Coyotes: Followed by a pack in Belknaps. Anyone else ever have an issue with them?

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John in NH

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Question: Anyone here ever have an issue with coyotes while hiking, especially in central NH or elsewhere in New England?

Up until recently, I admit I operated under the assumption there was nothing in the NE woods wildlife wise to be afraid of. I do not mean to spark paranoia by this thread, either. But I have had a lot of close calls with coyotes recently, including a very close one yesterday:

Incident: Thurs 1/26/12 Piper Mountain. Belknap Range near town of Gilford, southwest of Lake Winnipesaukee

I had some free time yesterday morning, so I started solo up the icy Piper Mountain Trail at 8:30 am. I had a feeling I might encounter coyotes when I saw fresh scat right past the gate. From the half way point of the trail to the summit, I was followed by a howling pack of coyotes (4-6 total based on unique responding calls). Their howling sounds like a big dog bark (think German Sheppard) with a higher pitch whine/howl at the end (wolfish). From the sound, they were below me at that point. I may have startled one out of a spruce tree right near me, but it could have just been a spruce grouse (though with no wing or cackle noise..hmm) Spent a few minutes at the Piper summit, and the coyotes sounded very close. For the descent, they followed me ALL the way down (that’s 1.3 miles 1100 vertical), getting very close based on the howls, and then the howls got a little further away, and then a minute of silence. Then all of a sudden, the howls sounded only fifty yards away again and the cycle would repeat…about fifteen times! I couldn't tell if they were stalking me, investigating me, or just following and then avoiding me. It was quite scary to be honest. Sometimes they were so close I could hear them panting and breathing. I had no real weapon and no idea what I could do if all of sudden I saw them blocking the trail around the next bend. I had my hiking poles, whistle, and flimsy bladed filleting knife.

By contrast, I have been hiking in the Whites for over eight years, logging over 1000 miles, and have never heard a coyote there or seen one, but have seen their scat from time to time. Never thought twice about them up there. Never heard them in Massachusetts or Vermont either.

So what going on here in Central NH? Are the coyotes growing in number? Forming more packs. These coyotes are not like the small wylie coyotes looking western ones you might be imagining. These are 40-50 pounds, are dark, almost black in color, have 50-88% Wolf DNA according to NH Fish and Game fact sheet, look like a cross between German Sheppard and black wolf.

I have them on my property at home (in Central NH) and have seen them numerous times up close. I hear them at home almost everyday and running through streets in area—there is a pack.

Other encounters I’ve had with coyotes in the past year:
--August 2011 Going out to the car at my house, 2 deer where nearby, put their whites tails up and ran. A second later, a pack of six coyotes, who must have been stalking two deer jumped out of the brush 40 feet from the car with three people trying to get into it and chased the deer, unfazed by human presence. I did call fish and game asking if this was concerning. They laughed and said, no, its just New Hampshire.
--Sept 2011 Descending Mount Major in dark after sunset photography, had pack nearby but never close enough to worry.
--Oct 2011 Descending same Piper Mountain trail had howling pack nearby for last 20 minutes of descent
---Jan 2012 Oak Hill, Concord, NH howling pack, but not too close to me

So I was just wondering if I am a coyote magnet or if anyone else has had a problematic encounter. Also, what should you do if you were surrounded by a pack of coyotes? I have heard stand tall, throw rocks, use stick if attacked. Would pepper spray help?
 
Haha yep, I've had them circle around me while hiking in the winter before. Doesn't happen often, but it's pretty neat when it does. :)

A few friends and I were climbing Jenkins Mountain in the Adirondacks a few years ago, the coyotes followed us all the way to the summit and back down. Never saw them, but we could hear them yipping and howling nearby for several hours, and saw plenty of tracks showing that they were doing laps around us.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Their behavior more likely stems from curiosity about who you are and why you are there than it does from a desire to attack you.

If it bothers you, I'd consider using your whistle to scare them off (a couple of sharp and loud blasts probably ought to do the trick), or carry pepper spray if that makes you feel safer.
 
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Coyote Interst

I hike the Piper/Belknap area at least weekly and have never heard that amount of howling or seen any coyotes YET.
On the days going up to work the fire tower and back down I have not seen any. I did see one cross over the E.Gilford trail a few years ago from the tower but it was alone. Maybe my hearing and sight are getting bad but I do not question your observations,they are definatly there.
I plan on hiking up tom. maybe we will see or hear something. Out of curiosity I will ask some of the regulars if they experience the same thing you have.
 
