific consensus is reached. After reviewing the science, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Michigan DNR are treating the status as if there are two species and their hybrids. We will continue to review the latest scientific information, and manage wolves in Michigan accordingly.”
The DNR doesn’t want to admit that the ‘coyotes’ in southern MI are wolf/coyote hybrids, and eastern wolves.
Southern MI ‘coyotes’ weigh up to 60-70 lbs and they run in packs. We need to put the bounty back on them!
Forgot the link for post 36...
http://michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_12205-256981—,00.html
I think it’ll be fun; I’ll start bugging Mr. Wonderful to get me one. :)
I live in the San Antonio area. Most of them down here are skinny mangy looking things - but - we do have a few of a different type. These are larger, big bushy tail, more of a fox like face but big. And I will admit, they are not an unattractive looking animal. They also appear to be more bold. A few months ago I was driving through one of our city parks, that is really more of a nature preserve. It is minimal roads cut through what was once a large ranch.
This was in the afternoon, broad daylight. Two coyotes just kind of saunter across the street in front of me. One is the typical skinny small thing, but the other one is one of the larger, better looking examples. They cross the street and I pull up and stop. I of course am in an automobile with the windows rolled up, so I feel no fear. The scrawny one sees me and takes off into the brush. The larger one just stands there and stares back. He was really a quite good looking animal, and I suspect must have been crossed with something. He was about German Sheppard size or bigger and completely unafraid. Needless to say I didn’t open the car door for a better look.
Last night as I was going to close up the chickens, the coyotes to the South put up a fierce howl and “Yip Yip Yip”.
Then coyotes to the west and north started in. Then my dogs started in.
We got too many coyotes around here but we are now in the city limits so are limited as to what we can do about them.
If I could see them I could Shoot, Shovel, Shutup. but they are never out in the open.
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