So Scary last night!!

[Janet]

When my son got home from work last night around 9:30 PM he wanted his dad to check his car. He was afraid something was going bad on it (lights kept dimming.)

There were either coyotes, dogs or coydogs on the run because we could hear them all around. :eek: First they'd be off to the right of a field or woods and then over to the left. Sounded like there were a lot, like at least 15 or 20, but being soooo dark we could not see, just hear. It sounded horrible and it was really scary.

[DianaB]

It sounds like maybe your son's alternator might need to be checked. I know that it will make your lights go dim.

Coyotes can sound awful when there's just a few but I bet with that many it was pretty spooky. They make the worst noise. We can hear them at night when we go to bed.

[katepoet]

Also, if it's a fairly new car, when the computer boards go bad it can screw up the electrical system, blow fuses and generally make you think it's everything else.

Do you have close neighbors, Janet? Sounds like those coyotes must make you feel isolated and hemmed in. Is it safe to go out if they are in groups like that? I imagine you have to keep watch on your pets.

[Mandy]

Janet, is Rick's car sorted out, and fixed now?

So glad we dont get coyotes, or any other scary animals here.

[Janet]

Thanks all, yes his car is back to normal. There is a switch that somehow started coming loose. His dad of course knew what to do. He was sooo afraid he'd have to ride the bus....LOL Once they get their license, they never want to ride a school bus again.

It can be pretty scary with all the dog, coyotes, coydogs running. In the spring when we go mushroom hunting they will run from you and stay hidden. One time my husband heard some crying, stopped and off to his left were some puppies..then he heard a growl and off to the right was the mama coyote. He just kept on walking and the coyote left him alone.

I don't think, but don't know for sure, that they won't attack a human at night. I always keep a close watch and within grabbing distance of the dogs.

[Mandy]

Ive read before that they take dogs? Is that true?

[Janet]

Oh yes, around here they mostly take anything their size or smaller.

[Mandy]

That would freak me out big time :eek:

[DianaB]

Coyotes don't usually get close to homes, anyway not ours. We have a big dog that stays close to the house and I know that she would chase them off if they came too close. We do lose cats that wander too far from home. I do worry about Reuger outside at night but when it's dark he stays pretty close to the house.

[Mandy]

Yikes Diana, that would scare me too. Maybe one of those flash light collars around hes neck will scare any coyotes off that try to come close to him.

[rivermom]

Not a coyote fan myself either Janet. Ewwwwww :eek:

Glad the car is top notch again! Car issues are a pain in the rear. :thumbdwn:

[Janet]

Coyotes don't usually get close to homes, anyway not ours. We have a big dog that stays close to the house and I know that she would chase them off if they came too close. We do lose cats that wander too far from home. I do worry about Reuger outside at night but when it's dark he stays pretty close to the house.

They really don't come close to houses here very often, although we have had them run through our yard (we have an acre). I remember one going through our yard in the wintertime and there was snow, the coyote was so beautiful.

They mostly run the field and go from woods to woods I think. We hear them often, but last night it just sounded like there were so many and not that far away.

[katepoet]

The last time I heard about their eastward movement, they were up to the west side of the Appalachians/Blue Ridge. Anyone know if they have crossed the mountains yet?

[rivermom]

The last time I heard about their eastward movement, they were up to the west side of the Appalachians/Blue Ridge. Anyone know if they have crossed the mountains yet?


Are you talking about coyotes? Im confused. :confused:

[katepoet]

Yes - coyotes moving eastward across the US, displacing some of the fox populations.

[Janet]

Well I found out a few things I'd rather not know about. Hubby and I went to a small little town near us and had pizza for supper. While we were there a neighbor came in the topic of coyotes and coydogs came up. I guess a lot of the farmers are hearing and seeing way to many of them.

They are getting together to 'call' them. I asked how they 'called' them and he said they get a tape of a pig squealing, sounding like it's distressed or a tape a rabbit squealing...

Now it's not hard to get a pig to squeal, but a rabbit....I don't know what they do to get them to do that and I don't think I want to.

It reminded my of the book "When Rabbit Squeals" or "When Rabbit Cries" I think that's the name of it. It's about this lady that had multiple personalities. As a child her step-dad would make her watch him skin rabbits alive, thus the name of the book.

I just googled and there are tapes with those sounds on there to call coyotes...just goes to show, you're never to old to learn.

[katepoet]

I hope most of those tapes are humans making noises or one tape being copied over and over. I can understand that they need to solve the coyote problem, but the idea of those tapes gives me the creeps. Did you get any idea how many coyotes are in your area? I wonder how out of balance they are making the ecology.

[rivermom]

I am sure it's just a device or a human voice mimicking the sounds of a rabbit. Just like you would see with duck or deer calls, etc.

The over population of coyotes, deer, and so on can be detrimental to their own breed, other animals, our land, crops, and ecology. I appreciate those who are responsible in maintaining the healthy numbers of these animals. It's a benefit to all.