Last April a somewhat similar incident occurred with a group of us hiking into Pond of Safety over Lookout Ledge and Mt. Randolph, though they were not quite as close...at the time they were getting close, we ran into deep, rotten snow and were postholing even with shoes it would have been useless....but we think they were running a moose at the time...it can be creepy esp when solo...they (4 or 5?) then veered off our track, but it seemed like they were coming right on the track..and agree with DSettahr, every coyote I ve seen while hiking or hunting took off upon sight...but exceptions to the rule of course
 
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When I lived on a farm a few years ago, we'd occasionally have to chase them off. My lab was able to stare them down and protect us (or at least, she thought she was). When we'd see them in the woods, they'd g,enerally stay clear. It's much spookier at night.
 
This time of year it is actually becoming more common. The local news had a report last week or the week before of a son who was attacked by them (I can't remember exactly what town, but I think it was near the Rochester NH area). Typically they are solo animals, but in winter they will "pack up" and act sort of like wolves to chase down food. With most natural predators gone from the scene the coyote has filled in the niche pretty amazingly. So much so that they are now becoming a big problem across the country where they are dominant. Like others I have seen them occasionally out in the woods....but always during hunting season, and they gave me little notice, much to their benifit since I was armed. :D

Brian

P.S. I take it back. There was the one time I saw a coyote while in my car. That crazy bugger ran clear across both north and southbound lanes on I93 in the middle of some decent traffic....and survived to tale the tale (or is that tail? ;) ) I give that guy (or gal) credit!
 
Thanks for the replies, and sharing your stories, insights. keep them coming.

I did know ahead of time that statistically getting mauled by coyotes isn't likely. In fact, there have only been two human deaths in all of NORTH AMERICA in the past 30 years. One of them though, was a solo hiker circled by a pack in Cape Bretton, Nova Scotia http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2009/10/28/ns-coyote-attack-died.html Of course when they have been circling you for a full hour, those stats don't seem to matter, everything changes. Also, having seen first hand a pack hunt a two deer a few months ago on my property made me think---I'm the same size as a deer, just not as fast

Being solo I think makes a big difference. If I was hiking with one or more people, I wouldn't have been concerned at all, and think the whole think might not have been so prolonged if it happened at all.

DSettahr-- thanks for sharing the story, and agree I wasn't probably going to be attacked or anything I thought I saw tracks too, but it was very frozen ice, hard snow and there were old domestic dog tracks mixed in too

TrailwrightBratt-- I too hike some variation of the piper/belknap/gunstock area loop at least once a month... I have seen scat, but only had three instances of hearing coyotes. As for hearing them yesterday...ever hear a dog bark in the same house or yard as you? thats how loud, about 15 times they were that close. There was no mistaking it. I actually have a sound recording of the coyote pack at my house...what I heard was identical. I would be curious if you or anyone else who hikes the area encounters them. I'll be back too of course.
 
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Ooops, it was a mother and daughter, not mother and son:

http://www.wmur.com/news/30237028/detail.html

Also it was in Atkinson (don't know why I thought Rochester), which may seem surprising at first (being in one of the more urbanized areas of the state with Haverhill just over the border) but is actually becoming the norm. They are invading even these urban areas too due to lack of any predation of them.

Brian
 
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Yeah, it's a bit unnerving!
I've been followed a few times by a small pack now and then this time of year, it really gets to me if I'm waaay out deep, but I've never felt like my life was actually at stake. I'm speaking of being followed in my home area of north central Vermont in the Mt Mansfield region.
I will say, however, I've been stalked three times by a silent and unseen 'coyote' with huge pads following me step for step in my snowshoe tracks. Never saw it but had that sickening feeling I was always being watched. Those were the three times I've ever felt like I really had to hold back my panic. I don't really carry a weapon when I'm working or bushwhacking way out in the woods except for a good knife or camp axe in my pack.
I've had some awesome up close wildlife encounters with both black bears and moose, but to be honest, some of these packs (especially the 'coydogs', cross with wild domestic dogs) really unnerve me.
Watch your back :/
 
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It's only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt or killed by coyotes in New England. It's been happening in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and New York already. Attacks out west are even more common.

I'm a nature lover, but I hate coyotes. They'll eat ANYTHING (your cat, your dog, your trash, your children)

I wonder if trekking poles are strong enough to be used as a spear =).
 
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Cape Breton

I rode my bike around Cape Breton this past summer. There are signs all over warning about coyotes. I found it to be a bit silly, actually, but understandable all the same due to the girl being killed. I heard them in the Highlands, but never saw any.
 
http://kennesawcutlery.com/Fixed-Blade-Knives/Buck-Black-Vanguard-Bowie-Knife

I never hike without it. Not really concerned with normal animals but if they are rabid you might have a different thinking critter on your hands (or leg!). I used to volunteer and ride with the animal control warden when I was in high school. Most canines run from people. You can be the hunter or the hunted.
 
