Night riding with coyotes.
#26
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In the city I had to worry more about robbers and muggers. At least coyotes don't carry guns
#27
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#28
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I used to live in Arizona and never heard of problems with coyotes and cyclists, hikers or hunters. Now, you "could" encounter one with rabies but that's a one-off. My personal experience with coyotes, and I saw them virtually every night on our property, is that if they see you, they run away. You could arm yourself with a pepper spray if it makes you more comfortable but I don't think there's anything to worry about.
#30
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#31
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I see them every once in a while on the MUP that runs along the Arizona Canal and along Skunk Creek Wash in Glendale & Peoria, AZ. Usually in the half-hour before dawn but have seen a few in daylight. They don't pay much attention to me (aren't scared of humans,) and usually seem to be going somewhere and crossing the path. More of a danger to cats and rabbits. Don't worry about it.
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#32
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It's happened to me before. Mountain biking in broad daylight, I rounded a bend just in time to see one trotting off of the trail (probably because it heard me coming), but it stopped maybe 30 or 40 feet off the trail and just watched me ride by. The look on its face was curiosity, not fear or hunger. Another time a couple were walking down my street and saw my (medium sized) dogs next to me. They DID look at the dogs like they were contemplating their next meal, so I ushered them back in the house.
But yeah, I don't think I've ever heard of a coyote attacking a human, but plenty about pets.
But yeah, I don't think I've ever heard of a coyote attacking a human, but plenty about pets.
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#34
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I live in the desert too. No problem, they’re scrawny and run from humans. The bike lights scare them away from far out, specially on strobe modes. The real thing to worry about out here at night are the meth humans and various other insane people. Keep a pistol on you, lot of stupid white trash on the warm months. I notice the worst start creeping out of their garbage filled squats around June and are out til October or so.
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#35
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I have a new appreciation for budlight cans & bottles now that those WC containers are the norm in being pitched at me when road riding. Haven't had a full-one [WC] chucked at me yet, but they're still at a premium for demand that some wouldn't risk doin without.
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#36
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Coyotes are ever present here, but encounters are rare, and almost always uneventful. My wife had one come right up to her while she was resting during her morning walk a few months ago.
I'm sure people must be hand feeding them, and they are losing their fear of humans. Not a good thing.
She snapped this photo while they were just looking at each other.
I'm sure people must be hand feeding them, and they are losing their fear of humans. Not a good thing.
She snapped this photo while they were just looking at each other.
#37
Junior Member
We are surrounded by coyotes as we live out in the country. I started hunting them when they came into my horse barn and ate all 4 of my wife's barn cats. They are boogers to hunt, very smart and cunning. If they sniff one scent from a human, they're gone. If you happen to come across one or three, just make a lot of noise and stop riding. They'll scatter once you get off the bike.
Crazy story: A few months ago, I was in my man cave which looks out into the back pasture. As I walked by one of the windows, I caught a life form out of the corner of my eye. As I looked closer, it was a coyote, in the middle of the day, out about 250 yards from the house. He was eating something black but I couldn't tell what it was. All of my neighbors sheep and goats were lined up at their fence watching the coyote, which was weird. I ventured out the back door to see what he was eating and he ran off. As I got closer, I saw that he was eating a hawk. I wondered to myself how the heck that even happens and as I got closer, I saw blood and guts and rabbit fur right next to where the coyote was eating the hawk. So, apparently, the hawk killed the rabbit and while it was eating it on the ground, the coyote snuck up on it and ate the hawk and what was left of the rabbit. Craziest thing I've ever seen.
Crazy story: A few months ago, I was in my man cave which looks out into the back pasture. As I walked by one of the windows, I caught a life form out of the corner of my eye. As I looked closer, it was a coyote, in the middle of the day, out about 250 yards from the house. He was eating something black but I couldn't tell what it was. All of my neighbors sheep and goats were lined up at their fence watching the coyote, which was weird. I ventured out the back door to see what he was eating and he ran off. As I got closer, I saw that he was eating a hawk. I wondered to myself how the heck that even happens and as I got closer, I saw blood and guts and rabbit fur right next to where the coyote was eating the hawk. So, apparently, the hawk killed the rabbit and while it was eating it on the ground, the coyote snuck up on it and ate the hawk and what was left of the rabbit. Craziest thing I've ever seen.
#38
So many folks are quite scared of, and uneducated about, the existence of wild life. i visited a wolf preserve in west central NJ many year back during a bike tour. They also had some fixes there that could not be released into the wild. One of the employees told us that when more city folk started moving to the relatively rural area (parts of NJ have a decent number of black bears) the police started receiving more and more calls from people thinking they were hearing women being attacked. Turned out that what they were hearing were foxes screaming.
Last edited by indyfabz; 04-23-21 at 07:28 AM.
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#39
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You have incredible aim. If I were in this position, I would want something that is more broad like a spray as I dont think I could poke the eye of a moving animal while I was on a moving bike. Thats Olympic level Biathlon type talent.
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#41
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It is pup season, so there are some reports where I live of probably mama coyote being a bit more aggressive especially if people are running or walking with dogs on BLM trails.
Never had a problem with them while cycling.
I think there are probably a lot more coyotes nearby you and living among us that you never see, especially if a lot of cats in your neighborhood go missing.
Never had a problem with them while cycling.
I think there are probably a lot more coyotes nearby you and living among us that you never see, especially if a lot of cats in your neighborhood go missing.
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#42
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#43
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My wife was a singer and would get home at two or three AM, when I would ride, so saw lots of coyotes, including packs that paced me when I rode, but never had a problem. I guess there's always the possibility that one (or more) could have rabies though.
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#44
Live not by lies.
Can’t stand bullies. Doesn’t matter which side of the law.
The OP probably doesn’t need anyone to tell him that drinking wine coolers while riding a bike will increase his chances of crashing which will increase his chances of being eaten by coyotes.
I would be a bit more concerned if their were mountain lions in the area.
#45
Live not by lies.
#46
HarborBandS
I'm in a dense commuter rail suburb in DuPage, and I see coyotes on a regular basis. They will walk past my driveway in the middle of the day, paying no mind to anyone around. They are really more of a threat to pets than humans.
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#47
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My impression is it does happen (definitely), but it's so unusual that no one can generalize what is and isn't a trigger.
This one seems to have taken a dislike to mountain bikers:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/north-...nd-hikers.html
This one seems to have taken a dislike to mountain bikers:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/north-...nd-hikers.html
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#48
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My impression is it does happen (definitely), but it's so unusual that no one can generalize what is and isn't a trigger.
This one seems to have taken a dislike to mountain bikers:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/north-...nd-hikers.html
This one seems to have taken a dislike to mountain bikers:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/north-...nd-hikers.html
#49
Recently, I boiled a coyote skull clean. I was amazed at how thick the musculature was all over it. It seemed to me that hitting one in the head with anything short of an axe would give it a bruise, not a concussion.
#50
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My understanding is that in large parts of the country, the coyotes are interbreeding with wolves and getting really big and strong. I saw one of these hybrids running across the highway in Londonderry NH and it was huge.