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I hear coyotes on the hill behind the apt on most evenings when I am around. They are quite the singers! So it doesn't surprise me that this is happening more and more. I remember reading a news story about someone being stalked while walking...somewhere in Essex county, MA? It was a more urbanized area, thats for sure.
 
I took my dog out walking the other day, right after we got a little snow.

There were fresh tracks all over the place, I just thought at first they were someone else out walking their dog. Then I noticed no boot tracks, and I thought 'dog on the loose.' No big deal, I live in Wonalancet and sometimes people's dogs get loose.

My dog was acting kind of odd, for her, she wasn't interested in the walk at all, just kept tugging on the leash to go back home.

Once we got into the more wooded area I let her off her leash to roam and sniff and do her normal 'doggy' stuff, and I kept walking along my way.

Then I noticed loads and loads of tracks of all sorts, everywhere, more than I have ever seen, and I have lived here and walked this area a lot for 16 years. These were all very fresh tracks. My dog was hanging way back and I had to keep calling her to come to me, usually she is ahead of me and I have to call her to come back and stay close.

Then I noticed a few spots where some animal had bedded down for the night. Small spots, much smaller than a deer and about the size of a dog... and then, since I was stopped and no longer had the loud 'crunch crunch crunch' of my boots in the snow blocking my hearing I guess, I heard them. Lots of them. To me, it sounded more like the howling of huskies, and there are a fair number of those in this area. But none that close to where I was walking. My dog then gave me her best exacerbated look as if to say 'there, can we go home now?!' I gave her the go ahead and she was gone like a bullet. (so much for the idea that she would be of any use to me if I happened to be so unfortunate to have an encounter...)

I've heard what I thought were coyotes many many times out in this area over the last 16 years. But I've never really noticed their tracks, or have mistakenly thought they were dog tracks? I have never seen areas where they have been bedded down. Deer and moose for sure out here, but never a coyote.

I will have to do a little more research on them and try to find a recording of what they sound like. I had no idea they were as large as 40-50 pounds, I always thought there were smaller for some reason.

Always good to know what is out in the woods with you and what to do in any encounter with wildlife.
 
I hear coyotes on the hill behind the apt on most evenings when I am around.
Think I remember reading you lived in chester?I have been told by a local area logger that there ARE coyotes in Chester and Derry now!I wonder if the wolves are pushing them south?Scary stuff.If you see a coyote you can call the cops, but there is only one on duty usually!:D
 

I don't think I'd want any angry or hungry coyote within 4 1/8" of my person. I think I'll take this young lady's advice:

keep_calm_carry_big_stick_tshirt-p235278739111206317zvsx1_400.jpg
 
For myself, not something I worry about. We've had a few close encounters at home (one trotting down our street)



and on the roads and in the parking lot of PNVC (one walked right behind me and I didn't even know it).

Of course I carry one of these on the trail so I'm not generally concerned.



I'm reminded of Forestgnome's beautiful photos of one in the Gulf of Slides. beautiful creatures. Crafty and adaptive. Kind of like us, probably why some people "hate" them.

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showpost.php?p=203254&postcount=1
 
HikingmaineAC-It's tough to open a power bar with a stick!

The Buck would be my last (best) resort. I'd rely on my catcher's throwing arm first and do a little rock plunking first.

For the record, I've seen coyote in the ridge outside Paterson NJ
 
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My dog then gave me her best exacerbated look as if to say 'there, can we go home now?!' I gave her the go ahead and she was gone like a bullet. (so much for the idea that she would be of any use to me if I happened to be so unfortunate to have an encounter...)
From what I have read, the coyotes may be more interested in your dog than in you...

I will have to do a little more research on them and try to find a recording of what they sound like. I had no idea they were as large as 40-50 pounds, I always thought there were smaller for some reason.

Always good to know what is out in the woods with you and what to do in any encounter with wildlife.
Western coyotes are smaller. Eastern ones have been filling the niche that wolves used to occupy--they have been getting bigger and exhibiting pack behavior (such as hunting deer in packs).

Doug
 
A couple years back I thought I heard coyote howls in the evening in the Mast Yard in Concord NH, a local confirmed there was a pack in the area

The closest I've been to a single coyote was RMNP in CO, we were going opposite ways on the trail and kind of sidled away from each other and passed maybe 15' apart. I was more cautious than nervous but with a whole pack I might feel different.

Better bring that ice axe, Hal :)
 
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